Hallowe'en and Pumpkins in Church?

The first response to this from any of those I know would have been, 'No Way!' and yet, I'd like to perhaps persuade you to change your mind on this for a very good reason:

A project from World Vision, looking to raise money for children in some of 'the world's hardest places' has challenged me to change my own view on the outside bits of the pumpkin (I will have already eaten the contents in one of the other half's wonderful pies!) and encourage others to do likewise. 

But I will let them speak for themselves:

  

'This Halloween – and every night – millions of children face a night of fear. It isn't fun or exciting and it isn't a choice for one night. 31 October is simply another night of facing hardship, loneliness, abuse, hunger or conflict.

World Vision is in the world’s hardest places tonight and every night. Right now, we are comforting children as they wake from nightmares of abuse, helping girls and boys forced into marriage or hard labour and protecting children fleeing bombs and disasters.

By carving a heart in your pumpkin and texting HEART to 70060 to donate £5 you will be showing you care and help us to bring hope to even more children.'

Click on the 'World Vision' link and take a look - perhaps use the stories or the video in one of the services or meetings you do?  And of course, you can always make one for your own home - eat the pie, carve the pumpkin and send the money (the important bit in this scenario) :-)

But I still don't do light parties ;-)

Remember when Everyone knew about Church?

That time when just about everyone, yes ALL the people you met, knew the Lord's Prayer (traditional version) and could quote passages (King James Version) and knew that the time before Christmas was Advent and the time before Easter was Lent (and they knew this was a 'purple' season too!)?

I happened to mention to someone that Advent started next week and they, being rather typical of the people I tend to meet these days, assumed that I was talking about a new club. After all Trinity has become Kuda (which is, if memory serves me correctly, the name of a Tapir in India) so it makes sense that Advent might be another renaming!

I explained that Advent was the time before Christmas and immediately they picked up on it and asked whether that was another name for the twelve days before Christmas!!

Thus stopped in my tracks I moved the bus back a little and explained that the twelve days of Christmas actually began on Christmas Day (which this year, I added, will happen on the 25th December) and ends with Epiphany (5th January) - so they occur AFTER Christmas.

 Quick as a flash, back comes the response, 'Epiphany? Isn't that what they do when someone dies - Why do they do it for Christmas?

'No, no, no.' said I (patiently), 'That's an epitaph!'

'Yes, that's what you said. Why do one at Christmas because that's all about giving presents not dead people. That's Hallowe'en!'

So I began to explain that Hallowe'en was not about epitaphs nor dead people and get on to All Souls, Saints and all that stuff when I came up with a great idea!

I looked at them and said, 'Never mind - soon be Christmas won't it?' And left knowing when I'd been soundly beaten :-)

Hallowe'en - We don't do it, do we?

Many years back when our youngest was really tiny the family were engaged in a discussion over 'light parties' as an alternative to hallowe'en. We were explaining that we didn't think that putting on an alternative worked as all that happened was the kids were dropped off by their parents to a party on what everyone was calling Hallowe'en. They were dressed in outfits that (despite requests) looked like Hallowe'en costumes and the next day the parents told everyone what a great Hallowe'en party the church had put on!

The final shot in the conversation was, "I'm sorry, but we just don't do Hallowe'en!"

Up piped a wise little four-year old with, "But we do do Jesus, don't we?"

We do indeed - but this is an issue that will soon be upon us again and so I wonder how you will deal with this event, trick or treating and the other stuff(local supermarkets already crammed with merchandise)?

And a cautionary note. Alcohol and Hallowe'en don't mix either!

Pax