Tag Archive for: cloud

672 – Service Builder

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On WELSTech this week we welcome 2022 with a deep dive into an exciting new tech-in-ministry worship planning solution, Christian Worship: Service Builder. Additionally, we announce a new podcast around weekly sermon preparation, Martin has a foldable keyboard which Maxwell Smart would appreciate, and we share a bookkeeping software recommendation.

The interview

Christian Worship: Service Builder – Pastor Caleb Bassett from Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fallbrook, CA serves as Chairman of the Technology Committee for the new Christian Worship hymnal. He talks with Martin and Sallie about the exciting release of Christian Worship: Service Builder, a cloud-based and collaborative worship planning solution which can also create service folders and presentations using the new Christian Worship settings and easily integrate readings, prayers, hymns and psalms.

Video resources

Related articles

News in tech

Instagram’s chronological feed is coming back

WELS now

Tune in to WELS’ new Preacher Podcast, part of The Foundation series from WELS Congregational Services. It exists to help churches allow the gospel message to be heard in worship and to echo throughout the week. Listen to multiple pastors discuss sermon topics for the church season.

Picks of the week

Ministry resources

3 Proven Ways To Seamlessly Promote Recurring Giving

Community feedback

  • Church bookkeeping recommendation – Quickbooks

Next time

Our classroom technology correspondents are back, and we talk #EDU22 with Jason and Rachel.

Get involved

540 – Back to the Basics: Document Management

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WELSTech continues the “back to the basics” theme as we discuss technology that has a lengthy life-span but is still very relevant today. The week we look at document management. Plus, the community feedback mailbag is overflowing with WELSTech goodness from listeners & viewers.

The interview & discussion:

Best practices – Knowledge workers are in the business of creating and collaborating on documents, which makes the need for document management policies and training important in our churches, schools, and personal lives.

Drew Willems, Technology Director at Lakeside Lutheran High School in Lake Mills, WI, talks with Martin and Sallie about how they use G Suite for document management at Lakeside. Plus Martin and Sallie explore the topic further with a discussion of other solutions, use cases, tips, and questions to consider.

WELS now:

Calling all presenters!! Submit your ideas by May 31 for a session at #EdTechLead19, WELS Education, Technology, and Leadership Summit, happening June 25-27 at Kalahari Resort in WI Dells – welsedtechlead.com/call-for-presenters

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

Visit the WELSTech Photo Challenge Album on Flickr for royalty free seasonal images including …

Community feedback:

Featured video:

Check out the translation work at StoryWeaver and an overview of Google’s involvement in the project in our video of the week.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 541 – We go back to the basics of calendaring and task management. Release date: Wednesday, March 21.

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Desktop Publishing in the Cloud

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As more and more of our work moves to “the cloud” and away from locally installed software, desktop publishing is one area which lacked a suitable online replacement. The desktop publishing standard, Microsoft Publisher, has long provided flexibility when it comes to layout so you can place images and text wherever you desire. Contrast this to word processing software which imposes strict rules around positioning text and images on the page.

Now with a simple modification of online presentation software, Google Slides, users can experience a parallel free-form layout environment for creative endeavors. The key is to change the page setup dimension from the traditional 4:3 or 16:9 ratio to A4 dimensions – 8.5:11 (portrait) or 11:8.5 (landscape). Watch this 1 minute video to learn how:

Application/audience

The work of church and school is greatly enhanced by excellent communication. From bulletins to event flyers to study materials to newsletters, called workers, church office personnel and volunteers alike will appreciate having this flexible design/layout tool in their digital toolbox. And moving this work to the cloud “ups the ante” on ease of sharing and collaboration during the development stage.

This sample 8.5 x 11 newsletter was created in Google Slides. It includes several different layouts for text as well as images and mailing space. Once the design work was complete, the files was downloaded in PDF format for printing.

Related resources

Try out different Slides themes, including the built in themes (Help) and those available from SlidesCarnival.com, to enhance design work.

Visit the Learning in Hand blog for a step-by-step tutorial on using Google Slides to print custom Post-It notes.

Also, Canva.com offers an alternative cloud-based design option. They have tons of professionally-designed layouts which can easily be customized. Much of their content is free, but some of the most desirable images do come with a price tag. Still, the cost is low (typically $1 per image) for superb design.

See All Ministry Resources

194 – WELS Hacker: Web Sites and Word Processing

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This week the WELSTech Podcast discussion topics include free web sites and Microsoft Office Web 2.0 style.

The discussion:

A place in the cloud – The WELS Hacker summer series continues as Martin and Sallie share ideas for creating web sites and working with files on the Internet.

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Community feedback:

The featured artist:

(32:26) We close the podcast with the music of Koine (www.koinemusic.com| Facebook) – Fight the Good Fight from their “Church Bells” CD

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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: