Tag Archive for: christmas

765 – Christmas Coloring

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‘Tis the WELSTech Christmas season! Join us for a giveaway announcement that involves the good news of Christmas, coloring books, and AI. You could win a fun WELS item while you exercise your AI skills. Christmas concerts, anniversary offerings, travel apps, managing your smart home, and free EDU GPT round out this episode. Let’s goooo!

The interview and discussion

Celebrating in color – Martin and Sallie are collocated, Christmas-color coordinated, and collaborating on a coloring project. Everyone is invited to participate in an AI experiment, creating Christmas-related coloring pages which we’ll compile into a sharable book. Send your entries to [email protected], and we’ll choose a random contributor to receive some sweet WELS swag!

Ministry resource

Picks of the week

Community feedback

Chat GPT is free for teachers until June 2027

Next time

Melanie Giddings, Curriculum Coordinator from the Lutheran Schools office, shares details on this important work.

Get involved

714 – A WELSTech Merry Christmas

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The WELSTech Christmas tradition continues as we feature an interview-only show with someone from WELS Headquarters, the Center for Mission and Ministry, to share more about their area of responsibility for WELS. Dan Nommensen, Operations Manager for WELS Congregational Services joins Martin and Sallie to reflect on his first few months on the job and share what’s on the horizon for Congregational Services. Merry Christmas!!

 

The interview

Developing relationships – Martin and Sallie chat with Dan Nommensen, Operations Manager for WELS Congregational Services, on the new role he is filling, the 35,000 video meetings he’s attended since July, and the beacon of light each believer can be, reflecting our love for Christ!

Next time

The spotlight shines on the best of WELSTech in 2023.

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696 – Christmas Special: Christian Aid & Relief

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Tis the season for the WELSTech Christmas special! Each year at Christmas we host an interview-only show with someone from the Center for Mission and Ministry to share more about their area of responsibility for WELS. This year Pastor Dan Sims joins the conversation as we talk about the work of WELS Christian Aid & Relief. Merry Christmas!!

 

The interview

Compassion ministry – Pastor Dan Sims, Director of WELS Christian Aid & Relief, joins Martin and Sallie to share details on the work of this group including the three areas of support carried out under theme verse –

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:10

Ministry resource

Enjoy the MLC College Choir singing Away in A Manger.

Next time

We close out 2022 with a look at the best of WELSTech throughout the year.

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695 – Church Communication Plans

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On today’s WELSTech Wendy Kuschel shares a preview of her upcoming session on communication planning happening at the WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership, and Martin chats with Nicole Balza about the Forward in Christ December feature on favorite Christmas hymns. You’ll want to explore the fun, interactive online experience they’ve created!

 

The interview

Martin and Sallie talk with Wendy Kuschel, Senior Communications Coordinator for St Mark Ministries in Green Bay, WI, about her upcoming session at WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership on Creating a Congregational Communications Plan.

You can still register for the Leadership Conference through December 5. It’s happening January 16-18, 2023, at the Hilton in Chicago, IL.

  • Clearstream – Church texting
  • Canva Pro free for non-profits – Graphic design

Ministry resource

Martin joins Nicole Balza on this week’s Together Video Update to talk about the Forward in Christ Favorite Christmas Hymns survey results. Check out the December magazine and the interactive Christmas hymn experience at forwardinchrist.net.

Picks of the week

Community news & feedback

  • Join the WELS Technology Team – We’re hiring a Systems Administrator
  • 2023 Awake Alive Conference – January 13-15, 2023, in Mankato, MN

Next time

The WELSTech Christmas special will feature an interview with Pastor Dan Sims from WELS Christian Aid and Relief.

Get involved

669 – Sharing Christmas Joy

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WELSTech welcomes the Advent and Christmas season with 5 ways to share the good news of our Savior’s birth. Also listen for ideas for building your church bulletin, Martin’s latest hardware pick (with a wire), and tools for telling the next generation. Plus, Sallie’s go-to video editor saves the day, and we announce the Bible verse of the year!

The discussion

Go, Tell It – Martin and Sallie give you five ideas for sharing your Christmas joy.

