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Google announced support for push email for Gmail and Google Apps User today via ActiveSync. The feature is already active and works well. Google now offers a somewhat complete mobile sync solution supporting contacts, calendar and email. Syncing is supported on Windows Mobile, iPhone and S60 platforms, Google Android already supported push Gmail.

Push mail for iPhone and Windows Mobile: the choice is yours

I know I am long overdue for an update on what’s been going on with OrthodoxSermons.org, we launched the new site on July 12th.  The team at Mustardseed Media did a wonderful job and we are continuing to work with them for additional features on the site.

One of the features I am most excited about on the new site is the ability for other Orthodox Churches to easily upload their sermons, once uploaded those sermons can be embedded back on the church site.

For the techies who may be interested, we are currently hosting the site on a Virtual Private Server at Slicehost and and all the media is stored on Amazon S3.

It was decided to not do a national Fall roundtable due to the economy, and the expensive nature of travel in general.  Instead, we are going to make a strong push for some GREAT regional roundtables in the fall. DC is hosting one such round table at McLean Bible Church in Vienna, VA. The cost for this event is $35.00 and you can register at dc.citrt.org. Finally the deadline for registration is 10-20-09.

We are having a meet and greet dinner the night before (Sunday the 25th) for people that plan to come into town early. Be sure to indicate that on the registration so we can plan accordingly. There is no additional charge if you are coming the night before.

So, now you are thinking, what is my part.  Right?  Well I’m glad you asked…  The goal of the Church IT Roundtable is to further community, relationships, and information sharing among IT folks in the church.  So your part in all of this is to spread the word.  Get in touch with the IT folks at churches you have relationships with and let them know about the event.

Register at dc.citrt.org.

Growing up in today’s culture, our children are inundated with all types of media throughout the day, from tv to radio to print.  A lot of that media is negative or not appropriate for children, some Christians advocate having our kids grow up in a bubble, avoiding media completely.  I think that a more moderate approach is better for the children, with the understanding that you can’t take something away without replacing it.  That said, here is a list of wonderful resources where you can find positive, wholesome media for your kids.  Using these resources in a moderate way (growing up I was limited to 1hr/day of TV in the summer and 2hr/weekend of TV during the school year) can be a wonderful, educational and entertaining benefit for our children.

• LifeKids.tv – teachings, videos, worship music, activities to do at home and answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about a child’s relationship with Jesus.
• Jellytelly – A new, online daily show from the creators of VeggieTales.
• HisKids.net – positive. powerful. radio on-demand
• Adventures in Odyssey – original audio stories brought to life by actors who make you feel like part of the experience.

Plugged In Online is a good place to check for reviews and discussions of mainstream media before watching it with your kids.

What media resources for children do you use and recommend?