# Chapel Desk - Church Website Builder Platform

> A comprehensive all-in-one SaaS platform empowering churches to create and manage professional websites without technical knowledge.

## What is Chapel Desk?

**Chapel Desk** (also known as ChurchConnect) is a powerful church website builder that enables churches of all sizes to establish and maintain a professional online presence. With Chapel Desk, churches can manage events, connect with members, share sermons, and engage their community—all without needing technical skills.

### Who Should Use Chapel Desk?

- **Orthodox Churches** (primary focus)
- **Catholic Churches**
- **Protestant Churches**
- **Small to medium congregations** (50-500 members)
- **Churches using outdated or no website**
- **New church plants**
- **Any faith community** needing an affordable, professional web presence

### Why Choose Chapel Desk?

✅ **5-Minute Setup** - Sign up and have a website live immediately
✅ **No Technical Skills Required** - Intuitive admin dashboard for all tasks
✅ **Cost-Effective** - Free 30-day trial, paid plans from $12/month
✅ **Beautiful Professional Themes** - Designed specifically for churches
✅ **All-in-One Solution** - Everything you need in one platform
✅ **Automatic Subdomain** - Get yourchurch.chapeldesk.com instantly
✅ **Custom Domain Support** - Use your own domain (www.yourchurch.org)
✅ **Secure & Reliable** - Enterprise-grade security and 99.9% uptime

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## Core Features & Capabilities

### 1. Member Management System

**Powerful member directory to manage your church community**

- **Complete Member Profiles**: Store name, email, phone, address, photo, and notes
- **Birthday & Anniversary Tracking**: Remember important dates for every member
- **Family Grouping**: Organize members into family units with parent-child relationships
- **Member Tagging**: Create custom tags for groups, committees, ministries, volunteers, etc.
- **Bulk Import**: Upload hundreds of members at once via CSV file
- **Search & Filter**: Quickly find members by name, status, tags, or upcoming celebrations
- **Celebration Reports**: Generate reports of upcoming birthdays and anniversaries
- **View Modes**: Switch between list view and family-grouped view
- **Privacy Controls**: Manage member visibility and data access

**Perfect for**: Tracking congregation members, organizing ministry teams, managing volunteers, planning celebrations

### 2. Automated Birthday & Anniversary Wishes

**Never forget to celebrate your members' special days**

- **Automated Daily Emails**: System automatically sends birthday and anniversary wishes
- **Beautiful Email Templates**: Choose from 4 professional templates or create custom ones
- **Personalization**: Emails include member name, church name, and custom messages
- **Fully Customizable**: Edit email subjects, content, and templates with HTML editor
- **Member Preferences**: Members can opt-out if they prefer
- **Manual Sending**: Admin can also manually trigger wishes for testing
- **Separate Templates**: Different templates for birthdays vs. anniversaries
- **Safe Sending**: Built-in rate limiting to protect email reputation

**Perfect for**: Building community connections, making members feel valued, automating pastoral care

### 3. Custom Form Builder

**Create any type of form without coding**

- **Drag-and-Drop Builder**: Create forms visually in minutes
- **9 Field Types**: Text, Email, Phone, Textarea, Number, Date, Dropdown, Radio, Checkbox
- **Field Validation**: Set required fields, min/max values, and custom patterns
- **Submission Management**: View, filter, search, and respond to submissions
- **Email Notifications**: Get notified when someone submits a form
- **Auto-Reply**: Send automatic confirmation emails to submitters
- **Export to CSV**: Download all submissions for offline analysis
- **Status Tracking**: Mark submissions as New, Reviewed, or Archived
- **Admin Notes**: Add internal notes to submissions
- **Public Sharing**: Share form URLs on your website or social media

**Perfect for**: Volunteer applications, prayer requests, event registrations, surveys, feedback collection, contact inquiries

