The weather was just right, not too cold, with a nip in the air. All fourteen of us were waving and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Yule as our float approached the old High School in Lake City, Arkansas. We noticed the crowd that had gathered along the Streets was about twice the size it was last year. Since our Church won 1st place last year for “Best Church Float,” we were given the honor of being the first float in this year’s parade. As we approached the crowd we heard a few people proclaim, “Here come the Wiccans!” Everyone was waving and smiling and cheering as we slowly rolled by.

When we arrived at the end of the parade at the local fire station, everyone went inside the large hall for fellowship, hot dogs, and prizes. There was about 800 people that attended, (which is pretty good for a small town with population of just over 2000). We didn’t win the first-place trophy this year, it went to 1st Baptist Church. Their float was a beautiful creation of Noah’s Ark, complete with children dressed up as the animals. In fact, ALL the other churches had upgraded their floats from the same old floats they had being using for years. The parade had expanded and grown to a wonderful expression of community participation and effort.

A week after the parade, my son and his wife were visiting at the 1st Baptist church for one of their functions. The pastor recognized my son and struck up a conversation with him. He told Zach, my son, “You know for years I’ve been trying to get my congregation to upgrade our Christmas Float and get our community more involved in the parade. Last year when your father and his church showed up with their fantastic float, I said to myself, ‘Finally some friendly competition!’”

The Southern Delta Church of Wicca-ATC has been established in our area for years. I have always believed that for the religion of Wicca to thrive and grow, it has to find its rightful place within the community in which it lives. It has taken us quite a while and a lot of work within our church to achieve this goal. By getting involved with our communities, environmentally, socially, and even politically, it helps to educate the public as to “Who we are” and what the Faith is about. When this happens, Wiccan Churches become more acceptable in communities, because correct information is being disseminated and the misconceptions about Wicca are being re-examined and seen as incorrect.

Wicca is going to continue to grow and evolve and eventually assume its rightful place in equality with all the other major faiths of the world; it cannot unless it engages in an interpersonal relationship with humanity and communities of the world.

There were many different people of many diverse faiths at the Firehouse in Lake City after the parade. We all came together in fellowship for a common purpose, “The Community,” and I was proud to say that SDCW-ATC, a Wiccan Church, was a part of it. To paraphrase a prayer from Tiny Tim, from A Christmas Carol, “ALL the Gods Blessed Us, each and every one!”

Terry Riley is the founding High Priest of Southern Delta Church of Wicca - ATC in Jonesboro, AR, established in 1994.

For the last twenty years, Terry has promoted Wicca/Paganism on T.V. Radio, Newpaper articles and been in Newsweek Magazine. His book "Brothers of the Sun: Pagan Men's Mysteries," was published and released in 2011.