Olney marches for Jesus for 26th year

An army of children and adults from churches around Olney set off on the 26th annual March for Jesus on a bright Saturday “at the prompting of The Holy Spirit,” Verma Fobbs, the event’s founder, said. After a great deal of resisting that prompt, she organized the first March for Jesus in 1999, and continued every year for more than a quarter-century.

Olney Police Chief Dan Birbeck warned those marching that he had limited staff and the march was going down a highway.

After the march, the denizens of Olney went to the fellowship hall of the First Baptist Church of Olney and enjoyed praise and worship, led by Pastor Chad Edgington. These songs included “Lean on Me” and “Let Go Let God.” Associate Pastor Jaden Brisco then gave a sermon on Matthew 14:2233. Just as Jesus knew that the Disciples would be caught in a storm that might have lasted for “nine hours,” God knows the difficulties that we will face before we face them. Peter begged for Jesus to aid him, not after he had sunk, but while he was sinking. In the same way, we need to let Jesus take control of our lives, Pastor Briscoe said. Peter did not sink because of the storm, he sank because he stopped focusing on Jesus and focused on the storm. In the same way, we need to focus on seeing The Holy Spirit as opposed to the trials and tribulations of this sincursed and fallen world, Pastor Briscoe said.

After Pastor Brisco’s sermon, everyone went to a hall for sausage wraps, nachos, and cake. There was a drawing not just for a television, which was won by Nate Johnson, but also for multiple ESV study Bibles and bikes.

The event reminded participants that people march for all kinds of things, and that we need to stand and march for Jesus, not just in October, but in every month and in every part of our lives.