072 – e-Me’s and Virtual Integrity

This week on the WELSTech podcast Internet security expert and author Dan Lohrmann joins Martin and Sallie to share ideas on avoiding the pitfalls of integrity theft.

The interview and discussion:

Dan LohrmannHabits of Online Integrity – Dan Lohrmann, author of Virtual Integrity: Faithfully Navigating the Brave New Web, shares his knowledge of the traps that exist which lead Christians to sacrifice their online integrity as well as practical solutions to combat the temptations.  One option which Dan explores in his book is the use of accountability software.  Martin and Sallie share information on several programs as well as ministry applications for the software tools.

New Technology Showcase:

Picks of the week:

Of interest:

  • (49:25) Tune in to live streaming of Seminary Call Service, Ascension Concert and Graduation
  • Check the schedule and watch the events at streams.wels.net/site/live

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(1:01:08) Episode 073 – Gail Potratz lends her classroom perspective to our discussion of educational video channels, and we talk with a representative from Learn360.com.

The featured artist:

(1:02:14) This week we close with the music of WELS praise band Koine (www.koinemusic.com) – Christ is our Cornerstone from their CD titled “Koine II”

Get involved:

071 – Electronic Church Doors

This week the WELSTech podcast examines the platforms and methods available to spread the Word in the 21st century.

The discussion:

Pastor Mike HintzAnswering the question – Pastor Mike Hintz, Administrator for WELS Commission on Evangelism, joins in on Martin and Sallie’s discussion of chapter’s 6 and 7 of Clay Shirky’s book, Here Comes Everybody.  In terms of evangelism today, the question isn’t “Where or what is the church?” but “Who is God?”, and we can use the power of the Internet to share our confessional response to that question.

New Technology Showcase:

Picks of the week:

  • (33:30) Free Animoto for Educators – Create animated videos of your photos
    • Thanks to Jason Schmidt from Gethsemane in Omaha, NE for this link!
    • Check out their FAQ for a great Gmail method of creating “dummy” student e-mail accounts
  • FoxitPDF

Of interest:

  • (41:29) This week features live streaming of MLC Graduation and Call Service as well as Vicar Call Service
  • Check the schedule and watch the events at streams.wels.net/site/live

Community feedback:

  • (43:53) Welcome WELSTech listeners, Prof. Bob Anderson and Missionary Mike Hartman
  • Are you a WELSTech listener with a ministry technology idea to share?  We’d love to interview you!  Contact us to get the ball rolling!
  • Pastor Dan Witte from Risen Savior in Lakewood Ranch, FL shared several great links:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(50:29) Episode 072 – We’ll talk with Dan Lohrmann, author of Virtual Integrity and discuss accountability software options.

The featured artist:

(52:15) This week we close with piano music of Dawn Gehlhar – Beautiful Savior from her CD titled “Inspiration”

Get involved:

070 – Twitter…What’s It Good For Anyway?

This week on the WELSTech podcast we share ideas for using Twitter as a communication channel for your church or school, and we talk with Dick Diener about some interesting classroom technology projects.

The discussion:

All Things Twitter – By now WELSTech listeners have undoubtedly heard of the popular micro-blogging site, Twitter.  Martin and Sallie bring you up to speed on what Twitter is and more importantly on how this new instant communication channel can be leveraged for ministry purposes.

The interview:

Dick Diener(19:22) Integrating technology in the classroom – Martin and Sallie talk with Dick Diener, WELS member of Our Savior in Grafton, WI and Technology Integrator for the Mequon-Thiensville School District, about several interesting school technology projects.  Dick invites WELS schools to be part of the international “Honoring Veterans” wiki sharing project.

New Technology Showcase:

Picks of the week:

Of interest:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(1:04:19) Episode 071 – The discussion will center around chapter seven of Clay Shirky’s book Here Comes Everybody, “Faster and Faster”

The featured artist:

(1:05:28) This week we close with the music of Revelation, a music ministry of Wisconsin Lutheran College (www.revelationwlc.com) – Roll the Stone Away from their CD titled “We Walk By Faith”

Get involved:

069 – Enough Google Already

This week on the WELSTech podcast the listener’s rule as we share some of their entries in the recent desert island software contest.

The contest:

WELSTech Desert Island Picks ContestTop 5 Desert Island Software Picks – Martin and Sallie discuss some of the “I-wouldn’t-want-live-without-it” software titles shared by entrants in the recent WELSTech contest. Listen to find out if you are the winner of the a $25 gift certificate to the WELSTech store (cafepress.com/welstech).

