Episode 042 – Oct 22 2008

This week on WELSTech Martin and Sallie share tips and tricks for evaluating and redesigning your church or school web site.

The discussion:

  • Redesign your church or school web site – Most congregations and schools have had a web site for some time and may be due for a “facelift” or redesign of the content, look and navigation of the site.  Martin and Sallie share ideas for evaluating your site to make it appealing and useful for the various audiences who visit.

The tidbits:

  • Picks of the week (25:04)
  • WELS.net feature (30:21)
  • Of interest (31:48)
    • Live streamingof WELS Regional High School Choral Festivals
      • November 9 @ 2 p.m. CDT from Illinois Lutheran High School
      • November 16 @ 2 p.m. CDT from Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School
  • Community feedback (33:58)
    • John Shoosmith from Redeemer in Yakima, WA shared information on Google video indexing and asked about setting up podcasts for iTunes
    • Gail Potratz from Emanuel in New London, WI shared information on creating webouts
    • David Schumann from Peace in Janesville, WI shared ideas about using Skype of long distance worship.  Share your experience if your congregation does this.
  • Coming up on WELSTech (38:27)
    • Episode 043 – Mobile Technology – How can you use a cell phone for ministry?

The featured artist:

  • We close with music of WELS contemporary praise band, Koine (www.koinemusic.com) – Crown Him With Many Crowns from their CD titled Koine (39:09)

Get involved:

Episode 041 – Oct 15 2008

This week on WELSTech Martin and Sallie discuss considerations for starting an electronic newsletter.  The interview section of the show focuses on the synod’s own electronic newsletter, Together.

The discussion:

The tidbits:

  • Picks of the week (37:45)
  • WELS.net feature (43:03)
  • Of interest (44:21)
    • We have a winner!  Listen as we play additional voice mail contest entries from our listeners and choose a winner of the recent WELSTech contest. Enjoy shopping at cafepress.com/welstech!
  • Community feedback (51:07)
    • Jeff Clark wrote to share information on hardware configurations – a possible discussion topic for a future WELSTech episode
    • Cindy Krueger from Shepherd of the Hills in Lansing, MI shared a link to an article by Dan Lohrmann titled “How Safe is Cloud Computing?
    • Following up on last week’s interview, we heard from Andy Theimer that there are 8 new “inWELS” members on LinkedIn, and we also heard from one of those new members, Danny Smith
  • Coming up on WELSTech (54:05)
    • Episode 042 – Redesign – Why and how to redesign your web site plus the inside scoop on the upcoming WELS.net redesign

The featured artist:

  • We close with music of WELS pianist, Dawn Gehlhar – Precious Lord Take My Hand from her Inspirations CD (55:07)

Get involved:

Episode 040 – Oct 8 2008

This week on WELSTech the focus is social networking and how online connections can be utilized for ministry.  Martin and Sallie talk with Andy Theimer, a WELS member who has started an online group aimed at connecting WELS business people.

The discussion:

  • Social networking inside the congregation – Martin and Sallie explore ways to extend your ministry efforts online via social networks.  From file sharing to gathering information via web forms to two-way interaction about Bible class topics on discussion forums, using web 2.0 tools to connect with members and connect members to other members with like interests (Mom’s groups, etc.) will become more and more acceptable and expected in this digital age.
    • Create your own social network at Ning.com

The interview:

  • Andy TheimerinWELS (21:31) – Andy Theimer, WELS member and entrepreneur, joins Martin and Sallie to share information about a group he’s started on the business-oriented social networking site LinkedIn called “inWELS”.  Listen and learn more about the benefits of being part of “inWELS”.

The tidbits:

  • Picks of the week (40:11)
  • WELS.net feature (48:46)
  • Of interest (51:08)
    • WELSTech contest – Extended to midnight, Sunday, October 12th
      • Phone in your comments (414-375-2334) to this question: What digital devices do you use in your classroom or Bible class?
      • All comments will be entered in a drawing for a $15 gift certificate to the WELSTech Podcast store – www.cafepress.com/welstech
    • www.k12onlineconference.org
  • Community feedback (53:46)
  • Coming up on WELSTech (57:48)
    • Episode 041 – All about newsletters – For your congregation or school as well as the synod’s Together newsletter
    • Episode 042 – Redesign – Why and how to redesign your web site plus the inside scoop on the upcoming WELS.net redesign

The featured artist:

  • We close with music of Wisconsin Lutheran College’s Revelation music ministry (www.revelationwlc.com) – God of Wonders from their We Walk By Faith CD (59:05)

Get involved:

Episode 039 – Oct 1 2008

This week on WELSTech Martin and Sallie talk about ways to “Go Green” with church and school electronics.  They also interview Pastor Mark Cares about the success of his new blog which targets outreach to Mormons.

The discussion:

The interview:

The tidbits:

The featured artist:

  • We close with music of WELS artist, Michael Schroeder (wctc.net/~mas) – In My Life from his CD titled A Witness (59:54)

Get involved:

Episode 038 – Sep 24 2008

This week on WELSTech Martin and Sallie are joined by Gail Potratz, our semi-regular classroom technology correspondent, and we discuss digital devices in the classroom and kick off a new WELSTech contest.

