635 – PR & A Pandemic

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This week on WELSTech we hear from the Martin Luther College Director of Public Relations about the challenges and changes to communication during the pandemic. In addition, there’s a wide variety of tech tools and tips that may benefit your ministry including safely back to school webinars, Gmail organization, Bitmoji classroom images, and farewell to classic Google Sites. Tune in and turn it up!

The interview and discussion:

Communicating to a college community – Bill Pekrul, Director of Public Relations at Martin Luther College (MLC), talks with Martin and Sallie about the levels and multiple channels of communication they utilize. Bill also shares tips that congregations and schools can use as they devise communication plans.

Additional examples to consider from MLC communication:

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Featured videos/online course:

MLC Update

Next time:

Summer interviews on pandemic ministry continue, next time with Dennis Maurer, WELS Director of Human Resources.

Get involved:

634 – Technology vs Pandemic

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Tune in to this week’s WELSTech to learn about a new tech tool to check temperatures before admitting people to your buildings for church and school. We also share googly picks, tips for content filtering and worship projection, and COVID-19 resources from WELS.

The interview and discussion:

Thermal Scanner – Art Flater, WELS member and owner of Central Office Systems, shares a timely tech innovation, the Pyrexia Kiosk, which uses thermal scanning technology to check body temperature before allowing admittance to a building.

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Featured videos/online course:

Members of St Mark, Green Bay, pray for police

Next time:

Summer interviews on pandemic ministry continue

Get involved:

633 – Music Ministry in a Pandemic

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This week the WELSTech featured interview focuses on pandemic music ministry blessings and challenges. Martin and Sallie geek out a bit with their picks of the week, the WELSTech community buzz is around Chromebooks and texting solutions, and we share details about an upcoming “Back to School” webinar by WELS Lutheran Schools and Christian Family Solutions.

The interview and discussion:

Making Worship Music from a Distance – Lisa Uttech, Music Director for Christ the Lord, Brookfield, WI, and Kristen Koepsell, Music Coordinator for Cross of Christ, Boise, ID, share their experiences with congregation and school music during the COVID-19 event.

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

  • WELSTech Google Group discussions
  • Remote Learning Must Haves from Trox
  • Back to School Webinar – CLS and Christian Family Solutions are partnering to host a webinar for all WELS teachers and leaders on Tues., July 21 at 1:00 p.m. CST. The focus of the webinar will be preparing for the unique social/emotional needs and stresses of our teachers and students in today’s context based on God’s promises to be with us in all things. Register to reserve your seat!

Featured videos/online course:

Hands on with PowerToys for Windows 10

Next time:

Summer interviews on pandemic ministry continue

Get involved:

632 – Google Just Wants To Save You Some Money

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On WELSTech this week we talk with a long-time WELSTech contributor about his pandemic experience. In addition, we have hardware recommendations, an exciting virtual conference to share, “free” items for schools, and highlights from Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference.

The interview and discussion:

Coast to coast – Martin and Sallie chat with WELS educator Perry Lund regarding his pandemic experience in church and high school classroom.

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Featured videos/online course:

Apple WWDC 2020 keynote in 18 minutes

Next time:

Summer interviews on pandemic ministry continue

Get involved:

631 – What Does Church Look Like?

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The WELSTech Summer interview series kicks off today. We’re taking a look at the many faces of ministry during a pandemic from across the synod in an effort to spark ideas and encourage excellence in all ministry, whether in good times or challenging times. There’s also some awesome community feedback on everything from smart tech to VBS and Summer Sunday school to free Bible images.

The interview and discussion:

Unique ministry ideas – Pastor Rob Guenther from St. John’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, MN joins Martin and Sallie to share his ministry experience during and beyond COVID-19.

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Featured videos/online course:

Check out the unique video ministry experience from St John’s, New Ulm, MN, where they spliced the current readings and sermon into full church worship recordings from 2019, making the safer-at-home worship experience feel a bit more normal.

Next time:

Summer interviews on pandemic ministry continue

Get involved:

You Got This

630 – Productivity That Lasts

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WELSTech Summer has arrived with an abbreviated show format and a break from pandemic discussions this week. We’re talking productivity, including tips to stay productive long term. A new Googly podcast, wired internet solutions, progressive web apps, online lesson planning tools, and an awesome song are all part of the conversation. Press play now!

The interview and discussion:

You Got ThisProductive summer ahead – Martin and Sallie kick off the WELSTech Summer with a discussion of a recent blog post titled 7 Rules for Staying Productive Long-Term. The conversation also includes ideas for cleaning up your digital footprint this summer.

