EAST COAST CHRISTIAN CENTER | 2002 Expression Engine CMS, CSS

My Role: I was the sole designer, developer, and graphic designer for East Coast Christian Center's website, utilizing ExpressionEngine. I created all site elements, including typography, graphics, and colors, as well as their logo and branding, to align with ECCC's vision and atmosphere. This was the first website I built using ExpressionEngine.

Project Description: I designed and developed the primary website for East Coast Christian Center (ECCC), a non-denominational Christian church, using the Expression Engine CMS (Content Management System). ECCC, with its young and professional congregation, sought a high-end website that mirrored their audience and vision. The 60-page site featured sections for staff members, service times, life groups, and more, including live streaming and downloadable services, which was a significant innovation at the time. The CMS enabled easy updates without coding knowledge, allowing pastors to log in and create posts effortlessly.

Challenge: Design a visually captivating website, logo, and branding for a non-denominational church. East Coast Christian Center (ECCC) desired a high-end website reflecting their audience and vision. The site needed to include staff bios, necessitating an efficient CMS. Additionally, they required an embedded streaming service for live service video feeds and access to past services. Pastors wanted the capability to write articles and post photos online. Furthermore, ECCC's worship band needed to upload their music as downloadable MP3 files.

Solution: I utilized ExpressionEngine as the CMS to build the website, hand-coding most sections with HTML, CSS, and PHP. Inspired by Hillsong United's website, I designed the homepage with custom JavaScript accordion sections to ensure all content appeared "Above the Fold," allowing users to access information without scrolling. I animated the header section using Adobe Flash and created the main navigation with rollover buttons in Adobe Illustrator, ensuring seamless integration with the header and main content sections. The live video feed was streamed through Apple's Podcast service and embedded on the site, providing access to archived service podcasts. The music section was similarly handled, with tracks available for download via iTunes.

About the Expression Engine CMS: Expression Engine is a highly adaptable CMS, above and beyond WordPress, granting developers full autonomy over design, markup, and site architecture. With EE, there's no interference with my code or the client's vision, making it ideal for bespoke development. The developer meticulously customizes every aspect, from frontend aesthetics to backend functionality. By constructing a site within the EE platform, I can ensure there will be no compromises in realizing the client's vision.

Client: East Coast Christian Center

Date: 2002

• Website Development

• Website Design

• Expression Engine CMS

• CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and PHP

• Apple Podcast & iTunes integration

• Adobe Flash, Photoshop, and Illustrator

• Online Forms

• Rollover Buttons

• Custom Images and Graphics

• Branding

• Logo Design

• Site Optimization