News
Holy Family Radio Update
Posted: January 3, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Greetings!
2011 has been a wonderful year for Holy Family Radio. First going on the air on Christmas Day 2010 – and then commencing with live programming from EWTN and Ave Maria Radio in March, on the Feast of St. Joseph – we have accomplished a great deal in building awareness and growing this apostolate. We look forward to great things in 2012, with you as our partners!
First Anniversary Open House – Dec. 30th
Posted: December 21, 2011 at 9:37 am
It was one year ago on Christmas Day that Catholic Radio took to the airwaves in West Michigan at AM-1140. Holy Family Radio is celebrating its first anniversary with an open house. On Friday, December 30th, the Feast of the Holy Family… you’re invited to stop by our studios between the hours of 10:00am and 2:00pm. Meet the people responsible for keeping Holy Family Radio on the air… enjoy some refreshments… pick up a window cling or decal… and enter a drawing for several items, including Fr. Robert Barron’s outstanding DVD series “Catholicism: The Journey of a Lifetime”. We hope to see you on Friday, December 30th, between 10 and 2. We’re located at 2504 Ardmore Street SE in Grand Rapids, just north of Burton, near the Breton Village Mall. If you need directions, call us at 616-956-1140.
Holy Family Radio Update
Posted: December 12, 2011 at 5:43 pm
Greetings!
We hope you had a blessed and enjoyable Thanksgiving! We all have so much to be grateful for. The board, staff and volunteers at Holy Family Radio are grateful for this incredible opportunity to be actively engaged in evangelization for the Catholic Church… and we are grateful for you, our listeners and supporters! It’s been a wonderful year of steady growth and we are filled with great hope and excitement for the future of this radio apostolate.
As we enter the month of December, we are all focused on so many things. We prepare our hearts and minds to comprehend and receive on Christmas Day the wonderful gift of Jesus. We busy ourselves with planning, shopping for, and attending social events and family gatherings. In the hustle and bustle of the days ahead, take time to pray and focus on what’s most important in life. And please pray as well for the success and continued growth of Holy Family Radio.
Especially as you consider end-of-year donations for tax purposes, please keep Holy Family Radio in mind. It was Christmas Day of last year that West Michigan’s Catholic radio station, WVHF, AM-1140, went on the air. To stay on the air, we count on the continued financial support of our listeners and supporters who have been so generous. We invite you to partner with us in this crucial mission of evangelization!
Larry Nienhaus,
General Manager
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL NEWSLETTER
In This Issue:
Personal Testimony
Current Needs
Vehicles for Charity
Looking Ahead to 2012
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Noto’s Fall 2011 WineFest
Posted: October 13, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Date: October 28, 2011
Place: Noto’s Old World Italian Dining, 6600 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm for VIP Wine / Presentations
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm for Wine Tasting/Food
Cost: VIP tickets $100 prior to day of event; $110 day of event
General tickets $60 prior to day of event; $65 day of event
Bring your date, a group of friends, or treat your customers or business prospects to this fun-filled and fabulous wine tasting evening! This premier wine and culinary event features gourmet Italian cuisine and desserts, accompanied by over 300 fine wines from Italy, Michigan and around the world. Live entertainment will be provided and a charity silent auction will offer wine and culinary items to bid on – just in time for the upcoming holidays!
VIP groups are encouraged. The VIP room opens at 6 pm giving guests access to the finest varietals, wine education and VIP seating.
Special prices will also be available on wine ordered the evening of the event and includes per bottle and by the case.
$50 of each VIP ticket and $10 of each general admission ticket will be designated to the charity of the ticket purchaser’s choice and may be considered a contribution for tax purposes.
Order tickets at Noto’s online “store” (www.NotosOldWorld.com) or call Holy Family Radio at 616-956-1140.
Parish Outreach Finally Underway!
Posted: September 23, 2011 at 4:03 pm
The greatest challenge for Holy Family Radio right now is growing awareness and listenership throughout West Michigan as we reach out to Both Catholics and our non-Catholic friends. The best way to “spread the word” among the Catholic faithful is to visit the parishes. In the last two weeks, that parish outreach has begun. We will be visiting parishes throughout the Diocese to make short presentations at weekend Masses. This is a program that will last several months as we focus on trying to visit most of the 103 parishes in the Diocese of Grand Rapids. A dozen speakers who are passionate about and impacted by Catholic Radio have volunteered to help us with this outreach. Bishop Hurley and parish pastors are giving us an opportunity to share our mission and vision. It’s also an opportunity to make people aware that Holy Family Radio is a lay apostolate that is not supported financially by the Diocese. We are a listener-supported, non-profit organization that depends on the sustained generosity of many, many people to keep us going. We will incur operating costs of approximately $250,000 a year. So we’ll be bringing pledge cards with us wherever we go! We only ask that you prayerfully consider supporting this crucial instrument of evangelization for the Church. Hope to see you soon at your parish.
