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What if your AI assistant already knew your school handbook, your church’s mission statement, your newsletter archives — and you never had to explain any of it again? That’s the promise of AI workspaces, and in this episode Martin and Sallie break down how to put them to work in a ministry setting. The discussion AI workspaces – Gone are the days when you have to start every AI prompt with a lengthy list of background information to ensure proper context in your results. Martin and Sallie compare four AI companions and consider uses in ministry settings. Anthropic Claude Projects (Help) OpenAI ChatGPT Projects (Help) Google Gemini Gems (Get started) Microsoft 365 Copilot Notebooks and Agents Tool Comparison Ministry Resource WELSTech AI resources – welstech.wels.net/ai AI Ethical Framework (PDF | Google Docs) AI Risk Matrix (PDF | Google Docs) Share your feedback Picks of the week Epson EcoTank series EcoTank 2800 CEEBOO 522 Markdown Viewer Chrome extension (also available for Edge) Community feedback 2026 Apologetics and Worldview Conference Topic: Artificial Intelligence Bethany Lutheran College June 24-25 Free Admission Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail [email protected] 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

Tune in to this episode of WELSTech for a lively discussion on right-sizing technology for the classroom. Our friends Jason and Rachel are back with a rubric utility, Adobe free education resources, and a sprinkling of AI as well. You’ll be shouting “BINGO!” before you know it! The discussion Has education gone too far with technology?  Martin and Sallie are joined by Dr. Rachel Renno from Martin Luther College and Jason Schmidt from Oshkosh ISD to discuss the growing backlash against over-digitization in classrooms. Drawing on Jared Cooney Horvath’s The Digital Delusion, we explore how COVID accelerated tech adoption and why some are now calling for a return to fundamentals. Ministry resource National Teen Bible Study – Sunday, March 29 at 6:00 pm Central Picks of the week BestRubrics.com Adobe Podcast Part of Adobe Express which is free for education BingoBaker.com How To Take Smart Notes by Sonke Ahrens Summary by Claude AI Community feedback Hot off the press … Matt Miller’s newest book, AI Literacy in Any Class Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail [email protected] 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

Welcome back to WELSTech, a conversation at the intersection of ministry and technology for over 18 years! Today we look at the newly released Artificial Intelligence Ethical Framework and Risk Matrix. Martin has a free diagramming tool while Sallie shares an affordable new Apple laptop. Plus the community feedback segment includes news of Gen Z returning to religion. The discussion AI Support – Martin shares a preliminary look at the latest releases from WELS AI Task Force – the AI Ethical Framework (PDF | Google Docs) and AI Risk Matrix (PDF | Google Docs) documents. Find these resources and more on the WELSTech AI page – welstech.wels.net/ai. Share your feedback Picks of the week Apple MacBook Neo Excalidraw (GitHub) Community feedback Grace Ungemach’s “Brand Direction” Canva template Why Gen Z is returning to religion Church 360 Ledger end of like is 6/1/2026 Next time Tune in for a timely edtech discussion with Rachel Renno and Jason Schmidt Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail [email protected] 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

It’s time for WELSTech 770, your bi-weekly dive into ministry and technology topics of the day. And today the conversation centers around tech to assist with managing a strategic plan. Also in this episode, learn more about the upcoming Taste of Missions event and a helpful new iOS app. Plus, get the “skinny” on Sallie’s hardware pick of the week. The discussion Working the Plan – Explore how Trello supports managing and communicating progress on a strategic plan. Martin shares WELS strategic plan in Trello, showing how color‑coded cards and cross‑linked resource boards enable clear, visual tracking of key objectives. Christ Through Us, WELS Strategic Plan Trello for non-profits Details Apply WELSTech sample Trello board Ministry resource Taste of Missions – June 13 at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary School Challenge Poster Contest Picks of the week iPhone Air iOS Preview app Community feedback Ryan Kirchoff’s latest blog post at Blueprint Schools is a great follow up to our recent interview Next time Hear an update from WELS AI Task Force regarding their work on an AI Ethical Framework and Risk Matrix Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail [email protected] 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

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 [email protected] 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

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 [email protected] 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

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 [email protected] 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

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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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

‘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 [email protected], 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 [email protected] 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

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 [email protected] 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

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 [email protected] 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

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 [email protected] 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

Fall has arrived on WELSTech, and we’re reminiscing about childhood sweater weather.  We share a church communication focused interview as well as details on all the happenings at January’s Lutheran Leadership Conference. The picks of the week include worksheet alternatives for teachers as well as a great place to keep things. It’s time to press play! The interview and discussion Modernizing Church Communication – Martin and Sallie talk with Dr Kristi Meyer, Prof. of Mathematics at Wisconsin Lutheran College, and part-time communications coordinator at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa, WI. She and Pastor Kyle Bitter are teaming up to present a breakout on the topic of church communication at the upcoming Lutheran Leadership Conference. Kristi shares a preview of their breakout content, including one of her game-changing tools for improving communication. Ministry resource WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership January 19-21 at the Chicago Hilton 4 Keynotes & 69 Breakouts Register now for early bird pricing – $299 Picks of the week Worksheets to WOW! from Ditch That Textbook Google Keep Community feedback Check out WELS Intersections on Facebook Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail [email protected] 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

For the 760th time, welcome to WELSTech, a podcast at the intersection of technology and ministry. This episode features a discussion of the dos and don’ts of church and school surveys. Also included is a new source for liturgical art, a deep dive into “Smart” Health, and a new vocabulary word – workslop! Eek! The interview and discussion Survey Best Practices – Martin and Sallie welcome Alycia Cameron, and she shares her experience with conducting surveys and how that applies to churches and schools. Listen for guidelines on whether you need a survey and the suggested length of a survey, plus much more. WELS AI Survey Survey Monkey Gamma Presentation Maker Fathom AI Notetaker Ministry resource Part 1 of Christ Through Us, WELS strategic plan: Culture Learn more from Forward in Christ Explore resources Picks of the week ELS Liturgical Year Artwork Smart Health Comparison using Gemini Deep research Community feedback Sora 2 is here – from OpenAI AI is creating ‘workslop’ and hindering productivity Generate the perfect headshot with Google Gemini – The full prompt Sallie and Mia gave it a try Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail [email protected] 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

WELSTech is back with an unexpected AI buzz word discussion that’s a hot topic in schools right now – Academic Integrity. Jason and Rachel return bringing videos, gems, and flow to the podcast. Plus, there’s a new tech-enabled look at WELS 10-year strategic plan. Your earbuds are waiting! The discussion AI using AI – 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 the other “AI,” academic integrity in an artificial intelligence world. Teachers got mad about a cheat button in Chrome. Now Google’s pausing it. Pangram Grammarly’s Authorship Sample Student AI usage policy for WELS Lutheran schools MLC AI Usage Guidelines Faculty Student Ministry resource Bible Lessons Media Resources Picks of the week Notebook LM Video Overview – Example Google Gemini Storybook Gem – Example – featuring anime Jason & Rachel What’s new in K-2 Recent newsletter issue Canva Teacher Planner Templates by Teach Cheat Subscribe Wispr Flow Community feedback ChristThroughUs.net – Learn more about WELS 10-year strategic plan Get involved Add comments Send us an e-mail [email protected] 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