The Anglican Church of Canada, looking for a new way to reach the faithful, has launched its own official page on the popular social networking site Facebook.

"It's an exciting new step for us," Brian Bukowski, web manager for the church, told the Anglican Journal.

"We've been waiting for the right time to step into social networking, and Facebook is so well established at this point. We know our page can be effective there."

The 60-million member website, founded in 2004, has subscribers around the world, including many among the Anglican church's members. As well, several Anglican dioceses and parishes have their own Facebook groups.

"We're tapping into a community that we haven't before. There are millions of people on Facebook right now, and we want to engage them," Brian Bukowski told the Journal.

Facebook has proven popular with users because it allows them to maintain contact with friends easily through photos, messages, and games. People with similar interests can use it to form new groups, expanding their list of contacts – or "friends" in Facebook parlance.

The church's official Facebook page provides news, photos, videos, and event updates for users, who sign on to the page as a "fan" of the Anglican Church of Canada. Becoming a fan will mean they will get automatic updates from the church, and allows them to post content on the church's page.

"It's not just another way to get out news about the church," Mr Bukowski told the Journal.

As with other such sites on Facebook, users must have a Facebook account to join the Anglican church's site. The accounts are free.

Other Anglican groups using Facebook are justgeneration.ca, part of the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund, and the Council of the North, which uses a Facebook page to promote the Amazing Grace Project encouraging parishes to sing "Amazing Grace" on Nov. 23.

There are also a number on unofficial Anglican pages on Facebook.

The Anglican Church of Canada's site is at:

facebook.com/pages/The-Anglican-Church-of-Canada/28081558750.