The discussion:

  • Digital devices in the classroom – Are computer labs necessary in today’s schools?  Martin, Sallie and Gail share ideas for integrating digital devices into the classroom learning process.

The tidbits:

The featured artist:

  • We close with the music WELS artist Mike Westendorf (www.mikewestendorf.com) – Prelude to Praise from his CD titled Run Boy Run (45:27)

Get involved:

Episode 037 – Sep 17 2008

This week on WELSTech Martin and Sallie soar into the cloud of web-based computing applications and discuss the exciting, affordable possibilities for church office needs.

The discussion:

The tidbits:

  • Picks of the week (36:24)
  • WELS.net feature (42:27)
  • Of interest (44:11)
    • Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Symposium on Church
  • Community feedback (45:19)
    • Jason Winget’s congregation uses QuickBooks software for financial management, and he is looking for procedures for conducting a church accounting system audit.  Check out his WELSTech listserve post.

The featured artist:

  • This week we close with the music of In His Service featuring WELS musicians Dr. Patricia Backhaus and Valerie Floeter (www.adagioconcepts.com) – O God, Your Hand the Heaven’s Made from their In His Time CD (47:10)

Get involved:

                         

Episode 036 – Sep 10 2008

This week on WELSTech Martin and Sallie focus on methods for organizing paper and digital content so that it can easily be retrieved when needed.  They also interview one of the founders of the popular video podcast, GeekBrief.tv.

The discussion:

The interview:

  • Neal CampbellLifting the curtain on video podcasting (23:39) – Neal Campbell, the self-described “eccentric dork” behind the camera at the nationally known video podcast, GeekBrief.tv, joins Martin and Sallie to share some of the secrets behind their “Shiny, Happy Tech News” and how churches might get started podcasting or videocasting.

The tidbits:

  • Picks of the week (41:43)
  • WELS.net feature (48:10)
    • Visit WELS Kingdom Workers Mission Information Center to request mission related materials for display in your church or school – www.wels.net/jump/wkw-mic
  • Community feedback (50:19)
    • We have 8 new members of the WELSTech wiki, and we are still asking listeners to share their church media experience – welstech.wetpaint.com
    • John Shoosmith from Redeemer in Yakima, WA is looking for free audio sound bites to mix into a new podcast he is developing – Check out www.soundsnap.com

The featured artist:

  • We close with music of WELS recording artist Kevin Loersch as he sings a medley of Children of the Heavenly Father and Jesus Loves Me from his CD titled Abide With Me (54:42)

Get involved:

Episode 035 – Sep 3 2008

This week on WELSTech Martin and Sallie take a closer look at the tools used to create and share church media and invite WELSTech listeners to share their experience in this area.  Martin interviews Paul Jackson, one of the founders of MediaShout, a congregational display system software.

The discussion:

  • Let’s collaborate on church media – Church media includes all things related to audio and video recording and production, including hardware components, software and even training.  Using a wiki site, Martin and Sallie added initial information on various church media resources.  WELSTech listeners are encouraged to share their experience, how-to’s, things to avoid and any other useful ideas in the wiki.

The interview:

  • MediaShoutMediaShout (18:20) – Martin had the opportunity to talk with Paul Jackson of MediaShout about their congregational display system software.  Learn about the software capabilities and pricing as well as the features that makes MediaShout different from other church media software.

The tidbits:

The featured artist:

  • We close with the music WELS artist, WendySue Fluegge (www.wendysue.com) – Nearer My God To Thee from her CD titled Favorite Hymns (41:35)

Get involved:

Episode 034 – Aug 27 2008

This week on WELSTech Martin, Sallie and our semi-regular classroom correspondent, Gail Potratz, discuss congregation and school uses for wikis.  Also, we are joined by Maria Andersen as she shares how Web 2.0 leveled the playing field when it comes to teaching online.

The discussion:

The interview:

  • Maria Anderson - real and avatarLeveling the online education playing field (20:10) – Maria Andersen, who serves on the Math Faculty at Muskegon Community College, joins Martin and Sallie to discuss her experiences as an online calculus teacher and share how Web 2.0 tools allow all her students to communicate with her regardless of their software and hardware set-up.  You’ll even hear the story behind the purple calculus teacher avatar that Maria uses on her blog.

The tidbits:

The featured artist:

  • We close with the music WELS contemporary praise band, Koine (www.koinemusic.com) – Chief of Sinners Though I Be from their CD title Koine (59:42)

Get involved:

Episode 033 – Aug 20 2008

This week on WELSTech Martin and Sallie discuss take-aways from a conference on church media and Martin talks with Matt Frazier about a new church communication tool.

The discussion:

  • Church Media 101 – Martin recently attended the ECHO: Church Media Conference in Dallas, TX and found a WELSTech listener’s dream suite of topics and tools for ministry in a digital age. Listen as he and Sallie discuss some of his impressions on the conference and a few of the ministry-centric applications he discovered.

The interview:

  • Matt FrazierChurch Communications Web 3.0 Style (19:30) – Joining Martin is Matt Frazier, CEO of Pursuant, to discuss web-based communications for congregations using a brand new Web 3.0 tool, Unifyer.

The tidbits:

The featured artist:

  • We close with music of WELS pianist, Dawn Gehlhar – Nearer My God To Thee from her Inspirations CD (59:54)

Get involved: