In the past, Halloween was often regarded as a contentious holiday in religious circles. However, perspectives have evolved. If you’re looking for enjoyable ways to engage your congregation in Halloween, we have you covered.
Instead of completely avoiding the holiday, you have the opportunity to create a secure space where children and families from the community can participate, while also potentially increasing your membership.
If this aligns with your goals for the Halloween season, continue reading.
Host a Halloween Movie Night
No, this isn’t an excuse to show scary movies at your church on Halloween night. Instead, consider showcasing family-friendly films that incorporate Halloween themes. Movies like Mean Girls, the Scooby-Doo series, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid are examples of films that feature Halloween elements without being overly scary.
Regardless of the movie you choose, it’s important to have a discussion before or after the screening about the negative aspects associated with Halloween. Take the opportunity to explain to children and families how they can stay true to their religious beliefs while still enjoying holidays like Halloween.
Have Fun With Apples
Another way to engage your congregation in the Halloween season is by making candy apples. Candy apples are closely associated with Halloween, making them a fun way to celebrate without fully engaging in the darker aspects of the holiday. You can also explore various recipes to offer your attendees a wide range of choices.
On a different note, although traditional bobbing for apples may seem outdated, there are ways to give it a modern twist. Due to health concerns, many people may not want to dip their faces into the same bucket of water as others.
However, you can adopt new ideas to recreate this game. For example, you can tie the apples by the stem and hang them from a clothesline.
Church-Friendly Trick-or-Treating
Instead of traditional street trick-or-treating, consider organizing a trick-or-treating experience at your ministry or another chosen venue. You can even try the popular “trunk-or-treat” trend, where parents park their cars in a safe location and children move from trunk to trunk to receive treats.
Get church clergy and members involved by dressing up in fun costumes and allowing kids to explore and collect a variety of goodies like candy, cookies, toys, books, and more. This provides a delightful way to embrace Halloween’s magic while avoiding the holiday’s negative aspects.
Throw Scavenger Hunts
A captivating holiday concept for ministries is to organize a scavenger hunt. Design church-friendly clues and conceal toys, prizes, candy, bibles, and other selected books as treasures. Ensure an adequate number of supervising adults are present to oversee the children. You can host the scavenger hunt at a park, within the church premises, or even create a combination of safe locations for added excitement.
Host Pumpkin Carving
Pumpkin carving is a delightful Halloween activity enjoyed by people of all ages. It provides an opportunity to unleash creativity and celebrate the holiday in a personal manner. Instead of focusing on scary faces, you can inspire attendees to carve cheerful expressions, biblical figures, and other positive symbols. This encourages a more uplifting and joyful atmosphere during the Halloween festivities.
Throw a Party!
If you really want to engage your congregation in Halloween, a party is the way to go. Make sure to extend an invitation to the entire neighborhood for an evening of food, drinks, and church-friendly music.
Instead of permitting scary costumes, inspire attendees to dress up as biblical characters, animals, or any other positive costumes they can create. To embrace a different theme, consider calling it a blessings party or fall harvest party rather than a Halloween party.
As an enjoyable addition, you can incorporate a costume contest and award a small prize to the winner.
Have a Halloween Hayride
Consider hosting a delightful Halloween hayride event without the spookiness typically associated with it. Instead of creating frightening scenarios, focus on providing enjoyable hayrides where attendees can sing their favorite church songs, play music, blow bubbles, use flashlights and glow sticks, and engage in other imaginative activities.
Holding this event after dark will offer members a chance to have fun while others are out trick-or-treating. Encourage participants to dress up in church-friendly costumes and share their favorite Bible stories, fostering a festive and uplifting atmosphere.
Engaging Congregations on Halloween Is Easy!
There are numerous ways to safely celebrate Halloween while maintaining your faith in God. Rather than completely disregarding or condemning the holiday, consider organizing your own Halloween event. This provides an excellent opportunity to connect with your congregation and establish the church as a secure and welcoming space for all.
Additionally, it can serve as a means to enhance membership. Promote the party and encourage members to bring their friends and family. Following the event, extend invitations to the next gathering or even Sunday service to further integrate attendees with the church community.
The objective is to create an enjoyable event that allows ministry members to have fun without engaging in anything sinister or evil. This enables you to actively involve your congregation during Halloween while upholding a positive and uplifting atmosphere.
