Joomla! is a Content Management System for websites.

Content Management Systems (often termed just 'CM' systems) store the information used to create the information for a website's pages in a database on the server instead of as complete pre-prepared pages.  The formatting needed to layout the pages comes from template files also stored on the server.  The result is that the production of new pages and the alteration of existing ones is very easy to do and does not need the constant intervention of a 'webmaster'. 

There are many CM systems available all with particular advantages and disadvantages.  Commskit, the Web Hosting arm of the Beds and Herts Churches Media Trust, has chosen to concentrate for the moment on a popular one, Joomla!, which is also available free of charge to installers and which has been used by one of the churches using the Commskit servers - so we know it works on our system!

CM systems by their nature are technically more complex than web sites using simple pre-prepared pages but we think their advantages of easier access make them worth while in many cases.

If you are interested in using Joomla! for a new church website or changing over an existing 'conventional site' then please contact us by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  The loading of the servers initially is quite a complex and time consuming task and we are prepared to do this once-off task for you so you can start from having the basis of a site to play with. If you already have a 'conventional' Commskit hosted site then we are happy to provide a second account for you to develop a Joomla! site free of charge for a reasonable period before switching your domain over to it.  

The Joomla! documentation is extensive and, with perseverance, a person reasonable familiar with website operations should be able to make it do what they want. 

Commskit, which is wholly run by volunteers, cannot undertake to sort out problems of website creation but, as always, we'll do our best to help where we can.

Read 'CMS for Church Websites' by Andrew Walker as a next step - in which he offers to help churches starting with Joomla!