Are You Listening? Spring Radiothon 2021
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April 15, 2021Last month,I told you about the upcoming, expanded, Spring Radiothon, scheduled May 6th - 8th. Not only will the radiothon air over the course of two and a half days, but new equipment will deliver the radiothon beyond the studio confines. I shared that the Spring Radiothon will travel to the Assembly of Catholic Professionals gathering May 6th at 11:00, and carry Representative Stephanie Bice's address, live. What is also exciting is our remote broadcast, Saturday morning, May 9th from 8AM to noon at St. John the Baptist Parish in Edmond.
Getting acquainted with our brothers and sisters in Christ in their home parishes, via Catholic radio, strengthens our Catholic community, drawing us closer to one another, eliminating the physical barrier of distance. If you have participated in past OKCR radiothons, you have likely heard St. John parishioners calling in matching donations to parish challenges. The St. John the Baptist parishioners are quite fond of the parish challenge as a way to raise funds for OKCR. They have gone so far as to individually contribute anonymously, a large sum and then ask their fellow parishioners to match the donation - which they do with great enthusiasm.
The parish has the distinction of being the first church built in Oklahoma after the Land Run of 1889. Four families populated the congregation then. Today, over 10,000 people attend St. John's, and it has the bustle and magnitude of a large community with its considerable campus of church, school, and gathering spaces. Stephanie Graham, leader of stewardship and community life, claims it is the "small town feel of church" that characterizes St. John the Baptist. When I talked with Stephanie, she reminded me that St. John's has a dynamic population, families moving in and out because of corporate transfers and also Tinker Air Force Base relocations. The multitude of active ministries reflects that small town experience because there is something for everyone to give and to receive.
Father Ray Ackerman or "Father A" pastors St. John the Baptist, organized under what the parish calls their six pillars of faith: worship, evangelization and formation, outreach, stewardship and community life, administration, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School. During the radiothon, you will hear from enthusiastic ministry leaders and participants. You won't want to miss my interview with Erin Snow, director of faith formation and evangelization, Saturday morning. One topic we will discuss is a terrific example Erin recounted to me of St. John parishioners employing Catholic radio in their evangelization efforts.
I hope you will make the Saturday morning portion of the radiothon part of your listening time. When we broadcast from an archdiocesan parish, OKCR aims to make that connection in the Catholic community as personal as possible. It is a new way for us to learn about each other and appreciate how in both our similarities and differences, we are formed in the image and likeness of God. Tune in. Listen. Contribute.
