173 – Is Facebook For You?

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This week on the WELSTech Podcast we look at examples of WELS congregation’s Facebook pages .

The discussion:

Facebook pages – A question from Cindie Walker about the new facebook page for Cross of Life in Mississauga, Ontario was the spark for Martin and Sallie’s discussion today.  Adding a Facebook page to your communication strategy provides a platform for sharing events, announcements and audio/video content, and it also allows members to easily practice “lifestyle evangelism”.

Interview:

Facebook WELS Lutherans(23:45) WELS on Facebook – Alicia Neumann from WELS Communication Services talks with Martin and Sallie about the content and maintenance of WELS official Facebook presence – facebook.com/welslutherans.

Ministry resources:

(38:44) TableProject.org – a private social platform for churches

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(55:56) Episode 174 – We discuss school administration communication, the focus of Chapter 7 of our current book selection, Leading 21st Century Schools. (Release date – 03/09/11)

The featured artist:

(56:43) We close the podcast with the music of Michael Schroeder (www.michaelschroeder.com and on Facebook) – The One from his CD titled ”Fuel For The Soul”

Get involved:

172 – Google Earth

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This week is education week on the WELSTech Podcast, and Gail Potratz joins us to take a look at Google Earth.

The discussion:

Tour the world – Google Earth is a powerful desktop mapping tool that has many uses in the classroom.  Martin and Sallie welcome back our semi-regular classroom technology correspondent, Gail Potratz, from Emanuel in New London, WI, and we discuss the many uses of the software.

Getting started resources:

Eight uses for Google Earth in ministry:
googleEarth1. History and Literature tours

2. Historical maps

3. Bible land tours

  • Bible Geocoding – Google Earth files of every location mentioned in the Bible organized by chapter and book

4. Geography class

5. WELS locations

6. Map your members and prospects

7. Ocean exploration

8. Astronomy

Ministry resources:

(33:44) Proclaim – Cloud based worship presentations

News in tech:

(34:46) Google Docs Viewer Now Supports 12 More File Formats

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

The featured artist:

(52:55) We close the podcast with the music of Mike Westendorf (www.mikewestendorf.com and mikewestendorf on Twitter) – You Are Amazing from his CD titled ”Undefined”

Get involved:

171 – Blog 365

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This week the WELSTech Podcast topic is blogging, and we talk with Pastor Dan Walters about his post-a-day efforts.

The discussion:

Blog topics – Martin and Sallie share ideas for your blog, and invite you to take the WELSTech Blogging Challenge.  What better way to learn more about blogging and find your personal blogging niche than to post to your blog at least once per week for the rest of 2011.  Share a link to your blog so we can follow!

The interview:

Pastor Dan Walters(12:48) Pastor Walters is a blogger – Pastor Dan Walters from Our Savior in Springville, NY is blogging every day in 2011! He joins Martin and Sallie to share his experience and tips for successful blogging.

Ministry resources:

(26:50) Video presentations of Martin Luther’s Morning and Evening Prayers

News in tech:

(28:14) New features on Vimeo and ScreenCast.com

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(45:04) Episode 172 – Gail Potratz joins the conversation, and we take a virtual tour of the world using Google Earth. (Release date 02/23/11)

The featured artist:

(45:40) We close the podcast with the music of Stephen Bautista (www.stephenbautistamusic.com or stephenbautista on Twitter) – The Man Who Drove the Nail from his CD titled ”Abandon””

Get involved:

170 – The Proclaimer

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This week on the WELSTech Podcast we return to our school technology book discussion and interview Mexico Missionary Mike Hartmann.

The discussion:

Inspire and Assess Technology Integration – Martin and Sallie discuss chapter 6 of Leading 21st Century Schools which focuses on school leaders motivating technology changes in education.  Practical guidelines for assessing tech enhanced lessons are shared as well.

The interview:

Missionary Mike Hartmann(14:13) The Proclaimer – Missionary Mike Hartman from Leon, Mexico joins Martin and Sallie to share a story of outreach using a solar-powered, wind-up MP3 player in remote Mexico.

Ministry Resources:

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(53:18) Episode 171 – We’ll answer the question “What should I blog about?” and talk with Pastor/blogger Dan Waters about his motivation and topics for blogging. (Release date 02/16/11)

The featured artist:

(54:01) This week we close with the music of Kevin Loersch – Amazing Grace from his CD titled ”Abide With Me”

Get involved:

169 – How Mission Friendly Is Your Website?

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This week the WELSTech Podcast focus is evangelistic web sites as we discuss a new e-book on that topic.

The discussion:

A WELSTech e-Book  Release – Martin and Sallie discuss recent work on Websites and Missions: Reaching Out in a Digital World.

The interview:

Jonathan Favorite and family(23:00) Crosswalk Communications – Staff minister Jonathan Favorite from Crosswalk Lutheran Ministries in Phoenix AZ joins Martin and Sallie to share details about their use of technology to communicate the Gospel.

  • Umbraco content management system

Ministry Resources:

(38:44) Do you accept online donations on your church web site?  Share your experience!

News in Tech:

(40:41) Port your existing mobile number to Google Voice (Video tutorial)

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(54:28) Episode 170 – Missionary Mike Hartman joins us to share news about the newest “Proclaimer” of God’s Word in Mexico, and we discuss chapter 6 of Leading 21st Century Schools. (Release date 02/09/11)

The featured artist:

(55:20) This week we close with the music of Crosswalk Lutheran Ministries featuring our interviewee, Jonathan Favorite- Dive Into God’s Word from their CD titled ”Crosswalk Lutheran Ministries”

Get involved:

168 – SoundzAbound

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This week on the WELSTech Podcast the focus is the use of copyright-safe audio in the 21st century classroom.

