We are so excited to get the opportunity to share a conversation with Davide Mutendji, a member of Elevation Rhythm! Davide and his crew will be performing at Sonfest 2025 here at MVNU tomorrow and you are not going to want to miss this extremely powerful event.
Davide shares his background, gives us an insight on the songwriting process, and he talks about big upcoming news for the band!
Ethan and Davide also have a good time playing rapid fire!
For more info on Sonfest 2025 click HERE!
Rock City Worship is coming to Sonfest 2025 at Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Saturday, September 20.
Rock City Worship is the expression of worship at Rock City Church in Columbus, Ohio. With a focus on writing songs that paint a vivid picture of who God reveals Himself to be in His Word, this group of pastors, worship leaders, and songwriters believes that the more clearly we can see God, the more completely we can worship Him.
Their sound blends passionate, modern worship with anthemic melodies and Christ-centered lyrics, aiming to lead people into authentic encounters with Jesus. Rock City Worship’s music has been shared in churches and streaming platforms across the country, encouraging believers everywhere to worship with all their hearts.
Nathan Montgomery of Rock City Worship talks with WNZR about the origin of the church and their worship team. He also talks about their approach to songwriting and creating a worship experience for anyone attending a service or a concert. Rapid Fire reveals his favorite worship songs and that he is a Star Wars fan.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation with WNZR’s Ethan Hershberger.
You can see Rock City Worship at Sonfest at 3:45pm on Saturday.
Click HERE for all the details about Sonfest 2025.
John Mark McMillan is coming to Sonfest 2025 at Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Saturday, September 20.
John Mark McMillan is something of an anomaly: an artist and Platinum-selling songwriter bending genres and defying categorization by carving out his own unique and independent path. With an ear for melody and a poet’s eye for metaphor, no topic has been off-limits. While each of his albums over the past decade have continued to explore new territory, it’s McMillan’s ability to give lyric and language to the human experience that many consider his greatest gift.
John talks with WNZR about his approach to songwriting, his history in music and how God has always part of his journey in life and music. Rapid Fire reveals the first concert he went to and his favorite movie and snack.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation with WNZR’s Ethan Hershberger.
You can see John Mark McMillan at Sonfest at 6:30pm on Saturday.
Click HERE for all the details about Sonfest 2025.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart spoke with Joseph Joe who is the Assistant Director of Intercultural Life about the Festival Latino, which will celebrate Latino students and Latino culture.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
Lola’s is catering for the event, bringing tacos, tortillas, and chips and salsa; it’s a free event and all are welcome to attend.
During the event, there will be a salsa class with alumni coming back to teach attendees which starts at 6:45pm
The annual event will be held Thursday, September 18th starting at 5pm at the Print Student Union.
Click HERE to see the MVNU Community Calendar!
Brook Abella is playing at Sonfest 2025 on September 20th and she talks about how she grew up in Bellefontaine.
She’s a double major in Communication and Media and Visual Art. She also has a minor in Music.
She talks about how she grew up around music, what she is looking forward to at Sonfest, and some of the opportunities she has had in the music industry so far.
Click HERE for more information about Sonfest.
Tyler Maddux is playing at Sonfest 2025 on September 20th and he talks about how he grew up in New Philadelphia.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
He’s a worship arts major and has a minor in youth and family ministry; he’s hoping to become a worship pastor when he graduates. He talks about how he got into music in 7th grade and around high school he decided to go all in on music.
Some of Tyler’s biggest influences in music are bands like ‘Colony house’ and ‘Sons of Steven Curtis Chapman’ and it inspires him for when he writes his music. For a long time, his style was acoustic guitar, it wasn’t until he started making his second album that he started to find his style of Rock music. He draws inspiration from his own personal life experiences to come up with his song lyrics, he also likes to write songs about the bible.
Tyler talks about what he’s excited to see at Sonfest, he’s excited to see people who are impacted by the music outside of his regular friends and family, it helps inspire him. Tyler Maddux is opening at 1:35pm at Sonfest on September 20th.
Tyler talks about his new album he released in late January, he’s really proud of it because of how it defined the sound that he like to use. You can stay connected to Tyler Maddux on Instagram, Facebook, and on TikTok. Tyler talks about the purpose behind writing his music, he likes to write about how he feels at the time of his writing; he’s getting married soon and so a lot of his music he’s writing is about how he feels about that. He’s got a few songs he’s been writing recently and a few songs at Sonfest and hopes to record and release them soon.
Tyler goes over some rapid-fire questions, his favorite worship song is ‘tear my house down’ by Chris Renzema. The first concert he ever went to was a ‘Colony house’ concert in college in his freshman year. He’s a night owl, he likes cats, he likes coffee and he normally gets a caramel ice late, his favorite snack is cheez-its and his favorite movie is called ‘about time’.
Click HERE to find out about Sonfest 2025!
MVNU President Dr. Carson Castleman stops by to give his September update to WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
He is excited to start the 2025-26 school year and is happy to see the students back on campus and out in the community.
He says enrollment is growing in both traditional and non-traditional students and they have added 13 new faculty members.
Dr. Castleman talks about the restructure of the university into two schools. CAPS stands for College of Arts and Professional Studies for non-traditional students. CAST which is the College of Arts and Sciences is the traditional 18–22-year-old students. They also restructured the deans and administrative roles of the staff.
Dr. Castleman talks about the 4 C’s which was a focus on the recent Faculty and Staff Awards earlier this month: conviction, conversation, care, and connection.
He explains how the 4 C’s are a centerpiece for the MVNU community.
Dr. Castleman shares a special bible verse as a focus for the university this year from Isaiah 43:19 (NIV), “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
He says that the cabinet helped determined the verse because MVNU is stepping outside the normal doom and gloom at other campuses and that God is doing something new here at MVNU and we are changing the world.
Dr. Castleman gives an update on the construction at the Chapel. He said there was an issue with carpeting over the summer and that put the project behind. He said God provided both in time and financially to help get the campaign finalized.
Dr. Castleman gives an explanation on the opening of the entrance at front of campus that had a security hut. He said that he received some feedback and believed that the entrance needed to be re-opened for several reasons.
He also gives an update with the Hunter Wright hub in downtown Mount Vernon.
Dr. Castleman gives an update on his plans are for the fall and he is planning on staying on campus this fall as some transitions take place and is getting back in the classroom.
Dr. Castleman gives some words of encouragement to the students, faculty and staff.
Dr. Castleman also explains how we can pray for the students, faculty, staff and university this fall.
Click HERE to find out more about Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
September First Friday in downtown Mount Vernon focuses on education with Back-to-School night.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart spoke with Experience Mount Vernon’s Lacey Filkins about the happenings at the event including the “Are You Smarter than a 5h grader” contest between teachers and college administrators.
There will also be a street show from “Six Miles to Nellie,” food and fun!
Click HERE to learn more about September First Friday!
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
September First Friday’s theme is “Back to School”! MVNU Faculty members encourage you to join the focus on education in downtown Mount Vernon. Families are invited to participate in the education activity and department fair located in the Public Square. From 6pm to 9pm, you be able to visit multiple tables hosted by MVNU Departments. You and your kids will get the chance for hands-on learning and exploration. Find out more about MVNU and have some FUN this Friday 9/5 from 6pm – 9pm.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with these professors:
Click HERE to hear their conversations.
Dr. Jose Oomman – Engineering – This department will offer tours of the newly renovated Hunter Wright Hub for Engineering and Computer Science. Stop by the basement of 18 East Vine Street.
Dr. Jon Bosley – Environmental Biology – Stop by their table to see rocks, minerals, fossils, plants and other items related to biology.
Dr. Dawn McKee – Communication Sciences and Disorders – Stop by and pick out a gently used book and a children’s book about stuttering. Find out about MVNU’s Speech Therapy Services.
Dr. Rachel Young – Social Work – Their table will focus on self-care! Stop by to pick up your own self-care bag!
Professor Amy Dubusky – Education – Stop by their table and make an origami bookmark. You can also sign up for a book giveaway and a book bundle.
Dr. Deb Garee – Nursing – Stop by their table and pick up a sensory bag filled with health care items. They will also be giving away gently used children’s books.
Don’t forget to stop by Big Blue and see talk to students in the Communication & Media (Digital Media) Major. You can be part of a live broadcast, sign up for a great prize basket and sing our Birthday song!
We will see you and your family this Friday from 6pm – 9pm in downtown Mount Vernon!
The 2025 Fredericktown Tomato Show runs Wednesday through Saturday.
WNZR’s Eric Brown spoke to various members of the board about some of the events at the show.
Click HERE to hear all the conversations.
Click HERE to find out more about the Fredericktown Tomato Show.
Rise and Shine 