Studio Build-Out Is Underway!
Posted: September 23, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Construction of two new studios for Holy Family Radio is underway. The dust is flying as we watch crews transform two generous-sized offices into a new on-air studio and production studio, both built to industry standards. The studios are being insulated and sound-proofed and outfitted with cabinetry for our recording and production equipment. And we’ll be adding more equipment very soon (as funding allows). When the build-out is complete this Fall, we will have much greater local programming capability, including the potential for live in-studio discussions with host and multiple guests. And eventually, you’ll be able to watch what’s going on in our studios through live video feeds to our website. It’s definitely an exciting time for us. It’s looking and feeling more and more like a big-time radio station! None of this could happen without the help of some generous and supportive partners… companies like Morris Builders, Bont Builders, Scheidel Electric and Sevens Paints. Some products and services have been donated… and others provided at low cost. It has enabled us to do NOW what we thought would not be possible for many, many months. We are grateful. We invite you to stop by anytime and get caught up in our excitement! We’d love to show you around your local Catholic radio station, Holy Family Radio.
Live Streaming 24/7!
Posted: August 4, 2011 at 11:06 am
After months of planning, your Catholic radio station is finally positioned to be a positive force in your life through 24/7 live streaming on the internet. On our homepage you will notice an icon and link to listen and experience Holy Family Radio through continuous live streaming of our programs. While our on-air broadcast signal at AM-1140 is currently limited to dayside transmission (FCC rules), we have developed a 24/7 programming schedule that gives you internet access to good, quality Catholic programming at any time of day or night. Just click on the “listen live” button on our website homepage.
You can also now access Holy Family Radio through apps on your mobile device. For example, make us a pre-set on Tune-In Radio! We’re making it easy for you to take us with you wherever you go, and at whatever time of day or night.
Mystic Monk Coffee
Posted: June 23, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Love coffee? Holy Family Radio is now in affiliation with Mystic Monk Coffee. Just as it sounds, Mystic Monk produces quality coffee and related items. Not only does your purchase benefit the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming, now a portion of all business directed to their website will come back to benefit Holy Family Radio! Enjoying delicious coffee is now one way to help Holy Family Radio!
Click here to visit the Mystic Monk Coffee website
Special Thanksgiving Mass
Posted: June 23, 2011 at 10:28 am
A Special Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated for Holy Family Radio at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at Plymouth and Burton in Grand Rapids on Wednesday, June 29th, Feast of Sts Peter and Paul, at 7:45 am. All are welcome. Please join us in thanking God for this great new means of evangelization in our local community. And join us, too, as we pray together that the Holy Spirit will continue to use Holy Family Radio to strengthen faith and strengthen families, to progress toward greater unity within the local Christian community, and to promote a Culture of Life.
The Holy Spirit is prompting and emboldening many people to serve the local community in this new radio ministry. Many people express concern about cultural trends and recognize Catholic radio as one of the most effective ways to produce positive change. We would like to meet and thank all of you who have prayerfully supported Holy Family Radio, those of you who have voiced encouragement and generously volunteered to help in so many ways, as well as those of you who are just beginning to experience a more urgent call to spread the Good News. Holy Family Radio has a place for you. Please join Holy Family Radio for a special Mass of Thanksgiving to celebrate the great gift of Catholic Radio in West Michigan.
Coffee and refreshments will follow.
Holy Family Radio Billboards- June 2011
Posted: June 7, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Billboards for Holy Family Radio can now be found along I-96 W near the M6 interchange, and I-96E in the Marne area!
Former WOOD-TV anchor Larry Nienhaus becomes general manager of Catholic radio station
Posted: June 7, 2011 at 5:20 pm
By Erin Albanese – Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS — Former WOOD-TV 8 anchor Larry Nienhaus may be best known behind a news desk, but now can be found in a bare-bones radio station, heading efforts to broadcast the Roman Catholic faith.
The general manager at Holy Family Radio, a new Catholic station and the only in West Michigan, Nienhaus said while he enjoyed secular media, he felt a calling to bring his faith to the airwaves. He wanted to share the good news, he said.
At the nonprofit station, 2504 Ardmore St. SE, he recently joined volunteers including President Cheryl Doyle and Vice President Mary Quiroz, who went live with programming in March. Nienhaus, who left Channel 8 in December 2008, plans to use his broadcasting strengths to interview people, do voiceovers and, most importantly, share his beliefs.
“The whole idea is to really educate our listeners about the riches and the treasures of the Catholic faith. It’s a very deep faith, a lot of tradition, and, for Catholics, there’s a lot that they’re not aware of. It’s also reaching out to our non-Catholic friends in a big way.
