2008 Prattville Christmas Parade

Well me and my son Britt were on our own Saturday at Prattville's Christmas Parade. The folks from evangelizeyourcity.com were at "Christmas on the Coosa" in Wetumpka that day. But, I had an obligation to be at Prattville's Parade because my daughter Diana was in it. So we brought all the tracts we had and was determined to hand out as many tracts as we could. After only three blocks my son and myself had handed out over 360 tracts. That was all that I had. I had handed out over 300 tracts alone at Montgomery's Christmas Parade last week, so my stash was low. I've got some on order but they aren't here yet :-( I just looked around at all the people we were not able to get too. Hundreds and Hundreds of people went home without any tracts. I was feeling down, then I saw something that cheered me up a little.

I saw a local church which had made a float and was throwing out candy with tracts attached. A man was walking along side the float handing out tracts and man with amplification followed reading John 3:16. Now, I looked the church up when I got home and I was a little disappointed to find out they were a KJV only church...but God Bless them they were spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the parade. Their belief about the inerrancy of a certain translation aside, the message being proclaimed that day was "Jesus saves".



I got to thinking (.. I know, you're saying 'NOT AGAIN'), it would be nice to have a float of our own. Do something like that church did. Pass out candy with tracts and have a loud speaker to do open air as we went. No banners though, something about the banners was a little out there. But the float was a GREAT idea and the guy with the electric megaphone.

As me and Britt, we handed out "Million Dollar Bill" tracts and "Goodness Scale" tracts like crazy. I'm very proud of Britt. He is very out going and smiling when he asks them, "Did you get your Million Dollars yet?" He also likes to say, "Don't spend it all in one place". The people were very receptive too, grabbing up the tracts like they were candy. The fields were fertile Saturday, but the laborers were few. I didn't really have time to do any 1-2-1's either, because of time constraints. Poor excuse, right? But, I wanted to at least get the Gospel in their hands to read later. It did greatly saddened me that we didn't even get to but a fraction of the people who were at the parade before we ran out of tracts. Next Christmas I WILL be prepared and stocked up.

One side note. I did give the mayor of Prattville, Jim Byard, a Million Dollar bill. One of his friends with him said, "Good, you need that to get started on your re-election campaign." I pray that Mr. Byard reads it and that God works on his heart. So, my claim to fame is that so far I've given the Governor of Alabama and the Mayor of Prattville a MDB. Hummm..wonder if I can get over to the State House and give one to all the State Legislators one??

Until then, What are you waiting for?? Go preach the Word!!!

Payton Dooley