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Happy 39th Anniversy WNZR!!

Today during The Afternoon Drive, we celebrated WNZR’s 39th anniversary! We were live from the chapel parking lot giving away 90+9 ice cream cups from Round Hill Dairy! Marcy shared wonderful memories about WNZR’s growth and worship music that went along with them! Our memories and songs started at 2007 during The Afternoon Drive!

Who knew fact checks: WNZR purchased Big Blue in 2009? Yes! Our station vehichle was purchased from Federicktown Chevrolet and it took a month to get our logo wrap finsihed along with our equipment. We’ve been on the road since June 2009!

Who knew fact checks: WNZR used to host video premieres of VeggieTales? WNZR radio hosted live remote broadcasts at approximately 30 off- campus community events. WNZR also hosted three community VeggieTales video premieres on campus in July, November, and March!

Who Am I?

1. I spent time at WNZR before I was born

2. My first baby laugh was used as a Christmas liner

3. I hold the record for being the youngest on air DJ at WNZR

4. I was a host at a new children’s program called “Kid’s Playlist”

I am… Rachel Rinehart! Congratulations to Emily of Mount Vernon for guessing our Who Am I Trivia correctly and taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in tomorrow for Praise Thursday on The Afternoon Drive!

Thank you so much for listening!

– Ethan and Gabriella 🙂

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Christmas Tours!! Already?

Today on Artist News Day, yes, we’re already talking a little bit about Christmas! Some of your favorite WNZR artists are bringing their Christmas tours to Ohio, and they could be coming to a city near you!

Chris Tomlin is coming to Grove City, Ohio, on his tour called “Christmas with Chris Tomlin”. He’s bringing a special guest, Jamie MacDonald, along with him!

Chris is excited for this night of worship, prayer, and even laughter as he put it! It’ll be a great time worshipping with him and Jamie MacDonald. They’ll be at The Naz Church in Grove City, Ohio on December 19th!

You can get tickets by clicking HERE!

We Are Messengers are coming to Wooster, Ohio on their “A Celtic Christmas” tour!

Hailing from Northern Ireland, they’ll be bringing a Celtic style of music that is worshipping and glorifying God! The band will be in Wooster, Ohio at Movement Church on Sunday, December 7th!

You can get tickets by clicking HERE!

One of your favorite worship music artists, Pat Barrett is releasing his fourth studio album called Walk Through Fire!

This new release is coming out this Friday, October 3rd, with a total of 11 songs on it! This album is coming after his third album, Shelter, which he released in October 2023!

Pat is going on tour with Brandon Lake and Franni Cash on Brandon Lake’s King Of Hearts Tour this Fall and Spring! You can find tickets on our concert page HERE!

You can find out more about this new record HERE!

We’re seeing a brand new album from Tasha Layton coming out next Friday!

Tasha’s new album is called Life In Me, which features songs we’ve heard on WNZR, like Thank You Isn’t Enough ft. The Choir Room and Worship Through It ft. Chris Brown! This is what Tasha says about this upcoming release: “This album is so special to me! Each track really represents a season from my walk with Jesus. In its entirety, the album is a beautiful picture of His life in me.” She can’t wait for you to hear these songs!

You can find more information about this record HERE!

Today, we took some lyrics from a song we listened to on The Afternoon Drive and turned it into a poem for Song Poetry!

Here were this week’s lyrics:

Take my heart and let it move
In spirit and in truth
For the glory of Your Name
With every breath that’s in me
With every song and melody

Today’s Song Poetry came from Lauren Daigle and her song Let It Be A Hallelujah.

Congratulations to Chris from Gambier for calling in and correctly guessing the song title and artist, taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in on Wednesday for a special broadcast, celebrating our 39th Anniversary!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

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No Struggle= No Progress!!

We love getting to start our week off with some Monday Motivation for you! We took a look at some encouraging and uplifting songs during The Afternoon Drive! Here’s what we talked about:

It is Monday Motivation!!! Gabriella chose Heart of the Father by Ryan Ellis:

It conveys the comfort, security, and unwavering love found in a relationship with God, experienced through the Holy Spirit’s guidance to the Father’s loving heart. He can reach anyone. It reminds me that God is in me and I’ll be okay. 

Joe chose Flowers by Samantha Ebert and Seph Schlueter:

Here is your Verse Of The Week on WNZR!

1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NIV)- For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

We’re doing another fun giveaway and all this week during The Morning Thing and Afternoon Drive! Be Caller #3 when you hear the Mark Schultz Music Montage, and you will WIN! Don’t miss your chance to win two tickets for “an evening with Mark Schultz”! Congratulations to Lindsay of Mount Vernon for being caller #3 and winning tickets for “an evening with Mark Schultz”!

For our Mystery Monday, we had another game of Family Feud!

Our Family Feud question today was “name something you have to squeeze into”

Tight clothes/shoes- 84 (votes)

Parking spot- 3 (votes)

Crowded bus- 2 (votes) 

Booth at a diner- 2 (votes)

Congratulations to Jean of Mount Vernon for guessing the top two answers and taking home TWO $5 gift cards to the Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in tomorrow for Artist News Day and Game Time Tuesday!

Thank you so much for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

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The NZ Top 10 for 9/26/2025

The last top 10 of September, and it’s a good one! Here’s this week’s countdown:

10. Hope Darst – Mighty Name Of Jesus
9. Crowder – STILL
8. MercyMe – Oh Death (former #1)
7. Tauren Wells – Let The Church Sing
6. Forrest Frank – Your Way’s Better
5. Zach Williams – Jesus Loves
4. Emerson Day – Get Behind Me
3. Josiah Queen f/Brandon Lake – Can’t Steal My Joy
2. Elevation Worship f/Brandon Lake – I Know A Name (5th week at #2)
1. Phil Wickham – What An Awesome God (8th week at #1)

New Music This Week:

Jon Reddick – The Way

Ben Fuller – Black Sheep

Thank you so much for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

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Be Slow to Anger!!

Today on Praise Thursday, we gave wonderful devotions, had fun contests, and shared upcoming events at WNZR! Go to our website wnzr.fm!

Here’s our devotional we talked about for Praise Thursday!

“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:9).

Most human conflicts—shattered marriages and ruined friendships—are likely rooted in some form of unmanaged anger. Selfishness and power plays, unresolved misunderstandings, slights and counter-aggression—it’s all foolishness. So often, our ill-advised perceptions or reactions lead to destructive anger. Yet Ecclesiastes offers wisdom: “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools” (7:9).

 Since “death is the destiny of everyone” (v. 2), Solomon advises us to live life with our end in mind, pondering life’s brevity instead of pursuing festivity, “for sadness has a refining influence on us” (v. 3 nlt). In light of life’s brevity and adversity and death’s reality, we’re to decide how to wisely spend our time. Even as we experience the uncertainties of life—adversity and prosperity, good times and bad times—God is in control (vv. 13-14).

Read more about this devotional by clicking HERE!

We’re doing another fun giveaway and all this week and next week during The Morning Thing and The Afternoon Drive. We’ll be doing a Mark Schultz giveaway! Win tickets for “an evening with Mark Schultz”, October 4th! Be caller #3 when you hear the Mark Shultz music montage, and you will win! Congratulations Melinda of Howard for being caller #3!

Tune in during The Afternoon Drive for our daily prayer! This week is Global Prayer Week and WNZR celebrates by doing a daily prayer on The Morning Thing and The Afternoon Drive! give your prayer requests on our website! wnzr.fm

Today we played a 15 second clip of a song that we listened to on The Afternoon Drive for Name That Tune! This week’s Name That Tune was a stumper so come back next week and you have a chance to take home TWO $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in tomorrow for New Music Friday and this week’s countdown of The NZ Top 10!

Thanks for listening!

– Gabriella and Ethan 🙂

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See You at the Pole!!

Who Knew fact checks: Can you smell the rain? Yes! A combination of plant oils and bacteria-produced compounds create an earthy smell. This phenomenon is called petrichor.  

Who Knew fact checks: National Cherries Jubilee Day! Defined by its dramatic table-side presentation and a delicious contrast of flavors and textures. The dessert combines a warm, flamed cherry sauce with cool, creamy vanilla ice cream. It’s a classic dessert where pitted cherries are simmered in a sweet syrup, then flambéed with brandy or kirsch, and served hot over vanilla ice cream. 

Who Knew – See you at the pole! Today is National See You at the Pole Day! In the early 1990s a small group of teenagers in Burleson, Texas, came together at a flagpole and prayed. Over 45,000 teenagers met at school flagpoles in four different states to pray before the start of school. Over 69 countries participate with over one million students in “see you at the pole”. Go to www.wnzr.fm to see several special videos for 2025’s Global Week of Student Prayer and the 2025 See You at the Pole event! The Global Week of Student Prayer is THIS WEEK (September 21st through 27th). At WNZR, we are planning two special times of prayer and praise during the week. Tune in at 7:30am on The Morning Thing and 5:25pm on The Afternoon Drive. We will be sharing your prayer requests and praise reports. Go to wnzr.fm and click on the Prayer Request banner. 

To learn more about how to participate in today’s holiday click here.

Who Am I?

  1. I was born on September 24, 1936, in Greenville, Mississippi. 
  1. I created the voices for Kermit the Frog and the Swedish Chef. 
  1. My characters first appeared on a local TV program called Sam and Friends in 1955. 
  1. My Muppets became famous worldwide through Sesame Street, which premiered in 1969. 
  1. I directed and produced films like The Dark Crystal in 1982 and Labyrinth in 1986. 

I am… Jim Henson!! Congratulations to Bob of Howard for guessing correctly and taking home a $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

We’re doing another fun giveaway and all this week during the morning thing and Afternoon Drive we’ll be doing a Mark Schultz giveaway. Win tickets for “an evening with Mark Schultz”, October 4th! Be caller #3 when you hear the Mark Shultz music montage, and you will win! Congratulations Jen of Howard for being caller #3!

Tune in tomorrow for Praise Thursday on The Afternoon Drive!

Thank you so much for listening!

-Gabriella and Joe 🙂

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Worship At The Charlie Kirk Memorial!

Let’s get into this week’s artist news!

This past weekend, we saw some familiar artist faces from WNZR worshipping onstage during the Charlie Kirk Memorial service. We got to see Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Chris Tomlin, Cody Carnes, and Kari Jobe Carnes onstage together, worshipping God with over 90,000 people in attendance, and hundreds of thousands online.

While onstage, Brandon Lake paused in the middle of worship to just take a moment to recognize the thick, real presence of God that was filling the stadium. Hundreds were giving their lives to Christ this past Sunday. We got to see truth come in full swing as God takes everything the enemy meant for evil, and turned it for good!

Listen and watch what Brandon Lake declares during worship at the Charlie Kirk Memorial!

We’re so excited to see Big Daddy Weave coming to Duncan Falls, Ohio this fall! They’re bringing their friends Megan Woods and David Leonard along with them.

These artists know how to worship and put on a spectacular performance, so if you want to see some of your favorite Big Daddy Weave songs live, ticket information is available by clicking HERE!

You can find a list of concerts on our concert page, by going to wnzr.fm!

One of your favorite worship music artists, Chris Tomlin is coming out with a brand new album this Friday, which is titled “The King Is Still The King”.

This album is featuring Tomlin’s new one on WNZR, called “How Good It Is”.

Alongside this release, he’s going on a tour of worship evenings, and he’s stopping in Cincinnati this Friday! You can find ticket information for this concert HERE!

Today, we took some lyrics from a song we listened to this afternoon and turned it into a poem for Song Poetry! Here were this week’s lyrics:

I pray into the atmosphere
Spirit of God, You’re here
You have all authority
I pray over my heart and mind
I am healed by Your stripes
Your blood declares that I am free

Today’s Song Poetry lyrics came from Hope Darst’s song Mighty Name Of Jesus!

Congratulations to Kandee from Mount Vernon for calling in and correctly guessing the song title and artist, taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in on Wednesday for a whole lot of fun facts and more prayer at 5:25 to celebrate Global Prayer Week!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

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Have a Spirit Filled Life!!

We love getting to start our week off with some Monday Motivation for you! We took a look at some encouraging and uplifting songs during The Afternoon Drive! Here’s what we talked about:

Ben Fuller’s “Who I am” speaks to me because it’s about finding your identity in Christ. We all make mistakes, some mistakes are deeper than others, but it’s important to know God can transform your life. The meaning is centered on the Christian belief that God created us, and through faith in Jesus, we can shed past shame and embrace our worth as “a child of the Most High God”.

Here is your Verse of The Week on WNZR!

Mark 9:23 (NIV): ” ‘If you can?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for one who believes.'”

We’re doing another fun giveaway and all this week during the morning thing and Afternoon Drive! Be Caller #3 when you hear the Mark Schultz Music Montage, and you will WIN! Don’t miss your chance to win two tickets for “an evening with Mark Schultz”! Congratulations to Karen of Mount Vernon for being caller #3 and winning tickets for “an evening with Mark Schultz”!

For our Mystery Monday, we had another game of Family Feud!

Our Family Feud question today was “name something you have to squeeze into”

Unfortunately we had a stumper, but come back next week and win Two $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in tomorrow for Artist News Day and Game Time Tuesday!

Thank you so much for listening!

– Gabriella Stanley 🙂

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The NZ Top 10 for 9/19/2025

Here’s your top 10 countdown for this week!

10. Hope Darst – Mighty Name Of Jesus
9. Crowder – STILL
8. Tauren Wells – Let The Church Sing
7. MercyMe – Oh Death (former #1)
6. Zach Williams – Jesus Loves
5. Forrest Frank – Your Way’s Better
4. Josiah Queen f/Brandon Lake – Can’t Steal My Joy
3. Emerson Day – Get Behind Me
2. Elevation Worship f/Brandon Lake – I Know A Name (4th week at #2)
1. Phil Wickham – What An Awesome God (7th week at #1)

New Music This Week:

Megan Woods – I Believe You

Katy Nichole – Have Your Way

We are so excited for Sonfest 2025, headlined by ELEVATION RHYTHM, on Saturday, September 20th! We got to listen to Ethan Hershberger talk with with one of the members from ELEVATION RHYTHM, Davide Mutendji! You can listen on our SoundCloud here:

These are Joe’s flowers that have been blooming in the past few weeks.

Joe talked today about how crazy these past few weeks have been, but despite those circumstances, God continues to grow flowers in the ashes and the valley. He is always holding a watering can!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

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