Overview
Following an event where members of our team were providing media services, a representative from Harryville Presbyterian Church approached us to discuss the redesign of the church’s website.
The church was looking for a refreshed online presence that would better represent its congregation, improve accessibility for visitors, and present important information in a clear and user-friendly format. While the project initially began as a website redesign, it quickly evolved into a broader digital content project involving photography, videography, content creation, and website development.
By combining new visual content with a redesigned website structure, the aim was to create a platform that would serve both existing members of the congregation and those discovering the church for the first time.
The Brief
Harryville Presbyterian Church required a website that was modern, welcoming, and easy to navigate. The church wanted visitors to be able to quickly access key information, learn more about the congregation, and gain an understanding of church life before attending in person.
A key requirement of the project was that the website be built using the same platform the church was already familiar with. While alternative platforms may have offered different design possibilities, maintaining continuity was important to the client, ensuring staff and volunteers could continue to manage and update the website independently after the project was completed.
The challenge therefore became not only creating a fresh design, but doing so within the framework of the client’s chosen software while maintaining a high standard of usability and presentation.
Collaboration & Planning
Throughout the project, we worked closely with the church’s designated contact to ensure every aspect of the website reflected their requirements and preferences.
Regular communication allowed ideas to be discussed, reviewed, and refined throughout the design process. This collaborative approach ensured that key decisions were made with the long-term needs of the church in mind, while also allowing flexibility as the project developed.
To support this process, our company created a shared progress spreadsheet outlining each stage of the redesign. This provided the client with real-time visibility of the project’s progress, allowing them to check in at any time, track updates, and clearly see what stage the website was at.
The spreadsheet also acted as a central communication hub, making it simple for the client to request changes, provide required information, and leave feedback in an organised and accessible format. This helped streamline communication and ensured nothing was missed throughout the development process.
Content Creation
One of the most important aspects of the redesign was the creation of new visual content.
A website can only be as strong as the content it contains, and the church recognised the importance of using current imagery that accurately reflected its congregation and activities. To achieve this, we attended and documented two separate church services, one held within the church sanctuary and another within the church hall.
This approach provided a wider variety of content and allowed different aspects of church life to be represented across the website and other digital platforms.
The resulting imagery captured worship, community, fellowship, and the welcoming nature of the congregation, helping create a more authentic representation of the church than stock imagery or outdated photographs could provide.
Alongside photography, video content was also produced, allowing the church to utilise the material across multiple platforms. This included the creation of a highlight video designed to showcase the church, its facilities, and its community.
To maximise flexibility, multiple versions of the imagery were supplied. Branded versions were prepared for social media use, while clean versions were provided for use throughout the website and future promotional materials.
Website Design
The redesign focused heavily on clarity, accessibility, and ease of use.
The website structure was organised to present key information in a logical and intuitive manner, reducing unnecessary complexity and helping users access the content they needed without confusion.
Particular attention was given to ensuring important information remained prominent and easy to locate. Service times, contact details, church activities, and other essential content were positioned in a way that supports a positive user experience across both desktop and mobile devices.
The final design prioritised usability over unnecessary complexity, creating a website that is welcoming, informative, and straightforward to maintain.
The Outcome
The completed project delivered far more than a visual refresh. Through a combination of website redesign, photography, videography, and collaborative planning, Harryville Presbyterian Church received a digital platform that accurately reflects its congregation and supports its ongoing communication with members and visitors alike.
By working within the client’s preferred software platform, we ensured the church retained the ability to manage and update its website independently while benefiting from a significantly improved design and user experience.
The addition of new photography and video content further strengthened the church’s digital presence, providing a valuable library of assets for use across the website, social media channels, and future communications.
The result is a website that presents key information clearly, reflects the life of the congregation, and provides an accessible online experience for anyone wishing to learn more about Harryville Presbyterian Church.
- Please note that the website may have updates or modifications, meaning the current version may differ from the origional deisng and build completed by JTC Media NI. While we provided design and development guidance throughout the project, some design decisions, content, and functionality were implemented or requested by the client and may not reflect our creative direction.
See some screenshots of parts of the website below:
