Denver & The Mile High Orchestra is bringing their Merry & Bright Christmas Tour to Manheim! The world-traveling modern horn band is set to take Junction Center Landis Stage on Wednesday, December 6th at 7:00 p.m. This fun show will have the whole family smiling and singing along with Christmas favorites. Click here for tickets and info. Be sure to tune in to WJTL all day long on Winning Wednesday, November 29th, for lots of chances to call in and win tickets to the concert! Keep our number handy: 717-392-3690 (392-FM90) and listen for the DJs’ cues to call in and win!

Carrollton’s music is filled with hopeful testimonies about real life’s mix of beautiful, mountaintop days of sunshine and days in the shadows. They’ll be live in concert soon at Junction Center Landis Hall! The Everything Or Nothing Tour featuring Carrollton with special guest Hannah Kerr makes a stop in Manheim on Thursday, October 5th at 7PM. Listen to WJTL all day long on Winning Wednesday, September 20th, for chances to call in and win tickets to the show! Keep us on speed dial: 717-392-3690 (392-FM90).

Thank you for voting The Junction Center your favorite concert venue in the LNP LancasterOnline.com reader’s choice awards! One of the next concerts coming to Junction Center Landis Hall is The Mercury & Lightning Tour, featuring John Mark McMillan with special guests The Brilliance and LaPeer.

John Mark McMillan’s latest record, Mercury & Lightning, just release last Friday. You can experience his new songs live on Tuesday, September 19^th at 7PM. Click here for concert details and tickets. Tune in to FM 90.3 WJTL all day long on Winning Wednesday, September 6th, for lots of chances to call in and win tickets! Keep us on speed dial: 717-392-3690.

Click here for the complete list of upcoming concerts and special events at Junction Center Landis Hall.

Some Sort of Rock Show presents a hard rock lineup, live in concert this Monday night (August 7th) at Junction Center Landis Hall. Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh (GFM) is headlining the event. GFM is a trio of teenage sibling rockers that infuses positive, youthful energy into traditional hard rock styling. The concert also features special guest bands We Are Vessel and Random Hero. Tune in to WJTL this weekend (August 4-6th) for chances to call in and win tickets to the show!  Keep us on speed dial: 717-392-3690 (392-FM90).

The other day, my toddler came running from the family room.  He had a look of panic and worry on his face, so I dropped what I was doing to see what happened.  I took his hand and we went back to the family room, where I immediately heard a noise.  I quickly scanned the possible sources: maybe the interactive dump truck was on the fritz or the racing chicken car was having a meltdown…but it turned out to be the stereo.  Josiah had pushed buttons in just the right sequence to turn it on to FM radio mode and change the channel to static.  It was an easy fix: just push the preset button back to 90.3 and everything felt right again.  What a relief!  It got me thinking about how glad I am that WJTL is there and how I hope that 90.3 will always broadcast encouraging music and programming.  I had a moment of gratitude for how my parents financially supported WJTL over the years.  They also took me to concerts with Michael W. Smith, DC Talk, Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, Supertones and more.  They knew that WJTL was having a huge impact on my heart and life and encouraged my connection with it.  They even walked away from buying a house they loved, all because WJTL’s signal didn’t come in.  I’m so glad they saw how much WJTL meant to me.  You may not know them personally, but you may have seen them online!  There’s a picture of my mom and dad that pops up on WJTL.com from time to time.

There they are, Jim & Abby Abildness!  Well…their silhouettes, at least.  This was taken during the grand opening of the Junction Center Tent.  I’m extra nostalgic lately because of the Christian performing arts center that is currently being built at WJTL’s home, The Junction Center.  I imagine all the concerts and speakers and special events where we’ll be reminded of God’s love for us or encouraged to shine for Jesus or even come to Him for the very first time.  I’m planning on taking Josiah to his first concert when Slugs & Bugs comes in May.  It’ll be a fun full-circle moment for me.  So, I hope that you’ll join me and the whole family of WJTL listeners in praying for – and financially supporting –  this next phase of ministry.  It has so much potential to impact our community for Jesus Christ!  Click for details on contributing to the project or to see the lineup of concerts and special events already set to take place in our exciting new facility!  I also encourage you to read the story behind the name of the Robert M. Landis Memorial Hall…another testimony of an amazing parent.

The Vision . . . The Need!

It is an exciting time here at WJTL as construction has begun on the final phase of The Junction Center Project.  We have clearly seen God at work over the past five years as many obstacles have been overcome with the final plans exceeding what had been hoped for.

The vision is to expand and improve the ministry outreach of WJTL!  We believe that music is an important non-threatening way to reach people for Christ, many of whom would never darken the doors of a church.  Our goal is also to provide quality Christian content that supports, strengthens, and challenges you as a believer in your daily walk with God.  Ratings show that approximately 100,000 different individuals listen to WJTL for a total of 5 to 6 hours each week.  That adds up to more than 36 million listener hours per year!  That does not count the thousands more reached daily over the Internet!

The venue will be very flexible with seating that can be configured many different ways allowing for a wide range of small to medium size events.  Major artists like Chris Tomlin and TobyMac will continue to be held at larger venues but this venue will allow for a host of additional regional and national artists that deserve to be heard and supported.  The stage audio and video will be wired directly to the WJTL studios allowing for the broadcasts of live concerts both through WJTL, Facebook Live and Youtube.

Faith based theater will also be presented including an anticipated summer youth theater camp.  Current outdoor events like the  “The Kid’s Cookie Break Fest” and the “National Day of Prayer” will continue to use the whole site but be improved by the addition of this facility.  The Junction Center tent will be repositioned into the grassy area next to the Arts Center Hall and will be used as the stage cover for an outdoor amphitheater that can hold up to 6,000 people.

It will be a beautiful venue with a fresh contemporary style that utilizes many natural materials.  A custom designed audio system from Clair Brothers will mean the sound will be world class. A full forty foot wide theatrical stage will have a state-of-the-art lighting system designed by Stray Lights.  Running the length of the building will be a really cool balcony featuring a unique vantage point to see a concert.  We are really excited about the design and layout and think you will be too.

Your gift is greatly needed to help WJTL finish this building.  The cost to complete this project is slightly more than $2,500,000 of which 80% is being funding internally by WJTL/Creative Ministries through the sale of some assets and long term savings.  The remaining 20% ($500,000) though needs to come from WJTL supporters.  As you know it is a challenge each year for WJTL to meet it’s annual operating budget so it is very important that any gifts given be “over and above” what you would ordinarily give to the station.  This is a real exercise of faith for the ministry as it will be a significant challenge to meet both the current operating budget while also expanding the ministry.  (Here is a link to donate to WJTLs General Fund.)

A donor has agreed to match each and every gift until the goal is met!  This means that your gift to the Performing Arts Center will in fact be doubled!  As an additional incentive, every donor who gives more than $500 will be acknowledged on a plaque in the vestibule of the new building unless directed otherwise.  All gifts are needed both large and small if this goal is to be reached.  Please prayerfully consider how you can help.
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Click here to make donation to the Performing Arts Center

Five Fun Free Family Things to do This Weekend May 1-3, 2015

5) Lancaster Artwalk – celebrating art and independent galleries in downtown Lancaster tomorrow (Saturday, May 2) 10am-5pm and Sunday (May 3) noon-4pm in downtown Lancaster. As Part of Artwalk, Father Daughter team Ned & Maggie Bustard are hosting a Noah’s Ark Print Making Activity at Square Halo Gallery at the Trust Performing Arts Center  near Central Market More Info:lancasterwalk.org

4) Conewago Creek Earth Day Celebration tomorrow (Saturday, May 2) from noon to 4 pm at historic Aberdeen Mills, Mill Road Elizabethtown.  Live animals, guided walks,  and giveaways. Plus Special presentations from Hersheypark’s Zoo America at 1pm featuring A great-horned owl, a screech owl, a black snake, a box turtle, a skunk, and a red-tailed hawk. More Info: ConewagoInitiative.net

