Behind the Dial

Ever wondered who is behind the radio you listen to every day? The current staff at WPFJ are from left to right: Johnny Lee, Brenda Wooten, Rob Ricotta, and Susan Canida (front). We love what we do and are glad you are a part of our ministry.

Thoughts on Christmas Music

So, Thanksgiving turns a corner and Christmas erupts, or it even erupts before Thanksgiving has time to appear. So for the next 30 days or so, the American culture is in a frenzy that stretches us to the extreme with family, friends, parties, shopping, overeating, depression, happiness, cold weather, decorations, and memories. Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing for us, I will not comment on. I will comment on the uniqueness of the event, especially from the perspective of the believer. As Christians it is a holiday we celebrate the gift of Christ to all mankind. It is a holiday where we overflow with giving to others, both in love and gifts and service. People celebrate in many different ways, evoking many different emotions. But it stems from 2000 years ago--and has sustained itself through the ages. That alone is enough to make someone stop for a minute to ask "why."

I've listened to several different radio stations in my travels over the past few days, taken notes of what they are doing, and asking myself why they are doing what they do. I've seen billboards advertising 100% Christmas music starting before Thanksgiving. I've heard songs that are traditional, others that are upbeat and fun, and others that mix the traditional with the modern. Christian stations have the unique opportunity to proclaim their witness even louder this time of year. Musicians have the opportunity to bridge the gap between Christian and secular this time of year, when radio stations throw away barriers for the sake of Christmas. It really is a unique time for media.

For WPFJ, we choose Christmas music to play based on several criteria. Number one, the song must be consistent with our message that proclaims Christ and uplifts those that listen. We offer a unique blend of Christmas music that will always point the listener to Christ. Number two, the music will be of the highest quality available. God has gifted artists with talents to shine His light in the darkness--and we want to offer only the best.

So, in the next few weeks, you'll start to hear more Christmas music in the rotation, and we'll play it almost 100% in the days before. And when December 26th comes around, the message of Christmas won't stop. We will still offer the message of Christ in our music 24 hours a day. We hope you enjoy this season and catch a glimpse of what Christ truly meant when He came to earth 2000 years ago to change the course of history. Take some time to read in His Word to refresh yourself on His passion and calling for your life.

Merry Christmas.

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Thanksgiving...I'll Give Some Thanks.

Holidays get interesting in most of our lives--whether they are exciting and fun filled, or extra stressful and painful. Regardless, they bring a change of pace and a time where we look at the world a little differently. As Thanksgiving comes around, I find myself focusing on the things that I'm extra thankful for this year.

I'm thankful for the privilege of living in America where we can proclaim His glory openly. I'm thankful for being able to live in such a beautiful area. I'm thankful for those who work along side of me in a ministry to bring good news over the airwaves. I'm thankful for my family, those gone and those that remain. I'm thankful for my friends, both new and seasoned, for those that challenge me and those that encourage, those that make me laugh and make me cry. I'm thankful for my mentors, who live out wisdom in a daily example and show unconditional love and won't let me settle for less. I'm thankful for the students I work with who teach me more than I can teach them. I'm thankful for hope and joy and freedom that comes through Christ, that becomes more real every day. I'm thankful for the hard times and for the good times, for sunshine and rain, for music and silence. I'm thankful my God is as faithful as the sunrise.

This Thanksgiving, let those in your life know how you are thankful for them. Let them know they are loved. Above all, spend some time thanking God for what amazing blessings He has given you.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

sb<><

Clergy Appreciation

October is Clergy Appreciation Month. Pastors have a tough calling and need our encouragement and prayers. There's a good resource at ClergyAppreciation.org for ideas on what to do. I know we're planning something extremely special for one of our pastors, and we're super excited about it. Let your pastor and his wife know that they make a difference and you care about them.



