Currently I use Site Build It! to upload FrontPage documents to build my church's website. Its pretty easy to do, and I don't really understand a lot about MySQL and other alphabet soup terms in the quote below:

So, I want to know, is it easy to start with VineHosting with a current URL. I don't want to change the address for our church website, we have a good name.

Also, what exactly gets transferred when you move data from your old website host to another host? I don't particularly care to have the template I made transfer over, the content can be copied and pasted, while some of it needs updating anyway. Can someone give me the Idiot's Guide version of what I need to do to transfer the website? I will need to be well educated since I am going to be presenting this to leaders in my church.

P.S. How do I know how many GBs of memory I need if I choose VineHosting?

Hi Jason,

If you don't care so much about the template and you content can be cut and pasted then I suggest just getting an account with the Web-Empowered Church Starter Package on it. Vine does that for you and the Vine version has a few extras like all the WEC template pre-installed. So, you will have a website immediately. Then you need to pick and choose from your old website and create the new one. Vine can get you a temporary domain to create your site with like yourchurch.vinehosting.com. Once you are ready to make the switch, Vine can help you move your old domain to point to your new website. So here are the steps:

1. Contact Vine and purchase an account and get the WEC Starter Package installed. Ask them for a temporary domain.

2. Follow the online WEC 101-105 classes to learn WEC. Please login to the basicadmin account when you begin adding content because is makes things simpler.

3. Grab any content you need from your old website and add it to your new WEC-based website.

4. When your new website is ready, place a ticket with Vine and ask them to transfer your old domain to your new website. Note: Vine may ask you to begin this process earlier than this, but this is when it is needed.

5. Now you will have your new website live with the web address from your current website.

I hope this helps.

In Christ,
Mark

Mark,

Thanks, that is helpful. My one decision right now I am trying to make is how can I present this whole "new website" idea, and build a website ministry around that (other than just me) while at the same time building this new site. That seems to me the best way to work on it, that way I can show them what they would be getting before it goes live.

The reason I want to do this is because Site Build It! charges us annually, and we are due to pay in early June. I think we have just enough time to do this new site in that amount of time, and maybe roll out some other features WEC offers in the following weeks and months of the summer. (Don't mind me if I think out loud, just hoping to get some encouragement or direction if I am setting myself up for mistakes.)