3) Light’s Fort, the oldest structure in Lebanon County is having Open House tomorrow (Saturday, May 2) 1-4pm.  Tour this circa 1742 Light Family Home. Find out why it is called a fort, even though it never was one. This property is only open a few times a year so don’t miss this opportunity to see what life may have been like in 1742.  And yes, it is free.  More Info: http://www.lightsfort.org

2) The Lancaster Loyalty Day Committee’s annual carnival tonight (Friday May 1) 5-11pm and Saturday (May 2) noon to 11pm at Lancaster city’s Buchanan Park.  Rides, food, live music , face painting and camel rides. Free, but tickets or wristbands will be sold for carnival rides. Music from Matt Wheeler Band and others. More Info: At the Lancaster Loyalty Day Carnival Facebook Page.

1) Rafiki Africa Festival tomorrow (Sat. May 2) from 8am-Noon at The Junction Center in Manheim.  All proceeds benefit African Children by providing education scholarships and building schools through 3 local Non-profits: Rafiki Africa Foundation; Sudan Rebirth Ministry; We’re All God’s Children. The Festival includes a Walk, 5k Run, Music, Food and Celebration of African Culture. More Info: rafikiafrica.org

It’s opening week of the Junction Center Tent Season sponsored by Turkey Hill Dairy’s All Natural Gelato!  Stay tuned to WJTL this week because we are celebrating by giving away 60 tickets to see artists like The Choir, Nichole Nordeman, and Burlap to Cashmere live in concert!  Find out what’s coming at TheJunctionCenter.com

Stay tuned to WJTL to find out when it’s time to call! Our number is 717-392-FM90!

We’re pleased to announce that Audio Adrenaline will be “Live From The Junction Center” this Friday (April 10th) at 1:00 PM. Tune in to hear the mini-concert live on WJTL!

In addition to coffee from The Good Java Company, we’ll serve Chips and Salsa from Chipotle in Lancaster, featuring guacamole and 4 kinds of salsa! The Lancaster Chipotle is located on Fruitville Pike.

We’ll be giving away spots on the guest list all day long today. Tune in 6AM-10PM for chances to call in and win a seat for you and three friends. Our number is: 392-FM90. DJs will let you know when it’s time to try to win! (You must not have won from WJTL in the past 30 days in order to be eligible for this contest.)

We’re pleased to announce that Ginny Owens will be “Live From The Junction Center” this Thursday (April 2nd) at 9:00 AM. Tune in to hear the mini-concert live on WJTL!

Those in attendance will enjoy a light continental breakfast featuring Good Java Company coffee. We’ll be giving away spots on the guest list all day long today. Tune in 6AM-10PM for chances to call in and win a seat for you and three friends. Our number is: 392-FM90. DJs will let you know when it’s time to try to win! (You must not have won from WJTL in the past 30 days in order to be eligible for this contest.)

JOHN SHIRK – 2015 will be designated as the Year of Connection at WJTL. The Junction Center is the home of WJTL, and that word Junction is more than just the name of the road that we are on. The meaning of that word is closely associated with the vision of WJTL. Junction means “a point of connection.” And we really do sense that the Lord has brought us to this place to be a place of connection for people-A place where people can connect with the Lord in a meaningful relationship; a place where people can connect with each other, with the staff, and sometimes to connect with the artists through our Live From the Junction Center events.

The focus of making connections implies the building of relationships, and that is what the focus of 2015 is going to be about-focusing on cultivating life’s most important relationship with God, and developing thriving relationships with the people that God has placed in our lives. So, we invite you to join us in that journey throughout 2015, in our devotional thoughts and in the events that are held at the Junction Center.

Here is a good focus point for all of us in 2015, from Second Corinthians 5:9, echoing the words of Paul the Apostle, when he said, “So we make it our goal to please the Lord.” Let’s pursue that noble purpose together in 2015.