Tune in to this week’s WELSTech to learn about a new tech tool to check temperatures before admitting people to your buildings for church and school. We also share googly picks, tips for content filtering and worship projection, and COVID-19 resources from WELS.

Thermal Scanner – Art Flater, WELS member and owner of Central Office Systems, shares a timely tech innovation, the Pyrexia Kiosk, which uses thermal scanning technology to check body temperature before allowing admittance to a building.

Members of St Mark, Green Bay, pray for police

Summer interviews on pandemic ministry continue

This week the WELSTech featured interview focuses on pandemic music ministry blessings and challenges. Martin and Sallie geek out a bit with their picks of the week, the WELSTech community buzz is around Chromebooks and texting solutions, and we share details about an upcoming “Back to School” webinar by WELS Lutheran Schools and Christian Family Solutions.

Making Worship Music from a Distance – Lisa Uttech, Music Director for Christ the Lord, Brookfield, WI, and Kristen Koepsell, Music Coordinator for Cross of Christ, Boise, ID, share their experiences with congregation and school music during the COVID-19 event.

Hands on with PowerToys for Windows 10

Summer interviews on pandemic ministry continue

On WELSTech this week we talk with a long-time WELSTech contributor about his pandemic experience. In addition, we have hardware recommendations, an exciting virtual conference to share, “free” items for schools, and highlights from Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference.

Coast to coast – Martin and Sallie chat with WELS educator Perry Lund regarding his pandemic experience in church and high school classroom.

Apple WWDC 2020 keynote in 18 minutes

Summer interviews on pandemic ministry continue

The WELSTech Summer interview series kicks off today. We’re taking a look at the many faces of ministry during a pandemic from across the synod in an effort to spark ideas and encourage excellence in all ministry, whether in good times or challenging times. There’s also some awesome community feedback on everything from smart tech to VBS and Summer Sunday school to free Bible images.

Unique ministry ideas – Pastor Rob Guenther from St. John’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, MN joins Martin and Sallie to share his ministry experience during and beyond COVID-19.

Check out the unique video ministry experience from St John’s, New Ulm, MN, where they spliced the current readings and sermon into full church worship recordings from 2019, making the safer-at-home worship experience feel a bit more normal.

Summer interviews on pandemic ministry continue

WELSTech Summer has arrived with an abbreviated show format and a break from pandemic discussions this week. We’re talking productivity, including tips to stay productive long term. A new Googly podcast, wired internet solutions, progressive web apps, online lesson planning tools, and an awesome song are all part of the conversation. Press play now!

Productive summer ahead – Martin and Sallie kick off the WELSTech Summer with a discussion of a recent blog post titled 7 Rules for Staying Productive Long-Term. The conversation also includes ideas for cleaning up your digital footprint this summer.

Is He Worthy? by the Fellowship Bible Church of Northwest Arkansas

We kick off our summer interview series on pandemic ministry

We wrap up another school year on WELSTech with a discussion of teachers’ pandemic summer plans. Rachel Feld joins the conversation and shares an exciting virtual conference announcement from Martin Luther College. Enhance your PC clipboard capabilities with martin’s pick of the week, plus there’s loads of community feedback to learn from.

Unknown summer plans – Martin and Sallie talk education, technology, and the unknown with Professor Rachel Feld, Martin Luther College’s Director of Academic Computing. The end of a very unique school year has arrived! Congrats to everyone for surviving the major shift to distance/online education. Now teachers and administrators have time to rest and assess the past few months before moving into planning for the unknown school year which lies ahead.

YouVersion Bible Lens is ending May 31

Unique Online Learning Assessment Ideas from Ditch That Textbook

Way back in January we announced the 2020 WELSTech theme of Bible Study. And then … our world changed in response to a global pandemic. Worship and Bible Study became almost entirely dependent on technology. Today we talk with a pastor podcaster who had the platform in place to share God’s Word effectively in the midst of this crisis. We also celebrate MLC Day and share a plethora of news, picks and resources to assist you.

Podcasting experience – Pastor Peter Hagen serves Resurrection in Maumee, OH and is the voice behind the Raised with Jesus podcast. WELSTech listeners will also remember him from episode 591, where he introduced us to the idea of Digital Side Doors. Today he joins Martin and Sallie to share his “Bible 100” podcasting series experience.

iOS COVID-19 Contact Tracing

WELS Family Devotions

Listen (again) to our favorite song from Martin Luther College – I Will Rise

Rachel Feld co-hosts the last of our edtech shows for the 2019-2020 school year as we look ahead teacher’s (pandemic) summer.

WELSTech once again leads off with the topic of the year, COVID-19, as we welcome Mr. Sunshine, Jason Schmidt, and discuss the impact the pandemic is having on education. We’ve got lots of news, picks, and community feedback to share as well as a link to the amazing synod-wide Easter hymn that brought Sallie to tears.

What does this mean? – This week’s round table includes Martin, Sallie, and Jason Schmidt, Instructional Technology Coach for Oconto Falls School District, as we discuss the current and future impact of the rapid transition to distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MLC Day is May 6 – honoring the class of 2020 at Martin Luther College

Worship daily at 9 am Central (or access the archive at any time) with the Luther Preparatory School Chapel

Enjoy the WELS virtual choir singing I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Together at the Tomb – WELS Easter Worship Service 2020

WELSTech is “safer at home” this week with a focus on making the most of your remote work environment and routines. This episode also includes a preview of Easter Sunday’s “Together at the Empty Tomb” live streaming event plus other updates and tech support for ministry efforts during COVID-19.

Adjusting to work “safer at home” – Martin and Sallie discuss their shift to working from home and share techniques to consider as you make the transition including healthy habits, workspace considerations, communication advice, and more.

Zoom security and privacy questions

Together at the Empty Tomb – Synod-wide Easter service Sunday at 6 pm Central

As we face COVID-19 – Updates from WELS

Exporting audio from video

View President Mark Schroeder’s Palm Sunday Message

And a preview of the Easter evening (at 6 pm Central) Together at the Empty Tomb

Jason Schmidt shares some “safer at home” edtech sunshine.

Tune in to this week’s WELSTech for a ton of resources to support the new “normal” of online ministry. Professor Rachel Feld joins us to share ideas for teachers adjusting their classrooms to function from a distance, and Missionary Mike Hartman is with us as well, graciously sharing knowledge and experience around carrying out church online. Plus there’s more resource links than you can shake a stick at!

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Education from a distance for everyone – Martin Luther College’s Director of Academic Computing Professor Rachel Feld joins Martin and Sallie as we reflect on the past days and the immense shift to online education.

A little help from a friend – Missionary Mike Hartman from the One Latin America Team shares lessons learned during work with Academia Cristo and advice on online ministry.

Postponed/canceled events …

Resources from WELS and NPH – includes …

From Bread for Beggars – The Chosen–How to Watch for FREE and an Opportunity to Discuss

Watch the trailer …

From the Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School Echoes – Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled, a mix of individual singers recorded March 25, 2020 during “Safer At Home”