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 [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news