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| Clockwise from top: Anita Lustrea, Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira, Melinda Correa Schmidt, and Lori Neff |
Yesterday, a stunned Midday Connection radio audience learned that Moody Radio has cancelled this popular broadcast. Moody Radio Vice President Colin Lambert made the announcement. He spoke of a “change of seasons” and “the need to address seismic shifts in our culture.”
I find that explanation a bit strange, given the fact that Midday has been doing that very thing—thoughtfully, even fearlessly, engaging a wide range of seismic cultural changes and issues that impact their listeners. It will be interesting to see what lands in this programming slot.
As someone who has been privileged on numerous occasions to be interviewed by Anita and Melinda, both in studio and by phone, I appreciate the depth of their interviews and am personally grateful for the excellent work they’ve all done. (The latest was July 8 on Malestrom.) Over time, we’ve developed good friendships, so I share the deep sense of loss that loyal listeners are feeling.
Melinda and Caryn departed in June. After ten years together, Anita and Lori will wrap things up next Friday (September 18). They’ll be talking about their departure in today’s broadcast.
Yesterday Anita posted this on FaceBook:
As you can well imagine the past three and a half months have been very emotional. In May we found out Midday was ending. In June both Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira and Melinda Correa Schmidt left. They just weren’t colleagues they were dear friends. Now Lori Neff and I are bidding adieu.
A week from tomorrow [Sept 18] will be our final goodbye to the Midday Connection family. And it was a family. We laughed together. We cried together. We wrestled with tough issues together. There were those who didn’t care for our style nor our substance but they were in the minority. The others of you cared deeply about what we were trying to do and build to the glory of God.
All of us will embark on a new leg on our journey soon. Friend us on Facebook so you can journey with us. Right now, though, I just want to say thank you for the outpouring of love and affection. I can’t tell you what it means to know that we helped make a difference in your lives. Please know you’ve made a difference in ours. Keep all of us in your prayers.
Please tune in tomorrow [Sept 11] for a very special final Millrose Club program!
Knowing what I do of these four incredible women, I feel confident in saying, “We haven’t heard the last of them!” And that is only a good thing.
Follow them on FaceBook to find out what comes next.
Update: On the September 11 broadcast, both Anita and Lori announced that, after leaving Midday Connection, they will each be doing their own podcasts.
Carolyn Custis James 
I feel Midday is irreplaceable, sorry Moody but I feel this is a bad call.
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I couldn't agree more!
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With technology today, they can start up their own show online! Carry on the Midday name.
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Very well stated, you expressed my feelings exactly ❤️
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We are all feeling it. And yes, technology offers them plenty of good options.
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Such an excellent, informative, inspiring program that always met me where I was at. I am so sad the program is ending. Wendy Klinkner
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I agree,. It has been cutting edge refreshing, challenging
never dull.
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I thank you for this post Carolyn Custis James. I am so disappointed in this decision. The Midday team has played an enormous role in my Spiritual growth and my heart hurts deeply today…Moody missed this one! My prayer is that these wonderful women will continue to bring the indwelling light/life and creativity of Christ (which obviously lives in their hearts) into the world. They are (and have been) a gift to us all….
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I agree with you, Carolyn. I've been on the show too (by phone and in real life) and count Melinda and Anita as dear friends. Thank you for writing this post. You've inspired me to write my own (after I pray about what kind of words to use). I also need to re-read Half the Church. It's one of about 25 books that made the move to Cambodia with me back in January.
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So sad to lose this very powerful God honoring program. As probably a small handful of men who listen daily I have to say that I've often been inspired by many of the topics and even have made connections with other ministries introduced on midday.
As others have stated, I don't understand why this show would be on the block. I agree that we need to adjust as people respond differently nowadays to “old ways” of witnessing. Unfortunately there are still shows on Moody that give off a negativity about others and an “us against them” rhetoric which turns secular society against “Christians” as a whole.
Midday NEVER does this and I love them for it. We'll follow you guys on podcast and pray God will open many more doors for you all!
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I'm so frustrated by the business-speak and Christian buzzwords. It's unfortunate that even in Christian radio honest words cannot be spoken. What are seismic shift and changing seasons really saying?
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I agree, Midday was an inspiring program that developed over the years into friends and family. Taking them off the air for no obvious reason is completely shameful…Moody has some explaining to do beyond vague double speak.
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I seldom make comments on a blog, but the sadness I feel about Moody's decision compels me to! I agree with Marianne's comment as to wanting to know the real reason for the cancellation because I have always sensed that Midday had a HUGE following.
The main reason I contribute monthly to Moody was because of Midday Connection.
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Midday connection was instrumental in saving my marriage and my family.
I was able to hear women everyday sharing and revealing hope, information, faith
and courage in all aspects of the challenges and triumphs we all experience in our
journey of life. I can't help but feel this was a bad decision, and honestly hope the
new “season” will include similar women of faith and fortitude. In the midday, many
women have an opportunity at lunch break or at home to listen and use the dialogues we heard
to enrich our lives and the lives of our families and communities.
God Bless whoever is making this decision and I pray for a replacement that is as valuable
and connectable as Midday Connection was. Thank you ladies for some of the best things
I ever heard on Moody Radio. God Bless you with your rewards. You deserve them.
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Midday Connection was my primary connection to Moody radio. While I have enjoyed and been enlightened by other programming on Moody, I think I hop to be finding other Christian radio that speaks to my heart the way Middday has.
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i feel the same way as all of you. I really enjoyed listening to Midday connection as I was on the road between schools. I tried to find out why they were canceled and still haven't found the real reason.
I guess we aren't in the “cultural shift” or “season” (whatever that means) to count much. All in all there is a void there that no other program can fill. I wish the best for Anita Lustrea and the other ladies and they be blessed in whatever they do.
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As an African American Christian woman who is also a democrat, midday connection was a program where common ground was elevated vs. our differences. I will sorely miss this opportunity to dialogue with other Christian women who might be different from me both racially or politically.
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But when you don’t have correct steerage & training then it will likely be tough so that you can earn cash from these web jobs.
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Apparently God knew Moody needed a powerful voice in the African American community! He guides the steps of those in leadership whether they know it or not! “But who knows that you have come to your position for such a time as this?”
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I kept wondering what had happened to Midday Connection, after a short absence of listening, I tuned in to find a totally different program on, one which I do not listen to regularly. Midday Connection had meant SO much to me in the years of child rearing and beyond. I am incredibly sad about this decision that Moody has made. A faithful listener in Ohio. Peggy
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Peggy, You can find Anita & company still at it here: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofmidday/
CJ
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What a sad, sad choice for Moody to take something that was specifically targeted to lift up women so we can build up and strengthen our families! I had a similar rhetorical excuses from someone at Moody in Chicago and my local WCRF station with the new manager who came in at about the same time and ousted the wonderful Morning Show with Mark Zimmerman and Gary Bittner when I wrote letters to each of them. These wounds went deeply enough that I ended my regular daily listening to Moody WCRF when I could not tolerate the “so secular sounding,” jangly, catty morning replacements who fill up the air time with so much needless back-and-forth chatter. If I had wanted that, I would have been listening to a secular station! I thought Midday might have been just rearranged to a different time when I checked at some point in the past. Then, today when I heard the call-in talk show host, I wondered if it had been cancelled, as I now have learned with dismay that it has been. Such a loss! I was a caller one day as a Christian in the pit of despair over my husband leaving a 28-year marriage and me with two young daughters 7 and 13, so encouraged over the phone by the guest, and my sister in Toledo heard me live over the phone, had to pull over her car and just cry. This show went deep to touch the lives and hearts of us all. Moody, what are you thinking? I know the Midday Connection team are still doing The Lord’s Work, and that lightens my heart over this emotional loss. – Carla
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It’s like all the other things wrong with christian radio. I don’t and won’t listen to moody radio and I removed majesty radio from my phone. They took off the old majesty radio and replaced it with old ccm trash. I won’t allow that in my home. I listen to BBN now and won’t turn back. I always liked midday connection and that was one of my.favorite programs along with majesty radio. Moody radio is following the same style as the world.
My bible says be ye separate from the world and not Touch not the unclean thing.
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