GCN Radio - December 25, 2004
Transcribed by Vombatus

To listen to this episode, visit http://www.gaychristian.net/gcnradio

[music]

BRIAN: Ah, yes, the holiday edition of GCN Radio. This is Brian

JUSTIN: And this is Justin.

BRIAN: We are just so excited that we were able to put this show together, and in just a few moments we will have holiday greetings to the GCN community. We received almost thirty messages on our voice mail, so we’re so excited, these are going to be fun. I think people are really going to enjoy these coming up.

JUSTIN: It’s been an exciting year, Brian. You know, we’ve been doing this show for one year now.

BRIAN: Almost a year, I can’t believe it. We started last January.

JUSTIN: I’ve been thinking about how much has changed over the past year. Because when you think about it, one year ago we were in the middle of a brand new fundraiser, we were doing a twelve days till Christmas fundraiser to raise money so that GCN could become a non-profit organization. You remember that?

BRIAN: Oh, I do, I do indeed.

JUSTIN: And our very first episode of GCN Radio we talked about that fund raiser.

BRIAN: Yes, I believe we played some children’s songs, too, which was really kind of funny.

JUSTIN: Yes, but we didn’t have GCN Radio a year ago, we didn’t have website in the form that it is now, the look of the site, our logo, all that’s changed.

BRIAN: Yeah, the big yellow and red logo of our former days!

JUSTIN: And so many of the features and things that we’ve added. We opened the new website, WelcomingChurches.com this year.

BRIAN: Big project. I know how hard you and Danny have worked on that.

JUSTIN: Yeah, yeah. And I was looking back at a message that I posted in the middle of that fundraiser a year ago. I was so excited because we had grown, and our website had over 600 registered members on it. And now we have over 1700.

BRIAN: Man, that’s amazing.

JUSTIN: So we’ve almost tripled in size as a community.

BRIAN: There are so many gay people out there seeking God who really have that calling to be a Christian and to follow Christ. That’s a really good thing, and if we can help people to that end and encourage them then I think we’re doing something really good.

JUSTIN: Yeah, absolutely. And I hope so, I hope that we are able to really make a positive difference in the church, and for all those folks out there who are Christian and who are gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgendered or straight and who want to support this community. Because there are a lot of folks, I think, who are concerned about where the church is going right now on some of these issues, and that’s our job to be there and to kind of stand in that gap and be a witness for Christ.

BRIAN: So onward and upward and we go into the new year with great new plans and goals and bigger things to come. That’s great. But Justin, before we get into the messages I want to take a moment and offer a personal thanks to the community for the love and support extended to me this year during my dialysis and transplant. It’s really been a humbling and spiritual time for me and a time where I’ve really felt the affirmation and love of so many people and I just want to say thanks. I’m not completely out of the woods yet on sort of some side medical issues going on, but even those are going to get better and I’ve just really appreciated the support from this community.

JUSTIN: Well, we appreciate you and all that you’ve done, Brian. Without you this entire show wouldn’t exist. So we appreciate you.

BRIAN: The thanks I get is in the process of doing it and I’m honored and privileged to be a part of this program and of GCN. So, without any further ado, we have a whole slew of messages from folks and something special at the end, Justin.

JUSTIN: Yeah, we’ve got a special greeting at the end of this from our UK contingent. They recorded something at their last gathering so we’ll hear that and we’ll hear all of these—and I haven’t heard these yet, these voice mail messages left by different folks wishing everybody a merry Christmas.

BRIAN: Oh, these are awesome.

JJ So I’m excited to hear it, but I will go ahead and wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy New Year and just encourage everyone to keep your focus on what’s important this season. Because the presents and the decorations and the time with family and friends is all wonderful, but we as Christians can’t forget that for us this season is a reminder of what God did for us 2000 years ago. That’s the true miracle and that’s the true joy of this season. So, without any further ado…

BRIAN: Here we go, Christmas messages!

JUSTIN: Merry Christmas, everybody!

[jingle bells]

Hey GCN, this is Stuart. I just wanted to say thank you everyone for helping create such an awesome, awesome community that has made a big difference in my life and is making a big difference in a lot of people’s lives and around the world. Thank God for the good work that he’s doing in us, thank God for the good work that he’s doing in Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas to all of you!

Hey there everybody, this is Jeff, wishing my GCN pals the merriest of Christmases and a happy and healthy 2005. Okay, gotta run, there’s a cute elf at the door.

Hello, I am Broadway James on the GCN board, I just want to say happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to everyone. All you folks that I’ve met there are just precious and loved. God bless you all. Bye!

Hey, this is Jonathan Alterman a.k.a. JCA. I’d just like to wish all of the GCN family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, or as I’ve been saying as of late, a Fairy Merry Christmas and a Happy New Queer. I’d also like to thank you all for being so accepting and I’m thankful that I found GCN when I did, I really needed a community like this. I’d especially like to thank all the GCNers in Tuscaloosa. I love you guys! Later!

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a greeting from Charlie Brown, so I thought I’d ring and say Happy Christmas to all my GCN friends, all my GCN mates far and wide and the hope that 2005 will be joyful, full of merriment, and of course, very, very gay. So may you have lives full of many blessings and looking forward to chatting, and, who knows, one day God willing, meeting with all of you in the future.

Cold clear night
With shining stars
Biting wind against the skin
Fuzzy blankets pulled in tight
The popcorn in the metal tins
Holidays will come and go
Shared with both family and friends
And then at last we all come home
And feast together once again
May he keep and carry each of you ever near His heart, always on His mind. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Russ.

What is up, what is up everybody? This is Dan Henderson from your board on GCN. I just wanted to tell everybody to have an excellent awesome Christ-filled Christmas this year. It has been such an awesome joy in my life to get to know some of you folks over the last few months. It has been totally cool. To a few of those special people that I have actually gotten to know: Nikki, what can I say? You are yummy-licious, you are wonderful, you are awesome. Bill, an awesome guy, thank you for all the messages, you’re a great friend. Paul, you and Nick are definitely in our prayers over this holiday. God bless you and I hope you have an awesome, awesome Christmas. And so many others, I certainly don’t want to leave anybody out because there are so many wonderful people, but I hope that everyone has such an awesome Christmas this year, everyone is definitely in my prayers but I can’t leave out the guy in charge, Justin. It was such an awesome time to get to meet you and get to know you. Hope you have a great Christmas.

Hey everybody, this is Mark, a.k.a. $Mark.04, I just want to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone at GCN and because this is a Christian website I don’t feel embarrassed to say to remember the reason for the season; it’s not Santa, it’s not presents, it is one present, but one given to the entire world on the blessed season. Merry Christmas and I’ll see you online!

Hi everybody this is Charity, CSLove9278, and I’m just wishing you all a Merry Christmas and I love you all a lot. And thank you so much for all of your prayers, and that you guys really make my world spin. So, hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas and we’ll keep in touch! All right? Love you all, bye!

Hi, this is Brian, a.k.a. SeraphimSarov from California. And I wish all of my brothers and sisters at GCN a lovely celebration of our Lord’s birth. I wish we could all be at the same place and celebrate together. Love to all, bye-bye.

Bonjour! Je suis NandaPanda. Joyeux Noël et Bon Année a tous des mes amis à GCN. Or… hey, this is Clint/Nandapanda wishing everybody a wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year. A bientot! See you later.

Hey everybody, this is Jesse from GCN, my screen name is Jojomanee. I’m not on a whole lot posting and stuff, but I just wanted to send a Christmas greeting to everybody out there in GCN land, and I just want you all to know that GCN has changed my life. And a special shout out to Justin for all the hard work that you do, we appreciate it all and it’s changed more lives than you will ever know. Everybody out there have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. God bless!

Hi friends, this is David, OrganistDave on GCN and I just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and all of God’s blessing at this time of year. God bless. Bye!

Hi, my name is Dave, traveler at GCN, and I just wanted to wish everybody a very blessed and merry Christmas. So whether its white or green or whatever color, I just am thankful to be at GCN and I thank God for the blessing that he’s brought me there and I just look forward to a new year being with all of you. God bless everyone.

Hi, this is FloridaSon, Rick. This Christmas I am very thankful for GCN and all the many friends I have found this year. What a wonderful blessing you folks have been to me. You’ve been an encouragement, you’ve made my heart rejoice as I read the posts and as I instant message and talked to some of you on the phone. Thank you for all of the wonderful things you’ve done for me. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year to everyone.

Merry Christmas GCN family, from Frank in Montana! I have already received so many gifts from you, I am truly grateful, inspired, and blessed. It’s like a brightly burning candle. I know we all have hard times, questions and struggles, may you come to realize that insignificant as you may seem in this great universe, you are an important part of God’s plan. The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord lift his countenance upon you, and give you peace. In the new year continue to take your candle and go light your world.

Hi everyone, this is Brandon Stauffer from Springfield, Missouri. Christmas greetings to my family and friends at GCN. My prayer is that each of you would know the peace, love, and joy of Christ during this otherwise hustle-bustle holiday. I wish each one of you a blessed Christmas and a very joyous new year.

Hi, this is Damien from Grand Junction, Colorado, deep in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. I’m just calling to wish you guys a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and many great posts in 2005. Look forward to meeting you all soon, talk to you guys later. Bye!

Hey guys, hey girls, this is JoeyName. I just wanted to wish everybody a very merry Christmas, and a wonderful new year and extend my thanks to everybody who has offered support, and I love you all. Bye.

Hi everyone, this is BrianS in Toronto, and I wanted to let you know that I have a Christmas present for everyone here on GCN. It’s a big hug out to each of you because you’re all amazing people and have been such a blessing to me. So go grab a mug of hot chocolate, put some Christmas music on, curl up on the couch and take a moment to really enjoy the season. Have a fantastic Christmas and an even better new year.

Fragile fingers sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorns
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Oh, unto us is born.
Merry Christmas GCN, have a Christ centered celebration and a blessed new year, from Matt, a.k.a. Romans6.

Hey GCN, this is Danny is Austin, Texas. I wanted to call and tell you guys to have a very merry Christmas. I love you guys, and I’m praying for you and I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of a greater community. God bless!

Hey everybody, this is Nikki. I just wanted to pop in and say that I hope everybody has a very merry, yummy Christmas and a totally happy new year. Love you guys!

The UK GCN crew singing “Joy to the World”. Merry Christmas to everyone, everywhere. God bless us one and all.

Joy to the world, the Lord has come
Let earth received her king,
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and heaven and nature sing

Joy to the earth, her Savior reigns
Let earth her songs employ
While fields and floods,
Rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love
And wonders of his love
And wonders, wonders of his love