Update 10.27.2006 I've seen first hand the important and impact of putting something together to appreciate your pastor. As with anyone, it's not so important for them to receive expensive gifts--it's more important for them to know 1) that you sincerely care about them and 2) that they make a difference. Our pastor appreciation project went beautifully well.

Plenty of Early Christmas Presents

Look at the lineup of new music coming out in the next week or two:

Mark Schultz-Broken & Beautiful
Chris Tomlin-See The Morning
By The Tree-World On Fire
Hillson-Celebrating Christmas
Phillips, Craig & Dean-Top of My Lungs
Big Daddy Weave-Every Time I Breathe
Israel & New Breed-A Timeless Christmas
Nate Sallie-Ruined For Ordinary
X 2007
WOW Hits 2007
Facing the Giants Soundtrack
Skillet-Comatose
Casting Crowns-Lifesong Live
"Best of" albums for Rich Mullins, 4Him, Twila Paris, and Michael W. Smith
PLUS 2 new Gaither Christmas Videos.


Now that's an exciting line-up.

And if for the unlikely reason you don't see anything there to fit your fancy, in the next month or two you'll see albums from the Newsboys, Jeremy Camp, Michael W. Smith, Avalon, Phil Keaggy, Lincoln Brewster, Grits, Kutlass, Switchfoot, Matt Redman, Passion, and Toby Mac.

Now that's enough to make your want to dance and get a second job. :-)

Macon County Fair

Added Oct. 1: Photo our our famous gazebo at the Macon County Fair.

September 13-17 boasts one of the biggest events of the year for Macon County residents: the annual Macon County Fair. It is one of the last purely agricultural fairs in North Carolina and draws thousands of people from all over. It's a great opportunity for education and fellowship and meeting up with people you haven't seen in a while. It's a unique aspect of culture in Macon County.

WPFJ is going to once again be a part of this big event by bringing you live broadcasts all week during the fair, keeping you informed about the events going on at the fair. It's an exciting thing to be a part of event that brings so many in our community together. We're proud to be a part. Stop by and see us in the gazebo if you're in town. Brenda will be signing autographs.

Bebo Norman

I have been able to listen to Bebo Norman's new album slated to release next month (you can too if you pre-order at certain online retailers). Amazing album--very excited about this release. We play "I Will Lift My Eyes" on the station now--great tune. Be looking for this album to be released September 19th--you won't be disappointed.

Shane & Shane

Hey, Shane & Shane are coming to Highlands in just a few weeks--September 3 (Labor Day Weekend). Check the website for more info(www.wpfj.com). I'm pretty excited about this. Shane & Shane frequent our mountains and never fail to leave us with hearts uplifted and souls refreshed.

A lot of new music on the radio these days. You'll hear new ones from Barlow Girl, Bethany Dillon, PCD, Michael W. Smith, Chris Rice, By The Tree, and Todd Agnew.

Oh, and we've got lots of free tickets to the Shane & Shane show. Listen for more info!

The Untold Story

Spending a week in New Orleans can be discouraging. But I also want to point out that it can be very encouraging. It's been almost a year since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. And it's been almost a year since thousands of homes have even been touched. Everywhere you look you see FEMA trailers and blue tarps and empty parking lots. There are abandoned cars, boats and houses sitting where they shouldn't be, and piles of debris everywhere. You see encouragement with signs on stores that say "Now Open" and signs in the yards of homes reading "I Am Coming Home: I am New Orleans." I could tell stories of what we saw there. But I won't.

Driving down the road you experience a host of different thoughts. But what you see you don't forget. And this is what I can't forget: every day, every week groups and groups of volunteers from Christian organizations and churches are making the journey to New Orleans and surrounding areas to help those who have nothing left. I saw their vans, their youth groups, their buses, their signs, their hope. I saw Christians down there for a week taking Christ's commands literally and offering His love through their hard work and through their love.

It is a privilege to be able to offer such a devastated city a hope not only about their restored homes and lives, but hope that a caring God sees them and loves them and cares for them, in the midst of this really difficult, unimaginable situation.

