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WELSTech explores the use of technology to further the spread of the gospel. This show is sponsored by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS).

  1. FEB 5

    769 – AI for the Assist

    This episode of WELSTech features an interview with Ryan Kirchoff where he shares an overview of his recent Leadership Conference presentation on our favorite topic – Artificial Intelligence. Are You an Influencer is the topic of an upcoming webinar. Sallie has a new favorite song, and Martin has a new favorite gadget. Which one will be your favorite? The discussion Assist versus lead – Instructional coordinator and consultant Ryan Kirchoff shares highlights from his recent WELS Leadership Conference session on AI and the Church (presentation resource). Since late-2022 when AI was first shared, Ryan’s work at Fox Valley Lutheran High School and with Blueprint-Schools.com has taken on an element of educating others about what and how AI can serve ministry. Ryan’s latest course, AI for Impact, is specially priced at $99 per school during February Ministry resource You Are an Influencer webinar February 19 – 7 to 8 pm Central Hosted by WELS Women’s Ministry Christmas coloring revisited Shout out to the upper grades at St. John Lutheran School in Fox Lake, WI and Principal Tom Rosenow Download their AI generated Christmas coloring book Picks of the week Now Rest Beneath Night’s Shadow – Melody and chorus by Pastor Caleb Schmiege and Melanie Bourman KeySmart SmartCard Community feedback PBX is all the talk in the WELSTech Google Group Next time Managing a strategic plan with Trello Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net Join the WELSTech community: WELSTech Google Group WELSTech on Facebook WELSTech on Pinterest WELSTech on Instagram 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

    44 min

  2. JAN 22

    768 – Many Hats, Many Cats

    Tune into this episode of WELSTech for a master class in herding cats as we navigate a lively discussion of the MLC degree and certificate offerings for technology directors. There’s also a broad range of picks of the week, Martin’s Screens and Souls presentation from Leadership Conference, and some free Google training to discuss. The discussion Technology director – Martin and Sallie welcome our semi-regular edtech co-hosts, Dr. Rachel Feld and Jason Schmidt, along with yet another friend in the ed tech space, Dr. Bob Martens, Martin Luther College (MLC) Director of Information Technology. The discussion centers on the MLC Technology Director graduate degree program (a 30 credit MS Education Administration program) as well as two new certifications also offered by MLC in Education Technology Leadership and Technology Integration, each requiring 9 credits. Summed up as learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, the three share how the program teaches edtech leadership skills needed to manage the many facets of the ever-changing edtech learning environment. Ministry resource CoSN K-12 Innovation Notebook LM summary – Infographic, Audio, Video Martin’s Leadership Conference presentation on Screens and Souls Picks of the week 100G LR4 Single-Mode Optical Module Water Reminder Smart Light Google Chrome Split View Pirate Ship Book of Concord Community feedback Free Google Certifications – Google Certified Educator Level 1 & 2 as well as Gemini Certified Educator and Gemini Certified student Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net Join the WELSTech community: WELSTech Google Group WELSTech on Facebook WELSTech on Pinterest WELSTech on Instagram 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

    53 min

  3. JAN 8

    767 – Best of 2025

    Take a look back at 2025 with Martin and Sallie as they share highlights, memories, and favorites from year 18 of the WELSTech Podcast. Events WELSTech AI Summit AI Focus Ministry resources Grace Ungemach’s weekly newsletter on digital marketing – learn.lutheran.marketing Check out this week’s 2026 Brand Direction message WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership 2025 Ministry Resources Interviews Lori Ehlke – 748 – Lori Ehlke Art Dr. Kristi Meyer – 761 – Comms and Cardigans 2025 Interviews Picks of the year Notebook LM – Sallie’s WELSTech 2025 infographic example Christ Begins by Prof. Luke Thompson, in Christian Worship, hymn 385 – Lyric video The updated WELS Call Report Pitaka Phone Cases Wispr Flow Plaud The real number 1 – co-hosts Dr. Rachel Renno and Jason Schmidt 2025 Picks of the Week Next time Year 19 of WELSTech is ahead of us. What will it hold for tech-in-ministry? Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net Join the WELSTech community: WELSTech Google Group WELSTech on Facebook WELSTech on Pinterest WELSTech on Instagram 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

    50 min

  4. 12/24/2025

    766 – Christmas Conversation with Melanie

    Merry Christmas from WELSTech! We’re continuing our holiday tradition of sharing a special Christmas interview with our listeners. This year, we’re excited to welcome Melanie Giddings from the Lutheran Schools Office to talk about the important work underway to develop a new religion curriculum. The interview A new curriculum in development – Melanie Giddings, Curriculum Coordinator from WELS Lutheran Schools, joins Martin and Sallie to share an inside look at the work being shared by many hands on a new Pre-K to 12 religion curriculum being developed to succeed Christ Light. Christmas Coloring Book Collab There’s still time to submit your AI-generated Christmas coloring page for inclusion in a WELSTech crowd-sourced coloring book. Send your entries to welstech@wels.net, and we’ll choose a random contributor to receive some sweet WELS swag! Try this prompt: A black and white coloring page for kids of [YOUR TOPIC], thick lines, white background, no shading, no grey scale, simple vector style. Microsoft Designer Adobe Express Coloring Page Generator ColorBliss.art Crayola Color Camera Next time Join us in January for our look back at WELSTech 2025! Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net Join the WELSTech community: WELSTech Google Group WELSTech on Facebook WELSTech on Pinterest WELSTech on Instagram 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

