More CBT / LMS Tool Info

http://www.edutools.info/item_list.jsp?pj=4

Things are rolling

Last Friday the install of the new Internet Connection went in.  Friday afternoon and again on Saturday installed and cabled (temporarily cabled) up the new VOIP phone system and to move the router out of Fr. Williams room to put it near the copier.

Friday night and Saturday day I spent organizing and converting us over to hosted Exchange that came with the service and getting the details to Fr. Williams on configuring his iPhone and webmail.

Sunday tested out uStream on the network from Trinity including both broadcast and broadcast/record.
Yesterday I got the order in for the new phone system and configuration is scheduled for Wed @ 10AM + Got new dedicated server to run WordPress Mu selected and Alchemy has just completed the setup of the server.  I also sent all the information across to a potential graphic designer to get the Easter Campaign going as well as broader discussion on St. A's for work at a later date.  Also had further discussions with Fellowship One -- it would seem to be the best vendor for our needs for now to replace ACS need to walk Fr. Williams through what that means.

Today looking into Moodle and LMS again.  Wordpress and Fellowship One work.  Follow up with Graphic Designer and Sign/Banner issues.  Look at vendor for broadcast VM.

Tomorrow. Setting up the phone system and starting the number porting process with AT&T.

Research on Moodle Alternatives

Here is a April 2009 article on alternatives to Moodle...

http://barrysampson.com/2009/04/open-source-lms-10-alternatives-to-moodle/
http://docs.moodle.org/en/Using_Moodle_book

Book of Common Prayer Copyright ?

Need to research it and see which body has the copyright and process/payments if we created online tool/version and/or offline printed synopsis version for new members with Psalms and RSV Gospels + Text.  (Travelers & Sick Bible)

Books for educating new members to Episcopal Church

BOOK for Welcoming Recipients / Members

• http://standrewsbookstore.com/yourfaithyourlife.aspx
• http://standrewsbookstore.com/thenewepiscopalwaymasterbook.aspx 
• http://standrewsbookstore.com/episcopalhandbook.aspx 
• http://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Common-Prayer-Vicki-Black/dp/0819221309/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268138936&sr=8-4
• http://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Episcopal-Church-Introduction-History/dp/0819218200/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

What is calling you?
- Branding campaign possible idea

Book of Common Prayer Versions

BCP Paperback (Link Text Wrong)

http://standrewsbookstore.com/aprayerbookforthearmedservices-1.aspx

BCP Economy Hardback <19.99>

• http://standrewsbookstore.com/bcp1979personaleconomy.aspx
• http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?r=1&ISBN=9780866835404&ourl=Book-of-Common-Prayer-and-Administration-of-the-Sacraments-and-Other-Rites-and-Ceremonies-of-the-Church%2FBcp7230&cm_mmc=Google%20Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-k232270-_-j12871747k232270-_-Primary&IF=N - B&N $15.34
• http://www.walmart.com/ip/1502526?wmlspartner=GPA&sourceid=44444444440131321439 - $12
• http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9129512&findingMethod=rr  - $12
• http://glyde.com/products/912813/Book-of-Common-Prayer?utm_source=k232270&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=GAN&sid=GAN_131321470 - $12
• http://www.amazon.com/Common-Prayer-Economy-imitation-leather/dp/0195287762/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268138936&sr=8-16  - Amazon 13.56

Prayer Book for the Armed Service (2008) - $5
http://episcopalbookstore.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=3983

Book of Common Prayer (Chapel Sized)
http://episcopalbookstore.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=2203

Book of Common Prayer (Pew Sized)
http://episcopalbookstore.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=561

