December 2004

In this Edition:

• Jesus is the Reason for the Season
• Station Dedication on Mt Tassie
• Program Improvements during 2004
• Special Christmas Day on Life FM with Deb Bye
• Current $tatus
• The Great Sausage Sizzle Challenge Winner
• Bishop's Family Foundation supports Life FM
• New Look Website
• New Team Members
• One Solitary Life
• The Year in Review

Updates on other pages:

• Prayer Points
• Job Vacancies
• Christmas Day Program Guide

Jesus is the Reason for the Season

We hope you're enjoying the special Christmas music. We have much more for you this Christmas - details inside. It is such a privilege to be able to celebrate Christmas in this way. As we remember the birth of our Saviour, we pause to thank Him for the many blessings.

Below you'll be able to see His hand in the progress of Life FM through 2004. The BIG NEWS this year has been the granting of a permanent licence and our official status as 3GCB. The CHALLENGE in 2005 is to raise the extra money to buy the equipment to take the station to the next level.

Station Dedication on Mt Tassie

Praise God for a beautiful clear day on Saturday 30th October as around 35 people made the trek to Mt Tassie from right across the region (Melbourne and Paynesville and lots of places in between and even Mackay in Qld!) to join us in celebrating our first year on air! Many have been praying for Christian radio in Gippsland to come and as Pastor Andrew Cairns formally dedicated the station and it's work and ministry - this was a prayer answered. The station dedication is a milestone on our journey to bring local Christian radio a step closer to reality. We're on air 24 hours - 7 days a week - which has been a tremendous blessing to many for the last 12 months.

Program Improvements during 2004

We have now increased our loop to 24 hours from Monday to Saturday. During the week you can hear a program called The Christian Working Woman - and on Saturday nights - Gospel Country.

On Fridays there's a local interview at 8am (repeated at 5pm in case you miss it!) Station Manager Deb Bye speaks with Liz Watt from Collins Booksellers every 2nd Friday of the month and with Vanessa at the Sale RSPCA every last Friday. The remaining Fridays there's interviews of general interest to the Gippsland community. All interviews are archived on the web so you can listen at your leisure (and see pictures!)

We've made Sundays on Life FM different to weekdays and scheduled 3 hours of traditonal Hymns plus a program called Heart and Soul -

the music of the church throughout the ages

with a short message from Rev David Evans - between 6 and 10am every Sunday. In addition, there's now 18 hours of Praise and Worship music on Sundays plus we've introduced two programs - Face to Face and Focus On The Family.

We also wanted to let people know what's happening around the region so we introduced a Community Service Announcements segment. This will continue on the hour until we can introduce a news service. The notices have proved to be very popular and many groups are sending us their information now by letter, fax or email. If your church or non-profit group is having an activity, we'd love to hear from you.

Special Christmas Day on Life FM with Deb Bye

Station Manager Deb Bye will keep you company on Christmas Day with a very special program lineup.

We're very excited about our Christmas line-up which includes Christmas editions of our regular features, Gospel Country, Heart & Soul, Face to Face and Focus On The Family as well as some extra Focus on the Family features, some radio drama and how could we go through Christmas without Handel's Messiah - We have a special presentation by Contemporary Christian performers.

There'll be some special New year's Eve programs too....but more about that later.

Details of Christmas Programs can be found here.

Current $tatus

Since we started broadcasting in October 2003, it became evident that we need extra equipment sooner than we thought. We need to purchase and install studio equipment and microwave links. God has blessed us with the money for the purchase and installation of our transmitter ($60,000) now we need to finish the job - we need around another $60,000.

For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

2Cor 8:12 NIV

Due to the limited equipment we cannot schedule local programs yet nor can we increase our current workload. We have also not been in a position to pay our fulltime staff - Deb and Allen.

We have seen a few come and go in the last 12 months as they have sought paid employment - we thank Danni, Sean, David, Yvonne and Kristie. We thank those who continue to

pop in

just when we need them, Ros, Beryl, Alison, Tony and we thank our current volunteers Beth and Yvonne and Laurence who has just taken on a paid Sales position.

