How it works
We build your website as a gift.
You own it, and you share it. Here is everything, in plain words, in about three minutes.
- 1
We give
We design and build your website for free. Work like this usually costs $500 to $15,000.
- 2
You own
Your web address, your words, your pictures, every account. All in your name, from day one.
- 3
You share
Once it's live, you tell people about it and add new things. We show you how.
Your only cost
$11
a year
That's about 92 cents a month, for your web address.
It's registered in your name and paid to the company that holds it, not to us. Everything else is free: the design, the building, the place your site lives, and fixing things if they break.
Can't manage $11? Tell us. Gifts can cover it.
What would it cost you?
The same website, three ways to get it.
Do it yourself
$204 to $288 a year
A Wix or Squarespace plan, and you build it yourself.
You become the web designer, writer and tech support.
Hire someone
$500 to $5,000
To have a freelancer build it, plus upkeep.
Done for you, if you can afford it.
With Sherwood
about $11 a year
Only for your own web address, paid to the company that holds it, not to us. We build it for free.
Can't manage $11? Tell us. Gifts can cover it.
Do it yourself
$348 to $432 a year
A bigger Wix plan, or a podcast host plus a website, and you build it yourself.
You become the web designer, writer and tech support.
Hire someone
$500 to $5,000
To have a freelancer build it, plus upkeep.
Done for you, if you can afford it.
With Sherwood
about $11 a year
Only for your own web address, paid to the company that holds it, not to us. We build it for free.
See pastordana.com →Do it yourself
$588 to $672 a year
Squarespace's larger plan plus email and shop tools, and you build it yourself.
You become the web designer, writer and tech support.
Hire someone
$5,000 to $15,000
To have an agency build it, plus $50 to $1,000 a month upkeep.
Done for you, if you can afford it.
With Sherwood
about $11 a year
Only for your own web address, paid to the company that holds it, not to us. We build it for free.
See thewellbeingofwater.com →Do-it-yourself and hiring prices come from published plans and price guides, fall 2026. How Sherwood works →
From first message to your finished site
- 1
Tell us what you'd like to share.
Fill out a short form, or just send an email. A real person reads it and writes back within three days.
- 2
We build it with you.
We open your accounts together on a phone call, then build your site. You send us your words and pictures.
- 3
It's yours. You share it.
Your site, your web address, every account in your name. You share it; we fix things if they break.
Is Sherwood right for you?
Tick each one that's true. Nobody checks; we trust you.
All three? You're who we built this for.
Get free helpNot all three yet? That's all right. Write to us anyway, and we'll talk it through.
What you'll need
Don't worry if you don't have these yet. We set them up with you on a phone call, and we never ask for your passwords. Tap any one to see what it means.
-
An email address you check Everyone · Free
Where we send everything, and where people reach you. Gmail is free and works well.
-
Your web address (a "domain") Everyone · About $11 a year
Your address on the internet, like a street address for your site. It's registered in your name, and we set it up with you on a call.
-
A place for your site to live ("hosting") Everyone · Free
Like the land a house sits on. We share ours with you, so there is nothing for you to set up.
-
A way to get paid (PayPal or Stripe) If you sell something · Free to open; a small fee per sale
So people can pay you for a book, a class or something you make. The money goes straight to you.
-
A newsletter (Substack) If you want an email list · Free
Emails you send to people who asked to hear from you.
-
A book listing (Amazon KDP) If you wrote a book · Free to list
Puts your book on Amazon, in paperback and Kindle.
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YouTube, Facebook or Instagram If you'd like to share there · Free
Where you post and share your work. We set them up and show you how.
Your ticks are saved on this device only.
How Sherwood keeps going
Sherwood already runs on gifts. Those who started it have given thousands of dollars of their own, and volunteers have given many hours. We share the hosting and tools that Digital Lutheran Church already pays for.
Anyone who believes in the work can give through the church. Giving never changes what anyone receives, and we will never ask you for money.
How giving works →Questions people ask
Is this really free?
Yes. We build your website as a gift and never send you a bill. Your only cost is your own web address, about $11 a year, paid to the company that holds it, not to us. If even that is hard, tell us. Gifts can cover it.
How does Sherwood keep going?
Sherwood already runs on gifts. Those who started it have given thousands of dollars of their own, and volunteers have given many hours. We share the hosting and tools Digital Lutheran Church already pays for, and anyone who believes in the work can give through the church. Giving never changes what anyone receives.
Will you ask me for money later?
No. Not before, not after. Nothing of ours goes on your site, and we never ask your readers or listeners for money either.
Who owns the website?
You do: the words, the pictures, your web address, and every account. If you ever want to move on, it is already yours.
I'm not good with computers. Can I still do this?
Yes. That is who we built this for. We open your accounts with you on a phone call, one step at a time, and we never ask for your passwords.
What do you ask of me?
One thing: once your site is live, you share it. You add your new sermons, write your newsletter, and tell people about it. We set everything up and show you how, but we don't post for you.
Do I have to be Lutheran?
No. Our finished projects include a Lutheran pastor's messages and a memoir from an author outside the Lutheran tradition. We build for anyone whose work helps other people.
Do you take every project?
We take a few at a time so each one gets full attention. If we can't take yours right now, we will say so honestly and let you know when a place opens.
Ready when you are.
Tell us about it in your own words. A real person writes back within three days.
Get free help