Tag Archive for: project management

682 – Tech-Enhanced Ministry: Project Management

Summer has arrived on WELSTech as we begin a new series titled Tech-Enhanced Ministry. This week we talk all angles of project management including portfolios, cloud tools, and frameworks. Martin has a shortcut pick, and we field questions regarding the new Christian Worship hymnal.

The discussion

Project management – Martin and Sallie kick off the WELSTech summer series Tech-Enhanced Ministry with the why and how of project management in church and school.

Picks of the week

Community news & feedback

Coming up next on WELSTech

The Tech-Enhanced Ministry series continues with a discussion of data management

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681 – Multi-Age Teaching

You’re in for a treat – a WELSTech like no other! Martin and Sallie are joined by Jason Schmidt for a mashup discussion of open learning, project management, WiFi access, and summer enrichment. And, for the first time, we close the show with an interview of Dr. Cindy Whaley, icing on the cake of our season-long look at the WELS Education Conference 2022 lineup.

The discussion

Jason Schmidt joins Martin and Sallie to wrap up our school year series of edtech podcasts. (We missed you, Rachel Feld! Safe travels!!)

Ministry Resource

OpenLearning@MLC free virtual conference under the theme Ministering in an Age of Diversity

  • June 14-15 + recordings for a limited time
  • Register now
  • Clock hours available

Picks of the week

Community news & feedback

The interview

The icing on the cake – Dr. Cindy Whaley from Martin Luther College joins the conversation to share details from her upcoming presentation at the WELS Education Conference. Her topic is Multi-age Teaching and Learning: What it is, how it is different, and why it matters!. The conference will take place June 20-22, 2022, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, WI.

Coming up next on WELSTech

We kick off WELSTech’s summer focus – Enhancing Ministry with Technology

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662 – From LEGOs to Email

WELSTech is back with LEGO news and a wrap up of the book discussion of A World Without Email. Martin shares a free tool for creating diagrams and flowcharts, and the community mail bag includes the ability to ride along with a raindrop. Did we mention LEGOs?

The discussion

Every techie loves LEGOs, so it’s appropriate we offer huge WELSTech congrats to Caleb and Jacob Schilling, WELS members recently featured on Season 2 of LEGO Masters.

Protocols & Specialization – Martin and Sallie conclude the discussion of A World Without Email by Cal Newport with practical suggestions for improving workflow and moving away from the hyperactive hive mind way of working.

Picks of the week

Community feedback

Coming next on WELSTech

A new season of WELSTech kicks off, loaded with all kinds of WELSTech goodness, of course! We welcome guest hosts Rachel Feld and Jason Schmidt as well as Paul Patterson from the Lutheran Schools Office who will preview the upcoming WELS Education Conference 2022. All that, and we’re adding video to the show too!

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661 – Adding Value to Information

This week on WELSTech, we resume the book discussion of A World Without Email by Cal Newport with chapters 4 & 5, all about knowledge work processes. Martin shares his first blog post in a “Getting Into Vlogging” series, and Sallie has news about free Bible verse motion video content for church screens.

Ford assembly line, 1913 – via Wikipedia

The discussion

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Manage the Workflow – Martin and Sallie share thoughts on chapters 4 & 5 of A World Without Email by Cal Newport, which begins to explore improved options for knowledge workers to offset the hyperactive hive mind.

Picks of the week

Community feedback

Coming next on WELSTech

The book discussion concludes with a discussion of chapters 6 & 7 and the conclusion of A World Without Email by Cal Newport.

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501 – Trello

With WELSTech number 500 behind them, Martin and Sallie kick off the summer with a series focused around ministry resources. This week is the popular project management tool Trello. Learn how you can manage church and school projects, as well as a wedding! Maybe even just your family vacation.

The discussion:

What’s Changed – Martin and Sallie discuss of the many ways to tackle Project Management with Trello. The versatile tool can help you organize and move tasks through to completion, and it’s available on both desktop and mobile.

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

WELS now:

Enjoy the closing worship of the WELS Worship Conference via live stream beginning Friday, June 16 at 11:30 am Central – livestream.com/welslive

Featured video:

From the WELS Schools playlist on YouTube, check out Lakeside Lutheran’s A Capella Choir as they perform this Awesome National Anthem for the Brewers 2017.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 502 – Learn about Google’s newest edtech initiative, “Be Internet Awesome.” Release date: Wednesday, June 21.

Get involved:

Project Management with Trello

This past week I was honored to lead a workshop at the Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School Support Staff Conference. I spoke on the topic of Volunteers, basing my talk on chapter 6 of the WELSTech book called “With All Your Heart: Project Management for Churches, Christian Schools and Faith-Based Organizations.” In preparing for the talk I reviewed and revised all the chapters in the book to keep them current…and of course fix a few typos along the way. You can find out more about the book at withallyourheart.tech.

As part of the book there is a segment or two in each chapter called “Tool Time.” Some of the tools were replaced since they are no longer available. That is the way technology goes sometimes. But thanks to digital publishing and print-on-demand, it’s easy to update the content. One tool not replaced, and the subject of this ministry resource, was Trello. The Technology team in the synod has been using Trello for a few years now, and it seems like an old friend. Church and school offices, called workers and anybody who needs to manage any kind of project, would do well to give Trello a look.

Trello, in both it’s free and paid versions, provides an easy to understand but very flexible project management paradigm that will help it’s users stay organized. This digital tool allows the user to create “cards” and group them into “lists” — very much like sticky notes. The cards have a front with basic information like the card name, who can see it, and other high level information. Click the card to “flip” it and you will be able to add all kinds of task related elements — checklists, images, document attachments, custom fields, etc. The cards also support comments, which is a powerful feature used to capture ongoing dialog about the task. You can even be notified via email of card changes. Well, that’s the nickel tour on it’s functionality. Be sure to watch the video below for a visual tour.

Application/audience

In “With All Your Heart” we try to give some examples of possible projects so the principles are a bit easier to apply to real life ministry. The prototypic project is a Vacation Bible School, but many other project possibilities are discussed. What we’ve found however is that Trello can be an asset for a complex building project, a modestly complex event like VBS or a wedding, or even singular “projects” like preparing a sermon or lesson plan. This sample VBS Trello board will give you an idea of how a project might be set up. Click on a few cards to explore sample resources. With the functionality available on a Trello board, it can serve as the only project repository and documentation you need.

Related resources

There are any number of helpful resources if you want to dive a little deeper into Trello. Here are a few:

See All Ministry Resources

441 – Troubleshooting

WELSTech is back with ideas for overcoming project obstacles when they arise as well as an interview with members of the project team behind the successful Academia Cristo outreach efforts in Latin America. There’s an exciting announcement regarding WELSTech’s availability on a brand new platform plus ideas for using the new Facebook Live feature in your church setting. All this, and a birthday celebration, WELSTech-style!

The discussion and interview:

ch8145x125Troubleshooting – In Chapter 8 of With All Your Heart, WELSTech’s current book project, readers will learn about typical project roadblocks which can occur and methods to overcome the obstacles and see projects through to completion.

Missionary Mike Hartman, WELS Field Coordinator for Latin America, and Pastor Nathan Wagenknecht, Latin America Project Coordinator for WELS Multi-Language Publications, join the conversation to share their project management experience, including revising plans when needed to overcome obstacles along the way.

News in tech:

Find WELSTech in the new podcast section of Google Play Music

WELS now:

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

7 Ways to Use Facebook Live This Week

Featured video:

New to the WELSTech Presentation/Teaching Playlist on YouTube is this productivity tip from David Allen – Dealing With Interruptions.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 442 – Community feedback is center stage on next week’s podcast. Share! Share!! Share!!! Release date: Wednesday, April 27

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436 – With All Your Heart: Ch 7

On this week’s WELSTech we return to our project management book discussion and share ideas for communicating project news to your church, school or organization. Listen also for Lenten resources for elementary classrooms, a Chrome browser cleanup utility and an interesting look at the upcoming Gospel Outreach With Media online conference.

The discussion and interview:

bookChp7StainedGlass145x125Communication – Chapter 7 of the WELSTech DIY project management book project, With All Your Heart, takes a look at expanding project communication beyond your project group to engage your congregation, school or organization actively every step of the way.

Professor Tom Kuster, director of Bethany Lutheran College’s Christ in Media Institute, talks with Martin and Sallie about the communication involved in organizing, promoting and carrying out an online conference. Listen for more details regarding the upcoming Gospel Outreach With Media conference, scheduled for March 28 – April 17. Scan the conference agenda, and make plans to “attend” this free online conference!

WELS now:

Visit ShopWELS and subscribe to the ShopWELS Insider for electronic news on great deals for WELS organizations and members

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

Rachel Feld blogs on the topic of Teaching Little Ones About Lent at Bread for Beggars

Featured video:

In this last week of Lent we feature Jesus, Grant that Balm and Healing by Koine. Find it on YouTube in WELSTech’s Music playlist as well as Koine’s Lenten Hymns and Music playlist and their Footsteps to the Cross Illuminated playlist.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 437 – Community feedback is center stage on next week’s podcast. Share! Share!! Share!!! Release date: Wednesday, March 23

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427 – With All Your Heart: Ch 5

Tune in to WELSTech this week for chapter five of WELSTech’s very own project management book for faith-based organizations, With All Your Heart. The focus is scheduling and the chapter includes an interview with some calendaring gurus from Kettle Moraine Luther High School. The show also includes a look at a new, multi-angle video camera and tips for starting great Bible-reading habits.

The discussion and interview:

time 371226 145x125Scheduling – Martin and Sallie are back with a {timely} discussion of chapter five of With All Your Heart, the WELSTech DIY book on project management for churches, Christian schools and other faith-based organizations. Taking a cue from Nehemiah, we share ideas to survey a project for all tasks, map dependencies and meet project milestones. The chapter includes an interview with some uber Google Calendar users from Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School in Jackson, WI, Joshua Schoeneck, Erin Laabs and Melanie Schoeneck.

KMLCalendarCollageW550x224

News in tech:

WELS now:

WELSTech Photo Challenge for January 2016

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

7 Days to Your New Bible Habit

Featured video:

New to the WELSTech Product Demo playlist on YouTube is this overview of the FollowUpThen e-mail reminder service.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 428 – On location at MLC … Martin and Sallie talk with Dr. Jim Grunwald and Prof. James Carlovsky about MLC’s “Teaching with Tech” training. Release date: Thursday, January 21 (A day late, but worth the wait!)

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422 – With All Your Heart: Ch 4

On WELSTech this week we explore methods for effective meetings in chapter 4 of With All Your Heart, the WELSTech book on project management. Pastor Rob Guenther, a.k.a. the Faster Pastor, is on hand to explain how to have more productive meetings in less time (and leave time for fellowship afterwards). Plus Martin has another book recommendation for all types of leaders.

The discussion:

Meetings – Martin and Sallie return to this season’s book discussion, chapter 4 of With All Your Heart, the WELSTech DIY book on project management for churches, Christian schools and other faith-based organizations. Listen for ways to engage meeting participants in healthy conflict as well as practical tips and tools for offering encouragement and creating agendas.

The interview:

Pastor Rob GuentherThe Faster Pastor – Pastor Rob Guenther from Grace in Kenai, AK talks with Martin and Sallie about his new web site focusing on productivity for pastors, www.thefasterpastor.com. He shares methods he’s used in his congregation to increase efficiency in congregation committee meetings while allowing more time to discuss the things that matter.

News in tech:

WELS now:

  • Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Christmas Concert – Sunday, December 13
  • Interactive Faith Bible Study

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

10 Reasons Video Should Be On Your Radar in 2016

Featured video:

New to the WELSTech “Like’s” list on Vimeo is this recording of the MLC Combined Choirs singing O Jesus Christ, Thy Manger Is.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 423 – Martin and Sallie share the last community feedback of 2015! Release date: Wednesday, December 16.

Get involved: