News & Views

January 1, 2026



Topics this week:

January — Look Ahead

Winter Road Advise

Winter Blind Camp Devotionals



Giving "Free" Money

(Note: Program schedules are subject to change.)

County Road

Photo credit: Pixabay

Winter Roads

Everything you wanted to know about winter roads. We talk to the Engineer-Manager of the Osceola County Road Commission this Sunday at 3:30 am, and again on Monday at 4 pm, Wednesday at 9 pm, and Thursday at 1 pm, only on Strong Tower Radio (STR) stations, STR apps, or on your computer at STR.fm.

Looking Ahead

Photo credit: Scout Lookout Juan Dieguez Olaverri via Pixabay

January STR Preview

We discuss what is coming up this month on Strong Tower Radio (STR) this Sunday at 5 pm, Monday at 10 am, and Wednesday at 12 am on STR stations, STR apps, or on your computer at STR.fm.

Pastor Fred Calkins conducting a blind camp devotional

Photo credit: Shawna Campbell

Blind Camp Devotionals Continue

Strong Tower Radio has preserved Pastor Fred's past blind camp devotions. They air each Friday at 1 pm and Sabbath at 5 pm only on Strong Tower Radio (STR) stations, STR apps, and STR.fm on your computer.

Stitch, a binturong (Asian cat bear) with Jay Tinger, manager

at the LegaSea in Utica, MI

Photo credit: Strong Tower Radio Creation Animal Care show

January 2026 Current Events

    Our flagship interview program, Strong Tower Radio Today, airs Sundays 5pm, Mondays 10am, & Wednesdays 12am. 

    Good Growing with the Garden Guy starts with a root crop quiz; segment two is a discussion of the 2026 All-American Selection Winners described as “new flower, vegetable, & herb varieties that offer superior garden performance, flavor, or production in nationwide trials, earning a trusted "Tested Nationally & Proven Locally" seal for home gardeners seeking reliable, high-quality plants that outperform current standards. These varieties excel in disease resistance, unique qualities, & overall appeal, getting awarded after rigorous testing in gardens across North America.

    Creation Animal Care is the third week’s Today program at the LegaSea Aquarium, Utica, MI, with Dr. Edyie Hannah. There’s 4 exotic mammal’s species, 2 capybaras, the largest rodent weighing 68 pounds, Lilo, a two-toed sloth, Stitch, a binturong (Asian cat bear), & Brillo, a six-banded armadillo. In week 4, we visit the National Historic Landmark McGuffey House Museum on the campus of Miami University in Oxford, OH, to discuss The McGuffey Readers, the most popular American History textbook of the 19th & early 20th centuries, which shaped the era's moral and literacy landscape.

    Our community focused program, Strong Tower Radio Feature, airs Sundays 3:30am, Mondays 4pm, Wednesdays 9pm, & Thursdays 1pm. This month we air Strong Tower Radio listeners John Partridge testimony in week two and Joey Rizema testimony in week four. In week three we air a story on the Recovery Church movement, “a growing national network of faith communities designed specifically for individuals in early addiction recovery. Founded in 2010 by Pastor Phil Dvorak, it functions as a "bridge" between traditional 12-step programs (like Alcoholics Anonymous) and the Christian church.” It is a non-denominational substance recovery program with a Christian focus.

    Early in February, Amy Hubbard, head of the Michigan Conference Family life department, talks about modern family issues. We continue the Child Impact International 6-part Human Trafficking series with Dr. Tom Evans. The series explores domestic and international trafficking.      

    One last note: To stretch our ministry dollars, please do what you can to promote these and other Strong Tower Radio in your church, work, & community. We thank you so much for your love, prayers & financial support😊

Raise Right Fundraiser

Here is a new & easy way that you can help us with our fundraising. I like to think of it as free money!! Do you use or buy gift cards? Especially this time of year? We are inviting you to join our gift card fundraising program.

The RaiseRight organization partners with hundreds of brands. You can choose from eGift cards, physical gift cards, or reloadable gift cards—all with no activation fees or expiration dates. Shop online with 550+ brands, dine at participating restaurants, even buy gas cards or book hotels, and car rentals for massive earning potential. Over 50,000 organizations trust RaiseRight as their #1 fundraising platform.

You can also earn from all your online shopping. Log in at RaiseRight.com or the mobile app, then select the Shop Online tab to browse brands, shop directly on their websites, and earn on your purchases.

How it works: Let’s say you purchase a $100 gift card from a participating brand. In turn, they donate a percentage of the gift card's value to Strong Tower Radio, ranging from 1-14%, sometimes more. But your gift card is still worth the price you paid. The brand is paying the percentage, similar to what Amazon Smile used to do. That’s why I call it free money!

Use our unique enrollment code Y2V9HHQ9DXPN to help us fundraise! Please go to RaiseRight.com & join. Use gift cards that give back, earn anywhere, anytime with everyday purchases. Shop Now!  

