One week out of the year, Sun City resident and “This Week in AgriBusiness” co-host Orion Samuelson turns the attention of his popular RFD-TV agriculture/agribusiness news show over to how a rural community church celebrates Christmas.
Orion Samuelson (right) and Grace Lutheran Church Pastor Ken Gibson talk with congregation during the taping of Samuelson’s RFD-TV “This Week in AgriBusiness” Christmas special at the church. (Photo provided)
“At Christmas time, we find a country church somewhere and take the crew out,” Samuelson said.
This year, Samuelson turned the cameras on Grace Lutheran Church in Woodstock for this annual Christmas tradition that will feature the music of their six choirs in the hour-long special set to air four times over the Christmas weekend (see outbox for details on dates and times) on RFD-TV’s channels on DIRECT TV and Dish Network.
The show will also feature an interviews with Grace Lutheran Church Pastor Ken Gibson and the church’s music director. It will highlight the church and its history, but, Samuelson said, “The rest of the time, it’s a musical show for Christmas. This is the one time out of the 52 shows that we do that we don’t focus on hard news. We focus on a program that will entertain and inspire for the Christmas season.”
Featuring: Grace Lutheran Church in Woodstock
Hosts: Orion Samuelson and Max Armstrong
Airs: 7 a.m. Christmas Day, 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday, December 26, and 8 a.m. Monday, December 27.
Length: 1 hour.
Samuelson hosts TWA with longtime friend and highly regarded agriculture journalist Max Armstrong. TWA focuses on agriculture, agribusiness, and features stories on farmers and ranchers across the country and “what it takes to put food on the table.”
“This Week in AgriBusiness” is designed, Samuelson said, to inform farmers and ranchers with information they need to do business and to educate non-farm consumers on what it takes to work the industry.
Originally from a small town, Samuelson, longtime award-winning and veteran WGN Radio and TV personality, grew up attending a rural church and said, “I know the importance of the church year-round, but particularly at Christmas. We thought this [the TWA’s Christmas special] was a way we could pay homage to country churches.”
