Redesigned and Expanded OCA website makes debut on Sunday March 24

In an effort to make its web site more user friendly while accommodating a wide variety of new resources, the Orthodox Church in America’s web team launched the Church’s redesigned web site on Sunday, March 24, 2002.

The web site, which averages over 700,000 hits per month, can be accessed at www.oca.org.

“The facelift was inevitable in light of the many new and expanded features and resources now being offered,” according to the Very Rev. John Matusiak, OCA Director of Communications. “In addition to the usual listings of hierarchs and clergy, parishes and institutions, and Church ministry units, the introduction of new features, such as the ‘Life in Christ’ series, pages devoted to the forthcoming 13th All-American Council [aac.oca.org], PDF music files, daily worship, and the like necessitated a thorough redesign that would prove to be more user friendly and simpler to navigate, as well as a new search engine.”

Mr. John Mindala, a graphic designer and member of Archangel Michael Church, Broadview Heights, OH, served as special consultant for the redesigned site, which features completely new graphics and easier access to the sites varied resources.

“We are deeply grateful to Mr. Mindala for volunteering countless hours to redesign the site,” Father Matusiak added, “and we are equally thankful for the dedicated efforts of Mr. Peter Czech, OCA Webmaster; his brother, Mr. Bob Czech, OCA Information Systems; Mr. David Lucs, Assistant for Communications; and the members of the OCA’s web team, without whose efforts the redesign could not have been accomplished.”

Among the regular features undergoing continual expansion is the OCA’s youth and young adult page at yya.oca.org, which boasts the largest collection of on-line Orthodox youth ministry resources, the growing FOCUS Education Curriculum site, and the popular Question and Answer page.

Initiated on Christmas Day, December 25, 1996, the web site now features over 2000 pages.