Jilane Fenner

Public Relations, on-air host, and board member

Kam Ferguson, Development Director

Graphic credit: Strong Tower Radio file

STR Events Calendar



Be a part of Strong Tower Radio by joining us in person at one or more of the following events:

01/10 09:00 am Kam @ Mesick SDA Church

01/10 11:00 am Kam @ Cadillac SDA Church

01/17 10:40 am Kam @ Charlotte SDA Church

01/31 12:15 pm Kam @ McMillan-Northwoods SDA Church

"David" is David Bolduc - Founder and President

"Jilane" is Jilane Fenner - PR and Board Member

"Kam" is Kam Ferguson - Development Director

"Tom" is Tom Mejeur - Production & Marketing Director

"CAS" is the abbreviation for Camp Au Sable

"SDA" is the abbreviation for Seventh-day Adventist

"STR" is the abbreviation for Strong Tower Radio

Pastor Chris' sermons are

featured on STR's Fresh Manna

Photo source: Strong Tower Radio file photo



Sermons on STR



STR airs Fresh Manna sermons, streaming at StrongTowerRadio.org, STR.fm, and STR's local stations, Monday through Friday, at 2 am and 11 am.

This Week's Sermon:

01/01 Jacob Gibbs - The Sum of Last Year

01/02 Pat Milligan - Let's Start New

01/05 Phil Mills - A New Year Living with the End in View 01/06 Raymond Holmes - Tune The Instrument

01/07 Mike Lambert - Out of Egypt

01/08 Moise Ratsara - Peace

01/09 Malcolm Douglas - The Subtle Sin That Devours the Soul

STR Sabbath Sermons: Saturdays at 11 am

01/03 Chris Holland - The Scandal of Christmas

01/10 Chris Holland - God with Us

A human eye.

Photo Credit- Wikipedia

Seeing Through His Eyes

God is For Us! As you review the year we have just completed, what have you seen? We have seen and do testify of God's faithful provision and guidance. We have seen that the Holy Spirit continues transforming more lives. We have seen missed or gained opportunities. Many obstacles have been thrown in our path. We see our greater need for prayer! As we look ahead, we expect society's agitation to escalate as global problems increase and many hearts fear the future. Self-preservation never ends well (see Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35), yet nearly all the world pursues this course.

How do you view the year ahead? Anticipation? Apathy? Anxiety? Let me remind you of who you are: Through creation and redemption, you are a child of God, a joint heir with Jesus.

However, we may suffer in this life, may God's glory be revealed in and through us. His approval far outshines any hardship!

Our heavenly Father gave (still gives) all of heaven (in Christ) for us; He holds nothing back! Since God is for us, who can be against us?!* Be of good cheer, my reading friend; while all who follow God will have trials in this life, Jesus has overcome the world, and those who obediently love Him will see all things work together for good. The best days are ahead as we take hold of God's transforming grace, and the gospel goes forth with greater power (see Romans 8, John 16)!

Many will take their stand under Prince Emmanuel's banner, and many are connecting with Jesus through radio. Thank you for upholding Strong Tower Radio in prayer as we broadcast the everlasting gospel in the context of the three angels' message of Revelation 14:6-12 every single day of 2026!

God's Spirit works more and more through the broadcast to transform hearts by His grace. Thank you for confidently investing your God-given resources into this ministry as we grow through 2026!   



Kam Ferguson

Development Director

Thank you for listening to, supporting, and praying for Strong Tower Radio, "Where God's Character IS Proclaimed!"

Photo Credit: Adventist Giving

Ways to Support STR

You can donate to Strong Tower Radio in several ways, each with its own impact.

The fastest and most effective ways to donate include giving directly via a mailed check, calling in a donation, or donating on our website at StrongTowerRadio.org. These allow you to designate the specific station you want to fund.

Another way is to give a gift to the Michigan Radio Ministry Fund via a tithe envelope or your church's Adventist Giving online  https://adventistgiving.org/donate/ANFFFF

STR now accepts PayPal.

Photo Credit: PayPal

PayPal:

Another Way to Give



PayPal is an easy and popular way to make payments, transfer money, and give to Strong Tower Radio. We have now arranged to accept PayPal for donations.

Go to:

1) STR.fm,

2) StrongTowerRadio.org/donate,

3) https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=HUSEG6XLACE2E,

4) or your PayPal account. Designate West Central Michigan Media Ministries (our legal name for doing business as Strong Tower Radio).

You may give, as with other methods, once, or automatically. You choose. Thank you for your prayers and your financial support of Strong Tower Radio.

Strong Tower Radio giving QR code

Graphic Credit: Jennifer Brooks  

STR Giving



You can give to Strong Tower Radio by accessing the giving page with your smartphone. Point, click, and give!