Please continue to pray for us as we work towards keeping LIFE FM a permanent part of our community. For more information on helping us reach the target - call the office during business hours 03 5143 0355 or email or go to the Support section on the web site

New look web site

Our webmaster has been very busy re-designing our web site to make it easier to find things. We'd love to know what you think about the new look site and also appreciate feedback on our programs. Check out the FEEDBACK section on the site and have your say!

New Team Members

Welcome to Laurence Martin - our new Sales Rep. Laurence has a background in sales and loves the outdoors - a perfect combination for pounding the pavement selling sponsorship advertising for Life FM!

Welcome also to Yvonne Hope - our new volunteer receptionist/admin assistant.

One Solitary Life

Here is a young man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He was raised in another village, working as a carpenter until the age of thirty, when He became an itinerant preacher.

In all His life, He never wrote a book, held a public office, or attended a college. He had no home or family of His own. Large cities were unknown to Him and He was never more than 200 miles from the place of His birth.

He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials, but Himself. After three years as a preacher, public opinion turned against Him. His friends deserted Him, leaving Him to suffer the mockery of a trial at the hands of His enemies. He was sentenced to death and was nailed to a cross between two thieves. As He was dying, His executioners gambled for His robe -His only possession on earth.

Twenty centuries have passed since His death, and today He is the central figure of the human race and the leader of the column of progress.

All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the kings that ever reigned, and all the governments that ever ruled, combined, have not influenced the life of man upon this earth nearly as much as that ONE SOLITARY LIFE.

[Author Unknown]

The Year in Review

January

• Life FM website proves to have world-wide reach with a prayer request received from Bournemouth in England
  
• Closer to home - Call received from person who lost everything during the disastrous bushfires in the high country found Life FM while surfing the dial
  
• Website undergoes major upgrade including coverage map
  
• Expected January financial deficit of $30 000

February

• 2 new Sales representatives come on board (sadly they were not able to continue for very long due to personal commitments)
  
• Traralgon office leased with money donated by a member for this purpose
  
• Life FM 'voices' page added to website showcasing our on-air volunteers
  
• Over 5000 volunteer hours expended by 35 volunteers at Life FM to date
  
• Many technical problems encountered this month stretching skills to the limit
  
• New studio software purchased - more to learn
  
• Loaded 7 hours new music at Mt Tassie
  
• Major flooding downstairs in Sale office
  
• Expected January deficit covered - all immediate accounts paid
  
• Carissa Rash helped Deb Bye catalogue 410 music tracks
  
• Federal Department of Family and Community Services provides hot water system from Volunteer Small Equipment Grants program - Rev. Peter Chilver installed it for us
  
• Roger Pendrick installs 'music on hold' on station phones

March

• Life FM given Deductible Gift Recipient status for Tax Exempt donations
  
• Ros Biddiscombe and Deb Bye catalogue another 101 music tracks
  
• Community News section added to website
  
• Deb Bye & Beth Harris prepare Easter programs
  
• Reception office fitted out with computer & desk - partly with specially donated funds

April

• Mt Tassie computer hardware upgraded on-site by Beth Harris & Deb Bye & software upgraded remotely from Sydney by John Aitken - standby program used in interim
  
• Yvonne Moyle started as Volunteer Reception / Administration Assistant
  
• Special deputation to about 2000 people at Belgrave Heights Easter Convention -
  
• Reports of Life FM being played in Traralgon stores
  
• Easter programming well received
  
• Regular interview's with RSPCA commenced
  
• Face to Face added to Sunday lineup
  
• Fire Warning's recorded

May

• 38 new hours uploaded
  
• Kevin Neumann has painted a large removals trailer with Life FM signage & regularly places it at different sites around the region - huge response
  
• Having to vacate Traralgon office - it was sold
  
• June
  
• The Australian Broadcasting Authority calls for applications for the fulltime licence for the Latrobe Valley - Action stations to have application lodged by Friday 25th June.

