The St. Maries Adventist Church and St. Maries Christian School worked together to make a float for the annual Christmas Parade held the first Saturday night of December 2009, in St. Maries, Idaho.
Martha George, St. Maries school board chairman, says, “We have always done a small float on the birth of Christ. Last year we did a float on a semi-trailer loaned to us by Bud McCall, a friend of some church members. The float depicted the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus.”
Last year’s float made such an impression on the community, members decided to do it again for the 2009 Christmas Parade. Church members who were not on the float, dressed up in costumes and handed out gifts to the people in along the street.
“This year we handed out several hundred gift-wrapped books,” says George. “Signs of Hope by Shawn Boonstra, You Turn by Hans Diehl and Aileen Lundgiton, The Darkness of Twilight by Steve Wohlberg and, for the children, My Friend Fang by Jerry Thomson (a MegaBook).”
When spectators opened their gifts and saw the books, many came and asked members for another. The parade master of ceremonies announced the St. Maries float and commented, “The Seventh-day Adventist church always has a nice float and it always represents the true meaning of Christmas.”
St. Maries Adventist Church and St. Maries Christian School join together on the float for the annual Christmas Parade, in St. Maries, Idaho. (Verna Sonnentag)
(Verna Sonnentag)
(Verna Sonnentag)
