Jesus in The City Parade returns for an exciting day of praise and worship in Toronto

BY PAUL JUNOR

It has been over twenty years since the Jesus in the City (JITC) Parade captivated Toronto during which thousands of worshippers paraded throughout the downtown area. Ayanna Solomon who serves as the President and CEO of this non-profit organization founded it.

The website: jesusinthecity.com states its vision is to celebrate love for God and love for people through music, the arts, and culture. Its mission is:

• To mobilize teams of praisers and worshipers to raise up a Godly standard in society
• To encourage unity in the Body of Christ, lifting up one voice unto God
• To restore the cultural relevance of music and the arts to the Church
• To cause people to identify with God’s Word, drawing them to receive Jesus

The first Jesus in the City Parade was held on Saturday, September 11^th, 1999, and featured live Gospel music, floats, costumes, banners, flags and as well as books of the Bible from Genesis to Revelations. In 2011, there was the first Taste of the Jesus in the City Concert as an indoor event to launch the parade, which subsequently moved to Yonge-Dundas Square in 2015. In addition, there was the first Jesus in the City Pastors & Leaders Breakfast in 2015, which hosted pastors, local community leaders and police services. Then there was the first City Prayer & Worship Sessions, which were initiated in local churches and continued, online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

JITC has moved beyond Toronto to the Caribbean where the first international parade was held on the island of Grenada in 2016 and in Jamaica in 2018. In the spirit of giving back, there was the first Christmas in the City Festival Concert in 2017 during which funds were raised for local and international children’s missions.

In 2020, the Jesus in the City Virtual world parade was held on September 12^th. It was described as one that journeys around the world incorporating virtual choir collaborations and artists from around the world.

In 2021, it was held on September 11^th, with another virtual world parade. These on-going festivities show how important and relevant JITC is to the Christian community in the Greater Toronto Area.

The parade for 2022 was held on Saturday, September 10^th, 2022, at Queen’s Park. There was a time of worship and prayer before the start of the parade which featured the: 8^th Line, DJs Carl Benji Wilmot and Edsel Jason Lloyd who make a joyful noise on the 1’s and 2’s. The Caribbean Gospel TV Canada team of Javan Kelly and Natasha De Leon-Kelly covered the parade and will rebroadcast it on www.caribbeangospel.tv

Ayanna is thankful for the goodness of God and the many blessings she has received. She posted on her Facebook page on September 12^th, “The Church showed Up! A special thank you to all our sponsors, churches, organizations, groups, artists and volunteers, who helped to make the 23^rd Annual Jesus in the City Parade an exciting experience.

Numerous reports of salvation along the parade route have come in from outreach teams, and hundreds of care packages distributed. We thank God for lives changed and souls saved at this year’s parade. We look forward to gathering again next year on Saturday, September 9^th, 2023!”

Anyone interested in learning more about Jesus in the City Parade can check:

Website: www.jesusinthecity.com

Facebook: jesusinthecityinternational

Instagram: @jesusinthecity

Twitter: @JesusintheCity