July

• Cate KcKeown starts as Sales Rep. in the Warragul area
  
• There were around 130 for dinner at a Fundraiser organised by Stratford Uniting Church on
  Friday 30th July at the Sale Baptist church - Donations and pledges totalled $6092.60.

August

• Enquiries reveal no local government permit required for installation of microwave link between Sale and Mt Tassie
  
• Kristy Browning working in production under Work For The Dole scheme
  
• 12th August - notified by the ABA that Life FM has been granted a Permanent Licence
  
• Negotiations commence with Broadcast Australia for a 10-year site sharing agreement for the Mt Tassie broadcast site

September

• Station Codec's loaned to Rhema Gladstone to link their studio to their transmitter - having lost the use of their long term transmitter site
  
• Danni Ford ceases work with Life FM - planning trip overseas
  
• Yvonne Moyle (Reception / Admin Assistant) leaves Life FM having found paid employment

October

• 1st of October - Permanent Licence Commences
  
• 30th of October - Mt Tassie dedication of Life FM and celebration of 12 months on air

November

• Fifth Annual General Meeting
  
• Laurence Martin employed as Sales Consultant - now Life FM's only Sales Rep.
  
• Yvonne Hope starts volunteer work in Admin

December

• Deb & Beth prepare Christmas music and programs

October 2004 Newsletter

Praise God! We Got the Licence!!

On Thursday morning 12th August we received a call from the licensing officer at the Australian Broadcasting Authority advising that the ABA had decided to allocate a fulltime licence to Gippsland Christian Broadcasters Inc (Life FM).

This means we are here to stay but we have to keep the work and memberships up because every licence is reviewed after 5 years to make sure everything is on track. So it’s really important to keep supporting Life FM.

We were blessed with some great media coverage in the newspaper and on WIN TV news and received messages of congratulations from all around Australia. Part of the licence requirement is to choose a call sign so officially we are now licensed as 3GCB, but we will only use “Life FM” on air.

Praise God for answered prayer! Praise Him for the doors that have been opened! Please continue to pray for funds for equipment and for wisdom for our Committee of Management and the Life FM team.

COME UP THE MOUNTAIN - Saturday 30th October on Mt Tassie

Help us dedicate the station, celebrate our first 12 months on air and give thanks to God for Life FM’s licence and the journey so far. Join with us at the awesome vantage point of Mt Tassie as we pray for our region - much of which can be seen from the lookout - about 35 km’s south of Traralgon !

Leave Traralgon on the Hyland Highway and then turn right onto the Traralgon South / Balook Road at the traffic lights near Loy Yang coal mine and keep your eye’s open for the Life FM balloons.

BYO chair and thermos and something to share for afternoon tea. (There’s no power at the lookout so we have to be self-contained)

The Great Sausage Sizzle Challenge

Win a GOLD ONE MONTH SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE for your church, non-profit club or group or even your business! During our 1st anniversary month - October - we’re putting out the challenge to Gippsland groups to raise funds for Life FM. The group that raises the most money through sausage sizzles in October will win the sponsorship package worth over $1000.00.

Register your group by filling out the enclosed form - Competition closes - Wednesday 27th October. Winners will be announced on Friday 29th October - our 1st birthday on air! Sign up now and help Life FM while you help your club or group.