The discussion:

Audio Resources for Students – Gail Potratz (gailpotratz on Twitter), our semi-regular classroom technology correspondent from Emanuel in New London, WI, joins Martin and Sallie this week as we review 21st Century Skills, specifically the use of audio resources for communication and problem solving.

The interview:

Barry Britt(8:31) Copyright friendly- Barry Britt from Soundzabound.com talks with Gail about the development of the copyright-safe-audio-for-education web site.

Ministry Resources:

(32:18) my.BrainShark.com is a simple way to narrate files and embed them on your web site – View a sample WELSTech presentation

News in Tech:

(36:38) DimDim.com web conferencing is no longer free (FAQ).  There are many free alternatives, including a few we’ve recently discussed on WELSTech …

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(59:33) Episode 169 – Evangelical websites is the planned discussion topic as we chat with Staff Minister Jonathan Favorite from Crosswalk Lutheran Ministries in Phoenix, AZ. (Release date 02/02/11)

The featured artist:

(1:01:01) We close with the music of Koine (www.koinemusic.com | Facebook) – Christ is our Cornerstone from their CD titled ”Koine II”

Get involved:

167 – Files, Files, and more Files!

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On this episode of the WELSTech Podcast we explore many alternatives for file sharing in the church and school office.

The discussion:

NetworkManaging files in the Digital Age – Gone are the days of working solo on our pen and paper projects at the office. Now we want and need to be able to access our digital files from remote locations and easily share files with others for collaboration.  Martin and Sallie detail a variety of solutions for file sharing.

News in tech:

(16:23) iPhone coming to Verizon

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(36:50) Episode 168 – Gail Potratz joins the conversation and shares an interview she recorded with Barry Britt from Soundzabound.com. (Release date 01/26/11)

The featured artist:

(37:15) We close the podcast with the music of  Branches Band (www.branchesband.com |Facebook) – Jerusalem the Golden from their “Light Eternal” CD

Get involved:

166 – A Chatter-Free Podcast

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This week the WELSTech Podcast looks at school technology during a book discussion and an interview with Greg Schmill, Director of WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.

The discussion:

Teaching and Learning With Technology – Martin and Sallie discuss Chapter 5 of Leading 21st Century Schools which looks at specific web-based tools and strategies that are useful in the classroom.

The interview:

Greg Schmill(16:06) Generations – Greg Schmill, Director of WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools, shares insights from his recent presentation titled Bridging the Generation Gap.  He examines each of the generation’s needs and specifically how different uses of technology can assist in engaging Builders, Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials in our schools.

News in Tech:

(37:51) The 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is history.  WELSTech brings you the event buzz:

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(58:40) Episode 167 – Administrators and office personnel will want to tune in as we discuss solutions for sharing files in the church and school office. (Release date 01/19/11)

The featured artist:

(59:56) We close the podcast with the piano music of Dawn Michelle Williams (www.dawnmichellewilliams.com | Twitter | Facebook | My Space) – Beautiful Savior With Canon in D from her CD titled ”Inspirations”

Get involved:

165 – Has It Really Been Three Years?

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Join the WELSTech Podcast as we celebrate three years of tech-in-ministry weekly podcast and review Bible apps for smartphones.

The discussion:

Bible AppsBible Apps – Celebrating the anniversary of three years of weekly WELSTech podcasting, Martin and Sallie kick off year four with a review of Bible apps for Android and Apple smart phones and handhelds.

The Best:

Bible Software Companions:

  • Accordance (iOS)
  • Logos Bible Software (iOS)

The Rest:

Ministry resources:

(22:22) LWMS on Facebook

Picks of the week:

WELS.net Feature:

(29:11) Through My Bible in Three Years – Read and share!

Community feedback:

  • (30:19) Wayne Kittell from Immanuel in Kewaunee, WI responded to our call for free or affordable live video streaming sites.  Wayne recommends Cincopa.
  • Gail Potratz from Emanuel in New London, WI phoned in Christmas greetings and a sign up request for Martin’s next “Mind Like Water” productivity seminar.  Join the class July 27 – July 1 during Summer Quarter at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.
    • We’d love to get a voice mail from you as well!  405-FOR-WELS (405-367-9357)
  • Maren McPeak from St. Mark’s in Citrus Heights, CA shared a link to ArtSkills.com where you can create a poster digitally

Coming up on WELSTech:

(36:02) Episode 166 – We look at “Instructional Strategies for Teaching and Learning With Technology” – Chapter 5 of Leading 21st Century Schools . (Release date 01/09/11)

The featured artist:

(36:45) We close the podcast with the music of  Revelation, a music ministry of Wisconsin Lutheran College (www.revelationwlc.com) – Such Joy from their “We Walk By Faith” CD

Get involved:

164 – Picks of the Year

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This week on the WELSTech Podcast we review the best and worst of 2010.

The discussion:

2010 Picks of the YearReflecting on 2010 – Martin and Sallie review the 2010 Picks of the Week and share their favorites as well as those picks which didn’t make the impact they anticipated that they would.

Coming up on WELSTech:

(38:02) Episode 165 – Next week we celebrate the three-year anniversary of the WELSTech Podcast and review Bible apps for mobile devices.   (Release date 01/05/11)

The featured artist:

(39:17) We close with the music of Koine (www.koinemusic.com | Facebook) – Joy to the World from their CD titled ”Anno Domini”

Get involved: