Halloween is nearly here and I just wanted to flag up new resource that you can get hold of from Scripture Union for use in light parties, all-age events and the like. In fact you can order it for free from here.
I really like it as it marks a departure from the traditional way of dealing with Halloween, which has been to persuade ourselves that it’s doing terrible harm to children by exposing them to terrible occultist activities that we should hide our children from at all costs. However by doing this we don’t really do our children many favours for a couple of reasons:
We miss out on an opportunity to help them think about what it means to be in a culture but of another one. All through their life they will face this challenge and the answer isn’t to withdraw into our Christian bubble. Rather we should help children think about how they bring the light of Christ with them into the world and be a faithful follower in that culture. If we get used to hiding our kids from anything that might challenge their faith, then they will not be ready for the challenges they will face when they are older and much more independent.
You teach them by your actions that God isn’t there in the darkness. Sometimes God seems huge, life is good and we feel surrounded by light, but sometimes life is not good and the darkness closes in and God seems like a tiny flicker of hope to hold on to. Halloween is a point in the church year when we think about darkness and children get the chance to play with it in a safe way. It’s this play now that will help them to process the dark times in their life and understand that God is still there.
That is why I rather like these resources as they are taking children a bit more seriously and as well as celebrating Jesus as the Lord of Light there is space made to think about the darkness into which he came.
For more about engaging with Halloween, there’s a piece about that on Scripture Union’s website. If you’re looking for something to give out to children, check out Darkness: The Unwelcome Visitor.
Let us know what events you’re staging over Halloween!
Sam Donoghue is Head of Children and Youth Support for the Diocese of London. If you’re with him in a café, he’ll drink a flat white.