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New radio station offers Christian music, religious services and more
By LYDIA HARRIS
Saturday, November 29th 2003

There's a new religious radio station in the territory.

WTJC 96.9 FM, broadcasting since Aug. 28, will have a dedication and opening ceremony at 4:30 p.m. today at the station's broadcast center in the Christchurch Methodist Education and Outreach Complex in Market Square on St. Thomas.

Program Manager Brenda Vanterpool said that the Methodist-owned station's format includes Christian music, multi-denominational religious services and Christian programs for children.

Also, community agencies such as the V.I. departments of Health and Human Services, and the Family Resource Center will participate in special community service programs, she said.

The 24-hour station starts each weekday at 6 a.m. with the National Anthem and V.I. March followed at 6:15 with a morning devotion, inspirational music and world, Caribbean and local news and weather.

Vanterpool said listeners have responded well to the early morning shows, saying they appreciate how the soothing music sets the tone for the day.

"It helps turn their attention to God and gives them God's strength that they need for the day," she said.

The daily line-up also includes a noon prayer and sunset devotions at 5:30 p.m. as well as community notices, the "Scripture of the Day" and lots of music - including sacred hymns, organ, pop and a wide range of other musical styles - that carries messages about God and His place in the everyday world, Vanterpool noted.

Saturday morning is set aside for youth, with special programming from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Of course there is music, but listeners also get "Bible Story Time" from 9:05 to 10 a.m., the "Proverb for the Day," "Youth Talk" and religious poetry.

Sunday is devoted to worship services, music and "Bible Story with a Question."

The services, conducted by ministers from different denominations, are aired from 6:30 to 9 a.m. and repeated from 3 to 5:30 p.m.

From 9 p.m. weekdays, 8 p.m. Saturdays and 7:30 p.m. Sundays the station is devoted to Christian music.

WTJC 96.9 FM was the brainchild of Christchurch member Gregory Sinje, a radio and TV broadcast engineer by profession.

One day while searching the Internet, Sinje noticed an announcement saying the Federal Communications Commission was accepting applications from nonprofit organizations to broadcast low power radio services.

He took the idea of forming a Methodist-owned station to the congregation, and church members were "unanimous" in their support, Vanterpool said.

Sinje's work did not stop there. He was instrumental in applying for the FCC license, granted April 8, 2003, setting up WTJC and training most of the employees. Everything at the radio station is being run by church members, Vanterpool said.

But Sinje did not do it alone. Vanterpool said a committee, chaired by Brandtford Adams, was formed to oversee the start-up and continuing operations of the new venture.

Part of the committee's initial work was deciding what to call the station.

The call letters are not random. WTJC represents the four congregations in the St. Thomas-St. John Methodist Circuit - "W" is for Wesley; "T," Trinity; "J," St. John; and "C," Christchurch.

The Rev. Selwyn Vanterpool, superintendent minister of the circuit, stated that WTJC is part of the churches' outreach ministry. They are committed to serving the needs of the church and the community through two primary approaches.

First is enlightening members and adherents of the full scope of the church's mission.

"It is a well attested fact that stewardship dies within a church when its own members are not aware of what their church is doing," Selwyn Vanterpool stated. "FM radio WTJC will enable the church's membership to be more aware of the full impact of the Church's work, our rich Methodist heritage, beliefs and teachings."

The second approach is to respond to the holistic needs of the general community from a Christian perspective.

Selwyn Vanterpool noted: "This will include serving as a forum for discussion of issues relevant to the Virgin Islands' communities. The question is occasionally asked, 'What is the church doing about various specific issues of concern to our people?' FM radio station WTJC will serve as a means of keeping the general public informed of what the church is doing or should be undertaking."

Though "we still have a lot of work to do," according to Brenda Vanterpool, it seems the goal already is being met.

"People are delighted and thrilled to listen to the radio station," she said.