Target audience: Diocesan administrators and jurisdiction staff managing multi-parish directories
The Parish and Contact management system in Site Manager provides tools for creating comprehensive church directories with modern, SEO-friendly URLs. These features work together to help you maintain parish listings, clergy databases, and searchable directories for your jurisdiction or diocese.
What You Can Create
Parish Directory Listings Display parishes in sortable tables accessible at /listings/ with professional URLs like /listing/250/joy-of-all-who-sorrow-mission/ for individual parishes. Visitors can search, filter, and sort parish information.
Advanced Filtering System Create shareable directory links with smart filtering:
- Browse all parishes:
/listings/ - Filter by diocese:
/listings/filter/diocese/Diocese-of-Canada - Filter by state:
/listings/filter/state/NY - Combine filters:
/listings/filter/state/NY/type/Cathedral - Search results:
/listings/search/orthodox-church
Interactive Parish Maps Show parish locations on Google Maps with clustering, popup information windows, and synchronized searching between map and table views.
Contact/Clergy Directories Create filterable displays of clergy and staff with professional URLs like /contact/101/archpriest-john-smith/ featuring photos, ministry information, and parish assignments.
Parish Search Tools Add search functionality that generates SEO-friendly result URLs, making it easy for visitors to find and share specific directory views.
How the System Works
Modern URL Structure Each parish and contact gets a professional URL that includes both an ID number and a descriptive name, improving search engine optimization and making links more shareable on social media.
Comprehensive Database Parish records include organizational hierarchy (jurisdiction → diocese → deanery), dual address support (mailing vs. physical location), founding dates, language tracking, and staff assignments.
Integrated Assignments Clergy and staff contacts link to parishes through a comprehensive contacts field, creating unified directories where parish listings show assigned clergy and contact directories display current assignments.
Smart Filtering Advanced filtering creates shareable URLs that let you send specific directory views to others, while maintaining SEO-friendly addresses that help people find parishes through search engines.
Enhanced Features
Dual Address Support Track both mailing addresses (for correspondence) and physical locations (for services) separately, ensuring accurate contact information and precise mapping.
Language Tracking Support for both general languages (for community communication) and liturgical languages (for worship services), essential for diverse Orthodox jurisdictions.
Historical Documentation Founded date fields enable anniversary tracking and historical documentation for parishes.
Advanced Map Clustering Google Maps integration automatically clusters nearby parishes for cleaner display while maintaining detailed information access.
Real-Time Filtering AJAX-powered filtering updates both table displays and map markers in real-time as visitors refine their search criteria.
Basic Setup Process
Step 1: Build Your Database Create parish records with complete address information (both mailing and physical), organizational placement, founding dates, and language information.
Step 2: Link Assignments Use the enhanced contacts field in parish profiles to link multiple clergy and staff members, creating comprehensive assignment tracking.
Step 3: Add Directory Pages Create directory pages that automatically generate professional URLs and add sections for listings, maps, and search functionality.
Step 4: Configure Advanced Features Set up filtering options, enable map clustering, and configure the smart URL system for optimal search engine visibility.
Quick Start Example
A diocese setting up a modern parish directory:
- Create parishes with complete information including both mailing and physical addresses, founding dates, and organizational hierarchy.
- Add a parish directory page that automatically appears at
/listings/with professional individual parish URLs. - Configure filtering options by diocese, state, and parish type to create shareable filtered views.
- Enable map clustering to display parish locations cleanly while maintaining detailed popup information.
- Test the search functionality to ensure visitors can find parishes and generate shareable search result URLs.
Your diocese now has a professional directory system with SEO-friendly URLs that help people find parishes through search engines and social media!
Key Directory Features
Professional URLs
- Individual parishes:
/listing/250/joy-of-all-who-sorrow-mission/ - Individual contacts:
/contact/101/archpriest-john-smith/ - Filtered views:
/listings/filter/diocese/Diocese-of-Canada - Search results:
/listings/search/orthodox-church
Advanced Organization
- Support for jurisdiction/diocese/deanery hierarchies
- Dual address tracking (mailing vs. physical)
- Founded date tracking for anniversaries
- Multiple language support (general and liturgical)
- Flexible parish type classification
Enhanced User Experience
- Real-time AJAX filtering and map updates
- Mobile-responsive design throughout
- Clustering maps for dense parish areas
- Shareable filtered directory views
- SEO-optimized for search engine discovery
Seamless Migration All existing links continue working with automatic redirects to new URL formats, ensuring no disruption during the transition to enhanced URLs.
Getting Help
For detailed instructions on specific tasks, refer to these knowledgebase articles:
- Creating and Editing Parish Profiles - Complete parish database management with enhanced fields
- Parish Directory and Geocoding - Setting up maps and location services
- Creating and Editing Contacts - Clergy database with linking capabilities
- Setting Up Clergy Ranks - Configuring organizational hierarchies
This enhanced system provides professional church directories with modern URLs that improve search engine visibility, social media sharing, and overall user experience while maintaining all the functionality needed for comprehensive parish and clergy management.