Hip Hop Prayer Book

• http://episcopalbookstore.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=2699
• http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159627090X/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0819221457&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1FD00PF8BP8KMJ7GKTRS
• Same theme:
• http://www.amazon.com/Gospel-Remix-Reaching-Hip-Generation/dp/0817015078/ref=pd_sim_b_1
• http://www.amazon.com/Hip-Hop-Church-Connecting-Movement-Shaping/dp/0830833293/ref=pd_sim_b_2
• http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Hip-Hop-Prophets-Spiritual-Insights/dp/0830832343/ref=pd_sim_b_3
• http://www.amazon.com/Disciples-Street-Promise-Hip-Church/dp/159627087X/ref=pd_sim_b_4
• http://www.amazon.com/Word-Was-Hip-Hop/dp/0898695333/ref=pd_sim_b_5

Book of Uncommon Prayer
http://episcopalbookstore.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=2869

Prayer Dice

Bedtime Prayer
http://www.episcopalbookstore.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=3472

• God, hold me and bless me, Grant me Rest, When You are with me, I sleep the best. Amen.
• Angels bless and angels keep, Angels guard me while I sleep, Bless my heart, bless my home, Bless my spirit as I roam. Guide and guard me through the night. Wake me with the morning light. Amen.
• Good evening, God, I come to rest. I hope today I did my best. Forgive me if I missed Your mark, Be with me always in the dark. Amen.
• Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. May angels cradle me at night And bless me in the morning light. Amen.
• God, I thank you for this day! Be with me while I sleep. Comfort all who weep. Guard your world tonight! Bless us with your might. Amen.
• Angle of God, My Guardian dear, To whom God’s love commits me here. Watch over me throughout the night, And keep me safe within your sight. Amen 

Table / Meal Blessing Dice

• Bless our food, dear God we pray, and bless us, too throughout this day. Keep us safe and close to you. Keep us just in all we do. Amen.
• We thank you, Lord, for generous hearts, for sun and rainy weather. We thank you, Lord, for drink and food, and that we are together. Amen.
• For life and food, for love and friends, for everything Thy Goodness sends, Almighty God, we thank Thee. Amen.
• Thank you for the earth so sweet. Thank you for the food we eat. Thank you for the birds that sing. Thank you, God, for everything! Amen.
• God, bless this food we are about to receive. Give bread to those who hunger, and hunger for charity and justice to us who have bread. Amen.

• Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty! Amen

 Traditional Prayer Dice

• Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 
• Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. 
• Lord Jesus Christ, fill us with your love that we may count nothing too small to do for you, nothing too much to give, and nothing too hard to bear. Amen. 
• O my God, I love you with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all my love. Amen. 
• Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, rule and guide. Amen. 
• Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen

Cevent vs. GoToWebinar

Another option for online meeting market & market research...

http://www.cvent.com/products/

You Version - Custom Bible Reading Web App

This is different from the Monvee System but interesting on its own merits.  Might be good to consider something like this for Book of Common Prayer and Daily Office Project.

Created a group and began assembling a trial for the alternative worship service.
http://www.youversion.com/groups/staugepiscopal

Sample Newcomers Info for Epis. Churches

www.edow.org/diocese/aboutus/expect.pdf

http://www.stlukesonthelake.org/visitors_and_newcomers

http://www.acswebnetworks.com/stlukesonthelake/article164329.htm

Monvee took the webinar

Their system continues to look intriguing and possibly a good match with re-engaging the 45 and less or non-regular attendees to compliment Alternative Worship.  It is very Web 3.0 which is good for us techies but they are addressing how to be friendly to those less computer savvy.  Pricing right now is somewhat affordable over all especially since they are waiving a lot of the fees they will charge in the future, in exchange for participating in the beta.  Beta pricing is based on % of annual budget, # of average monthly adult attendees, % of those we plan to include & reach -- formula sounds difficult but it is not.

Will continue to research and see where it takes me.  They stress "disciples need to be handcrafted, they can't be mass produced."

I'm communicating with Jamie George @ Monvee who is Episcopalian herself and trying to build up a ministry to the unchurched / youth / Gen X.  So there is a good level of understanding of cultural/church issues vs. only evangelic mega-church or new seed churches.  Which has been an issue for some of the other tools and ChMS's I've looked at.

http://monvee.com/

Sunday School / Religious Education for Special Needs/Special Ed

Besides inclusion of special needs / special education kids in worship (possibly alternate worship service) -- there really is an under served need for religious education for special education / special needs students.  Requires teachers with more training than we have now.  But yet another underserved group that might find a home if this was organized and advertised.