The people in New Orleans and the Gulf region need our prayers and encouragement. They need our hammers and our hands and our help. They need the hope that we have in Christ. And beyond that, the people we live next door to need our hands and our help and to know the hope we have. They need to know someone cares.

Show someone they are valuable today.

World Changers, Part 2

In one week I'm heading to New Orleans with a World Changers Project. I am very excited about the opportunity. Our particular group has around 400-450 people involved. From what I understand, we will be working on several project types: painting a school so they can begin classes this fall, roofing houses that were water/wind damaged, and cleaning out houses that have not been touched since they were flooded with 6 feet of water during Katrina. I believe most of the homes we are working on will belong to residents that do not have insurance to cover their repairs.

We could definitely use your prayers that week. 1)Safety--in construction, health, and security in the area. 2)Influence--although there are few people living in the area, that we would be able to develop relationships with residents and participants, sharing with them the love of Christ, showing them that they are indeed important and are valuable.

Don't forget to listen on Fridays for your chance to win FREE Gas!!!!!!

Susan<><

World Changers

World Changers, a ministry through the Southern Baptist Convention, is in town this week. Johnny and I had a chance to stop and talk with them for a little while yesterday morning. It was really enjoyable to talk with the kids who are in Franklin this week and hear all they have been doing. It was really encouraging.

World Changers is a ministry that allows youth and college students to go to various cities in the US(some worldwide) and do construction-type labor in the communities. The groups in Franklin are re-roofing houses of residents that otherwise couldn't afford to make the repairs. These kids actually PAY to come to these projects; they get to minister to the residents and share their faith by both their words and actions.

If you see a World Changer project, thank the kids who are helping to make a difference in Franklin and in cities all across America. Listen to the Dove for excerpts from the interviews with the kids.

Susan<><

Summer Before You Know It

There's a lot going on at the station and around Franklin these days--it's been fun to see the excitement spread around the area. We've been giving away a lot of fun stuff lately, like a cruise, gift certificates, fishing poles, and soon we'll have free gas cards, a dvd blitz, and some other exciting gifts to go around. It's a privilege to be able to offer gifts to our listeners and help out the local businesses by letting the community know what they have to offer. Promotions are a win-win situation all the way around, for our ministry, for our listeners, and for Franklin businesses.

In all of the promotions and excitement, we never want to lose our focus. Our focus is to encourage and uplift our community and share the good news of Christ boldly. There are many ways we accomplish this. We can encourage people by giving them:
A dvd that encourages them to have a family night at home
A gift certificate to give to someone that is special
A cd that uplifts during a time of need
A trip that one would otherwise never have the opportunity to take.

People are special to us, and we like to make them smile. We strive to be more than just another radio station. I pray we accomplish that.

Susan<><

Thoughts from the Music Director

So this year has been exciting in new releases in Christian music. Let me tell you about a few personal exciting albums coming out soon:

Ayiesha Woods--Introducing Ayiesha Woods. Apparently discovered by Toby Mac in Jamaica, she has an amazing voice. Releases June 6.

David Crowder Band-B Collision. The acoustic version to follow-up the phenominal "A Collsion," one of the most amazing albums both musically and lyrically. Included songs are "Here is Our King" & "Wholly Yours." Release date is soon--they keep changing it.

A few more coming from Matthew West, A Tribute Album to DC Talk, new band The Turning, and Jaime Jamgochian. Exciting new music from lots of great artists. My joy as music director is sorting through the new music to give you the first listen and keep things fresh and exciting. I try to pick the music that is the best quality, but also gives a great and honest message to encourage you in your Christian walk. We just added a few new ones from Selah, Story Side B, and Natalie Grant. It's one of the best parts of my job. It's almost wrong to get paid to do what you love to do. :-)

Susan--Music Director, WPFJ

Chris Tomlin at GMA Week

Chris Tomlin took home several GMA Music Awards this year, including the Artist of the Year award.