    24 min

  5. 12/11/2025

    765 – Christmas Coloring

    ‘Tis the WELSTech Christmas season! Join us for a giveaway announcement that involves the good news of Christmas, coloring books, and AI. You could win a fun WELS item while you exercise your AI skills. Christmas concerts, anniversary offerings, travel apps, managing your smart home, and free EDU GPT round out this episode. Let’s goooo! The discussion Celebrating in color – Martin and Sallie are collocated, Christmas-color coordinated, and collaborating on a coloring project. Everyone is invited to participate in an AI experiment, creating Christmas-related coloring pages which we’ll compile into a sharable book. Send your entries to welstech@wels.net, and we’ll choose a random contributor to receive some sweet WELS swag! Try this prompt: A black and white coloring page for kids of [YOUR TOPIC], thick lines, white background, no shading, no grey scale, simple vector style. Microsoft Designer Adobe Express Coloring Page Generator ColorBliss.art Crayola Color Camera Ministry resource WELS Christmas Concert details – wels.net/events WELS 175th Anniversary – Special Offering Picks of the week iExit Hubitat Community feedback Chat GPT is free for teachers until June 2027 Learn more from Tom’s Guide Next time Melanie Giddings, Curriculum Coordinator from the Lutheran Schools office, shares details on this important work. Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net Join the WELSTech community: WELSTech Google Group WELSTech on Facebook WELSTech on Pinterest WELSTech on Instagram 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

    25 min

  6. 11/25/2025

    764 – NotebookLM: The Godzilla of AI

    This week on WELSTech we take a deep dive into Google’s NotebookLM. Discover how this AI tool uses only your uploaded documents to create everything from video and audio overviews, flashcards, and summary documents, plus learn about other innovative AI tools like Hume Voice AI and the Plaud audio recorder that are changing the way we work and communicate. The discussion I wonder …. – Martin and Sallie are joined by Dr. Rachel Renno, Director of Academic Computing for Martin Luther College, and Jason Schmidt, Director of Technology for Oshkosh (WI) Area School District to discuss Google’s NotebookLM and how it leverages AI only on the documents you upload. Use NotebookLM to generate video and audio overviews of your content as well as summary documents, flashcards, and quizzes. Plus, it integrates easily into Google Classroom! Sample NotebookLM – WELSTech SAMR Season Overview Video overview Audio overview Ministry resource 10 Ways A Pastor Can Use Google NotebookLM for Work, Ministry and Beyond Picks of the week Hume – Voice AI Plaud – AI audio recorder Auctria online auctions – Sample auction by Risen Savior Lutheran School, Mankato, MN Nomadic Travel Pack Community feedback iCloud and Google Drive are NOT Backups from Kim Komando HubSpot Specialist needed in WELS Technology From WELS Intersections on Facebook Thanksgiving Social Media post ideas Church Technology in 2025 and beyond from Tithe.ly Nextdoor – local community communication Reach app – group email and text Apple Business Connect – control your church or school display on Apple Maps and more Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net Join the WELSTech community: WELSTech Google Group WELSTech on Facebook WELSTech on Pinterest WELSTech on Instagram 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

    59 min

  7. 11/13/2025

    763 – Planning That Works

    On this episode of WELSTech, we take a closer look at one of the standout offerings from the upcoming WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership. We also revisit the WELS Strategic Plan, with a special focus on the Calling pillar. Plus, we’ve got our usual lineup of helpful Picks of the week and the latest Community Feedback. Ready to dive in? Simply press Play! The interview and discussion Church Planning – Martin chats with John Rathje, Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at Kent State University, about his upcoming breakout session at the WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership titled Planning That Works. January 19-21, 2026 at the Chicago Hilton 4 Keynotes & 69 Breakouts Register now for early bird pricing – $299 Reserve your hotel room Ministry resource WELS Strategic Plan – Christ Through Us Calling pillar Conect Picks of the week Daily cyber security tips from Total Defense via their Facebook page WhatsApp Community feedback From the WELSTech Google Group A call for and Information Security Committee Member Looking for a Chromebook policy Next time Jason and Rachel return for some educational technology goodness! Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net Join the WELSTech community: WELSTech Google Group WELSTech on Facebook WELSTech on Pinterest WELSTech on Instagram 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

    39 min

  8. 10/30/2025

    762 – Llamas in the Machine

    This episode of WELSTech opens with an overview of the recent WELS Artificial Intelligence (AI) survey. The AI theme continues throughout the show, featuring details on the new Hour of AI initiative, a powerful prompt designed to help organize scattered thoughts, a WELS-centric GPT tool, and the latest edition of the TAAFT (There’s an AI for That) newsletter. And yes—watch out for AI llamas! The discussion The survey says – Martin shares preliminary insights from the recent AI survey distributed to WELS called and lay workers. While analysis is ongoing, the results will guide and prioritize the efforts of the AI Task Force. Notably, information on ethical considerations and ministry-specific use cases of AI emerged as top desired resources. Ministry Resource Updated Google Calendar lectionaries for Christian Worship 2021 Christian Worship 1993 Picks of the week Hour of AI The Prompt that Organizes Your Chaos – featured in Jeff Su’s Workplace Essentials newsletter (Subscribe) Community feedback & events WELS GPT by Mark Salzwedel from Christ Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie, MN – Shared in the WELSTech Google Group TAAFT (There’s an AI for That) newsletter – Sample | Subscribe Next time John Rathje shares a bit about his Lutheran Leadership Conference session on planning that works. Register early to secure your spot and take advantage of discounted pricing. Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail welstech@wels.net Join the WELSTech community: WELSTech Google Group WELSTech on Facebook WELSTech on Pinterest WELSTech on Instagram Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net Contribute to the #WELSTech X conversation Follow us on X – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper Share with the Diigo group welstech

    53 min
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About

WELSTech explores the use of technology to further the spread of the gospel. This show is sponsored by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS).

Information

  • Channel
    WELS
  • Creator
    WELS
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Request permission at welstech@wels.net
  • Show Website
    WELSTech Audio

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