Sermon / Podcast related services, tools, resources

Sermon related services, plug-ins to Word Press, etc.

http://churchcommunicationspro.com/2008/06/16/uploading-your-sermons-to-wordpress-blogs/

--- links to a WP plugin for sermons

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/sermon-browser/

http://www.peteranglea.com/wpsermons/

services

-------------------------------------------------------

http://sermonstudio.net

http://www.sermoncompanion.com

http://www.sermonaudio.com

just a reminder, ZenPhoto supports video and audio of various kinds… the sermons could be setup as an album (or two -- one for video, one for

audio) and then updated weekly. it also has RSS, so that might be an easy link for podcasting; comments (with Akismet spam blocking); and also integrates with WordPress. (see http://www.zenphoto.org/category/extensions/wordpress-tools/ )

Monvee - Online Learning/Enabled Spiritual Formation

Home - monvee™

Not sure how "online" this is and if its data could be sent out to a ChMS to help with tracking -- but interesting.

Might be similar to Alpha discussion but longer term spiritual formation -- not sure.

Really online matching of content to people and really helps track where people are at and lets them customize and change it.  Calims ultra-customized learning/formation/worship vs.assembly line/mass production.

Kind of like the best of online dating/personality but matching you with faith.

Book: Author/Book Recommend by Ed

High Impact African-American Churches

http://www.amazon.com/Impact-African-American-Churches-George-Barna/dp/0830732659/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266104057&sr=8-1

This book is packed with twenty-first-century lessons and practices, highlighting real-life success stories from the African-American church experience. Here the strengths of the African-American church are celebrated, and its best practices explored through the study of large and small churches alike. Half of the chapters in High Impact African-American Churches feature African-American history from the inception of slavery to present day, revealing the influences that have shaped these churches. Readers from any church, in any culture, will learn specific steps they can take and apply to their own churches, achieving successes similar to those found in the African-American Church.

About the Author

GEORGE BARNA is the directing leader of the Barna Research Group, Ltd., a full-service marketing company in Ventura, California, that specializes in research for Christian ministries. George is the best-selling author of books such as Real Teens, The Frog in the Kettle, Boiling Point and The Habits of Highly Effective Churches. HARRY JACKSON, JR., is senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Washington, D.C. This large multicultural ministry includes a Bible college and an active mission ministry that sends worship and teaching teams to numerous nations. Jackson, who earned his MBA from Harvard, is one of the foremost African-American leaders in the nation. He is the author of In-Laws, Outlaws and the Functional Family.

St. Aug's lending library might have the book.

the author/group's website is: http://www.barna.org/

they do a lot of marketing research and studies of faith organizations.

Same author has a few other interesting book titles:

• The Habits of Highly Effective Churches: Being Strategic in Your God Given Ministry
• George Barna reveals nine critical habits proven to make a church an effective local body. This book dispels popular myths and wrong beliefs as to what constitutes a thriving church in today's society and is an excellent resource for ministry leaders who are seeking or willing to reevaluate and restructure a church.
• Grow Your Church from the Outside in: Understanding the Unchurched and How to Reach Them
• George Barna reveals that America has more unchurched people than the entire population of all but 11 of the world's 194 nations! Based on research among several thousand unchurched people, the book discusses their values, attitudes, beliefs, religious practices, demographics, life goals, and spiritual expectations. Using additional research conducted among churches that have had great success in attracting and retaining unchurched people, Barna sets forth new perspectives and effective strategies for churches that wish to reach those who avoid church. By understanding what makes the unchurched tick, we have a better chance of relating to them in meaningful ways.