### 4. Event Management

**Promote and manage all your church events**

- **Complete Event Details**: Title, description, date, time, location, and images
- **Event Categories**: Worship Service, Bible Study, Prayer Meeting, Youth Event, Community Service, and more
- **Featured Images**: Add eye-catching photos to each event
- **Calendar Integration**: "Add to Google Calendar" buttons for easy saving
- **Public Event Pages**: Beautiful event listings and detail pages
- **Draft Mode**: Prepare events before publishing
- **Automatic Archiving**: Past events are automatically organized
- **SEO Optimized**: Events appear in search engines

**Perfect for**: Sunday services, Bible studies, youth events, community outreach, special programs, holidays

### 5. Photo Gallery

**Showcase your church life with beautiful photo galleries**

- **Unlimited Albums**: Organize photos into albums (e.g., Easter 2024, Youth Camp, etc.)
- **Bulk Upload**: Upload multiple photos at once
- **Bulk Delete**: Remove multiple photos with one click
- **Album Privacy**: Make albums public or private
- **Photo Captions**: Add descriptions to photos
- **Cover Photos**: Set featured image for each album
- **Lightbox Viewer**: Full-screen photo viewing on your website
- **Responsive Display**: Photos look great on all devices

**Perfect for**: Event photos, ministry highlights, church history, facility tours, community moments

### 6. Blog & Custom Pages

**Share content and create custom pages easily**

#### Blog Features:
- **Rich Text Editor**: Format text with bold, italic, headings, lists, links, and images
- **Featured Images**: Add cover images to blog posts
- **Categories & Tags**: Organize posts by topic
- **Draft/Publish**: Work on posts before making them public
- **SEO Friendly**: Optimized for search engines
- **Blog Archive**: Automatic organization by date

#### Custom Pages:
- **6 Professional Templates**: Choose from Default, Full Width, Centered, Hero, Two Column, or Contact layouts
- **Menu Integration**: Add pages to your navigation menu
- **Custom URLs**: Create SEO-friendly page addresses
- **Unlimited Pages**: Create as many pages as you need (based on plan)

**Perfect for**: Announcements, teaching content, church history, ministries, beliefs, mission statement, contact information

### 7. Sermon Archive

**Build your sermon library and share messages**

- **Multiple Media Types**: Upload text transcripts, audio files, or video recordings
- **YouTube & Vimeo Integration**: Embed videos from popular platforms
- **Sermon Series**: Group related sermons together (e.g., "Gospel of John")
- **Series Navigation**: Automatic next/previous sermon links
- **Downloadable Resources**: Add PDF sermon notes and study guides
- **Speaker Information**: Track who preached each sermon
- **Bible Passages**: Link sermons to specific scripture references
- **Search & Filter**: Find sermons by title, speaker, Bible passage, or date
- **Tags**: Categorize sermons by topic
- **View Tracking**: See which sermons are most popular

**Perfect for**: Building a sermon library, sharing messages online, helping members who missed service, outreach ministry

### 8. Daily Bible Verse Service

**Platform-wide daily devotional service (Chapel Desk feature)**

- **Daily Devotional Emails**: Subscribers receive inspiring Bible verses each morning
- **AI-Generated Reflections**: Each verse includes a thoughtful 80-120 word reflection
- **Multi-Denomination Support**: Content appropriate for 11+ Christian denominations
- **Multiple Bible Translations**: KJV, NKJV, NIV, ESV, NASB, RSVCE, and more
- **Public Devotion Pages**: Each devotion gets an SEO-optimized webpage
- **Easy Unsubscribe**: One-click unsubscribe option
- **Beautiful Email Design**: Professional, responsive email templates

**Perfect for**: Individual spiritual growth, member engagement, platform marketing

### 9. Ministry Showcase

**Highlight your church ministries and programs**

- **Ministry Profiles**: Name, description, leader, and contact information
- **Ministry Images**: Add photos to each ministry
- **Meeting Information**: Display schedule and location details
- **Public Directory**: Show all active ministries on your website
- **Visibility Control**: Show or hide ministries as needed