“We’ve even in our infancy realized how important it is to those folks because they are calling us and asking us questions,” said Nienhaus, who lives in Cascade Township.
The all-talk format programs teach about the faith to build awareness of what it means to be Catholic. It’s not run by the diocese, but supports diocesan efforts as a lay apostolate, consisting of nonclergy members who run a ministry in cooperation with the church, Nienhaus said.
“Strong faith, strong families, that’s really our emphasis,” he said.
Programs focus on faith exploration, religious vocations, strengthening marriage and family life.
Live national Catholic programming comes from Eternal Word Television Network, Ave Maria Radio, Catholic Answers and other broadcast sources.
Branching out locally
“We are giving it a local flavor already,” Quiroz said.
The Rev. Jose Quintana, pastor at the Shrine of St. Francis Xavier & Our Lady of Guadalupe church, offers the station’s first local broadcast, a Spanish program 8-10 a.m. Saturdays.
The goal is to add more local programming as funds are available, Nienhaus said.
The plan is to make it a West Michigan-based radio station, promoting happenings in the local Catholic Church, Doyle said. They are exploring local programming ideas and brainstorming.
A lot of programming is done in a question-and answer format.
“It’s not preaching; it’s not lectures; it is just discussion — open and frank discussion about the Catholic faith and what it is and what it is not,” Nienhaus said.
It provides the opportunity to dispel myths that people have about the faith and just put out the truth of the faith.
“It’s been said often that there are many people who don’t like what they perceive the Catholic faith and the Catholic Church is, but there are very few that don’t like the Catholic faith when they know what it is,” he said.
While Christian radio stations are prominent in West Michigan, Catholic radio hasn’t been.
A call from Pope Benedict to use social communication, particularly radio and television to spread the word, has helped create momentum.
Nationwide, Catholic radio grown over the last few years to almost 180 stations, with a projected 350 stations by 2015, Doyle said.
A note from the General Manager of Holy Family Radio – May 2011
Posted: May 10, 2011 at 8:00 pm
My name is Larry Nienhaus. You may know the name – you may know the face – you may know the voice. For almost eighteen years, I was a News Anchor for the NBC affiliate in West Michigan, WOOD-TV. Having left there in December of 2008, I began a personal journey – a faith journey – as I sought new direction and challenges in my life. The culmination of that journey is Holy Family Radio, this Catholic lay apostolate that responds to the Church’s call for a “New Springtime of Evangelization”, as expressed by now Blessed John Paul II during his Pontificate. Through our programming, Holy Family Radio strives to be an instrument of the Church that educates, enlightens, encourages and inspires. Surrounded and supported as I am by an expanding group of passionate and dedicated volunteers, we all ask you to join us in making Holy Family Radio a strong and faithful voice for the Church. We ask for your prayers – and we ask for your support.
Thank you,
Larry Nienhaus
General Manager, Holy Family Radio
Catholic Radio Update, March 21, 2011
Posted: March 21, 2011 at 8:03 pm
Holy Family Radio is pleased to announce that we began broadcasting LIVE programming from our local satellites on Saturday, March 19, 2011, the Feast of St. Joseph, the father of the Holy Family! Listen daily from 7:00 a.m. – 6:45 p.m. during March; 6:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. during April. Please spread the word and help keep us on the air with your prayers and contributions. Thank you!
The Holy Family Radio team
1140 AM – Holy Family Radio – Strong Faith, Strong Families
Holy Family Radio Update, February 2011
Posted: February 14, 2011 at 10:13 pm
WEST MICHIGAN HOLY FAMILY RADIO UPDATE – The news is out and excitement is growing as Holy Family Radio expands Catholic programming in West Michigan! You can now hear Catholic programming daily from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. on 1140 AM. Currently a temporary nine-hour repeating Catholic program sampler is being aired, which includes some local voices. A new sampler is created weekly and begins Sunday mornings. Once the studio and transmitter site are ready, listeners will be able to hear live broadcasts from EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network and Ave Maria Radio. Eventually, some local programming created right here in West Michigan will be included. Tune in, spread the word, and pray for the Holy Spirit to continue to guide this exciting evangelization effort!
Related News Articles – Feb 2011
Posted: February 14, 2011 at 10:13 pm
CATHOLIC RADIO MAKING AN IMPACT – see National Catholic Register article.
EXCITING NEW VOCATIONS PROGRAM called “Vocation Boom! Radio” was recently added to EWTN’s program line-up. Holy Family Radio will begin airing this program on 1140 AM beginning the week of February 13. What a wonderful gift to the Church to help foster vocations wherever EWTN is available! Click here to learn more.
