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463 – Feedback From You

September 20, 2016/in episode, General

On WELSTech this week, Martin and Sallie open the virtual mail bag and share tips and tricks from listeners, including the announcement of a free Fall conference focused on gospel outreach and technology, two things near and dear to every WELSTech-er. There’s also web hosting advice, typing tutors, and fun ways to create color palettes for your next project.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 52:23 — 48.0MB)

The discussion:

Community feedback feast – Martin and Sallie share all sorts of tech-in-ministry goodness from WELSTech-ers!

Read and share the Gospel Outreach with Media Fall conference announcement
- October 10 through 31 at GOWM.org
Send to Kindle for Mac and PC
It’s ‘digital heroin’ – How screens turn kids into psychotic junkies
Adobe Color Wheel
How to Determine Your Church’s Digital Direction
Best Web Hosting for Churches (And Which to Avoid)
Join the conversation in the WELSTech Google Group
- Interactive Whiteboards
- Digital Display Recommendations
Typing.com
Quizizz
77 of the Best Church Websites of 2016
4 Techniques to Optimize Your Nonprofit Newsletter

News in tech:

Week 2 of Apple updates – new mobile operating systems:

WELS now:

Just in time for Reformation …. “What does this mean? The continuing importance of Luther’s Small Catechism” is the title of the current Interactive Faith series led by Rev. John Braun. Tune in on Wednesdays at 6 or 8 pm Central, September 21 – October 26.

Picks of the week:

Use Your Mouse as a Laser Pointer in Google Slides (Plus 2 More Useful Tips)
- Slides Carnival – Google Slides Templates
OneNote Web Clipper

Ministry resources:

Zoom.us video conferencing

Featured video:

Replay the Martin Luther College live streamed presentation by Mahtob Mahmoody, author of My Name is Mahtob and daughter of Betty Mahmoody who wrote Not Without My Daughter.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 464 – We welcome Rachel Feld from Bethany in Kenosha, WI to the Semi-Regular Classroom Technology Correspondent (a.k.a., Guest Host) chair! Release date: Wednesday, September 28.

Get involved:

Add a comment
Send us an e-mail [email protected]
Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net
Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper
Share with the Diigo group welstech
Join the WELSTech community:
- WELSTech Google Group
- WELSTech on Facebook
- WELSTech on Google+
- WELSTech on Pinterest
- WELSTech on Instagram

178 – April Showers: Webmaster Resources

April 6, 2011/in episode, General

This week on the WELSTech Podcast the “April Showers” series kick-off focuses on all aspects of web site creation.

Podcast: Download (42.1MB)

The discussion:

Raining Resources for your Web Site – Across the 3.5 years of WELSTech archives you will find discussion of a plethora of webmaster tools. Today Martin and Sallie share all you need to set up and maintain your church or school web site in one (long) list! Enjoy the rain!!

Planning and Site Design
- Five W’s of Church and School Web Sites
- The Five C’s of Online Outreach
- Websites and Missions: Reaching Out in a Digital World e-book (PDF | Scribd)
- Check for domain name availability – WhoIs.com
- Google’s webmaster central
- The Web Book e-book
- Design blogs
  - Webdesigner Depot
  - Web Design Ledger
- Wireframes
  - Balsamiq
  - iPlotz
- Learn to Code
  - HTML
  - CSS
Site Hosting
- Content Management Systems (CMS)
  - FinalWeb
  - Drupal
  - WordPress.org
  - Past WELSTech episodes about CMS – 047 | 131
- Hosting
  - DreamHost
  - SiteGround
- Free Online Web 2.0 Site Creation Tools
  - WordPress.com
    - Get a domain for your site
    - Sample classroom site built with WordPress
  - Wix
  - Orbs
    - Sample classroom site built with Orbs
- Intranets
  - Google Sites
    - A sample church intranet using Google Sites: Gethsem.info
  - TableProject.org
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Google Analytics
  - The Google Analytics Cheatsheet
- Past WELSTech episode about SEO – 045
Calendar
Graphics
- Photography
  - iStockPhoto
  - PhotoXpress
  - Stock.xchng
  - Unprofound.com
  - WELS Inspirational Images
  - Panoramics (and more) from KenThomas.us
- Clip Art
- Creation and Editing
  - Picnik
  - Aviary
- Hosting
  - Flickr
Video
- Hosting
  - Vimeo – WELS group
  - YouTube
  - Screencast
- Creation
  - Jing
  - Animoto
  - Flip Camera
  - Camtasia
  - Pinnacle
  - Lightworks
Podcasting
- Creation
  - Audacity
- Hosting
  - PodBean

Ministry resources:

(37:35) Download the Free Glo Bible Lite
Facebook Questions app – Answer the WELSTech question

Picks of the week:

(42:19) Control your IWB from your iPad – Also consider using the TeamViewer app
Livestream – Contact Martinif you are interested in a channel
- Bonus: Watch the live stream of the Southwest Minnesota Area Lutheran Choral – Sunday, April 10 at 7 pm CST

Of interest:

(48:22) FinalWeb Training in New Ulm, MN and Milwaukee, WI

FinalWeb for Teachers in New Ulm on June 27 and Milwaukee on August 1 – bit.ly/fw4teachers
FinalWeb for Dummies in New Ulm June 28-30 and Milwaukee August 2-4 – bit.ly/fw4dummies

Community feedback:

(49:10) On the LinkedIn In the WELS group discussion boards, the topic of video production was raised. WELS video designers include
The WELSTech listserve had lots of chatter related to the legalities of using member and student photos on congregation and school web sites. Check out the archived conversation on the WELSTech Wiki. Thanks to Mike Plocher, Director of Technology, from St. Paul’s Lutheran School in New Ulm, MN for sharing their Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act document.
Following up on our Office 2010 podcast, Martin is researching further Microsoft pricing for the Office Suite. Watch for updates at ShopWELS.net.

Coming up on WELSTech:

(55:30) Episode 179 – Get ready for an “April Shower” of Bible teaching resources. (Release date – 04/13/11)

The featured artist:

(56:50) We close the podcast with the music of Dawn Michelle Williams (www.dawnmichellewilliams.com | Twitter | Facebook | My Space) – Beautiful Savior from her CD titled ”Inspirations”

Get involved:

Add a comment below
Send us an e-mail [email protected]
Leave us a voice mail 405-FOR-WELS (405-367-9357)
Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.wels.net
Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
Follow us on Twitter – mspriggs and welstechtrainer
Share with the diigo group welstech
Join the WELSTech community:
- WELSTech listserve
- WELSTech on facebook

098 – Intranets and Internal Communication

September 23, 2009/in episode, General

This week the WELSTech podcast we look at the set up of private, member oriented web sites.

Podcast: Download ()

The discussion:

Member focused web sites – Facilitating member-only online communication and collaboration is the purpose of a church or school Intranet. Martin and Sallie test drive a few Web 2.0 tools that could function as congregational Intranets and share some of the pros and cons of implementing this type of solution.

Ning.com lets you create your own social network – Sample Ning network: welstech.ning.com – Login and test drive for yourself using these guest credentials:
- Email Address: [email protected]
- Password: guest
Google Apps for education and non-profits
- Read about Joshua Schoeneck’s experience implementing Google Apps at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School
WikiSpaces.com
Box.net
ChurchCommunityBuilder.com
Unifyer.com
MemberConnect from Concordia Technology Solutions
FinalWeb secure resources – Sample site – Login and test drive for yourself using these guest credentials:
- Username: guest
- Password: guest

The interview:

(23:16) Member Connect – Brad Wheeling, Marketing Manager for Concordia Technology Solutions (CTS), joins Martin and Sallie to discuss their intranet and church managment software solutions. The CTS web-based solutions allow congregations flexibility in terms of where and who can make needed updates to information.

Visit Concordia Technology Solutions online – cts.cph.org
Learn more about WELS partnership discounts from CTS

Ministry resources:

(39:53) 100 Open Courses to Make Yourself an Internet Whiz

Picks of the week:

(41:01) Myna from Aviary – online audio editing
LinkSys WMB54G Wireless-G Music Bridge

Of interest:

(46:20) WELSTech & YOU! – The WELSTech 100th episode is just two weeks away and we need your help celebrating. Share your favorite take-aways from the show via any of the WELSTech communication channels.

One lucky contributor will win a WELSTech Sigg Water Bottle
Deadline for entries is Friday, October 2, 2009

Community feedback:

(47:46) Ryan Rosenthal from Faith in Fond du Lac, WI sharing info on upcoming SMART Board webinars.
Pastor Jeremiah Gumm from Cross of Christ in Liverpool, NY is looking for equipment recommendations for creating podcast recordings of his sermons. Check out the WELSTech Wiki Audio Recording page.
Following up on last week’s podcast, Sallie shared articles on partitioning your hard drive in preparation for the Windows 7 upgrade.
Via #WELSTech tweets from Jason Schmidt from Gethsemane in Omaha, NE and Gail Potratz from Emanuel in New London, WI we discovered some amazing resources:
- Dissecting a Facebook Fan Page
- 14 Application Cheat Sheets & Posters for Popular Programs
- How to Become a Twitter Teacher in 23 Steps or Less
- SafeShare.tv for distraction free videos
  - View a sample (ubercool Post-It Note stop motion) video via SafeShare
- AudioPal adds voice to websites for free
- How to Build a PLN (Personal Learning Network)
Visit the WELSTech listserve archives for a discussion of educational cloud solutions including Google Apps and Windows Live @edu.
John Shoosmith from Redeemer in Yakima, WA embedded a Google Street View of his church on his church web site. Check out maps.google.com to find out if Google has created a street view of your location.

Coming up on WELSTech:

(57:50) Episode 099 – Gail Potratz, our semi-regular classroom technology correspondent, joins the podcast to discuss the impact of the Google Books initiative on education. (Release date 09/30/09)

The featured artist:

(59:25) This week we close with the music of Revelation, a music ministry of Wisconsin Lutheran College (www.revelationwlc.com) – God of Wonders from their CD titled “We Walk By Faith”

Get involved:

Add a comment below
Send us an e-mail [email protected]
Leave us a voice mail 414-375-2334
Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.wels.net
Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
Follow us on Twitter – mspriggs and welstechtrainer
Use the del.icio.us tag welstech
Join the WELSTech community:
- WELSTech listserve
- WELSTech on facebook

Episode 047 – Nov 26 2008

November 26, 2008/in episode, General

This week the focus of the WELSTech podcast is Content Management Systems. Martin and Sallie are joined by WELS.net webmaster, Julie Duran, and we take a look at WordPress, Joomla and Drupal.

Podcast: Download (18.9MB)

The discussion:

Content Management Systems – WELS.net webmaster and manager of WELS Web Services, Julie Duran, joins Martin and Sallie for a discussion of the “big three” open source Content Management Systems (CMS) – WordPress, Joomla and Drupal. Any of these software solutions could be used to build and manage a church or school web site, and the conversation includes pros and cons of each option.
- FinalWeb
- WordPress
  - St. Paul’s in Washington, DC
- Joomla
  - Eastern Montana WELS
  - Cornerstone
- Drupal
  - Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
  - Salem Lutheran in Stillwater, MN
- Open Source Content Management System Overview (.pdf)
- Visit the WELSTech Wiki to share your experience with any or all of the CMS systems discussed

The tidbits:

Picks of the week (24:45)
- Balsamiq Mockups
- Visualizing the Bible image
- Sync your password management files across platforms
  - PC – Password Safe
  - Mac – Password Gorilla (reads Password Safe)
  - Sync via Live Mesh
WELS.net feature (33.15)
- Church Year Worship Resources
Community feedback (33:55)
- John Simonson from Good Shepherd in West Bend, WI shared additional search engine optimization tools from Google
  - Insights for search
  - Search-based keyword tool
Coming up on WELSTech (35:33)
- Episode 048 – Gail Potratz joins us for a discussion on teaching our children research skills in a Web 2.0 world

The featured artist:

We close with music of WELS artist, Michael Schroeder (michaelschroeder.com) – O Come, O Come Emmanuel from his CD titled The Reason For the Season (37:35)

Get involved:

Add a comment below
E-mail: [email protected]
Voice mail: 414-375-2334
del.icio.us tag: welstech
Join:
- WELSTech listserve
- WELSTech on facebook

Episode 001 – Jan 9 2008

January 9, 2008/in episode, General

In this inagural episode of the WELSTech Podcast Martin and Sallie discuss “why a podcast”? They also interview the co-founder of FinalWeb, the synod’s web-hosting partner.

Podcast: Download (50.4MB)

The discussion:

Why WELSTech? Martin and Sallie discuss the thinking behind putting on a weekly show about technology and ministry.

The interview:

Martin and Sallie talk with Brian Shaffer of web hosting vendor, FinalWeb
Learn more about the FinalWeb solution – www.wels.net/jump/webhosting
Visit the WELS Web Hosting Community – www.wels.net/jump/wnuwebhosting

The tidbits:

This week’s picks
- Google Calendar – calendar.google.com
- Password Safe – passwordsafe.sourceforge.net
WELS.net feature – Forward in Christ magazine online archive – www.wels.net/jump/ficarchive
Upcoming Shepherd’s Staff training – www.wels.net/jump/mam

The featured artist:

WELS artist Mike Westendorf sings Climb The Mountain – www.mikewestendorf.com

Get involved:

Add a comment below
E-mail: [email protected]
Voice mail: 414-375-2334
del.icio.us tag: welstech
Join:
- WELSTech listserve
- WELSTech on facebook