**Perfect for**: Children's ministry, youth programs, music ministry, outreach, small groups, prayer teams

### 10. Leadership & Staff Directory

**Introduce your church leadership team**

- **Team Member Profiles**: Name, role, photo, email, and phone
- **Rich Biographies**: Format detailed bios with the HTML editor
- **Photo-Focused Design**: Large, professional photos with hover effects
- **Modal Details**: Click to see full profile information
- **Responsive Grid**: Looks great on all screen sizes
- **Visibility Control**: Show or hide team members

**Perfect for**: Pastors, elders, deacons, staff members, ministry leaders, board members

### 11. Contact Form System

**Make it easy for visitors to reach you**

- **Customizable Forms**: Add custom fields specific to your church
- **Request Types**: General Inquiry, Prayer Request, or create your own categories
- **Email Routing**: Send different request types to different email addresses
- **Auto-Reply**: Send automatic confirmation emails to visitors
- **Submission Dashboard**: View and manage all submissions in one place
- **Status Tracking**: Mark submissions as New, Read, Responded, or Archived
- **Notifications**: Get email alerts for new submissions

**Perfect for**: General inquiries, prayer requests, counseling appointments, facility rentals, volunteer interest

### 12. Theme Customization

**Make your website match your church's style**

- **5 Professional Themes**: Modern Blue, Traditional Gold, Elegant Minimal, Orthodox Classic, Contemporary Light
- **Color Customization**: Adjust primary, secondary, and accent colors
- **Custom Hero Section**: Add title, subtitle, and background image to homepage
- **Layout Control**: Show/hide homepage sections (events, gallery, blog, social media)
- **Live Preview**: See changes before publishing
- **Premium Themes**: Additional themes available on higher plans

**Perfect for**: Branding consistency, seasonal changes, special events, refreshing your look

### 13. Navigation Menu Builder

**Create custom navigation menus**

- **Drag-and-Drop Ordering**: Rearrange menu items easily
- **Nested Menus**: Create dropdown submenus
- **Icon Support**: Add icons to menu items
- **Visibility Control**: Show or hide specific menu items
- **Internal & External Links**: Link to your pages or external websites
- **Mobile Responsive**: Automatic hamburger menu on mobile devices

**Perfect for**: Organizing site navigation, highlighting important pages, improving user experience

### 14. Plugin System

**Extend your website with powerful add-ons**

#### Free Plugins:
- **Google Calendar**: Embed your church calendar
- **Facebook Page**: Display your Facebook feed
- **YouTube Channel**: Showcase your YouTube videos
- **Social Share**: Add social media sharing buttons

#### Premium Plugins:
- **Newsletter Integration**: Connect with Mailchimp, Sendinblue, etc.
- **SMS Notifications**: Send text messages to members
- **Live Streaming**: Integrate streaming services
- **Prayer Request System**: Advanced prayer request management
- **Online Giving Enhancements**: Additional donation features
- **Event Registration**: Ticketing and registration system
- **Instagram Feed**: Display Instagram photos

**Perfect for**: Adding specialized functionality, integrating third-party services, enhancing member engagement

### 15. Flexible Pricing & Plans

**Affordable plans for churches of every size**

#### Plan Tiers:

**FREE Trial** (30 days)
- Test all features risk-free
- 1 team member
- 5 custom pages
- 5GB storage
- No credit card required

**BASIC Plan** - $19/month or $209/year
- Perfect for small churches
- 3 team members
- 20 custom pages
- 20GB storage
- Custom domain support
- Email support

**STANDARD Plan** - $39/month or $429/year
- Great for growing churches
- 10 team members
- Unlimited custom pages
- 100GB storage
- Custom domain support
- Priority email support
- Premium themes

**PREMIUM Plan** - $79/month or $869/year
- For large, active churches
- Unlimited team members
- Unlimited custom pages
- Unlimited storage
- Custom domain support
- Priority phone & email support
- All premium themes
- Advanced analytics

#### Optional Add-Ons:
- **Extra Storage** (10GB): $2/month
- **SMS Notifications**: $2/month
- **Custom Branding**: $5/month