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 070 – Are you tweeting as part of your church technology plan?  Next week we’ll cover all things Twitter and take a look at what purpose it might serve in ministry in this digital age.

The featured artist:

This week we close with the music of WELS group Corban Creek – Empty Grave from their CD titled Could It Be Me

Get involved:

068 – Spending A Smarter Summer

This week on the WELSTech podcast we gear up for summer with loads of options for personal learning, and we conclude our interview with WELS musicianary Mike Westendorf.

The discussion:

Summer Learning – Gail Potratz, our monthly guest host and Technology Coordinator at Emanuel in New London, WI, joins the conversation with Martin and Sallie, and we look at all the possibilities for learning something new this summer, including face-to-face and online, traditional and via your Personal Learning Network (PLN).

The interview:

Mike Westendorf(18:22) Music With A Message – Martin and Sallie continue their discussion with WELS musician Mike Westendorf about the maturity of a Christian artist into a musicianary.

Picks of the week:

The contest:

WELSTech Desert Island Picks Contest(47:47) Top 5 Desert Island Software Picks

  • Send us the five software titles you wouldn’t want to live without – free or fee, desktop or Web 2.0, anything goes
  • Get us your list via your favorite WELSTech communication channel – e-mail us, leave us a voice mail (414-375-2334), send us a message on facebook or twitter – just get us your top 5 picks!
  • One random entry will receive a $25 gift certificate to the WELSTech store (cafepress.com/welstech)
  • Deadline for entry is Sunday April 26, 2009 @ 11:59 p.m.
  • Listen to WELSTech Episode 069 on April 29th to find out if you are the winner and to experience a virtual desert island of software picks

Community feedback:

  • (49:17) The #WELSTech Twitter conversation this week featured
    • Jason Schmidt from Gethsemane in Omaha, NE shared a link to another video captioning web site, this time for YouTube videos – CaptionTube
  • John Shoosmith from Redeemer in Yakima, WA
    • Reports that the video hosting and captioning site discussed in our last episode, dotSub.com, allows for 300 MB video uploads which is more than adequate for typical sermons
    • Added a new page to the WELSTech wiki (welstechwiki.wels.net) with coaching on video angels, lighting and more – Video Taping Guide
  • Additional WELSTech wiki updates include
  • Check out the WELSTech listserve archive for discussions on Moodle and Martin’s call for church technology plans
  • Brian Preuss shared a link to a free, open-source, Linux-based church management software application, ChurchInfo, www.churchdb.org

Coming up on WELSTech:

(1:04:32) Episode 069 – The contest results are in, and we share our listener’s list of desert island software picks.  You’ll want to tune in to find out if you are the lucky winner of a $25 WELSTech store gift certificate. Enter to win by April 26th!

  • Production note: Due to scheduling conflicts, this episode will have a later-than-normal release time.  Look for it by noon on April 29th.

The featured artist:

(1:06:20) This week we close with WELS artist Michael Schroeder (www.michaelschroeder.com) – The One from his CD titled Fuel For The Soul

Get involved:

067 – Geeking Out In Sallie’s Kitchen

This week the tech talk on the WELSTech podcast centers around group collaboration, the world of the independent Christian artist, and a geeky kitchen dream come true.

The discussion:

Group Effort Web 2.0 Style – Martin and Sallie revisit Clay Shirky’s book Here Comes Everybody and focus on chapter 5, “Personal Motivation Meets Collaborative Production”, as they explore the power of one of the core Web 2.0 tools, the wiki.  Listen for ideas on how you can use a wiki in your congregation or school.

The interview:

Mike WestendorfIndependent Christian Artist (18:22) – WELS musician Mike Westendorf joins Martin and Sallie to talk about getitng started in the music business, the recent CIA Summit for independent Christian artist and the role technology plays in music today.

The tidbits:

New technology showcase (38:30)

Picks of the week (42:25)

WELSTech Desert Island Picks ContestContest – Top 5 Desert Island Software Picks (47:47)

  • Send us the five software titles you wouldn’t want to live without – free or fee, desktop or Web 2.0, anything goes
  • Get us your list via your favorite WELSTech communication channel – e-mail us, leave us a voice mail (414-375-2334), send us a message on facebook or twitter – just get us your top 5 picks!
  • One random entry will receive a $25 gift certificate to the WELSTech store (cafepress.com/welstech)
  • Deadline for entry is Sunday April 26, 2009 @ 11:59 p.m.
  • Listen to WELSTech Episode 069 on April 29th to find out if you are the winner and to experience a virtual desert island of software picks

Community feedback (49:17)

  • Check out the WELSTech listserve archive for a balanced discussion of fee vs. open-source software for school computer usage
  • David Schumann from Peace in Janesville, WI shared his success with recycling old hardware with Linux
  • The #WELSTech Twitter conversation this week included
  • John Simonson from Good Shepherd in West Bend, WI suggested incorporating a call to action link on church sites – “Why join?” or “Why attend?”
  • Dan Schoeffel from St. Paul’s in Onalaska, WI shared a link to their Drupal members only site – members.stpaulsonalaska.org
    • We discussed Drupal in a episode 047 and have a page on the WELSTech wiki dedicated to Drupal
    • Take a sneak peek at the new Drupal-based WELS.net – beta.wels.net
  • David Savatski from WELS Missions added a presentation tips section to the WELSTech wiki
  • Greg Letiecq shared a “He Is Risen” video clip. Find it on the WELSTech wiki, posted using drop.io/welstech.

Coming up on WELSTech (1:04:32)

  • Episode 068 – It’s time to make plans for a summer of learning.  Gail Potratz will join us to discuss a multitude of opportunities for personal enrichment.  And we’ll wrap up our interview with Mike Westendorf.

The featured artist:

This week we close with WELS artist Mike Westendorf (www.mikewestendorf.com) – Prelude to Praise from his newest CD titled Color Through the Gray (1:06:20)

Get involved:

066 – The Five D’s and W’s

This week the WELSTech podcast goes global as Martin and Sallie discuss internet evangelism and chat with Dr. John Lawrenz from Asia Lutheran Seminary.

The discussion:

The interview:

  • Dr. John LawrenzReaching out to billions (24:34) – Spanning the globe to bring you the latest news on technology in ministry, Martin and Sallie talk with Dr. John Lawrenz about the work being done in Hong Kong through Asia Lutheran Seminary and how technology is a blessing to their efforts. Listen also for details on their newest project, the Translation Working Group.

The tidbits:

  • New technology showcase (47:55)
  • Picks of the week (52:35)
  • WELSTech Desert Island Picks ContestContest – Top 5 Desert Island Software Picks
    • Send us the five software titles you wouldn’t want to live without – free or fee, desktop or Web 2.0, anything goes
    • Get us your list via your favorite WELSTech communication channel – e-mail us, leave us a voice mail (414-375-2334), send us a message on facebook or twitter – just get us your top 5 picks!
    • One random entry will receive a $25 gift certificate to the WELSTech store (cafepress.com/welstech)
    • Deadline for entry is Sunday April 26, 2009 @ 11:59 p.m.
    • Listen to WELSTech Episode 069 on April 29th to find out if you are the winner and to experience a virtual desert island of software picks
  • Community feedback (1:00:09)
    • Jason Schmidt from Gethsemane in Omaha, NE shared a link to embedit.in which generates embed code for any type of content you want to post on your web site
    • Alyssa Dunning from WELS Web Services shared a link to VisualCV.com where you can create a free online resume
    • Ryan Rosenthal from Faith in Fond du Lac, WI came through with a response to Sallie’s last Pick of the Week – NCShtDwn will shut down computers at whatever time you set
    • The #WELSTech Twitter conversation this week included
    • John Shoosmith from Redeemer in Yakima, WA offered to encode closed caption videos in Microsoft Silverlight for WELS congregations, free of change.  Contact John through the e-mail options on the Redeemer web site for details.
  • Coming up on WELSTech (1:11:21)
    • Episode 067 – We’ll return to Clay Shirky’s book Here Comes Everybody and discuss chapter 5, “Personal Motivation Meets Collaborative Production”.  Also we’ll share part one of our conversation with WELS musicianary Mike Westendorf.

The featured artist:

  • This week we close with the WELSTech debut of artist Stephen Bautista (www.stephenbautistamusic.com) – The Man Who Drove The Nail from his CD titled Abandon (1:13:10)

Get involved:

065 – That Is No Joke

This week the WELSTech podcast is packed with April Fools pranks, a contest announcement, the latest iPhone news and loads of comments from our listeners.