Annual General Meeting Coming Up

AGENDA

• WELCOME
• APOLOGIES
• MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 30th October 2003
  
• FINANCIAL REPORT
  
• BOARD REPORT
  
• APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR
  
• ELECTION OF FOUR COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT MEMBERS
• NB: No matters other than those listed above can be dealt with (Rule 20.8)

Current Committee of Management

• Rev. David Jones
• Pastor Brian Heath
• Heather Toms
• Beth Harris
• Alison Clarke
• Cameron Rash
• Debbie Bye - Station Manager’s CoM position -
  ex officio (Rule 12.2)
• Colin Coomber - (casual vacancy) - term
  expired
• Kevin Neumann - term expired
• Trish Broadbear - term expired
• vacant

NOMINATIONS
If you wish to nominate someone for the Committee of Management, please contact the office and we’ll send you a nomination form or you can go to the web site at www.lifefm.com.au to download one. **Please note that to nominate someone you must be a financial member over the age of eighteen (Rule 24.2) Your signed nomination form must arrive at the Life FM office no later than 5:00pm on Tuesday 2nd November. Details of the nominees will then be posted on the Life FM web site on Thursday 4th November and also displayed at the AGM (Rule 12.6). Voting will only be required if there is more
than the required number of nominees.

VOTING
If you are unable to attend the AGM and would like to vote, you may request an absentee voting form (Rule 24.4) from the Life FM office by phoning 5143 0355 or email - admin@lifefm.com.au and a voting form will be sent out to you. Your absentee vote will need to arrive at the Life FM office no later than 5:00pm on Wednesday 10th November (Rule 24.4.1) and this includes any proxy votes. (Rule 24.3) To obtain a proxy form contact the Life FM
office.

Just as we thought! People are listening!

A recent survey designed by the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and launched at the Community Broadcasters Association of Australia office on September 15 2004 by Communications Minister, Senator Helen Coonan, has found that 7 million Australians - or 45% of people aged over 15 - listen to community radio in a typical month.

Of particular note is that for many Australians, community radio is their sole listening choice. Life FM has been telling people in the region for some time now that it is a viable alternative to mainstream media and the recent survey results confirm the main reason people are tuning into community radio is the diversity in programming…. Meeting the needs of people that are not met elsewhere!

The survey also paints an encouraging picture of listening habits in rural and regional areas where one quarter of the population, that’s 1.4 million Australians, tune in to community radio each week, and here’s why - with increased networking by the commercial and national sectors, listeners are crying out for local content.

So next time someone asks you ‘who listens to Community Radio?’… tell them, 7 million Australians do each month, and some of those 7 million are from Gippsland, so guess who a lot of them are probably listening to…. Life FM - A better life for Gippsland - 103.9 FM !

Life FM Donates Radio to Cats

We recently responded to a call from the RSPCA for a radio for their cat pen. As Life FM's mascot is a kitten, we decided it would be nice to donate a radio. Deb had the pleasure of handing it over to shelter manager Lisa on our last visit to ecord our RSPCA walk (you can listen online too if you missed it!)

August 2004

The Great Sausage Sizzle Challenge

Win a Gold One Month Sponsorship Package for your church, non-profit club or group or even your business! During our 1st anniversary month - October - we’re putting out the challenge to Gippsland groups to raise funds for Life FM. The group that raises the most money through sausage sizzles in October will win the sponsorship package worth over $1000.00. Register your group by calling 5143 0355 during office hours or email sausage@lifefm.com.au Competition closes - Wednesday 27th October. Winners will be announced on Friday 29th October - our 1st birthday on air! Sign up now and help Life FM while you help your club or group.

New Members of the Life FM Team

Welcome to Yvonne Moyle who will welcome you on reception and has already proved to be invaluable in administration. AND our newest recruit Cate McKeown - our sales rep in the Warragul to Morwell area. New Team Members. Pictures and bios on the About Us page.

Guess Who Came to Dinner

There were around 130 for dinner at the Fundraiser organised by Stratford Uniting Church on Friday 30th July. Sale Baptist Church provided the venue and several local churches contributed casseroles and desserts. Diners were entertained by the Black Ribbon Trio from Gippsland Grammar with Lucy Rash and Annabelle Davis on violin and Laura Moore on cello. Guest soloist Claire Heath returned home from University in Melbourne especially for the evening and sang a moving song to conclude the evening. Station Manager Deb Bye gave a presentation on Life FM and President Brian Heath spoke of how we need to press on i n faith to see this baby station grow. God’s hand moved over people’s wallets and Life FM received $3091.60 in donations, $1331 in memberships and $1670 from ticket sales. TOTAL: $6092.60 Thank you to all who helped and supported the evening.

May 2004

April - June 2004 - Updated: 31 May 2004

• Station Manager Updates
• Listener Feedback
• Job Vacancy - Sales Position
• Fundraising Event - don't miss it!

Station Manager Updates

Once again so much has happened since our last newsletter. We have been keeping our web page up-to-date but for those of you who aren’t online - here’s a roundup. Our big news is that we now have Yvonne Moyle in Reception/Admin and she has been a great asset to the team. I’ve also decided to “have a go” at selling Tupperware as Life still hasn’t been able to pay wages. Allen is studying and working hard to finish his degree before we have to start preparing licence applications again. Things are very busy and I’ve been blessed with being able to spend a couple of weeks with my family in Mackay. Our webmaster and production assistant Beth has kept things afloat in my absence. God has blessed Life FM with a great team!

So here are the highlights from the last few months.

• Heart & Soul commenced Sunday 4th April - presented by Steve Baker with an emphasis on hymns and more traditional music. This is now a regular feature Sunday mornings at 8.
• I had an awesome opportunity to speak at the Belgrave Heights Easter Convention on Easter Saturday. Some of the Life FM team travelled with me to Melbourne (which was much appreciated!) and we met with more of the team at the Conference. I had 8 minutes to very quickly sum up Life FM and the fantastic things God has been doing in Gippsland! Quite a challenge - but with the help of our webmaster we put together a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation which seemed to make an impact - only God knows! Quite a few people came up to say hello and tell us their Life FM stories, which were very encouraging.
• We hope you enjoyed the special programs on Good Friday and Easter Sunday and the special Easter edition of Gospel Country on Saturday night. This program is now a regular feature of our Saturday night lineup so you can join Don Taylor Saturday nights at 7.00.
• We've added more hymns and traditional music and you may have noticed new voices - Doreen Weston, Norma Brown and Sam Nicita from Leongatha area who announce some of the songs on Sundays. Each week you'll hear one of these three.
  We’ve also added Face To Face from Lutheran Radio on Sundays at 1pm and Focus on The Family with Dr James Dobson on Sunday’s at 4pm.
• We've added some new sponsors to our fold - check them out and please support them when you're shopping around.
• I've been visiting different churches and talking about the exciting things God is doing through Life FM. If you would like me to come to your church - please ask your minister to give me a call - 5143 0355.

All Glory To God! Deb B

Listener Feedback

We've been getting some amazing calls and letters from our listeners - here are some of the responses we've had since our last newsletter. All letters, including those added to our web site feedback section, will be added to our application for a full-time licence - so please let us know what you think!

• Congratulations to the team at Life FM who continue to be inspired by God's gifts to deliver us all great music and inspirational programs for the spirit and soul. Very much appreciate the "Focus on the Family" and "Women of Hope" messages - subtle and sweet food for the journey. May God continue to bless you with your dedicated work - Catherine and Family
• It's great to have a Christian radio station that is in and for Gippsland. The reception is great and the content inspiring and entertaining. I look forward to more great programs in the future. I was blessed and inspired on Easter Sunday morning by the hymns, choruses and messages that you played. Thank you and keep up the good work - Sue
• A great initiative. Looking forward to more traditional offerings on Sunday morning - John
• You guys are doing a great job - since hearing your station once I've never turned back!!! Keep up the 'Good Work' guys and may God bless you and help you to get your full time licence - Steph
• For the first time ever I can simply turn on the radio and not fear that rubbish will come into my home and car. We all need to hear and be part of God's word - Jacko
• Have recently been doing some work in the shed which required having the power off. On reconnecting I had to retune the stereo in the shed and low and behold 103.9 boomed in. Couldn't get over it - great listening, uplifting and good to see our best friend Ron C (Mountain Top Experience) a supporting advertiser. Great work Life FM - Peter & Penny
• I am a new person to the area only having been here for the last 18 months and have switched to 103.9 on all my radios in the house. I leave it on 103.9 when I go to bed on low music and noticed I am getting much peace during the night and even though I am asleep I can still hear the music. Plus my car is tuned in as well. I have now found a new lease on life thanks to 103.9, turning to, and tuning into your radio station. God bless you all, for a great move and now a change in my life - from a Salvation Army Uniform Christian and Vietnam veteran
• What a great station. I travel from Drouin to Endeavour Hills for work and am usually able to pick you up all the way. Keep up the excellent work - Julie
• Life FM is a winner for Gippsland. Christian radio is essential to feed balanced programming into family homes etc. It's great to be able to listen to quality music while out driving. Thank God for Life FM 103.9 A Better Life for Gippsland - Les

VACANCY - SPONSORSHIP SALES

Résumé’s are being sought for Sales Representatives for Life FM sponsor packages.

Applicants would need:

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
• To maintain a high standard of personal grooming and presentation
• Sales and/or marketing experience (strongly preferred but not essential).
• The ability to work effectively as part of a team
• An understanding of and an interest in the aims of community broadcasting, particularly those of Life FM.
• Ability to set goals and priorities, and work under limited supervision.
• Computer literacy, ability to use or learn software and equipment used in station as applicable to the position requirements.
• Good record keeping and organisational skills.
• Driver’s licence and car necessary.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn sponsorship regulations and legislation relating to community broadcasting

Salary: 20% commission on packages sold

Immediate start planned for successful applicants.

Please send your resume to:

Station Manager
Life FM
PO Box 1378
Sale Vic 3853

or email using

March 2004

In This Month's Newsletter

• We Are Now Tax Deductible
• Station Manager's Updates
• Listener Feedback
• Receptionist Required

Life FM is now Tax Deductible

All things happen in His time - we just have to be faithful!

About three years ago we applied to the Cultural Fund Register for tax deductibility status. That means every donation we receive over $2.00 is tax deductible. There were already a number of community radio stations around Australia with this status and quite a few of them Christian based. However we seemed to continually meet with a brick wall. GST had just been introduced and so the entire philosophy had changed. We had made some minor changes to our Rules of Association in response to the Cultural Fund Register's directions but it seemed like it was never enough and the paper trail continued. Then one day we were informed that we were not eligible and when we queried this in regard to the other stations already with this status we were told that "they would be reviewed"! At that time our Committee of Management agreed that we did not want to make things ugly for other groups and that God knew what He was doing - so we backed off.

Early last year our Business Manager, Allen, and I attended a Christian Radio Conference where we learned that another group had been on the same journey as us BUT had taken legal counsel and pursued the matter. We asked to see their paper trail and would you believe! They were identical except where we had stopped - they had pursued. When we got back we resolved to ring the Cultural Fund Register and see if we could re-apply.

Now - I don't believe in coincidences - I believe in God-incidences!! The very same day Allen rang the Register he received a friendly "hello - we've just mailed you a letter inviting you to reapply" ! Now isn't that just AMAZING!!

They requested another minor Rule change so that any funds donated under the new status would be distributed to an organisation of similar status should Life FM ever be dissolved - a standard request in these situations. That was around July last year. The paperwork the had to go to the Minister for final approval.
Thursday 4th March 2004 I received a phone called from Jane at the Cultural Fund Register informing me that Life FM had been granted tax deductibility status!! She said the paperwork would follow but she wanted to let us know! Isn't God good!!!

This new status not only means you are able to claim on your donations to Life FM BUT also now we are able to apply for funding through philanthropic organisations. God will provide all our needs but we still have to ask -
Did you know the work "ask" is in the gospels 65 times?
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
1John 5:14

Lord, grant us now the grace to wait,
To trust alone in You,
Lest we set goals outside Your will
That we with zeal pursue. -Anon.
PRAISE HIS NAME!
Deb