#### Payment Features:
- **Secure Payments**: Industry-standard encryption
- **Monthly or Annual Billing**: Save 17% with annual plans
- **Easy Upgrades**: Upgrade or downgrade anytime
- **Self-Service Portal**: Manage billing, download invoices
- **No Long-Term Contracts**: Cancel anytime
- **Prorated Billing**: Fair pricing when changing plans

**Perfect for**: Churches of all sizes looking for transparent, affordable pricing

### 16. Online Donations

**Accept donations through your website**

- **One-Time Donations**: Accept single gifts
- **Recurring Donations**: Monthly recurring giving options
- **Donation Funds**: General Fund, Building Fund, Missions, Special Projects
- **Custom Amounts**: Donors choose their gift amount
- **Secure Processing**: PayPal integration for safe transactions
- **Donor Receipts**: Automatic thank-you emails
- **Donation Tracking**: Admin dashboard to monitor giving
- **Mobile Friendly**: Give from any device

**Perfect for**: Expanding giving options, reaching younger donors, accepting online gifts

### 17. Custom Domain & SSL Security

**Use your own web address with automatic security**

- **Custom Domain Setup**: Use www.yourchurch.org instead of yourchurch.chapeldesk.com
- **Automatic SSL Certificates**: HTTPS security enabled automatically
- **Step-by-Step Instructions**: Easy DNS configuration guide
- **Domain Verification**: Automated verification process
- **Subdomain Backup**: Always accessible via Chapel Desk subdomain
- **Professional Appearance**: Your own branded web address

**Perfect for**: Established churches, professional branding, SEO benefits

### 18. User Roles & Team Management

**Control who can access and edit your website**

#### User Roles:
- **Church Admin**: Full access to all features and settings
- **Content Manager**: Manage content, members, and events
- **Team Member**: View-only access to specific areas

#### Team Features:
- **Team Invitations**: Invite team members via email
- **Role-Based Permissions**: Control what each person can do
- **Secure Access**: Password-protected logins
- **Email Verification**: Confirm team member email addresses
- **Password Reset**: Self-service password recovery
- **Activity Tracking**: See who's working on what

**Perfect for**: Churches with multiple staff, delegating responsibilities, security management

### 19. About Us Pages

**Tell your church's story**

- **Multiple Sections**: Create History, Mission, Vision, Values, Beliefs sections
- **Rich Text Formatting**: Add headings, lists, bold text, links, and images
- **Image Support**: Include photos in your story
- **Section Ordering**: Arrange sections in any order
- **Read More Feature**: Expandable content for long sections
- **Mobile Responsive**: Looks great on all devices

**Perfect for**: Church history, mission statement, core values, beliefs, leadership introduction

### 20. Social Media Integration

**Connect your social media presence**

- **Social Profiles**: Link to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn
- **Social Icons**: Display icons in header or footer
- **Social Sharing**: Let visitors share your content
- **Follow Buttons**: Make it easy to follow your church
- **Feed Integration**: Display social media feeds (via plugins)

**Perfect for**: Cross-promotion, building social following, sharing content widely

### 21. Quick Access Links

**Add helpful shortcuts to your website**

- **Icon-Based Links**: Use attractive icons for quick links
- **Custom Destinations**: Link to anything (donate, contact, livestream, etc.)
- **Flexible Placement**: Header, footer, or sidebar
- **Easy Reordering**: Drag and drop to rearrange
- **Show/Hide Control**: Toggle visibility as needed

**Perfect for**: Highlighting important pages, quick navigation, call-to-action buttons

### 22. Automated Email System

**Stay connected with your congregation automatically**

- **Automated Notifications**: Welcome emails, event reminders, form submission confirmations
- **Birthday & Anniversary Emails**: Automatic celebration wishes
- **Password Reset Emails**: Secure account recovery
- **Team Invitations**: Email invites for new team members
- **Contact Form Responses**: Auto-reply to website inquiries
- **Beautiful Templates**: Professional, responsive email designs
- **Personalization**: Include member names and church branding
- **Safe Delivery**: Reliable email delivery system
- **Email Tracking**: Monitor sent emails in admin dashboard

**Perfect for**: Staying connected, automating communication, professional correspondence

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## Use Cases & Solutions

### For Small Churches (50-150 members)
✅ Quick setup with no technical skills needed
✅ Affordable pricing starting at $19/month
✅ Member directory to track congregation
✅ Event calendar for Sunday services and Bible studies
✅ Photo gallery for community moments
✅ Blog for announcements and teachings
✅ Contact form for inquiries
✅ Online donation option

### For Medium Churches (150-500 members)
✅ All small church features
✅ Advanced member management with tagging
✅ Automated birthday/anniversary wishes
✅ Custom forms for volunteer signups
✅ Sermon archive with series
✅ Ministry showcase pages
✅ Team member management (multiple staff)
✅ Custom domain (www.yourchurch.org)
✅ Theme customization

### For Growing Churches
✅ All medium church features
✅ Unlimited pages for expanding content
✅ Bulk member import from spreadsheets
✅ Advanced form builder for multiple needs
✅ Plugin system for extended functionality
✅ Premium themes and customization
✅ Priority support
✅ Higher storage limits

### For Churches Without Websites
✅ Live website in 5 minutes
✅ No coding or design skills needed
✅ All-in-one solution (no piecing together tools)
✅ Professional appearance immediately
✅ Training and support included
✅ Free 30-day trial to test everything

### For Churches With Outdated Websites
✅ Modern, mobile-responsive design
✅ Easy content updates (no calling webmaster)
✅ Fresh, contemporary look
✅ Better SEO for search engines
✅ Integrated features (no clunky plugins)
✅ Affordable compared to custom development
✅ Migration assistance available

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## Platform Benefits

### Ease of Use
- **No Technical Skills Required**: Designed for non-technical church administrators
- **Intuitive Dashboard**: Clean, organized admin interface
- **Visual Editors**: See what you're creating as you build
- **Helpful Instructions**: Tooltips and guides throughout
- **Quick Learning Curve**: Start managing your site in minutes

### Time Savings
- **Automated Processes**: Birthday wishes, email notifications, event archiving
- **Bulk Operations**: Import members, upload photos, delete items in batches
- **Templates Ready**: Email templates, page templates, form templates
- **One Platform**: Everything in one place (no jumping between tools)
- **Quick Updates**: Change content in seconds, not hours

### Cost Effectiveness
- **Affordable Pricing**: Starting at $12/month
- **Free Trial**: 30 days to test everything
- **No Hidden Fees**: Transparent pricing
- **Save on IT Costs**: No webmaster or IT staff needed
- **Annual Discounts**: Save 17% with annual billing
- **Flexible Add-Ons**: Only pay for what you need

### Professional Quality
- **Beautiful Themes**: Designed specifically for churches
- **Mobile Responsive**: Perfect on phones, tablets, and desktops
- **Fast Loading**: Optimized for speed
- **Secure**: Enterprise-grade security
- **Reliable**: 99.9% uptime
- **SEO Optimized**: Found by search engines

### Community Building
- **Member Directory**: Connect congregation members
- **Celebration Tracking**: Never miss birthdays and anniversaries
- **Event Management**: Promote gatherings and activities
- **Photo Sharing**: Share community moments
- **Communication Tools**: Forms, contact pages, newsletters
- **Online Giving**: Make donating easy

### Flexibility
- **Customizable**: Adapt to your church's unique needs
- **Scalable**: Grows with your church
- **Plugin System**: Extend functionality
- **Custom Forms**: Create any type of form
- **Content Freedom**: Unlimited blog posts and content
- **Theme Options**: Change look and feel anytime

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## Common Questions

### Who is Chapel Desk for?
Chapel Desk is perfect for churches of all sizes and denominations who want a professional website without technical complexity. Whether you're a church plant of 20 people or an established congregation of 500, Chapel Desk grows with you.

### Do I need technical skills?
No! Chapel Desk is designed for church administrators with no technical background. If you can use email and social media, you can manage your Chapel Desk website.

### How long does setup take?
You can have a basic website live in 5 minutes. Adding your content (events, photos, members, etc.) depends on how much you have, but the platform is designed for quick setup.

