Knowledgebase

Target audience: Church administrators creating and updating parish records for directories

Creating and editing parish profiles forms the foundation of your parish directory system. Each parish record contains comprehensive information that powers your public directories with map displays while generating professional SEO-friendly URLs for enhanced discoverability.

Getting Started

Creating a New Parish

Navigate to Components → Parishes in your Site Manager admin panel and click the Create parish button. The parish editor opens with organized sections for all parish information.

Editing Existing Parishes

From the parish list at Components → Parishes, click the pencil icon next to any parish to edit its information. All changes automatically update across directory displays and public pages.

URL Generation

When you save a parish, the system automatically creates a professional URL like /listing/250/holy-trinity-orthodox-church/ that improves search engine visibility and social media sharing.

Basic Parish Information

Parish Name

Enter the complete, official parish name (e.g., "Holy Trinity Orthodox Church," "St. Mary's Cathedral," "Christ the Savior Mission"). This appears in all directory listings and becomes part of the automatically generated URL.

Organizational Hierarchy

Set up your ecclesiastical structure using three levels:

• Jurisdiction: The larger church body (e.g., "Greek Orthodox Archdiocese," "Orthodox Church in America")
• Diocese: The specific diocese within your jurisdiction
• Deanery: The regional grouping within your diocese (some organizations use "district" or "vicariate")

Start typing in any field to see existing options, or type a new name to create organizational levels as needed.

Parish Type

Choose the appropriate classification:

• Church - A fully established parish (most common)
• Cathedral - The bishop's church in a diocese
• Mission - A developing community receiving support
• Chapel - A smaller worship space, often institutional
• Monastery - Monastic community
• Seminary - Educational institution
• Administrative Center - Diocesan offices

You can create custom types by typing new names, allowing flexibility for different organizational structures.

Founded Date

Enter when the parish was established. This supports anniversary celebrations and historical documentation:

• Year only: "1965"
• Full date: "March 15, 1965"
• Approximate: "circa 1920"

Address Management

Site Manager supports dual address tracking, recognizing that administrative and service locations often differ.

Mailing Address

Enter where correspondence should be sent - often a P.O. Box, rectory, or administrative office:

• Address & Address 2: Street address with optional second line for suites or additional details
• City/Town: Municipal location
• State/Province: State or provincial designation
• Zip Code/Postal Code: Postal identifier
• County: Optional field useful for regional organization
• Country: Essential for international directories

Physical Location (if different)

If your church building is at a different address than the mailing location, complete these fields. This address is used for:

• Driving directions and GPS navigation
• Map display and geocoding
• Visitor guidance

This dual system ensures administrative mail reaches the right place while visitors can navigate accurately to services.

Contact Information

Phone

The main parish contact number. Format clearly for your region and include area codes for wider accessibility.

Fax

Include if your parish uses fax communication, particularly important for administrative correspondence.

Email

Primary parish email address for general inquiries and contact forms.

Website URL

Your parish website address. Enter the complete URL including "https://" (e.g., "https://www.holytrinityorthodox.org") to ensure proper linking.

Staff and Clergy Integration

Contacts Field

Link clergy and staff to your parish using this powerful integration feature:

Selecting Contacts:

Click in the field to see all contacts in your system. Choose multiple people including priests, deacons, parish administrators, and other staff.

Creating Contact Order:

Drag and drop selected contacts to establish hierarchy - typically parish priest first, followed by other clergy, then lay staff.

Managing Assignments:

When clergy transfers occur, simply update these selections rather than maintaining separate databases.

Contact Requirements:

Contacts must be created first in the Components → Contacts section before they can be linked to parishes.

Language Configuration

General Languages

Select languages spoken in your parish community. This helps visitors understand what to expect and assists with pastoral planning. Common entries include English, Spanish, Greek, Arabic, or Russian.

Liturgical Languages

Track languages used specifically in worship services, separate from general community languages:

• English
• Church Slavonic
• Greek
• Arabic
• Romanian
• Serbian

Language Management:

Start typing to see existing options, or type new language names followed by a semicolon to create them. Drag and drop to reorder by primary usage.

Church Calendar

Specify which calendar system you follow:

• New Calendar (Revised Julian)
• Old Calendar (Julian)
• Do not display calendar information: Hides calendar details from public display

Additional Information Fields

Approximate Size Describe your parish community in terms that make sense for your context:

• "About 150 families"
• "75 active members"
• "Small mission community"
• "Large cathedral parish"

This helps visitors understand what to expect and assists with pastoral planning and resource allocation.

Clergy Information

Use this text field for additional clergy details that don't fit the structured contact linking:

• Biographical information
• Years of service
• Special roles or certifications
• Contact preferences or schedules

Driving Directions

Provide detailed directions for visitors, especially important when:

• GPS navigation might not work reliably
• The location is in a complex area
• There are specific parking instructions
• You meet in a non-obvious location (community center, shared facility)

Other Information

Include any additional details about your parish:

• Service schedules and times
• Special programs or ministries
• Historical significance
• Accessibility features
• Parking availability
• Security or entry procedures

Featured Images

Adding Images

Click the image placeholder to select or upload a featured image that represents your parish in directories and listings.

Effective Image Choices

• Exterior church building view
• Interior sanctuary or iconostasis
• Parish logo or seal
• Community gathering photos

Image Guidelines

• Use high-quality images (minimum 800px wide)
• Ensure proper permissions for all photos
• Choose images that represent your community well
• Consider appearance when scaled for different display sizes

Saving and URL Generation

Save Process

Click Save to preserve changes. The system validates required fields and generates the professional URL automatically based on the parish ID and name.

URL Examples

• /listing/150/st-nicholas-orthodox-church/
• /listing/275/holy-trinity-cathedral/
• /listing/300/christ-the-savior-mission/

Automatic Updates

Changes to parish information automatically update across all directory displays, map markers, and public pages without requiring manual updates elsewhere.

Post-Creation Tasks

Enable Geocoding

After saving with complete address information, return to the parish list and use the geocoding tools to enable accurate map display and location services.

Verify Public Display

Check how your parish appears in directory listings and on individual parish pages to ensure all information displays correctly.

Link Integration

Test that contact links work properly and that parish pages integrate seamlessly with your website navigation.

Advanced Features

SEO Optimization

The professional URL structure improves search engine ranking and makes parish pages more discoverable through Google and other search engines.

Social Media Integration

Clean URLs enhance sharing on social media platforms, making it easier for parishioners to share parish information.

Filter Compatibility

Complete parish information enables advanced filtering options like /listings/filter/diocese/Diocese-of-Canada that help visitors find specific types of communities.

Best Practices

Completeness

Fill out all applicable fields. Complete profiles improve visitor experience and enhance your parish's discoverability through search engines.

Accuracy

Double-check all contact information, addresses, and URLs. Incorrect information frustrates visitors trying to connect with your community.

Consistency

If managing multiple parishes, use consistent formatting and terminology to create professional, cohesive directory appearances.

Regular Updates

Establish schedules for reviewing parish information, especially after clergy changes, address updates, or significant parish developments.

Image Quality

Invest in good featured images as they create first impressions in directory listings and search results.

This comprehensive approach to parish profiles ensures your directory provides maximum value to visitors while supporting effective administration of your parish database.