The "Tools" track is a collection of software and online applications that help create music, podcasts, images, bookmarks, and more. There's a tool for almost everything. These problem solving sessions make challenging ministry tasks easier.
Creating Worship Music for Non Musicians
Does your congregation have a Organist or Pianist shortage? Do you say "I don't have any musical talent and I could never do that!" With modern organs and pianos you can play any music score with the help of software and a commuter! I can present on the software SmartScore and touch on HymnSoft for use with regular worship service and choir accompaniment. Also can discuss options for interfacing computer to instruments and volunteer recruitment.
HymnSoft Player 3.0.1 for Worship
Come and see a demonstration of the updated HymnSoft Player 3.0.1 software for worship and how it can be an effective tool for worship. Learn about the various features of the program, as well as how to use the various MIDI and M4A (sound recording) files. We will be happy to answer questions for those who have never seen the program, as well as present ideas for users who would like to get more out of the program.
Image Editing in the Cloud
This session will be packed full of free, web-based image editor demonstrations of everything from applying simple edits and effects to adding text overlays and other design elements to creating collages and working with more complex layered graphics. Free sites with royalty-free images will also be shared. This will be especially useful for web image creation and presentation imagery.
Online Project Management for Ministry
Have you ever dreamed of knowing the status of any shared project at any given moment? Learn how to efficiently collaborate with your co-workers, church council, school faculty, or team members in group projects and individual tasks using Trello.
Trello is a free online project management program ideal for team members who may be scattered, even throughout the world, and want to work together. This program also serves as a great format for a working agenda for council or faculty meetings and conferences with action items assigned to different ministry team members. You can even use it at home to coordinate family activities.
Come and find out how to never miss another deadline as we explore Trello and review other project management programs.
Podcasting - Tech, Setup, & Distribution
Podcasting... where do you even start? This session will be aimed at Q&A for podcast setup, recording practices, hosting, and distribution. Podcasting best practices, good yet affordable microphones, easy hosting, cheap hosting, editing software, tagging your files, getting on iTunes, procuring or compiling content, or anything else you'd like to talk about.
Social Bookmarking and Your Twitter PLN
Everyone has websites they like to use. We will look at the best way to save them and how to share them with faculty and students. We will explore several bookmarking sites like Diigo and Symbaloo We will discuss how each can be used.
Educators and other professionals have found Twitter to be a useful Personal Learning Network (PLN) for learning and sharing ideas. Come explore the different Twitter chats that are offered. We have several WELS chats that happen at different times. Find out what a hashtag is and how to share information using this social media site.
Technology in worship music
Join us for an in-depth discussion on how the church can utilize certain technologies to deepen the worship experience. We will cover emerging software and hardware being utilized in today’s music environment. Topics will include organizing, rehearsing, and preparing for worship service.