The discussion:

  • Time out for fun on April Fools – Martin and Sallie discuss web-based April Fools pranks, interesting sites and even a few Easter eggs.  They also share info on the Conficker worm, which is set to spread today.
  • WELSTech Desert Island Picks ContestNew Contest – Top 5 Desert Island Software Picks (14:57)
    • Send us the five software titles you wouldn’t want to live without – free or fee, desktop or Web 2.0, anything goes
    • Get us your list via your favorite WELSTech communication channel – e-mail us, leave us a voice mail (414-375-2334), send us a message on facebook or twitter – just get us your top 5 picks!
    • One random entry will receive a $25 gift certificate to the WELSTech store (cafepress.com/welstech)
    • Deadline for entry is Sunday April 26, 2009 @ 11:59 p.m.
    • Listen to WELSTech Episode 069 on April 29th to find out if you are the winner and to experience a virtual desert island of software picks

The tidbits:

The featured artist:

  • This week we close with the music of WELS artist Mike Westendorf (www.mikewestendorf.com) – Cling from his CD titled Run Boy Run (47:36)

Get involved:

064 – Who needs an encyclopedia?

This week on WELSTech Martin, Sallie and Gail discuss Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) and Patti Ullsperger from Lenovo updates us on exciting new classroom technology.

The discussion:

The interview:

  • Patti UllspergerClassroom technology by Lenovo (22:58) – Patti Ullsperger from computer maker and ShopWELS.net vendor Lenovo joins Martin and Sallie to share information on the newest technologies Lenovo offers to enhance classroom learning.

The tidbits:

  • Picks of the week (37:19)
  • New technology showcase (46:15)
  • Community feedback (52:56)
    • The PDF conversation started in our last episode continues:
      • Joshua Schoeneck, Director of Technology at Kettle Moraine LHS, cautioned that some users don’t have the PDF reader, particularly in foreign countries
      • Perry Lund from Grace in Oskaloosa, IA shared a link to PDF Shrink, a Mac PDF tool for optimization
      • Rob Benson, our own WELS Security Administrator, agreed that free PDF solutions can solve many needs.  His comment was on Sallie’s facebook post about the podcast.  Why not share today’s podcast on your favorite social sites using the row of icons at the bottom of today’s show notes?
      • Pastor Dan Witte from Risen Savior in Lakewood Ranch, FL reminded us to consider encryption and password protection of sensitive PDF docs
    • Pastor Tim Wagner of Abiding Peace in Elgin, IL asked how to create an RSS feed of a web page that doesn’t have a feed.  Try www.ponyfish.com.
  • Coming up on WELSTech (1:00:04)
    • Episode 065 – Tune in to our April Fool’s Day broadcast for a new contest announcement and a security discussion with Rob Benson

The featured artist:

  • We close with the music of WELS insrumentalist In His Service (www.adagioconcepts.com) – Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow from their fourth CD titled In Our Hearts (1:01:54)

Get involved:

063 – PDFs and Potlucks

This week on WELSTech the discussion centers around PDFs, and Martin and Sallie share resources for creating and editing documents in this universal format.

The discussion:

The tidbits:

  • Picks of the week (25:00)
  • WELS.net feature (30:27)
  • Community feedback (31:45)
    • David Savatski from WELS World Missions Promotions shared ministry uses for Flickr
    • We received a follow up comment from last week’s interviewee, Lori Aschbrenner of Beautiful Savior in Evertte, WA, with a caution for folks to obtain proper permission before posting photos of people on their church or school web site
    • From the WELSTech Listserve
      • Joshua Schoeneck, Director of Technology at Kettle Morrain Lutheran HS, posted that the full version of Listserve Lite by L-soft is free to schools through their NetPals program – netpals.lsoft.com/netpals.html
      • Jason Petoskey, Network Administrator for Holy Trinity in Wyoming, MI, is using FinalWeb e-mail distribution lists to send e-mail devotions in his congregation
      • LJ shared a link to Christian Worship hymnal resources at www.lutheranmusic.com
    • David Schumann from Peace in Janesville, WI is looking for a worship primer.  Do you have one to share?
    • Joshua Schoeneck e-mailed another comment regarding copyright concerns with “broadcast” of Pandora internet radio in the church narthex
  • Coming up on WELSTech (42:40)
    • Episode 064 – Do you have a PLN?  Learn about Personal Learning Networks during our discussion with Gail Potratz.  Also learn about Lenovo classroom technology during our interview with Patty Ullsperger.

The featured artist:

  • This week we close with the music of WELS artists Kevin Loersche and Cindy Bauder – My Savior Jesus from Kevin’s CD titled Abide With Me (41:15)

Get involved: