To Trick, To Treat, Or To Not

I have some really cool memories of my childhood. My church was one of those that always did a straight up haunted house for Halloween when I was really young. Too young actually to be allowed to go through it so I would sneak in and immediately regret that decision because it was scary! I also remember going Trick or Treating! Would you like to know the houses we would always go to outside of family??? My parent’s church family that didn’t have young children. Because those folks were the ones home. Nell and Arlie Lawson and Dean Stinnett (Dock’s Motel) come to mind first. I remember where the Lawson’s lived and most everyone knows about Dock’s Motel (we used to go swim there in the summer also) if you lived in Townsend. I always wanted to go to my Aunt Bug’s house because she had the scariest stuff. From Uncle Avery dressing up like a scarecrow and sitting so still on the front porch until you got your candy and then he would jump up and chase you to the car, to the flying ghosts in the driveway. It was way cool!

I don’t ever remember a conversation about whether it was right or wrong. I don’t remember conversations about the evils of Halloween. I’m not saying they didn’t take place, you’ll have to ask my mom or dad about that, I’m just saying as a child, I dressed up in my costume and went and got candy. And I remember looking for the “good” candy. You know, chocolate! No healthy, no fruit, and for goodness sakes, don’t even come at me with that toothbrush talk! No ma’am!

I’m not making a judgment on you if you choose to allow your children the adventure that is Trick or Treating or not; I’m just sharing my experience. When my kids were younger we would also take them to family and people we went to church with. I’m a little jealous of you who live in neighborhoods where your kids can actually walk down the street and go from house to house. I love what churches have done to protect kids from people we don’t know by doing trunk or treat and other fall festivals.

I can’t speak enough about what my church does at Halloween. This is the 3^rd year of the Not-so-scary-candy-trail! We are fortunate enough to have a significant amount of property behind our church that is thick with trees. It is where our boy’s ministry meets and plays and builds and also where, this time of year, it is transformed into a walkthrough bible story. The first year was Moses and at intervals along the trail through the woods the guide will stop and the children and adults in the group would witness a scene from the life of Moses. And at the end of the trail was the “Promised Land” where hot chocolate flowed abundantly with candy and treats. Last year was Joseph’s story. And now we come to 2014…

This year is Jonah and the Big Fish! Same concept just on whole other level! There is a huge fish that the kids will walk through. There are two beaches, two boats and of course at each scene…CANDY! Lots of candy. The good kind too. No toothbrushes. No fruit. Lots of chocolate! Oh, and games. Carnival games, inflatable games, and more and then if the child plays a game, guess what they get??? CANDY!!!! We will have hot dogs also. And it’s all free.

Every morning when I get to the church I walk the trail. I have two reasons. One is to see what all happened the day before because it is truly fascinating to see what creative committed people can do when released to do so! The other is to pray. I walk in the woods where the only sound is the squirrels working the leaves and the trees and occasionally the faint sound of the cars driving on Montvale Station. There I can think. There I can appreciate people’s sacrifice. There I can imagine hundreds of kids not worrying about ghosts and goblins but seeing and hearing God’s Word played out in front of them. My prayer is that my little nieces and nephews will remember their church when they are 43 years old. That the kids of the community when they are older will remember a church.

“They did this bible story thing in the woods.”

“They gave great candy”

“Every year I would ask my parents if RIO 180 was doing the Candy Trail”

“Hey, do you remember that big stinky fish?”

“Do you remember the year it snowed on Halloween and we were all worried they were gonna cancel but when we drove by they were there in the cold wet evening and they were grilling hot dogs, doing hay rides, that big inflatable slide was up, and by the time we got up in the woods on the trail we had forgotten all of the church people complaining about Halloween because it was just fun?!!!”

I pray that we are creating a great past for the future of our kids!

God, may our kids see us turning on a light instead of just fighting the darkness! Allow us the opportunity to create positive memories of church and church people. Give us the courage to not be swayed by one or two but to be guided and inspired by your Word! Oh, and God, if it possible, could you postpone the rain just a little bit or maybe give us a break around 6:00 till 8:45 or so tonight? If not, we understand. You planned the weather long before we planned the trail. And we’re still gonna be here regardless! I hope people come out. It’s gonna be fun!

In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!

Hope to see you tonight at 6:30pm!

Pastor Dad