ABOUT 650 MARCH DOWN BROADWAY IN CELEBRATION, NOT PROTEST

As marchers in a parade for what they hold holy made their way down Broadway Saturday morning, few noticed the rising temperatures and glaring sun.

"After a while, it didn't take any energy at all," said Lisa Hart Brown of Sikeston. "It felt like you were floating on air."

About 650 people from more than 25 churches all over the region turned out locally to take part in a world-wide "March for Jesus." In Cape Girardeau, the parade route led the faithful from Arena Park to the steps of the Common Pleas Courthouse.

The march was a multi-denominational trek across town, designed to bolster the faith of the community.

"It was very encouraging to see this many people come out for this," said the Rev. Phillip Roop, one of the local organizers of the event. "It's good to see everyone come together like this, claiming the name of Christ; to see everyone coming together under a single banner.

"The whole purpose of this was to get churches out from behind their denominational walls, to unite in the streets as one voice," he said.

The Rev. Robert Wright, another organizer of the parade, said that although this is the fourth year the United States has participated in the "March for Jesus," this is the first year for Cape Girardeau.

"Last year, 47 nations agreed to participate in the march," said Wright. "There were just a few million people who turned out for the parades.

"This year, over 100 nations have registered, and organizers expect well over 160 million people to life their hands to the Lord today (Saturday) and pray," he said.

The worldwide marching started at 10 a.m. Saturday, in the South Pacific island nation of Tonga, fabled to be the land where the sun first rises every day.

"There are 24 time zones in the world, and at 10 a.m. in every zone, the marching began," said Wright. "Some time zones are just in the Pacific or Atlantic oceans, so there were boats out there that people were marching around on. I guess you could say there was 100 nations and a few boats carrying Jesus' word today."

As the parade made its way down Broadway, marchers shook the hands or embraced people who lined the street, watching the procession. More than 1,000 copies of "The Prodigal Son," were handed out to onlookers, printed on yellowed paper, rolled up like scrolls, and tied with purple ribbons.

"The `March for Jesus' started eight years ago; that's when it got its name," said Wright. "In the United States, when you hear about someone `marching' for what they believe in, you automatically assume it's some kind of protest.

"That's not the case here today," he said. "This is a celebration of faith, not a protest of any kind."

The procession ended on the stairs of the Common Pleas Courthouse, where prayers were offered for the world, the nation, the city and the church.

"On this day, a day to change the world, Christians are gathering in the largest praise and prayer event this earth has ever seen," said Wright to the crowd gathered before him. "Though we are spread across nations and continents, we are united by the Holy Spirit and a desire for the name of Jesus to be made great among the nations."

Each "March for Jesus" group was assigned a nation to pray for; Cape Girardeau lifted its hands in prayer for Japan.

The group also prayed for the good of the United States.

"Our nation was born with violence, declaring out independence. We displaced the native people, broke covenants with them, oppressed and enslaved people and enforced injustice," said the Rev. Audie Long. "Now we reap a harvest of violence. Justice has fallen in the streets."

But feelings of good will and hope abounded Saturday morning as the marchers headed back to their cars.

"We wanted to gather as many people together today as we could, to show the love for Jesus we have inside of us," said Brown. "It was magnificent. It was wonderful to see people waving, singing and smiling as we walked down the street. I feel really privileged to have been a part of this."