wfn.org | Lutheran Vespers Moves to New Affiliates in Twin Cities

[NEWS@ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

February 26, 2004

Lutheran Vespers Moves to New Affiliates in Twin Cities
04-026-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Vespers, the radio ministry of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will debut
Feb. 29 on two new stations in the St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minn.,
radio market.
     Management and staff of KSTP 1500 AM, and WFMP, 107.1 FM,
have been anticipating the debut of Lutheran Vespers, according
to Todd Fisher, vice president and general manager, Hubbard
Broadcasting, St. Paul.  The radio ministry, featuring the Rev.
Walt Wangerin Jr., aired for the last time Feb. 22 on WCCO-AM,
Minneapolis, ending a decades-long run on that station.
     "Everyone at Hubbard Radio is excited about our new
partnership with Lutheran Vespers," Fisher said.  "Aside from the
obvious fact that the program has a huge following in the Twin
Cities that we'll welcome with open arms, Walt's storytelling
ability truly carries a special and unique spiritual message that
should touch all of our listeners."
     "In an era of increasing fragmentation of how religion and
spirituality is handled in the media, Lutheran Vespers offers a
non-judgmental and very 'mass appeal' message told in Walt's very
approachable manner," Fisher continued.
     The 30-minute weekly program will air twice each Sunday on
the Hubbard Broadcasting stations.  KSTP-AM will air the program
at 6:30 a.m. every Sunday, and WFMP-FM will air the program
Sunday evenings at 10:30.  The company has also said it will
actively promote the program and will seek sponsors, said Barbara
Andrews, associate director for marketing, ELCA Department for
Communication.
     "We're excited about the new broadcast opportunities that
moving to Hubbard brings for Lutheran Vespers in the Twin
Cities," said the Rev. Eric C. Shafer, director of the ELCA
Department for Communication.  "It is a win/win for Lutheran
Vespers and Lutherans in the Twin Cities and, more importantly,
will provide more outreach with the Gospel of Jesus Christ to
people in the Twin Cities area."
     Wangerin, who has been the Lutheran Vespers speaker since
1994, is also a faculty member at Valparaiso University,
Valparaiso, Ind.   There he is writer-in-residence and Emile and
Elfriede Jochum University Professor.
     From the moment he met with station management, Wangerin
said, he believed Hubbard's management was committed to the
program, its material and the ministry. Generally speaking, when
a radio station expresses appreciation for Lutheran Vespers, the
ministry benefits and the listeners feel a "personal" connection
to the ministry and the station, he said.
     "My hope is that, with Lutheran Vespers, Hubbard
(Broadcasting) will grow its audience, and we will help in that
growth," Wangerin said.  "And I hope all of that benefits
Lutheran Vespers."
     Lutheran Vespers airs on about 190 stations and reaches an
estimated 3 million to 4 million listeners a year in the United
States, Africa, Australia, Europe, Guam and Puerto Rico.  ELCA
missionaries and ELCA chaplains also receive copies of the
programs.
     In the past year, Lutheran Vespers added several new
affiliates: KANA-AM, Anaconda, Mont.; KHOW-AM, Denver; WSNL-AM,
Flint, Mich.; WOWO-AM, Fort Wayne, Ind.; WRLS-FM, Haywood, Wis.;
KXTR-AM, Kansas City, Kan.; KRSA-AM, Petersburg, Alaska; KOTK-AM,
Portland, Ore.	It also added the Truckers Network, available
through the ABC Radio Network in conjunction with Sirius Trucking
Satellite Radio as well as the Radio Readers Network and
shortwave radio in New Zealand.
     Next month Lutheran Vespers will begin airing on KRKY-AM,
Dillon, Colo.
-- -- --
     Information about Lutheran Vespers is at
http://www.elca.org/lv/ on the ELCA Web site.
     Information on KSTP-AM is at http://www.am1500.com/ on the
Web; information about WFMP-FM is at http://www.fm107.fm/ on the
Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news