Live The Great

After much hard work and toil, we’ve managed to get the new kcbt.org site up and running.  We are excited about what this new layout will do for communicating to our church body, and the community at large.  I wanted to take a moment and review a few key points about the redesign that I thought you’d all like to know.

The first thing you’ll definitely notice other then the new look and feel, is that we’ve drastically cut down on a lot of the content that was on the old kcbt.org site.  This intentional shift to streamline our content was done to simplify the information we are communicating and try to help our members and our visitors find the information they are looking for quickly.  As we reviewed the old site we found too often we were repeating the same information over and over again, or sending mixed signals about what is really important to us here at KCBT.  I hope you find the new layout easier to navigate and friendlier to find the info your looking for.

In an effort to make the data you want to reach quicker we’ve enabled quite a few “shortcuts” to help you get to where you want to go.  Obviously the audio / video of our main service and our ministry fellowships generate a lot of traffic on our site.  So we wanted to make it easier for you to find the audio/video that your looking for.  Of course you could always navigate to FELLOWSHIPS > Then your ministry fellowship name.  However, we’ve created shortcuts to all of the ministry fellowships, which I have listed below:

• http://kcbt.org/career (Career Ministry Fellowship)
• http://kcbt.org/core (Core Ministry Fellowship)
• http://kcbt.org/crossover (Crossover Ministry Fellowship)
• http:/kcbt.org/focus (Focus Ministry Fellowship)
• http://kcbt.org/godview (Godview Ministry Fellowship)
• http://kcbt.org/grounded (Grounded for life Ministry Fellowship)
• http://kcbt.org/hispano (Hispano Ministry Fellowship)
• http://kcbt.org/wayoflife (Way of Life Ministry Fellowship)
• http://kcbt.org/media (Main Service)

We’ve also created shortcuts to a few other sections of our site that you may want to be aware of:

• http://kcbt.org/skykids (Children’s Ministry)
• http://kcbt.org/staff (Our Staff)
• http://kcbt.org/brsa (Youth League)

I also wanted to take a minute and discuss a couple of ways you can get kcbt.org to deliver the information you want directly to you! We’ve used podcasting for quite some time on KCBT.org, however we wanted to make it a little more noticeable on our site this time around.  If your using a program like Itunes or another podcatching software, you can subscribe to any of our podcasts and have the content delivered to your media player anytime your online, so that you can listen to it at your convenience.  We’ve also included an online player of our audio/video files, and now a new download link so you can grab a single message that you want, and listen to it later.

The second way you can take KCBT.org with you is through RSS.  If your not familiar with RSS I won’t take the time to try to explain it here, but you might find the video below of great help from the folks at Common Craft.  We’ve integrated RSS feeds for almost all of the sections of KCBT.org.  For example on our Events or Classes page, you’ll see an RSS link image on the sidebar.  Using this link in your favorite RSS reader you’ll get the latest Events or Classes delivered to you via RSS whenever you want them.

We’ve been beta-testing the new SkyKids electronic check-in system for the past month and are excited at the positive response! Using our Second Grade class as test subjects, we’ve shown parents and teachers how to use the system. Pastor Jim Lee (Student Ministries and Focus) has even been spotted checking in his son! Within just a few seconds children are checked into classes and parents are off to main worship services, ministry fellowships, or an adult education class.

Sunday, October 19 this system will be used to check-in all SkyKids classes (birth to Grade 5). In an effort to make this transition as smooth as possible, SkyKids workers will ask you to verify family contact information prior to October 19. The electronic system uses phone numbers to locate your child, so keeping this information up to date is vital. You can use a main home phone number, cell phone, or even a work number! If you are a KCBT member you have the option to update your information by logging in to mykcbt.org.

Two electronic check-in stations are located on the Connections Counter in the main lobby, two are at the top of the stairwells on the third floor, and two are in the hallway outside Grade 3, 4 and 5 classrooms. Stations open at 8:15am and remain open throughout the morning, allowing you to check your child in as soon as you arrive in the building.

It’s so easy!

Each check-in station features a touch screen monitor. To ensure a speedy check-in for all our SkyKids, we ask that only adults use these stations.

Step 1: Enter the last four digits of your phone number. The system locates all families that match the digits.

Step 2: Select your family; the screen will show a list of all your family members that are able to check into a class.

Step 3: Your child will already be selected, if one of your children isn’t present that day, simply uncheck that child’s name. The screen indicates your child’s name, class, and if we have a picture of them on file, you’ll see their picture. Confirm the information, then touch the “check in” button.

Step 4: The label printer generates two labels per child. The printer pauses for a few seconds after each label. Pull down to remove the labels from the printer.

Step 5: The first label, which goes on your child, includes your child’s name, class, date, and any medical or allergy information we have received. Please let our SkyKids workers know of any important changes to your child’s medical condition so we can update our records. The second label is your claim tag and will be required to pick up your child after class.

Step 6: That’s it - you’re checked in!

Checking Out

You do not need to return to the check-in stations to check out your child. Return to your child’s classroom with your claim ticket. Your ticket has a three digit, randomly selected alpha numeric code that matches your child. This code changes every week and adds another layer of security. This label also includes an important message from our SkyKids team.

Over the past few months the Information Technology department and your SkyKids crew have been working long and hard to setup a new automated SkyKids Check-in System for our children’s ministries.  We are all very excited to announce that we are ready to start beta testing the new system that is going to help everyone speed up and increase the security that we provide for the families at KCBT.  Starting September 7th we’ll begin rolling out the new check-in system to the 2nd Grade SkyKids class, then over the next few weeks we’ll begin rolling out the check-in system to the other classes in our children’s ministry.   You’ll be notified by our SkyKids team prior to your child’s class moving to the new system.  We’ve chosen a deliberately phased rollout to ensure that we can handle the influx of families using the system from week to week.  This will allow us to bug fix any issues we come across as we begin rolling out the new system, and ensuring that we have enough coverage and labels to survive a busy weekend in the SkyKids ministry.  I wanted to take a few minutes and discuss the process of checking the kids at SkyKids and some of the benefits of moving to this new automated system.

Checking in: It’s so easy!
We will have four check-in stations available in the building.  Two at the connections counter in the lobby located on either side of the counters, and two at the top of stairwells on the third floor.  You can check your child in at any of the four check-in stations and then proceed to drop your child off in their classroom.  When using the check-in station, simply enter the last four digits of your phone number, and the system will locate any family that has those four digits as the end of their phone number.  Then simply choose which family you are, and a list of your family members will appear on the screen.  Touch the child’s name that you wish to check-in, and then confirm that you are checking in the correct child to the correct class and your done.  The printer will print off two stickers.  One which will go on your child and the other that you as the parent will use when you pick your child up.  On your child’s ticket is their name, the date and name of the class they are attending, and any allergies or important medical information we know about your child.  If there is a medical condition that we are not aware or isn’t printed on your child’s ticket, let one of our SkyKids workers know so that we can update our records immediately. Thats it, your checked in!

Checking Out
When you return to pickup your child simply go to the room where your child’s class is held and present them with the ticket you were given from the SkyKids Check-in system.  You’ll notice both stickers have a three digit alpha-numeric code on them to ensure that only the authorized guardian of that child can pick up your child.  In addition on your ticket it will also list the date of the class, your child’s name (incase you have more then one child your checking in) and an important message from our SkyKids team.

We are really excited about this new system, and although we know that change can be a difficult thing at first, we are excited about implementing this new part of our new SkyKids wing now before construction even begins!  We encourage you to let us know your thoughts regarding this new system and if you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to contact me directly via email (jedwards@kcbt.org) or phone at 816.399.0032

Mykcbt.org is our latest tool to enhance KCBT’s ability to communicate. If you are a KCBT member you should have received a letter from us with your personal user name and password to sign in to mykcbt.org. If you haven’t taken a moment to sign in, I encourage you to go check it out today and verify that our system contains your correct personal information. It’s vital that we get this information correct now; this will help ensure that as we roll out additional features of mykcbt.org they will work seamlessly for you.

I’d like to take this opportunity to make you aware of all that mykcbt.org can do for you now and what we “brewing up” for the future.