### Can I use my own domain?
Yes! BASIC and higher plans include custom domain support. You can use www.yourchurch.org instead of yourchurch.chapeldesk.com.

### What if I need help?
All plans include email support. STANDARD and PREMIUM plans get priority support. We also have extensive documentation and video tutorials.

### Can I try before buying?
Absolutely! Every new church gets a 30-day free trial with access to all features. No credit card required to start.

### What happens to my data if I cancel?
You can export your data anytime. We recommend downloading member lists, form submissions, and other important data before canceling.

### Is my data secure?
Yes. Chapel Desk uses enterprise-grade security, encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure authentication, and regular backups. Your data is safe and private.

### Can I migrate from another platform?
Yes! We offer bulk member import via CSV, and can assist with content migration. Migration service is available as an add-on.

### How many websites can I create?
Each subscription is for one church website. If you oversee multiple churches, each needs its own subscription.

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## Getting Started

### Step 1: Sign Up
Visit chapeldesk.com and click "Get Started Free". Enter your church name, email, and choose a subdomain (yourchurch.chapeldesk.com).

### Step 2: Complete Your Profile
Add your church's basic information: address, phone, email, and logo.

### Step 3: Choose a Theme
Select from 5 professional themes and customize colors to match your church's style.

### Step 4: Add Content
Start adding your events, blog posts, photo albums, and custom pages. Use the drag-and-drop editors.

### Step 5: Import Members (Optional)
Upload your member list via CSV or add members individually to the directory.

### Step 6: Set Up Forms
Create contact forms, prayer request forms, or volunteer signup forms as needed.

### Step 7: Configure Email
Set up automated birthday wishes and form notifications to stay connected.

### Step 8: Go Live
Your site is already live! Share your Chapel Desk URL with your congregation.

### Step 9: Custom Domain (Optional)
Connect your custom domain to make your site accessible at www.yourchurch.org.

### Step 10: Ongoing Management
Update events, add photos, write blog posts, and manage members as your church grows.

---

## Support & Resources

### Available Support
- **Email Support**: All plans include email support
- **Priority Support**: STANDARD and PREMIUM plans
- **Documentation**: Comprehensive guides and tutorials
- **Video Tutorials**: Step-by-step video walkthroughs
- **Knowledge Base**: Searchable help articles
- **Community Forum**: Connect with other churches using Chapel Desk

### Training Resources
- Getting Started Guide
- Member Management Tutorial
- Form Builder Video Series
- Theme Customization Guide
- Event Management Best Practices
- SEO Optimization Tips

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## Why Churches Choose Chapel Desk

### "We needed something simple and affordable"
Small churches appreciate the low cost and ease of use. No need to hire expensive developers or IT staff.

### "Our old website was impossible to update"
Churches moving from outdated websites love the ability to make changes instantly without calling a webmaster.

### "We wanted everything in one place"
Instead of using separate tools for events, donations, forms, and members, Chapel Desk provides one integrated solution.

### "Member management changed everything"
Churches discover that having a member directory with celebration tracking strengthens community connections.

### "We went live in one afternoon"
The quick setup means churches can have a professional website running the same day they sign up.

### "The automated emails save us hours"
Birthday and anniversary wishes that used to take manual effort now happen automatically, letting staff focus on ministry.

### "It looks professional and modern"
Modern, mobile-responsive themes give churches a contemporary web presence that reflects well on their community.

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## Ideal For

✅ Small churches needing first website
✅ Churches with outdated websites
✅ Church plants starting fresh
✅ Multi-site churches needing simple management
✅ Churches wanting member engagement tools
✅ Churches needing donation capabilities
✅ Churches tired of complex website builders
✅ Churches on tight budgets
✅ Churches wanting to focus on ministry, not technology

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**Chapel Desk** - Empowering churches to connect, grow, and thrive online.

**Website**: https://chapeldesk.com
**Support**: support@chapeldesk.com
**Version**: 1.0
**Last Updated**: January 2025