August 2024

RIVER CITY DAYS PARADE
SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 1:00PM

​It's been a while since our church entered a float in a Red Wing parade, so it's exciting to see us enter one this year! Several people have been involved with planning, constructing, and decorating a float that represents the joy and hope of the people of First Covenant Church.

Embellished with the colors of our church's logo (gold, purple, green, and orange), this float is a symbol of new life that can be found in Christ, the diversity of the kingdom of God and it's unity around Christ, and the brightness of its light in a darkened world because of Christ.

Standing on the float will be a team of talented musicians from the church band singing and playing their hearts out for the glory of God. They'll be singing "let me tell you about My Jesus." They'll be proclaiming that "The Church is Alive!" And, they'll be calling all Christians to be "a little more like Jesus and Less Like Me."

Walking alongside the float will be a few of us wearing t-shirts saying "GOD LOVED FIRST LOVE GOD." We want people to know the great love with which God has first loved us, then call them to first love God in their lives. Only when we discover the joy of loving God first will our souls be restored with hope. As we toss candy to the families watching the parade, we want people to know that we see them, care about them, and invite them to taste and see that the Lord is good—even better than the sweet taste of the treats we're sharing.

Those of you who will be along the parade route, watching the floats go by will also be representing, not only First Covenant Church but, Jesus Christ himself. Some of you will be wearing the same shirt as those who are in the parade. But all of you are called to "clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14), to let the "message of Christ dwell among you richly" (Colossians 3:16), and bearing the Spirit's fruit of "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:23).

We participate in this parade for three reasons. First, we want to proclaim the good news of the kingdom that comes in Jesus Christ. Second, we want to invite the people of Red Wing into our church community. And third, we just want to participate with our neighbors in our neighborhood activities to show our love for our neighbors. Though we are not of this world, we are still in this world and we choose to walk alongside the people of this world, sharing the hope of Jesus with all as we go.

Please be praying for all those involved with the float and that the Holy Spirit would work through our presence in the River City Days Parade.