Current mykcbt.org features
Mykcbt.org is tied into KCBT’s internal database. This means that when you login and change a phone number, your email address or even your house address, your records are instantly updated throughout our entire network. This allows us to better help you as we move forward and ensure that we can get the information you want quickly and accurately. For example, since you started attending KCBT how many times have you changed your email address? If you’re like me and constantly trying to avoid the spammers, you might have changed your email as often as once a year. Now you can update that information from your home, anytime day or night.

You may have noticed that there is some information that you can’t alter in mykcbt, such as your gender, your marital status, or your photo. While there are several reasons for this, the key is that we developed a system for you to report problems or changes that you cannot make to your profile. If you email us a description of the problem or the picture you would like replaced in your profile (along with your full name) we’ll respond to your request as soon as humanly possible. To file a request simple email us at helpdesk@kcbt.org.

The Future of mykcbt.org
We’ll continue to develop new aspects of mykcbt.org in the upcoming months; here’s a taste of what’s in store. Over the next few months we’ll develop the sports league aspect of mykcbt.org. Soon you will be able to track scores and schedules for your team (or your child’s); coaches will be able to access information about their team which will make contacting them even easier.

Now imagine that we could do this for every ministry. This would mean that whether your need to set schedules and contact members regarding your Thursday ministry or notify your home team about a BBQ at your house in three weeks, you can do all of it from mykcbt.org. As new features roll out you’ll be able to manage your existing ministry, or signup for a new one at any time from anywhere.

The purpose of mykcbt.org is to give you access to your ministry information at any time, and its success will be determined by how we use it. I look forward to seeing how God will use this tool to further connect people to our church family.

As most of you have probably already noticed we’ve made some pretty big changes to kcbt.org. From increasing the screen real estate we are using from 800×600 to 1024×768, to some smaller color changes that we hope will be more soothing to the eye. But one of the biggest changes has been the audio pages themselves. We’ve completely re-hauled how we deliver media to you via the web and we thought it might be a good idea to discuss how you can use some of the new features.

The first thing you will probably notice is the new series artwork on every audio page. We thought it might be nice to be able to show what series Jeff Adams or your ministry fellowship is going through when you first hit the page! Second thing you will probably notice is the audio links are gone. Well we’ve condensed everything down to 3-4 Icons to make life easier and the page a little more readable. So we’ll discuss what each one of these links do and how they might help you enjoy the audio/video we have in each section.

Listen to Sermons Online
If you’d like to listen to sermons online simply click on the “Listen” icon and a pop-up window will open with our new streaming flash mp3 player. Within seconds the latest message will begin playing on your computer, if you would rather listen to an older message, simply click on the message you would like to listen to in the playlist, and your message will begin instantly. Remember if your internet browser has a pop-up blocker you will need to do one of three things to ensure that it doesn’t prevent you from accessing parts of our website. One, you can disable your pop-up blocker, however I don’t recommend this because it leaves you vulnerable to nasty pop-ups when your on the web. Two, you can by-pass most pop-up blockers by holding down the “ctrl” key while clicking the link. This method works great, but it can get tiresome reaching for the ctrl key every time. Finally, the method I would recommend is to go into the setting of your pop-up blocker and tell it to not block pages from kcbt.org. This way you are protected while your on the web, and still able to access all your favorite media from kcbt.org

Watching Sermons Online
If you’d rather watch the most recent message by Jeff Adams simply click the “Watch” icon and a window will popup that will allow you to watch the most recent video of our Sunday morning service. In the future we hope to be able to show you multiple weeks, however at this time we are limited to just the past week.

Audio Podcasting - Downloading Sermons
If your first question is what’s podcasting? You’ve come to the part of the article you don’t want to miss. Podcasting utilizes software like “itunes” and “ipodder” to download the mp3 file to your computer when ever a new message is made available on our website. For clarification “NO” this does not require owning an Ipod, although if you did you could then have the file automatically transfered to your Ipod or your favorite mp3 player.

For those of you who would like to take the audio with you and not listen to it online, Podcasting would allow you to take the file with you.

