SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 5, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Tuesday it is changing the names of several websites, social media accounts, mobile apps and email addresses after updated name guidelines were announced last summer.
“The Church is now making changes to many of its communication channels to reflect the faith’s full name and better convey commitment to follow Jesus Christ,” said a news release from the Church.
“More than getting the name right as an institution, the invitation to use the full name of the Church is an opportunity for Latter-day Saints to refocus their lives on the living Christ.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the name Church leaders believe came by revelation from the Jesus, the news release said.
“Jesus Christ directed us to call the Church by His name because it is His Church, filled with His power,” President Russell M. Nelson has said.
The changes the Church is making apply to many aspects of Church communications. Four areas are of note for Latter-day Saints and the general public:
Websites: The Church’s official website will become ChurchofJesusChrist.org. This change is effective as of March 5, when the domain name ChurchofJesusChrist.org begins pointing to the LDS.org home page. In the coming months, the ChurchofJesusChrist.org domain name will replace what were the following:
- LDS.org (ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
- MormonNewsroom.org (Newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
Eventually, Mormon.org will be incorporated into the new domain as well. However, because its primary audience is those outside the Church, merging it with the Church member-focused ChurchofJesusChrist.org will take more time.
Work is underway to unify and restructure all these websites into a new, more cohesive experience under the ChurchofJesusChrist.org domain, officials said. Until that time, Mormon.org will change to ComeuntoChrist.org.
Social media: Several Church social media accounts will consolidate and give greater emphasis to the name of the Savior’s Church, the news release said. These social media channels will publish content more focused on living and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- A new Facebook group has been established “to build community and better inform individuals about Church news and updates.” This group is called “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—Inspiration and News.” This group is designed to be a place of community and connection for Latter-day Saints.
- The Church’s Twitter account display name will continue to be called “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” with the username of @ChurchNewsroom and will be the primary source on social media for news from the Church.
Mobile Apps: Many of the Church’s mobile apps will be renamed to align with recent direction from Church leaders regarding the naming of Church products.
- LDS Music becomes “Sacred Music”
- The Gospel Library app keeps the same name
Email Domain: The email addresses of all Church employees, general Church leaders and many volunteers will begin using the @ChurchofJesusChrist.org domain instead of the current @ldschurch.org. “Like other changes, this adjustment is intended to help keep the name of Jesus Christ prominent in all the Church does,” the news release said.
“Much work remains, particularly as the Church make changes to products in numerous languages throughout the world,” the news release went on. “The First Presidency asks Latter-day Saints and others ‘to be patient and courteous as changes are made.'”
