The television station was miraculously back on the air within seven hours. In November of 1972, FBC acquired its first TV station, WHMB-TV 40 in Indianapolis, Indiana. They formed an immediate relationship and traveled the world together as missionaries preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether corresponding remotely from countries around the globe or sharing his insightful perspective with viewers live on the set, Pete Sumrall was committed to proclaiming the gospel. The counterclaims assert that Lester's father Frank, one of the three sons of Dr. Sumrall, assigned to the Trust all his rights in Dr. Sumrall's works and likeness, to which he claims a one-third interest by inheritance. from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. Its programming is a blend of religion, local sports, and family entertainment. In 2018, LeSEA Broadcasting changed its name to Family Broadcasting Corporation (FBC). Today, KWHB can be viewed on over 84 cable stations in Oklahoma, serving a potential audience of over 1.5 million people. To contact us or to submit an article, click here. Called Fearless Faith - A Journey, A Discovery, An . We will moveforward with the vision of the company.". [1] Founded by Lester Sumrall in 1972, Family Broadcasting Corporation is headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, and broadcasts Christian and family programming. The channel is focused on providing entertainment to its audience through quality TV shows and movies that provide real family entertainment. Despite their large number, he never forgot a birthday. He established Feed the Hungry in 1987. He died of a heart attackon Saturday. I still have a poem he wrote for me when I left the district. Family Entertainment Television (FETV), channel 323 on DirecTV,[6][7] channel 82 on Dish Network,[8] channel 245 on Verizon Fios, channel 578 on AT&T U-Verse,[9] and Sling TV offers viewers a mix of religious and family-friendly programming. For convenience and ease of use, the website pairs the video teaching series with the corresponding book and study guides. Radio Insight: "Station Sales Week Of 8/14", August 14, 2020. Lester Sumrall, with the help and support of his family, and many friends, founded LeSEA (Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Association) in 1957: A ministry which has subsequently given birth to well over one hundred books and study guides, eleven television stations, a satellite ministry, an FM radio station, three short-wave radio stations reaching over ninety percent of the world's . During his life he penned over 130 books. All rights reserved. He was very proud of his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Lester L. Sumrall and Andrew Sumrall both want control of what one lawsuit claims could be $1 billion in donations that have flowed into the Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Association since. From magazines, transistor radios and television to the Internet and now mobile-friendly digital platforms, changes continue to unfold. Lester Sumrall Son Death | Grandson Sumrall's son Peter Sumrall, passed away on August 8, 2015. He continued to serve his country in the Naval Reserves, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer in 1987. Never miss a big news story again. Together, they were blessed with three children: Frank Lester (born 1946), Phillip Stephen (1950), and Peter Andrew (1953-2015). February 2015 commemorates 102 years of Dr. Lester Sumrall's life and legacy, and now an inspiring new documentary film about the life of Dr. Sumrall by his grandson, Lester Sumrall, is in production. After Peter Sumrall's death, his four children - David, Angela (Grabowski), Andrew and Adam - continued to work for LeSEA entities. The station was sold to Lilly Broadcasting in 2020. In 1997, he founded Lester Sumrall International, and has since continued in the legacy passed to him of ministry, media and missions. I am so sorry to hear about Les's passing. He was very proud of his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Sumrall was also the host ofThe Harvest Show. Upon Peter Sumralls passing in 2015, his son Drew Sumrall became the third generation of the Sumrall family to shepherd the mission of FBC. FETV can be seen on DirecTV, Dish Newtork, AT&T U-verse, Frontier Communications, Xfinity, Spectrum, Sling, Select TV, Vidgo, Frndly, Evoca, Altafiber, Optimim and Philo. WHMB- TV 40 is now the oldest, consecutively running, Christian television station in the United States and was able to celebrate its 50. "For the first time ever, the collected works of our grandfather, Dr. Lester Sumrall, are now available for anyone in the world to access on demand and completely free of charge," said Drew Sumrall, president and CEO of Family Broadcasting, and Angela Grabowski, vice president, in a joint statement. Never miss a big news story again. I went straight to tall boys and supported the school in Basketball, Track and Football. FBC believes that forward thinking is what shapes history. Upon graduation, Lester traveled alongside his grandfather, Dr. LesterSumrall, doing ministry and relief work around the world. (The Sumrall family has . Pete Sumrall, son of the lateDr. Lester Sumrall, has passed away. Stay up-to-date with current issues, Christian teachings, entertainment news, videos & more. WHNO TV 20 New Orleans signed on October 1994. The May 2018 lawsuit claims Lester L. Sumrall even interfered in his cousins divorce proceedings. In 1982, Sumrall was promoted to general manager of the network, which at the time consisted of two television stations and one FM radio station. His ministry led him to South Bend in 1947. He also used local television from the late 1940s onward. "For the first time ever, the collected works of our grandfather, Dr. Lester Sumrall, are now available for anyone in the world to access on demand and completely free of charge," said Drew. We are grateful for the love and support of numerous members of the Sumrall family. Lester Sumrall1927-2020Lester Loleate Sumrall, Jr, native of Aransas Pass, Texas, was born December 2, 1927, and passed away March 30, 2020, in The Woodlands. 2023 www.southbendtribune.com. The inaudible voice of the Lord directed him to become not only a station owner, but to build a network of TV stations as a channel for truth to America. Prophetic messages from respected leaders & news of how God is moving throughout the world. He was the sixth of eight children of the Sumrall family. In the early the 1990's, Lester gave up a college basketball scholarship to obey Gods call on his life, a journey which took him to Scandinavia where he attended Word of Life Theological School in Sweden. Please open it and confirm your subscription. "In addition to all his work in Christian media, Dr. Sumrall was respected as a missionary statesman who by the time of his passing (April 28, 1996) had traveled to 119 countries and ministered for 66 years and was well acquainted with his peers like Oral Roberts and Billy Graham," said Lester Sumrall. WHME delivers viewing audiences the highest quality of family-friendly programming with a blend of religion, high school and college athletics and worry free entertainment. WHT delivers Christian programs to viewers in millions of homes through DirecTV channel 367, as well as streaming online. God, rewarding Lester's faithfulness, blessed he and Louise with three industrious sons (Frank, Stephen, and Peter) and eleven grandchildren, all of whom have witnessed the goodness that one man's life can bring. Please open it and confirm your subscription. So many lives were touched; only heaven will know the full scope of influence his life and ministry had on the world. DISH", "Family Entertainment Television Live Stream - Watch Shows Online - DIRECTV", "FETV TV Channel on DISH Network - GoDish.com", "AT&T U-verse TV Channel Guide & Lineup - Find Your Favorite Shows", "FETV Sets Ratings Record With 'Perry Mason' - TVNewsCheck.com", "Family Entertainment Television Launches Family Movie Classics Channel on Dish", "Family Movie Classics Added to Frndly TV Channel Lineup", "Local Television Market Universe Estimates". Since 1985 Family Broadcasting Corporation has operated World Harvest Radio International (WHRI), designed to reach the over 200 million shortwave radio receivers in the world. Communication through media wasn't a new thing to Dr. Sumrall when he opened WHMB in 1972, because he'd used shortwave radio as early as 1943. [11] FMC launched on October 28, 2021 on Dish Network to 9 million subscribers. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. Stay up-to-date with current issues, Christian teachings, entertainment news, videos & more. The Healing Revival All books and written materials on the website are available to read and download at no cost. He died of a heart attack on Saturday. "To celebrate his life and legacy we are asking those who were touched by his life and ministry to join us in finishing the Fearless Faith Film Project by making a donation. MHC Life provides customers with quality resources in the form of quality health supplements and nutritional information. "Since that time, life got busy, I attended and graduated from ORU, got married, we had 3 beautiful children and the film project got put on the shelf. You should receieve a confirmation email shortly. Sumrall was president and CEO of LeSEA Broadcasting, a network that exists to reach out to the lost across the world and offer families with an alternative to secure television programming. Help us continue this effort! "He was very excited about the project and its potential to share his story with a new generation," he stated. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. WHMB TV-40, the flagship station of FBC, is a full power television station serving the Indianapolis, Indiana market since 1972. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. Suspended in midair to the right of his bed was a casket; on his left was a large open Bible. 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