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Featured videos/online course:

Is He Worthy? by the Fellowship Bible Church of Northwest Arkansas

Next time:

We kick off our summer interview series on pandemic ministry

Get involved:

629 – Put Down The Gradebook

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We wrap up another school year on WELSTech with a discussion of teachers’ pandemic summer plans. Rachel Feld joins the conversation and shares an exciting virtual conference announcement from Martin Luther College. Enhance your PC clipboard capabilities with martin’s pick of the week, plus there’s loads of community feedback to learn from.

The discussion:

Unknown summer plans – Martin and Sallie talk education, technology, and the unknown with Professor Rachel Feld, Martin Luther College’s Director of Academic Computing. The end of a very unique school year has arrived! Congrats to everyone for surviving the major shift to distance/online education. Now teachers and administrators have time to rest and assess the past few months before moving into planning for the unknown school year which lies ahead.

Ministry resources:

WELS now:

  • OpenLearning@MLC – Martin Luther College Virtual Teachers’ Conference
    • June 16 & 17
  • Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Graduation and Assignment Service
    • May 21 at 10 am
  • Register by May 28 for Educational Technology for the Catechism Classroom
    • Led by Pastor Paul Waldschmidt through Grow in Grace

News in tech:

YouVersion Bible Lens is ending May 31

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Featured video:

Unique Online Learning Assessment Ideas from Ditch That Textbook

Get involved:

Photo by Dan LeFebvre on UnsplashPhoto by Dan LeFebvre on Unsplash

628 – Bible 100

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Way back in January we announced the 2020 WELSTech theme of Bible Study. And then … our world changed in response to a global pandemic. Worship and Bible Study became almost entirely dependent on technology. Today we talk with a pastor podcaster who had the platform in place to share God’s Word effectively in the midst of this crisis. We also celebrate MLC Day and share a plethora of news, picks and resources to assist you.

The interview and discussion:

Photo by Dan LeFebvre on UnsplashPodcasting experience – Pastor Peter Hagen serves Resurrection in Maumee, OH and is the voice behind the Raised with Jesus podcast. WELSTech listeners will also remember him from episode 591, where he introduced us to the idea of Digital Side Doors. Today he joins Martin and Sallie to share his “Bible 100” podcasting series experience.

News in tech:

iOS COVID-19 Contact Tracing

WELS now:

  • MLC Day – May 6, 2020 – #mlcday20
    • A special shout out to Senior Karissa Nolte!
  • Martin Luther College (virtual) Graduation and Call Day – May 16 beginning at 10 am
  • Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (virtual) Graduation and Call Day – May 21 beginning at 10 am
  • Join the Northwestern Publishing House Ascension virtual choir

Picks of the week:

Ministry resource:

WELS Family Devotions

Community feedback:

Featured videos/online course:

Listen (again) to our favorite song from Martin Luther College – I Will Rise

Next time:

Rachel Feld co-hosts the last of our edtech shows for the 2019-2020 school year as we look ahead teacher’s (pandemic) summer.

Get involved:

627 – Five Suns from Jason

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WELSTech once again leads off with the topic of the year, COVID-19, as we welcome Mr. Sunshine, Jason Schmidt, and discuss the impact the pandemic is having on education. We’ve got lots of news, picks, and community feedback to share as well as a link to the amazing synod-wide Easter hymn that brought Sallie to tears.

The discussion:

What does this mean? – This week’s round table includes Martin, Sallie, and Jason Schmidt, Instructional Technology Coach for Oconto Falls School District, as we discuss the current and future impact of the rapid transition to distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

News in tech:

  • iPhone SE
  • Apple and Google’s Covid-19 Tracker Isn’t a Privacy Concern, but it is a Game-Changer

WELS now:

MLC Day is May 6 – honoring the class of 2020 at Martin Luther College

Picks of the week:

Ministry resource:

Worship daily at 9 am Central (or access the archive at any time) with the Luther Preparatory School Chapel

Community feedback:

Featured video:

Enjoy the WELS virtual choir singing I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Together at the Tomb – WELS Easter Worship Service 2020

Get involved:

626 – Working From Home

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WELSTech is “safer at home” this week with a focus on making the most of your remote work environment and routines. This episode also includes a preview of Easter Sunday’s “Together at the Empty Tomb” live streaming event plus other updates and tech support for ministry efforts during COVID-19.

The discussion:

Adjusting to work “safer at home” – Martin and Sallie discuss their shift to working from home and share techniques to consider as you make the transition including healthy habits, workspace considerations, communication advice, and more.

News in tech:

Zoom security and privacy questions

WELS now:

Together at the Empty Tomb – Synod-wide Easter service Sunday at 6 pm Central

Picks of the week:

Ministry resource:

As we face COVID-19 – Updates from WELS

Community feedback:

Exporting audio from video

Featured videos/online course:

View President Mark Schroeder’s Palm Sunday Message

And a preview of the Easter evening (at 6 pm Central) Together at the Empty Tomb

Next time:

Jason Schmidt shares some “safer at home” edtech sunshine.

Get involved: