Leveled Up – Marshalltown Holiday Stroll 2024

Last Saturday, November 23rd was the 32nd annual Marshalltown Holiday Stroll, located in downtown Marshalltown, Iowa. The Holiday Stroll brings people from all over for the lighted parade, specials in stores, entertainment, and so much more. It is one of the easiest events to share the gospel as people leisurely walk from store to store looking for deals, treats, and contests. This year’s theme was: “All Is Bright,” but for Paul and I, it was “Leveled Up.”

Better location

This year’s holiday stroll was difficult but glorious all at the same time with many changes. In previous years’ Paul and I were parked in the entryway of Stepping Stones Christian Bookstore greeting people as they entered, and wishing them a Merry Christmas as they left. Because the store was damaged during the tornado a few years ago, the owner was able to use the money and extend the building to the sidewalk, removing the 8ft of space we occupied for the stroll.

But, the building that was next to the store was also destroyed by the tornado, leaving an empty lot. After making a few phone calls, Paul was able to secure permission for the lot, a 10’x10′ tent, and we were in business.

We got heat!

The tent Paul and I purchased came with zippered sides, and were able to stay warmer than being out in the cold open to the elements in all those prior years. This was nice because I never had to step inside the store to get warm. Since we were away from the building, we borrowed a propane heater that lasted the entire 4+ hours of the holiday stroll. At the end of the night, it turns out we had a lot more gas left over and could have turned it up even more. At least a 10 degree difference between inside the tent and outside. Enough to not need gloves.

Christmas Lights and Music!

This year we decided to add Christmas lights to decorate the space. The lights, powered by a portable 110v Battery Pack, ultimately went out about 7pm which didn’t hinder us from working since we had the propane lantern and a backup battery-powered lantern just in case.

We even added music to set the Christmas mood which we never had before. I selected Christmas music from bands like Frank Sinatra, the Rat Pack, Bing Crosby, Mercy Me, For King and Country, and many more. The wireless JBL speaker connected to Spotify worked out great, and even picked out songs that went along with the theme without having to keep an eye on it.

More Help

Even though Paul’s wife, Mary, went home to be with the Lord this past year, she still was very much a part of the festivities by writing down directions for Paul on what to buy, how to prepare the hot chocolate, and aranging the setup. My wife, Lisa, was a huge help inside along with a couple from Paul’s church. She filled Mary’s spot by lugging large carafes from the back room to the front, and making sure everything was going smoothly in the warmth and business of the store.

Towards the end we ran out of chocolate tracts (400), candy cane tracts (200), and styrofoam cups for hot chocolate (which I was able to purchase more at a local ethnic grocery store). We also gave away “What Time is Purple” books, Gideon New Testaments, Gideon Life Books, and Santa Christmas Cash from Tract Planet.

We also had more evangelists joining us. My neighbor, Bob, came back this year after taking last year off. He was with us two years ago when it was 10 below zero. He was able to lead a gentleman to the Lord who just got out of prision and needed a “heart-transplant.” Pray for Jose’ that he gets involved in a good church and contunues his discipleship with a local church. Tim, a Med-student who attends my church at Calvary Chapel Des Moines, joined us this year too. He had an amazing night sharing the gospel with people outside the booth and walking up and down the street of the festival. Many people got to hear the full gospel that night. It was amazing and I can guarantee Bob and Tim will be with us again next year. Consider joining us as well. There’s plenty to do, from street evangelism, parade evangelism, and one-on-one conversations.

Well, this closes our outdoor evangelism season of the year. At the end we all sat inside the tent with the heater turned up as some friends joined us for some much needed hot Pho. We hope to do more and exciting things next year, and hope more people will join us and catch the bug to share the gospel on the streets of central Iowa. Stay tuned in the outreach events page for more things happening this winter. I will be gathering a schedule to go out to the malls for one-on-one conversations during the shopping season. Hopefully you can join me.