099 – Books In The Cloud

This week on the WELSTech Podcast Gail Potratz joins the discussion as we look at Google Books.

The discussion:

Google BooksGoogle Books – Google’s mission to organize the world’s information extends to offline content with their Google Books initiative.  Gail Potratz, Technology Coordinator at Emanuel in New London, WI joins Martin and Sallie to discuss the impact Google Books will have on the future of education.

Ministry resources:

(16:44) Church Marketing Lab Flickr group

Picks of the week:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(34:37) The long anticipated 100th episode awaits and you won’t want to miss this special episode dedicated to YOU, the WELSTech listeners! (Release date 10/07/09)

  • Send us your tech-in-ministry (public or personal) success story for inclusion
  • All submissions will be including in our prize drawing for a WELSTech Sigg Water Bottle
  • Deadline for entries is October 2, 2009

Community feedback:

The featured artist:

(39:37) This week we close with the music of WELS pianist Dawn Gehlhar – Nearer My God To Thee from her CD titled ”Inspirations”

Get involved:

098 – Intranets and Internal Communication

This week the WELSTech podcast we look at the set up of private, member oriented web sites.

The discussion:

Member focused web sites – Facilitating member-only online communication and collaboration is the purpose of a church or school Intranet.  Martin and Sallie test drive a few Web 2.0 tools that could function as congregational Intranets and share some of the pros and cons of implementing this type of solution.

The interview:

Brad Wheeling(23:16) Member Connect – Brad Wheeling, Marketing Manager for Concordia Technology Solutions (CTS), joins Martin and Sallie to discuss their intranet and church managment software solutions.  The CTS web-based solutions allow congregations flexibility in terms of where and who can make needed updates to information.

  • Visit Concordia Technology Solutions online – cts.cph.org
  • Learn more about WELS partnership discounts from CTS

Ministry resources:

(39:53) 100 Open Courses to Make Yourself an Internet Whiz

Picks of the week:

Of interest:

(46:20) WELSTech & YOU! – The WELSTech 100th episode is just two weeks away and we need your help celebrating.  Share your favorite take-aways from the show via any of the WELSTech communication channels.

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(57:50) Episode 099 – Gail Potratz, our semi-regular classroom technology correspondent, joins the podcast to discuss the impact of the Google Books initiative on education. (Release date 09/30/09)

The featured artist:

(59:25) This week we close with the music of Revelation, a music ministry of Wisconsin Lutheran College (www.revelationwlc.com) – God of Wonders from their CD titled “We Walk By Faith”

Get involved:

097 – Clean Computing

On this week’s WELSTech podcast the conversation includes tips for computer maintenance and a look at electronic resources from NPH.

The discussion:

Maintaining your computer – From canned air to reinstalling operating systems, Martin and Sallie share tips and many free resources for keeping your computer running smoothly.

The interview:

(18:30) Delivering electronic resources – From Northwestern Publishing House (NPH), Martin and Sallie are joined by Kurt Adams, Director of Internet and Publishing Technology, and Mark Buske, Director of Marketing, and we learn about NPH electronic and downloadable products.  NPH.net offers over 250 digital products, including free downloadable Bible studies, and has several exciting electronic products in development.

   Kurt Adams and Mark Buske

Picks of the week:

Of interest:

(50:04) WELSTech turns 100 on October 7th and we’re dedicating this special episode to YOU, our listeners!

Community feedback:

  • (52:03) Nathaniel Timmermann asked about web site review and design guidelines from a Christian perspective
  • The #WELSTech Twitter conversation this week included …
    • Jason Schmidt from Gethsemane in Omaha, NE shared a link to a TweetDeck “how-to” from Blogging Art and Practice
    • Pastor Aaron Frey from Emanuel in Tawas City, MI reported that Logos is a good reason not to use brand new versions of Internet Explorer.  We’ll talk more with Pastor Frey on Logos in an upcoming episode.
  • Missionary Larry Schlomer of the LATTE team was looking for tips to get started mind mapping, a great brainstorming, organizing and, believe it or not, presentation tool
  • Alan Bundt added his church, Good Shepherd in Wisconsin Rapids, WI to the growing list of congregations with Facebook fan pages
  • David Schumann from Peace in Janesville, WI suggested ministry applications for Google Earth

Coming up on WELSTech:

(1:01:46) Episode 098 – Member focused web sites and an interview with Brad Wheeling from Concordia Technology Solutions will headline next week’s show. (Release date 09/23/09)

The featured artist:

(1:03:15) This week we close with the music of WELS band Corban Creek – Serve Him from their CD titled “Could It Be Me”

Get involved:

096 – Failure For Free

This week the WELSTech podcast includes motivation to try something new for gospel outreach as well as an interview about midi music for worship.

The discussion:

Do something! – Martin and Sallie return to their discussion of Clay Shirky’s Here Comes Everybody, this time focusing on chapter 10, Failure For Free.  In terms of ministry opportunities this chapter helps us realize that it’s easy and free for our outreach, communication and technology committees to brainstorm creative methods and test drive today’s digital resources as tools for sharing the gospel without fear of failure.

  • WELSTech & YOU! – Help us celebrate WELSTech’s 100th episode by sharing your tech-in-ministry success stories via any of the WELSTech communication channels.

The interview:

Danny Weymeyer(16:00) Digital music for worship – Layman Danny Weymeyer from Good Shepherd in Deltona, FL joins Martin and Sallie to talk about the use of MIDI in worship settings, particularly when congregations do not have full time instrumentalist available for worship.

Ministry resources:

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(56:04) Episode 097 – Tips for maintaining your computer including fighting mal-ware, registry cleanup and disk de-frags wil be the topic of next week’s podcast. (Release date 09/16/09)

The featured artist:

(57:45) This week we close with the music of WELS artist Michael Schroeder (www.michaelschroeder.com) – Paradise from his CD titled “A Witness”

Get involved:

095 – Tech Tabletalk with Young Pastors

This week the WELSTech Podcast features a special roundtable discussion with three pastors from the Seminary Class of 2007.

The discussion:

Ministry and technology reflections – A recent WELSTech poll of the Seminary Class of 2007 focused on technology usage and revealed some interesting results.  Martin and Sallie are joined by three pastors from that class who have recently completed their second year of ministry and were willing to share their experience with technology thus far.

Koschnitzke Casmer Huebner

Ministry resources:

(34:29) Video Tutorials for Logos Bible Software

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

  • (59:35) WELSTech & YOU! Our 100th WELSTech episode is fast approaching and we need your help to make it special.  Tell us how WELSTech has impacted your public ministry or personal life, and we’ll enter you into a drawing for a WELSTech 1.0L Sigg Water Bottle (retail value $27.49).
  • Next week we’ll look at chapter 10, Failure for Free, from Clay Shirky’s Here Comes Everybody. (Release date 09/09/09)

The featured artist:

(1:03:38) This week we close with the music of WELS artist, Mike Westendorf (www.mikewestendorf.com) – Look Out from his CD titled ”Climb The Mountain”

Get involved: