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This week we open the WELSTech podcast mailbag and share loads of great comments, ides and questions from our listeners.

Listen now or download Episode 092 (56:28)

The discussion:

Listeners Share - Martin and Sallie have gathered feedback from all corners of the web – listserves, social networks, tweets and our very own WELSTech web site – and put together a feast of tech-in-ministry treats for your enjoyment.  Try something new today, and expand your vocabulary in the process!

• From our Facebook Fan Page (facebook.com/welstech) … 
  • Ryan Rosethal from Faith in Fond du Lac, WI shares a Web 2.0 home run using screencasts from Jing, Google Calendar, and web image editing with Picnik.
  • Perry Lund from Grace in Oskaloosa, IA shared a link to 5 Amazing Mac Apps for Getting Things Done.
• Kevin Smith wondered how BlackBerry (and other smart phone) users avoid “Mind Like Carbonated Soda Water”. The key is a disciplined approach to the digital world.
• Pastor Jeremiah Gumm from Cross of Christ in Liverpool, NY shared a link to Twenty One Things Not To Do With Your Web Site.
• Marilyn Sherod from Zion in Torrance, CA asked about creating MP3 files from video.  Check out the WELSTech Wiki page on Audio Recording.
• Maren McPeak from St. Mark in Citrus Heights, CA had questions about the Content Management System (CMS) behind the new beta.wels.net.  We’re using Drupal for the new site.  Learn more about CMS options on WELSTech Episode 047.
• From the #WELSTech Twitter-sphere we learned ..
  • Jason Schmidt from Gethsemane in Omaha, NE shared loads of interesting links:
    • PasswordBird.com – Easy, intuitive password generator
    • MyWebspiration.com – Online Mind Mapping
    • 50 Useful Mind-Mapping Tools for College Students
    • Dirpy.com – Create MP3 audio files from YouTube videos
    • SoundBible.com – free public domain audio files
    • Wikispaces is giving away 250,000 free K-12 wikis
    • PDFtoWord.com – Online conversion tool
  • Rachel shared a link to Ten Ways To Get Beyond Powerpoint With Classroom Projectors from Tech & Learning.
• David Schumann from Peace in Janesville, WI needed to correct the location of his church in Google Earth.  Diligent searching paid off with the needed Google Earth help page.  Is your location wonky??
• Join the WELSTech Listserve conversation.  Recent topics include a shareable worship planning database and free monitors from Kettle Morraine LHS.
• Brent Nemmers from Atonement in Plano, TX shared a link to FlagCounter.com.
• Recent discussions on the LinkedIn ”In The WELS” forums include Using Websites, Blogs & Social Media for Outreach.
• David Savatski from WELS Missions Promotions office shared a vote of confidence for online form site Wufoo.com.

News in Tech:

• (39:52) President Obama Uses GTD? 
• Facebook purchases FriendFeed
  • Read the FriendFeed announcement
  • News from TechCrunch

Picks of the week:

• (43:53) Create a LEGO avatar
• FreeAgent Go external hard drive from Seagate

Of interest:

(51:12) Access the entire series of Bonus WELSTech Goodness “how-to” episodes using the WELSTech BWTG tag

Coming up on WELSTech:

(52:25) Episode 093 – WELSTech goes “Back to School with Technology”, including an interview with Joe Du Fore from Fox Valley Lutheran High School. (Release date 08/19/09)

The featured artist:

(53:15) This week we close with the music of WELS artists Kevin Loersch - Children of the Heavenly Father/Jesus Loves Me from his CD titled ”Abide With Me”

Get involved:

• Add a comment below
• Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net
• 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 
        

This week the WELSTech podcast equips you with tools for online collaborative mind mapping and ideas for ministry applications.

Listen now or download Episode 088 (35:41)

The discussion:

Online Mind Mapping - A new batch of Web 2.0 online mind mapping tools prompted this updated podcast.  Martin and Sallie have talked mind mapping in the past, but today’s show expounds on the ministry applications of mind mapping, particularly in terms of collaboration with these new tools.

• www.mindjet.com
• www.mindmeister.com
• www.mindomo.com
• www.bubbl.us
• www.slatebox.com
• www.thinkature.com
• www.vyew.com
• www.wikkawiki.org – Collaborate on FreeMind files
• Wikipedia listing of Mind Mapping software
• Web-based Mind Mapping sites from Mind Map Search

Picks of the week:

• (17:56) Google Docs Templates
• Picasa

WELS.net feature:

• (25:25) The virtual Synod Convention – WELS.net/convention

Community feedback:

• (26:27) John Shoosmith from Redeemer in Yakima, WA shared ministry tech ideas and questions
  • Use LibriVox.org to record doctrinal books and sermons which are in the public domain
  • Looking for sources of royalty free audio – SoundSnap.com and FreeSound.org 

Coming up on WELSTech:

(31:08) The WELSTech double-feature next week includes

• Episode 089 – Creating e-News with MailChimp is the topic of the next Bonus WELSTech Goodness (BWTG) episode. (Release date 08/03/09)
• Episode 090 – Gail Potratz joins us with a recap from the Milwaukee Digital Media Conference (#mdmc09 on Twitter). (Release date 08/05/09)

The featured artist:

(32:32) This week we close with the music of WELS praise band, Koine (www.koinemusic.com) - From All That Dwells Below the Skies from their debut CD titled ”Koine”

Get involved:

• Add a comment below
• Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net
• 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     

This week on WELSTech Martin and Sallie soar into the cloud of web-based computing applications and discuss the exciting, affordable possibilities for church office needs.

Listen now or download Episode 037 (50:18)

The discussion:

• Church Office Computing in the Cloud - Martin recently attended the Office 2.0 Conference, and he shares with us his vision of “cloud” or web-based applications for the church office.  You may follow along via Martin’s online “Church Office 2.0” SlideRocket presentation as you listen to the podcast discussion.
  • Browser - www.google.com/chrome
  • Martin’s ”In The Cloud” blog post
  • File Server -
    • Amazon S3 – aws.amazon.com/s3
    • Jungle Disk – www.jungledisk.com
  • Office Suite – www.zoho.com
  • Presentations – www.sliderocket.com
  • Mind Mapping – www.mindmeister.com
  • E-mail – www.gmail.com 

The tidbits:

• Picks of the week (36:24)
  • 25 Tools – from Jane Hart, creator of Jane’s E-Learning Pick of the Day
  • Zoho Office Suite – www.zoho.com
• WELS.net feature (42:27)
  • Committee on Relief blog – relief.wels.net
• Of interest (44:11)
  • Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Symposium on Church
    • September 22-23, 2008
    • www.wls.wels.net
• Community feedback (45:19)
  • Jason Winget’s congregation uses QuickBooks software for financial management, and he is looking for procedures for conducting a church accounting system audit.  Check out his WELSTech listserve post.

The featured artist:

• This week we close with the music of In His Service featuring WELS musicians Dr. Patricia Backhaus and Valerie Floeter (www.adagioconcepts.com) - O God, Your Hand the Heaven’s Made from their In His Time CD (47:10)

Get involved:

• Add a comment below
• E-mail: welstech@wels.net
• Voice mail: 414-375-2334
• del.icio.us tag: welstech
• Join:
  • WELSTech listserve
  • WELSTech on facebook

This week WELSTech listeners will hear about several impressive Web 2.0 discoveries Sallie found at a recent conference.  Also Martin and Sallie talk with Pastor Bryan Gerlach from WELS Commission on Worship about the forthcoming Electronic Editions of the Christian Worship: Supplement.

Listen now or download Episode 032 (55:28)

The discussion:

• Conference Recap – Fresh from three days at the 24th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning, Sallie shares links to the Web 2.0 “wonderland of resources” which she discovered at the conference.
  • Vyew.com
  • diigo.com
  • Mindomo.com
    • Sample Mindomo maps from Maria Andersen
      • Web 2.0 for YOU!
      • Organizing your Digital Self
  • GlossaryBuilder

The interview:

• The Electronic Editions of the Christian Worship: Supplement (23:19) - Today Martin and Sallie talk with WELS Administrator for Worship, Pastor Bryan Gerlach, about the electronic resources that are going to be available to support the Christian Worship: Supplement.
  • Purchase the Accompaniment and Electronic Edition of the Supplement from Northwestern Publishing House (available Fall 2008)
  • OneLicense.net
  • Worship resources for the Supplement
  • Worship the Lord newsletter - Issue #30 focuses on the Electronic Editions of the Supplement 

The tidbits:

• Picks of the week (35:41)
  • Online file conversion – YouConvertIt.com
  • PC application launcher with a Mac feel – RocketDock.com
• WELS.net feature (41:48)
  • WELS Campus Ministry – www.wels.net/jump/campusministry
    • Directions devotions
    • Lightsource magazine
    • Word on Campus podcast
    • Sign up for free Meditations & Forward in Christ subscriptions
• Of interest (44:06)
  • WELS Web Hosting with FinalWeb
    • Features and links for getting started – www.wels.net/jump/webhosting
    • Online user community – www.wels.net/jump/wnuwebhosting
• Community feedback (46:39)
  • “BorderGuard” used the welstech tag on del.icio.us to share a link to www.biblos.com- an online searchable Bible in many languages, including Greek and Hebrew
  • David Savatski from WELS World Mission Promotions was happy to find WELSTech in iTunes
    • Check out WELS World Missions Promotions on Facebook
  • Various listeners looking for information on wikis, e-Beam interactive whiteboards and desktop collaboration tools

The featured artist:

• We close with music of Wisconsin Lutheran College’s Revelation music ministry (www.revelationwlc.com) – Such Joy from their We Walk By Faith CD (53:10)

Get involved:

• Add a comment below
• E-mail: welstech@wels.net
• Voice mail: 414-375-2334
• del.icio.us tag: welstech
• Join:
  • WELSTech listserve
  • WELSTech on facebook

This week Martin and Sallie discuss mindmapping and some tools to help users apply this brainstorming concept through technology. They also interview Professor Jim Grunwald of Martin Lutheran College. Jim also serves as the synod’s Director of Distance Education.

Listen now or download Episode 002

The discussion:

• Mind Mapping – Martin and Sallie discuss the concepts behind mind mapping, numerous uses for the tool and various software solutions for mind mapping.
  • Read more about mind mapping on Wikipedia
  • Try mind mapping:
    • Mindjet MindManager software – www.mindjet.com
    • FreeMind opensource Java-based software – freemind.sourceforge.net
    • The Mindmapping Toolbox: 100+ Tools, Resources, and Tutorials

The interview:

• Martin and Sallie talk with Dr. James Grunwald, MLC professor and WELS Director of Distance Learning
• Browse MLC’s Online Education offerings
• Visit WELS.net University – www.wels.net/university
• Join the WELSTech listserve conversation about online Bible studies

The tidbits:

• This week’s picks
  • SyncBack – www.2brightsparks.com/syncback
  • Skype – www.skype.com
• WELS.net feature – Through my Bible in 3 Years
  • Read it – www.wels.net/jump/bible3
  • Listen to the podcast – www.wels.net/jump/bible3podcast
• Upcoming Events
  • What are you doing this summer?
    • Teen chat January 22nd @ 8 p.m. Central
    • www.wels.net/jump/chat
  • Shepherd’s Staff training – www.wels.net/jump/mam
• Community feedback
  • This week we heard from listener Steve Mathwig with ideas and questions for upcoming episodes.

The featured artist:

• WELS artist Michael Schroeder sings Forgiveness Is Grace – www.michaelschroeder.com

Get involved:

• Add a comment below
• E-mail: welstech@wels.net
• Voice mail: 414-375-2334
• del.icio.us tag: welstech
• Join:
  • WELSTech listserve
  • WELSTech on facebook