Halloween: the Christian's second most important holiday
19 October 2007 Jeff Gill
Easter is, of course, the winner. Without the death and resurrection of Jesus there would be no Christianity. That is important to celebrate.
I am relegating Christmas to the number three spot because it is owned by commerce. Yes, Christmas is a wonderful family holiday. Yes, we Christians celebrate the incarnation of God (even though Jesus never said we should). Yes, I love Christmas. But frankly, we Christians just don’t own it anymore. The shops do.
We don’t own Halloween either, but we could.
I grew up hearing about the evils of Halloween – satan worship, demons, razor blades in apples – not from my parents, but from the Christian culture I lived in. I grew up going to Halloween alternative events, having lots of fun in my bible character costume, knowing that I was safe from all the devil-worshiping psychos that were certain to get me if I dared to risk knocking at the doors of the heathens in my neighbourhood.
Then one year I tried it, and I didn’t die.
As soon as my son was old enough (3) I introduced him to the joys of trick-or-treating. That was when I started realising that Halloween is the second most important holiday for Christians.
Jesus said there are two commands that matter: love God and love your neighbour. The Easter holiday is all about the first command. Halloween is all about the second.
What other day of the year can you put on funny clothes and be welcomed at your neighbour’s house? In my neighbourhood Halloween is the only day of the year that that people actually get out of their houses and chat with the neighbours that they don’t know. It is a night of celebrating community.
In the neighbourhood behind our church they throw a party at the shop and lots of people come out and have a great time. That’s where we went trick-or-treating last year.
On Halloween people let down their guard and come out of their houses. And unlike Christmas, it is not fraught with expectations and busy-ness. So here is my plan of how Christians are going to take over Halloween:
Full disclosure: I will be on holiday over Halloween this year, so for me this is more of a memo for 2008.
1. Ignore the demons and the occultists. (Almost) no one else in your neighbourhood cares in the least about that stuff. They are interested in costumes and sweets. Paul tells us to overcome evil with good, not with huddled prayer meetings in the church basement. If you want a prayer meeting, do it on the 30th. If you want to do some real spiritual warfare, put on some silly clothes and go hang out with your neighbours.
2. Cancel your anti- and alternative events. In the words of Disney’s little mermaid, ‘I want to be where the people are.’ Hint: they live around you in those house-shaped things. Stay home, put some pumpkins in the window, hand out a bunch of sweets (not tracts!) and have a nice chat with all the witches and axe-murderers that come by. Even better, go outside and meet the little ghouls’ parents lurking at the bottom of the drive.
3. Be positive and proactive. Find out in advance where the nervous old people live. Let them know that there will be adults out and about and that you will keep an eye on their house. Have some extra glowsticks to give to kids who need to be more visible. Find good places to hide so you can jump out and scare the trick-or-treaters. If you are feeling really ambitious, have an open house/garden with games and hot chocolate and snacks.
4. Check your motivation. You are doing this because God commands us to love people, not because you are trying to score crowns in heaven by getting converts. People can smell a rat a mile away.
5. Make Halloween the starting place. Probably sometime over the course of the evening you will meet somebody and there will be a bit of a connection. Go with it. Invite them to join you for bonfire night. Have their kid over to play with yours. Give the relationship opportunity to grow. And remember it is about loving people, not converting them. That is the Holy Spirit’s job.
Doesn’t that sound like a lot more fun (and useful) than anything else you could be doing Halloween night?
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Things being said about Halloween: the Christian's second most important holiday
On 19 October 2007 Gill wrote:
Amen!
On 19 October 2007 christine wrote:
Ack! I wanna be here for Halloween this year! I love the open garden thing! yay!
On 20 October 2007 Beth wrote:
I was waiting for your annual halloween post after seeing all the jack-o-lanterns in the shops and on facebook. It really gets your goat, doesn’t it!!!??
Yeah, i went to ‘hallilujauh’ parties as a kid (but they spelled it better)
They were a bit lame really, although I appreciated the sentiment. That spooky stuff DID creep me out though. Maybe if I’d have had a responsable adult to hold my hand…
I agree with all the ‘smell a rat’ stuff. In any case, as Christians, we own the world (by proxy), it doesn’t own us, right?
On 20 October 2007 Steve wrote:
Hey
this takes guts to say…….. don’t spill ‘em now.
How often do we need to challenge our thinking of how we do things, how we respond to the world and whether, the way we act and react actually turns people off God, Jesus and the church.
On first read it’s easy to say ‘NO WAY’….. ‘Sinner’…‘Blasphemer!’…or other such terms of endearment that alienate us from one another. But wait a moment
Re-read what Jeff has put……. consider it and meditate on it…… chew it over but don’t spit it out
WHERE WOULD JESUS BE ON HALLOWEEN?
Am I sensitive to alternatives??….. Yes….. BUT FOR ME I’d rather be where the people are, how about you??
On 21 October 2007 Hopeful Spirit wrote:
Bravo! Bravo! I’m so glad to hear a Christian voice of reason!
On 21 October 2007 Prudent Musings wrote:
Let’s not forget that it was on October 31st, 1517 that Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses on the door of the of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.
Suppose that we don’t celebrate Halloween, but Reformation Day!
On 21 October 2007 Tia Lynn wrote:
Oh, it is SO refreshing to read postive piece on Halloween from a fellow Christian. I am so tired to the alternative knock-off christian celebrations of halloween, like “Harvest Parties…” My entire family dressed up for halloween, fron the oldest grandma to the youngest child and we marched around our neighborhood trick-or-treating. It’s one of my best childhood memories. People need to unclench a bit. Thanks for sharing ways to reach out in love to our neighbors…
On 21 October 2007 Jeff Gill wrote:
Hey, everyone, thanks for all the encouragement!
To: Hopeful Spirit, Prudent Musings & Tia Lynn thanks for stopping by. Please come again.
Beth said: we own the world.
Rob Bell made a very nice parallel statement: All truth is ours. (It doesn’t matter where you find it.)
Prudent Musings, maybe we could start a new tradition of nailing statements on people’s door on October 31st. Trick-or-theses. It could work…
On 22 October 2007 Beth wrote:
Gosh, November is not the best month for sectarian relations.
I enjoyed reading the comments.
On 22 October 2007 Patrick Britton wrote:
Though I agree Halloween shouldn’t be feared by Christians I disagree that we should start to embrace it. On a personal level sure, go ahead, doesn’t bother me. However, I don’t feel we should start embracing pagan holidays anymore than the mainstream altered Christmas or Easter. When it comes down to it it’s up to us as Christians to keep our Holidays sacred, by courting around Halloween or other celebrations that don’t coincide with our beliefs we’re only reinforcing the idea that it’s cool to not take such things seriously. Just because demons aren’t floating around going “boo” doesn’t mean we should laugh it off and join the party. Take down the “x-mas” signs, celebrate Christ and don’t make things worse by being just another Christian that’s down with the world’s habits and traditions.
On 22 October 2007 Shawn wrote:
Wonderful post! Well said!
On 22 October 2007 Vince wrote:
I love it.
blog links coming.
On 23 October 2007 Russ wrote:
Wasn’t Christmas based on a pagen holiday as well? Did I get that wrong?
On 23 October 2007 Ron Scholes wrote:
Please, people,
Remember that all holidays we celebrate are taken from traditions of the past. Christmas is the celebration of the “Birth of the Sun,” celebrated on the 25th day of December, because that was the first day it could be determined that the Sun was really moving north again. Apollo,(The Deity of the Sun),was born on this day, as was Jesus Christ, (The Son of God), (according to tradition). The Christian church took the “Saturnalia” celebration (The Birth of the Sun) from the Roman people and named it “Christmas”(Christ Mass) (The Birth of the Son) to “stamp out paganism”.
Halloween is merely a harvest festival. It has no links to satanism. It is a time to remember those gone before, to offer gifts to those who ask, to those who appear at the door in masks and rags, a time to laugh and play. Much like the Mexican “Day of the Dead”, it is a time for delight.
And where would Jesus be on Halloween? Garbed in robes that would hide his divinity, and gathering candy like all other sane beings in our society.
On 23 October 2007 Beth wrote:
Ahhh, holidays….
Did you know Constantine tried to Christianise pagan holiday’s as early as 3 AD (I think: the 3rd century into the advent of Christianity)
And is it true that scholars reckon the most accurate date of Christ’s human incarnation in Bethlehem is probably more likely to have been in October than December? Which would have fulfilled the Jewish festival, the feast of the tabernacles, when Jesus came to tabernacle amongst us? (See John’s Gospel; and look up the origins of the verb, ‘to dwell’ And, more tenuously, Paul’s insistance that Christ came to fulfil the law, and not replace it)
Folk who like to meditate upon Revalation (I prefer a Psalm or two myself) have, I think, speculated that all of the feasts in the Jewish calender will be fulfilled by the end of the age (The passover by the Crucifixion etc. etc.) These wise old owls believe that we can predict the approxamate time of year the second coming will take place. (I don’t think they make any claims as to the year, its a symbolic thing)
But I suppose that various Popes have messed about so much with the Western calender that is difficult to know what comes where, and who will come when, if you see what I mean.
Anyway, it’s very interesting, all this holiday stuff. And obviously something people feel strongly about. Good post Jeff!!
On 23 October 2007 Jeff Gill wrote:
Thanks again for commenting, folks.
It is fascinating to look at how the meanings of holidays have changed throughout history. I enjoy history. I especially enjoy it if it can be made relevant to twenty-first century Western Christians and how we can respond to our cultures in a relevant way. Anyone have more thoughts to add in that department?
Ron, I think Jesus would start with five Mars bars and two gummy worms and end up filling the bags of 5,000 children.
On 23 October 2007 Catherine Chamberlain wrote:
Thanks for this post- while my family has always been enthusiastic about participating in Halloween, I had never thought of it this way.
Patrick- Halloween is not a pagan holiday, any more than Christmas is a pagan holiday anyway. It is a harvest celebration, something that has occurred in agrarian society for as long as it’s existed- I’m willing to bet the Israelites celebrated the harvest in their own way, of course praising God for it. The other derivative of the holiday, Dia de los Muertos, has been made into a Christian holiday in Latin America every bit as much as the Roman Saturnalia festival was Christianized by Constantine. So unless you recognize that Christmas also originates from a pagan holiday, I don’t understand why we shouldn’t embrace Halloween as much as we do the other.
On 24 October 2007 sally wing wrote:
As a person of Anglo-Celtic heritage, I am particularly fond of Halloween – WE invented it!!! It did have pagan roots (Druid in this case) as did most “cultural” holidays before the early apostles and missionaries of Christ brought alternative meaning and significance to them through the reach of the Roman Empire. Jack-o-lanterns were a symbol of welcome and blessing to children who (by tradition) represented the beloved departed spirits. All Hallows Eve (Halloween) is followed on Nov 1 by All Saint’s Day. As a Catholic school girl, I remember having the day off from school but being required to attend 8 AM mass (there’s a killjoy for you after a night of candy gorging!) a generic “mass mass” to honor the faithful departed who had not merited a feast day of their own. The next day (Nov 2) is all SOUL’s Day; we had to go to school and attend yet another “mass mass” for the lost/departed still languishing in Purgatory.
The first time any kind of EVIL crept into my Halloween experience was the year that the Zodiac killer (SF Bay Area) threatened to use the festive opportunity to kidnap and kill innocent children. HE was real and he frightened us and our parents.
I celebrate Halloween to honor my Anglo-Celtic roots and to bless, with an open hand, the children and their families who come to my door.
On 24 October 2007 greg boudonck wrote:
What an excellent way to look at Halloween.I believe as Christians sometimes we “sweat“the small stuff.It is ok to put Bibles in treat bags too!!!!
On 24 October 2007 Ben Wall wrote:
Dude,
I like your point about engaging your neighbor. I encourage you to give out whole candy bars—talk about shaking up your neighborhood!! To be known as the coolest people on the block—all the kids would flock to your house with each passing year! It’ll cost you, but you seem like the type who’d be willing to sacrifice for that sort of thing, right?
One more thing, if I may? It’s time to put away the sledge hammer of judgement on how people love their neighbor! Whatever your method, may it be relational and heartfelt! You like a backyard party, so what if my backyard is 10 acres & filled with 2,000 people eating, talking, laughing, and connecting at the property owned by God’s people?
Some of my best friends on earth came to my church at what you’ve bashed—this “harvest party”. Where would I be without them?
So keep working out your salvation with fear & trembling—God is having a great time growing you into Jesus!
On 25 October 2007 Jeff Gill wrote:
I’m loving the ongoing halloween history lessons! I really am. Please remember though that in general people’s responses to today’s Halloween, both for and against, are much more informed by: the availability of free sweets, scary costumes and whether or not they think such things are okay, and their own culture, Christian or otherwise.
Well reasoned arguments about history will not touch many hearts or change many minds.
Ben, thanks for commenting (and everyone else too!)
I think you will find that my hammer of judgement is actually a tiny little ball peen. For proof look at the lack of dents on your “harvest party”. I hope that it’s a great time and that you connect with a lot of people that don’t know Jesus. The kingdom grows in many ways.
As for my being cool – we Christians are hopeless when it comes to being cool, and we should stop trying. That, however, will be the subject of a different post.
On 25 October 2007 Trisha wrote:
Check out these websites: logo resources and Halloween history
for the true origins on this day of the year.
Being a Christian is all about following what the Bible teaches, what we believe Christ would have us behave like. Christians that participate in this druidic and pagan day of the year, need to spend some more time in the word. He tells us not to hide from the world, yes, but he also tells us in 1 Thess. 5 to avoid the very appearance of evil.
It comes down to your own conscience. If you truly believe that you are somehow able to participate in the evil that is in the world without becoming part of it, then go right ahead. Just because you have put a PC title on it does not change the meat of the day or of the reason for the day.
If it’s all about a block party for you, why not hold one the weekend before or the weekend after? What is wrong with a “Harvest Festival?” Pumpkins, wheat, colors of leaves, changing of the seasons- all are beautiful changes in the time of year to celebrate. There are ways, however, to do it without participating unwittingly in a druidic rally. Whether you are participating in a ritual intentionally or not, does not change the fact that you are indeed participating.
On 25 October 2007 Jeff Gill wrote:
Trisha, thanks for adding your voice.
Forgive me, I am going to make one correction to one of your statements. The King James version of 1 Thessalonians 5:22 does indeed say to ‘Abstain from all appearance of evil.’ However, our modern understanding of those words isn’t what the Greek text of the bible actually says.
The Greek word eidos translated in the KJV as appearance means this: 1. the external or outward appearance, form figure, shape 2. form, kind. It is a word that comes from the Greek verb to see’, and it is the way physical objects look. For instance, a door. When I look at a door – this word is talking about the physical form that I see. There is no judgement about whether or not it is a good door or where the door leads to. It is just about the door that I see.
When this word is applied to an abstract concept like evil, then what it is talking about is its manifestation as an act or a thing. So a paraphrase of the KJV that is more accurate to in today’s English would be something like: Avoid evil whatever form it takes. That is pretty much how all newer translations put it.
The idea that we should avoid anything that might appear evil is a sort of Christian urban myth. It is also impossible. Just look at how badly Jesus failed at avoiding the appearance of evil. He hung out with bad people, saved the life of an adulteress, talked to women alone, healed people on the Sabbath and was called a glutton and a heavy drinker.
He appeared evil to the standard-bearers of righteousness in his time, yet he avoided every form of evil.
When it comes to Halloween, Christians of good conscience can and will think differently, but it would be terribly sad for a fight to break out over what merely appeared to be evil.
On 25 October 2007 Allen Marsh wrote:
The ideas I have read are good, but missing is the fact that October 31 is Reformation Day, a major day in church history. It has been years since I have heard any sermon about it. Public Christianized celebration of Halloween (hallowed evening) is good, but Christian groups (churches, Bible study groups, etc.) should celebrate Reformation Day. Study Martin Luther and the circumstances around his posting of his 95 theses for eccleastical debate.
On 26 October 2007 Seyton wrote:
“devil-worshiping psychos”
You lost me right there.
So closed-minded, it hurts.
On 26 October 2007 brigs wrote:
oh no!!!! they don’t do Halloween were i live. this is geniuse, some real christens do exits.
On 26 October 2007 Ed Halladay wrote:
You can not read the Bible from beginning to end and possibly think your compromise has Gods blessing. This is exactly how satan weaves has lies into doctrine.Post number 10 has it right.You sale your own ship. I’m not gettin on.
On 26 October 2007 John wrote:
Jeff, I love the perspective you bring to the discussion of Halloween. I have always wondered what to do with this particular night of the year. What better way to elevate the command to love your neighbor in your own life than to actually open your door to their kids? My wife & I have decided that we are going to be wide open for all the kids and families in our neighborhood. We’ll probably even give away some big candy bars!
On 26 October 2007 confused wrote:
Okay so even if Halloween is not a pagan festival and is some other kinda harvest festival or whatever then why do people dress up. To dress your child in some horrible lookign skeleton or demon is beyond me. Yeah lets reach out to others on this occassion but do we have to subject ourselves to dressing up, no thanks. Yeah Jesus mixed with the bad guys but he didn’t say yeah that’ll be ten pints of lager and a shag for me too. You have to be so careful that by joining in you are giving the message this is okay for kids next thing you know they’re dabbling with the occult yeah you may know better but they dont they can draw harmful conclusions that it’s all harmless. just like with harry potter really, one thing can lead to another I have seen the damage it can cause to a whole family. Give me the Heavenly Potter anyday.
On 27 October 2007 Celeste wrote:
Halloween to a child seems like a great thing. Free candy! (They totally don’t get that parents buy candy too) Costumes! Going out at night. If it was just about these things I probably STILL wouldn’t do it.
Seems nuts to me- we spend the whole rest of the year telling our kids not to take candy or anything else from strangers, then on this night we confuse the poor things by allowing them to do just that.
AS far as costumes go- my son is allowed to dress up any time he wants. He has several super hero and public worker costumes that I get on clearance after Halloween just so he can play with them. Don’t need a holiday for that.
Add the druidic and pagan associations and I think it’s a firm “No thanks” for my family.
I am aware that Christmas and Easter have muddled beginnings origin wise, but at least they are intended as celebrations of the birth and resurrection of Christ.
I know that whether or not we celebrate Halloween or not probably has no bearing on our salvation, but I just don’t see any good in it. I don’t condemn anyone who chooses to celebrate it, but I choose not to.
I’ll spent Autumn thanking God for the beauty and majesty of his creation, and the bountiful way in which he provides. Oh yeah, that’s Thanksgiving :D
On 28 October 2007 Faloo Faloo wrote:
I am so tired to the discussion of Halloween. My entire family dressed up for halloween, fron the oldest grandma to the standard-bearers of righteousness in his time, yet he avoided every form of evil. I know that whether or not probably has no links to satanism. Some of my best friends on earth came to tabernacle amongst us? Seems nuts to me- we spend the whole rest of the tabernacles, when Jesus came to my church at what you’ve bashed as this harvest party. What is wrong with a lot of people that don’t know Jesus?
I have always wondered what to do with this particular night of the verb, to dwell. What if it was on October 31st, 1517 that Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses on the door of the Son to stamp out paganism.
BUT missing is that the way we act and react actually turns people off God, Jesus and the circumstances around his posting of his 95 theses on the 25th day of the holiday, Dia de los Muertos, though it has been years since I have heard any sermon about it. He appeared evil to the discussion of Halloween. Much like the Mexican Day of the tabernacles, when Jesus came to tabernacle amongst us? That is pretty much how all newer translations put it.
The kingdom grows in many ways.
On 28 October 2007 Chris Moncus wrote:
Hey Bro. I just found your blog via StumbleUpon. I’m so glad I did. My wife and I were going to do the get together with neighbors thing but not for all these reasons. I’m passing this on to our friends in hopes they will join with us in loving people, even the ones dressed up like Satan and Elvis.
Thanks a ton. You have forever changed my view of Halloween. Your words are going to have a big impact on southeast Georgia, USA.
On 29 October 2007 monica wrote:
Thanks for your positive message. Halloween is the only night that we even see many of our neighbors and it is a great time to reconnect with them.
Just this weekend, I had a Christian parent practically slam their door in my face when I took them a bucket of cute Halloween treats (nothing scarry) “just to be nice” telling me that they “don’t do Halloween because it is Satan’s birthday.” So much for “love thy neighbor,” I guess. We are Christians, but this made a most confusing impression on my two young children. Try explaining this to two kids, who out of innocence and kindness, wanted to do something nice for their neighbor.
Shouldn’t this be a time to reach out to others and connect with them in a Christian-like manner, not hide in the church on Halloween as you see some doing?
On 30 October 2007 Susan wrote:
Really great post, Jeff, and a great example of how we should get out of hiding, so to speak, and start connecting with and loving people, just as Jesus would do.
On 30 October 2007 Shannon Lewis wrote:
Hallelujah! I basically wrote this same post last year – very good to see I’m not the only one! I just reposted it with a few links on my new blog. Visit me soon…
http://4whatitsworth.wordpress.com/2007/10/29/why-i-celebrate-halloween/
On 31 October 2007 Antony Wooldridge wrote:
Happy Haloween! and thank you for helping my wife and I make the decision to celebrate the occasion with our neighbours. Our Lord would not want us to hide in his house but more importantly, would want to meet those whom Haloween seems to be manufactured for in this century, the children. Amen.
On 1 November 2007 Dave wrote:
I’m all for the “breaking from the traditional church position on many things”, which more often than not can turn people off when it comes to bringing the love of Jesus to people. As “church” we should be involved in all areas of society and infect it with Jesus love, healing, freedom, forgiveness etc. I don’t see why we should not do the same when it comes to halloween.
Halloween in todays form comes from various roots including; dressing as evil spirits to fend off spirits of the dead released on all hallows night, some sort of druid/celtic harvest festival, celebrating Pomona the Roman goddess of fruit and trees (who’s symbol is an apple), and some other things thrown in I think.
Would Jesus be involved in halloween? I think so – BUT, Would Jesus dress up in a scary dead person costume and go round trying to obtain cakes and sweets from his neighbours in exchange for praying for their dead relatives? Or to bring in into a more modern translation of the festival, would He wear the same costume at his neighbours/some random door and bribe people into giving Him treats (in exchange for not throwing eggs at their property)?
Halloween is becoming more and more commercialised. Spending in the UK has increased by around 1000% over the last five years according to the BBC! It’s now the third most lucrative behind Christmas and Easter.
Now then, an honest question here: I would like to know how trick or treating could fall into the catagory of “love your neighbour”? or “overcome evil with good”. Because I can’t see how your neighbour is being loved by having to give out treats to avoid personal loss. Yes you can love your neighbour by giving out sweets and talking with them when they come to your door, that’s fine but the problem is, behind the next door they go to may be some elderly person who is scared by it all, or someone who hasn’t got a treat to give or doesn’t answer the door for whatever reason.
Jesus loved His neighbours without getting involved in their sin e.g. Jesus didn’t go around with Zacheus extorting money from people in an attempt to share the gospel with him. Am I saying trick or treating is sin? well if tring to obtain something from someone by threat of harm is sin then yes. People were transformed by Jesus love and compassion. We can and should do the same.
We should be light and salt in the world, and all the time – Let’s use halloween as one of those opportunities, but let’s be wise and lead by the Spitit in how we do it.
On 3 November 2007 Jeff Gill wrote:
Thanks for continuing the conversation while I was away in the land of cider and cheese. Our halloween consisted of some fantastic Indian takeaway and a not-quite-spooky walk in the woods. Roll on 2008!
I am thoroughly chuffed to read that I have been actually useful to some of you. I’m also pleased that those of you who disagree have felt free to do so here, and that most of you have disagreed thoughtfully and intelligently.
Comment 25, Seyton (Ha ha): generally people who are not close-minded don’t rush to judgement so quickly and have a slightly longer attention-span than you.
This is the most exciting to me. Check out what John Woolsey (comment 28) did!
Chris (comment 32), how did your Halloween go?
It turns out that, as usual, there are lots of other people who were doing the stuff I proposed way before me. Here are some examples.
A note of interest: Here in the UK people almost exclusively dress up in scary, gory and/or spiritually dark costumes. In the USA you are as likely to see a princess or a fairy as you are a witch. My kids tend to stand out a little when they go trick-or-treating because we go for the lighter side of dark – bat, spider, gangster, etc.
A note of clarification: A few of you seem to have interpreted my article as a justification for joining in the fun of Halloween. First, I’ve been joining in the modern, shallow secular Halloween for years without the need to justify it. Second, this article is about connecting with people that God loves at a time when they are open to it. For shy people like me Halloween gives me a great boost.
Dave (comment 37), my take on trick-or-treating as it is generally practised now is somewhat less sinister.
Also, you said this: behind the next door they go to may be some elderly person who is scared by it all, or someone who hasn’t got a treat to give or doesn’t answer the door for whatever reason.
Before you even asked, behold, an answer was written by me (point 3 above): Find out in advance where the nervous old people live. Let them know that there will be adults out and about and that you will keep an eye on their house.
One more quote from you, Dave: We should be light and salt in the world, and all the time – Let’s use halloween as one of those opportunities, but let’s be wise and led by the Spitit in how we do it.
On 3 November 2007 Jeff Gill wrote:
Here’s another one out in the neighborhood: Matt McKee
On 4 November 2007 ayomide wrote:
I don’t know. If Jesus was out on Halloween I don’t believe he would dress up as anything or anyone but himself and he would connect and witness and love the people that he mets. I don’t celebrate Halloween or Harvest Festival but I think you can still “love thy neighbor” and connect with people without the costume. I don’t think “joining” in helps any. You can be apart of the group without being in the group.
On 29 October 2008 christina wrote:
WOW! I never really thought about it that way but that is the only time I see my neighbourhood your right. We should think about making halloween a day or weekly event. I’m going to try.