Video Podcasting - Downloading Video
Ever wanted a good sermon in your pocket? No we aren’t suggesting you preach something Jeff Adams did. But if your on the go and would like to take a video message with you the Video Podcast button allows you to automatically download the video message from each week using Itunes, Ipodder, or any other Podcasting software.

If all else fails
So maybe you don’t have access to a computer, or would like to give the message to someone you know. If this is the case we encourage you to visit the Audio window in our lobby where you can purchase a CD of any and every message in the KCBT library, we also have entire series available!

I hope this begins to help you discover all you can do with kcbt.org. We’ll continue to post articles each month to help share what we’ve been doing on all of our websites.

Wow, what a long day! Today we woke up early, grabbed some dinner and then headed for the coast! It’s about two hours to the coast from San Jose. Some of us passed the time by listening to our ipods, others talked, while four of us fought out the championship round of Spades in the back of the bus! We got to the coast, had a quick snack and we headed to the beach. I wish you all could have seen us, and I wish I had pictures but I’ve found that cameras and water don’t mix…so you’ll have to make due with the words on this blog…. Imagine if you will, all of us Midwest land locked folks diving into the incoming surf of the Pacific Ocean! It was a blast as we played in the surf, some tried surfing and slowly found our selves a few hundred yards north of where we began. Then it happend! John Heffner (which I really didn’t plan on discussing John everyday….its just seems to have worked out that way) was surfing on a boggie board. Earlier he was showing me the zip lock back he brought that he was putting his wallet in, and then placing them in his waterproof pocket of his swimming trunks. He was riding a way in and yep you guessed it he lost his wallet!

I ran into John while he was searching along the bottom of the surf and asked him what happened. He explained the situation and we both agreed it was most certainly pulled out to sea by the tide….Folks the tide was strong, it took some strength to keep our selves from going out with the tide, let along a small wallet! John headed back to where our stuff was, and explained to Will (again a member of Gregg’s church here) what had happened. Will said, “lets stop right now and pray, then we will go look.” I was pretty convicted by that, Will’s first reaction was not to rationalize the fact that the forces of nature have stolen $200 and several credit cards from John, but instead to trust in God, and ask for God’s help in this important issue. So will prayed, then a few of us started looking…..WE FOUND IT. 15 min later, we find it sitting on the shore! Amazing! Honestly, this shouldn’t happen! I grew up summers on the Oregon coast visiting my Grandparents, I lost stuff all the time to the Big Blue Pacific! She’s not forgiving and well she’s greedy and doesn’t play well with others. I am convinced, as were all of us, that what we saw today was God giving John his wallet back. Why? I don’t know…maybe because John needed it….but I don’t think that was it. Honestly, I think God wanted to send us home with a message…”Ask me, trust me, and you will be amazed by what I can do.” So why did God do it, two reasons really (at least I think so anyway). One, to show us that God can do and does care about the smallest simplest matters of our life, and that our need as Christians is to trust in him completely, with every concern of our life. Ya know, Will’s decision and maturity to say “Let’s pray now, then look” didn’t negate the need to be a part of the solution, ultimately it took our human eyes to find what God had found for us. But it took God to put it in a place that we could find! Secondly, I think God did it so that all of you who read this blog could see what God does on a trip like this….

We leave tomorrow. And we return to our families. I can’t wait to see my wife, give her a hug, and tell her how much I love her….(I love you honey!) But this trip has changed all of us. We’ve had to learn to get along with people very different then us and I don’t just mean the Costa Rican’s we are visiting….I mean each other. We are staying in tight quarters, with little room between us. We work all day with each other. We span ages from 15 - 70+, we come from different back grounds and different cultures. But in the end, we all came here with one vision, and one goal. To make this church the best that we could with our time and our talent. I know we accomplished that without any doubt in my mind. We built relationships with each other that will changed how we see each other on a Sunday morning, and hopefully days other then Sunday! I’ve made new friends here, but it’s more then a friendship. We shared something together, we shared a common mission for 7 days. We sweat over the same issues, we ate the same RICE AND BEANS! And we laughed ALOT together!

I for one and I’m sure I speak for all of us (mainly cause they don’t have their own blogs, hehe) are extremely glad we took the time to come on this trip. And it’s an experience that we will always remember!