Akoha - "Funware" Pay It Forward & a Learning Game

Gabe Z., a game industry luminary and all around mensch wrote up an interesting commentary on two sites he reviewed as a Panelist for Tech50.  Both sites might have some interconnection or as points of inspiration for the co-op marketing program.  Akoha for helping instigate a pay it forward / Samaritan message and Grokit for finding new ways to motivate and reward online learning.

Akoha

But let’s focus on the positive and take a look at Akoha. Akoha is a “pay it forward” game that relies on the distribution of “mission” cards (I’m sure the overtones are incidental). These cards give you a specific task, such as share a good book with a friend, or help a startup founder in need. You get a card, register it on your Akoha personal website page (by typing in a custom code), and then complete the mission. Although not obligatory, the more information you enter about the card, how you got it, who you gave it to, etc., the more interesting the history of the game becomes.
Akoha’s website experience is a lot like a simplified social network, with friends, a news feed, and profile information, but wrapped up in leaderboards, points and rankings – making great use of funware design concepts. The cards you give and get can be purchased as physical cards (order and ship or eventually in retail), or as online cards you can download and print. Austin Hill, Akoha’s super amiable founder, assures us that soon you’ll even be able to create your own custom missions.

Grokit

The other casual/Funware application from TC50 is one that I’ve heard some buzz about these past months: Grockit. Developed as the world’s first “Massively Multiplayer Online Learning Game,” Grockit’s premise is that by wrapping game design concepts (leaderboards, challenges, badges and collaborative play) around a serious topic (learning), players will improve their ability to hit stretch goals in their personal learning objectives.
The Grockit team showed an example of an adult learner studying for a standardized test. They log in and start taking quizzes (designed by Grockit staffers), while simultaneously engaging in some stimulating chat with others in the same learning area. Each correct answer results in points being awarded, there’s a leveling up concept, and even a notion of experts with specific domain knowledge of interest; GMAT black-belt, anyone?
Grockit’s whole design ethos strongly mirrors my opinions about the future of interactions – that we’re heading into an era where every activity will be wrapped in a game or game-like play. We call this idea Funware, and Grockit is a perfect poster child for the notion. Of course, while watching their presentation, a VC leaned over to me and asked “Where’s the game?”

New Visitor - Religious Education / Discussion

One of the ideas that many Evangelical Churches are doing is to have an initial introductory small group experience / discussion for all visitors.  Alpha is once such course offered by members/ministers who they themselves have passed and received some certification.

My major concerns of adopting an outside curriculum:

• Does it fit within a church that has an official catechism which needs to be respected and taught 
• Sole focus on conversion and "salvation" events and not a deeper understanding of faith and faith in action
• Are they affiliated or controlled by groups or are sleeper groups for folks like Promise Keepers or The Family -- extremist and divisive. 

Alpha USA

http://www.alphausa.org/

The Alpha Course has been running for more than 26 years. It began at Holy Trinity Brompton in central London, in the late 1970s, as a means of presenting the basic principles of the Christian faith to new Christians in a relaxed and informal setting. By 1990, when former lawyer Nicky Gumbel took over the course, Alpha was a central feature of the church's life. While leading his second Alpha course, Nicky realized this course could also appeal to non-churchgoers and he adapted it, making it welcoming and suitable for such individuals. 

Introduction Dinner:	Is there more to life than this?
Week 1:	Who is Jesus?
Week 2:	Why did Jesus die?
Week 3:	How can we have faith?
Week 4:	Why and how do I pray?
Week 5:	Why and how should I read the Bible?
Week 6:	How does God guide us?
Week 7:	How can I resist evil?
Week 8:	Why & how should we tell others?
Week 9:	Does God heal today?
Week 10:	What about the Church?
Weekend:	Who is the Holy Spirit?
	What does the Holy Spirit do?
	How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
	How can I make the most of the rest of my life?

Tools: Online Learning

Online courses / learning -  (Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE))

• ATutor
• Moodle

Screencasting:

• GoToMeeting.com has a multi-user login/demo that can be used to run a slide deck in combination with a call-in phone #.
• Camtasia.com is good for recording slide/audio presentation