  1. Change your Facebook profile picture and cover photo
    • Canva
  2. Share Advent and Christmas imagery with a verse or message
  3. Share devotional resources
  4. Share online Christmas concerts
    • Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary – Sunday, December 12 at 3:00 pm
    • Martin Luther College Christmas concert archive
  5. Share YouTube Christmas videos

News in tech

Computer Science Education Week – December 6-12

WELS now

Christian Worship: Service Builder webinar archive – Coming Soon.

Related articles:

Picks of the week

Ministry resources

Telling the Next Generation

Community feedback

Next time

Nicole Balza, hostess of Together video updates, joins us with an update on Forward In Christ magazine.

Get involved

Image by u_gzwjc5ts from Pixabay

617 – A Season of Giving

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The WELSTech Christmas Special is a favorite episode each year, and 2019 doesn’t disappoint. Join Martin and Sallie as we learn more about the Ministry of Christian Giving.

The interview:

Online giving – Pastor Kurt Lueneburg and Adam Goede from WELS Christian Giving are on camera with Martin and Sallie for this special Christmas interview.

Next time:

On our New Year’s Eve special, we look back at the best of 2019 on WELSTech.

Get involved:

581 – An Interview with Eric Roecker

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Merry Christmas to the WELSTech Community! Enjoy this week’s podcast as our tech-in-ministry gift to you.

The interview:

Pastor Eric Roecker, recently called to serve as Administrator of WELS Evangelism, chats with Martin and Sallie about his new responsibilities and the evangelism resources which are being planned.

Featured video:

President Schroeder’s 2018 Christmas Message

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 582 – We welcome 2019 with a look back at the best of 2018.  Release date: Tuesday, January 1.

Get involved:

579 – Christmas Communication

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WELSTech is back and loaded with Christmas joy for sharing with the world. Tune in for ideas and content to post on your website and via social media. Details on texting the good news are the focus of this week’s interview. Plus, the video of the week has a story of tech-in-ministry opening amazing doors around the world.

The discussion:

‘Tis the season to share the good news – Martin and Sallie discuss ways to let your online light shine during the Christmas season.

Ministry resource:

5 Best Practices For Using Invite Cards At Your Church

News in tech:

Microsoft to Replace Edge Web Browser

The interview:

Communicate via text – Randy Brice, a member of Immanuel in Manitowoc, WI and owner of All Access Ads, talks with Martin and Sallie about how his congregation is using affordable, secure text messaging (priced at 2 cents per text) to share their message. Visit the All Access Ads web site for additional details and to reach Randy.

WELS now:

C18 Resources from Congregational Services

  • Worship Guest Follow-up: A Vital Part of Outreach
  • Christmas invitation video & instructions for Facebook post and advertising – Select the Download tab

Picks of the week:

  • Weekday chapel service live streams
    • Martin Luther College – 10:30 am | 7:15 pm | 10 pm Monday
    • Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary – 9:20 am
  • Puffin Web Browser

Community feedback:

Featured video:

Sparked by “community feedback” from Pastor Rob Guenther, watch the St. John, New Ulm, MN sermon from December 2 where WELS Director of Ministerial Education Pastor Paul Prange shared a mission story with a tech twist during his sermon. The sermon starts at about 23 minutes and the tech part starts at about 30 minutes.

Learn more about this amazing opportunity God has provided to build a training center in Vietnam

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 580 – We talk with Teacher Perry Lund about his Microsoft OneNote/Teams presentation at next summer’s WELS Education, Technology, and Leadership Summit.  Release date: Wednesday, December 19.

Get involved:

528 – Donn Dobberstein

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Christmas week on WELSTech brings talk of new ministry efforts, planning resources and a shareable Christmas Toolkit. There’s also Christmas greetings from WELS President Mark Schroeder and a beautiful Christmas hymn from the MLC College Choir. All that goodness is wrapped in warm wishes for a blessed Christmas celebration to the WELSTech community!

The discussion:

Christmas interview – Pastor Donn Dobberstein talks with Martin and Sallie about his new role as Director of WELS Discipleship.

Community feedback:

Featured video:

This Christmas week we gift you with not one but two special videos, new on the WELSTech Vimeo Like’s List – WELS Christmas Message 2017 from President Mark Schroeder

and Martin Luther College – College Choir singing All Praise To Thee, Eternal God.

 Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 529 – Wrap up 2017 with a look back at WELSTech’s best of 2017. Release date: Wednesday, December 27.

Get involved:

Merry Christmas from WELSTech

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Martin and Sallie invite you to enjoy this special video message …