Comments on: Make the Most of Halloween http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/ Sat, 02 Jun 2012 18:01:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Annette http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/comment-page-1/#comment-4455 Annette Wed, 01 Nov 2006 20:46:44 +0000 http://tmdevotionals.com/women/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/#comment-4455 Our church does something wonderful - we have a halloween alternative called Holyween. We give candy and all the traditional things, but we bring the children and their parents into a Christian Environment - we have Christian Games with themes, and we share the love of Christ - we do this for our youth and your children. Last night we had over 2,000 people to attend Holyween!!! Our church does something wonderful – we have a halloween alternative called Holyween. We give candy and all the traditional things, but we bring the children and their parents into a Christian Environment – we have Christian Games with themes, and we share the love of Christ – we do this for our youth and your children. Last night we had over 2,000 people to attend Holyween!!!

]]> By: Rebecca King http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/comment-page-1/#comment-4414 Rebecca King Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:29:57 +0000 http://tmdevotionals.com/women/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/#comment-4414 Do you like halloween? The way i see it, is if you dont like halloween you can change it all around to glorify God. You can dress like Bible characters and give out scriptures with your candy.I am in favor for Glorifying Jesus and spreeding the word of God. Maybe you can dress like a bible charactor and go door to door and give scriptures out to the people who are giving you the candy.There are lots of ways to Glorify God. Think about it! God Bless Do you like halloween?
The way i see it, is if you dont like halloween you can change it all around to glorify God. You can dress like Bible characters and give out scriptures with your candy.I am in favor for Glorifying Jesus and spreeding the word of God. Maybe you can dress like a bible charactor and go door to door and give scriptures out to the people who are giving you the candy.There are lots of ways to Glorify God. Think about it! God Bless

]]> By: Katherine Kehler http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/comment-page-1/#comment-4411 Katherine Kehler Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:57:22 +0000 http://tmdevotionals.com/women/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/#comment-4411 Two years ago, we moved from an acreage (where we never had kids come to the door) to a subdivison. On Halloween night we had 150 children come to the door. I had prepared plastic bags with candy etc. but also included a kids gospel booklet in each bag. My husband and I had a great time getting to know our neighbours--we were pleasantly surprised at how polite all the children were. (You never hear about those on the news). We are looking forward to tomorrow evening. Two years ago, we moved from an acreage (where we never had kids come to the door) to a subdivison. On Halloween night we had 150 children come to the door. I had prepared plastic bags with candy etc. but also included a kids gospel booklet in each bag.
My husband and I had a great time getting to know our neighbours–we were pleasantly surprised at how polite all the children were. (You never hear about those on the news).
We are looking forward to tomorrow evening.

]]> By: Kathleen Callison http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/comment-page-1/#comment-4410 Kathleen Callison Mon, 30 Oct 2006 17:14:29 +0000 http://tmdevotionals.com/women/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/#comment-4410 I grew up celebrating Halloween as part of our American culture. It was celebrated soley as a day to dress up in a costume and get candy. There was absolutely no spiritual context related to the celebration. As an adult who became a Christian, I believe that God has given me the ministry of redeeming the holiday! I buy attractive, fun Christian tracts (those that kid's might actually enjoy looking at) and put them in a little sack with some great candy. That way instead of being dissapointed with the gospel, they are excited to receive it. As a mother of six children, I did not have many opportunities to serve when all my children were little. This holiday was the only opportunity for ministry I was able to participate in. Families actually came to my door WANTING me to give them something! When people celebrating the holiday come to my house, they get candy AND the gospel!!! God is awsome! I would encourage all Christians to get involved and redeem the holiday. I grew up celebrating Halloween as part of our American culture. It was celebrated soley as a day to dress up in a costume and get candy. There was absolutely no spiritual context related to the celebration.

As an adult who became a Christian, I believe that God has given me the ministry of redeeming the holiday! I buy attractive, fun Christian tracts (those that kid’s might actually enjoy looking at) and put them in a little sack with some great candy. That way instead of being dissapointed with the gospel, they are excited to receive it.

As a mother of six children, I did not have many opportunities to serve when all my children were little. This holiday was the only opportunity for ministry I was able to participate in. Families actually came to my door WANTING me to give them something!

When people celebrating the holiday come to my house, they get candy AND the gospel!!! God is awsome!

I would encourage all Christians to get involved and redeem the holiday.

]]> By: Peggy Clarke http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/comment-page-1/#comment-4409 Peggy Clarke Mon, 30 Oct 2006 17:07:33 +0000 http://tmdevotionals.com/women/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/#comment-4409 My children were not allowed to participate in 'Halloween-ing', and because my son was born on 31 October, it was easy to turn it into a birthday celebration. But when my husband and I were called to start a church in a small upstate NY community, we turned the lights off and refused to answer the door on Trick or Treat night for the first couple of years. Then the Lord took me aside and reminded me, "You have said you want your home to be a lighthouse in this place. Why are you turning the light off on this important evening?" From then, I made luminaria with cross-shaped cutouts up the sidewalk, pumpkins with JESUS carved in them and handed out cards that I created with Jacob-O-Lanterns on them using a fish for the mouth, a cross for the nose and stars for the eyes. Inside was a poem to explain the symbols. We always included our name, address and email address in case anyone would want to contact us about the card. We gave out a large candy bar along with the card, because Jesus was never skimpy with His grace. Now, each year, some of the kids come back to get their card and share it with other children. Honestly, I don't know if this has brought anyone to our church, but I know that it has built bridges where darkness once ruled. We must turn evil into good! My children were not allowed to participate in ‘Halloween-ing’, and because my son was born on 31 October, it was easy to turn it into a birthday celebration. But when my husband and I were called to start a church in a small upstate NY community, we turned the lights off and refused to answer the door on Trick or Treat night for the first couple of years. Then the Lord took me aside and reminded me, “You have said you want your home to be a lighthouse in this place. Why are you turning the light off on this important evening?” From then, I made luminaria with cross-shaped cutouts up the sidewalk, pumpkins with JESUS carved in them and handed out cards that I created with Jacob-O-Lanterns on them using a fish for the mouth, a cross for the nose and stars for the eyes. Inside was a poem to explain the symbols. We always included our name, address and email address in case anyone would want to contact us about the card. We gave out a large candy bar along with the card, because Jesus was never skimpy with His grace. Now, each year, some of the kids come back to get their card and share it with other children. Honestly, I don’t know if this has brought anyone to our church, but I know that it has built bridges where darkness once ruled. We must turn evil into good!

]]> By: Beverlon http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/comment-page-1/#comment-4405 Beverlon Mon, 30 Oct 2006 14:57:32 +0000 http://tmdevotionals.com/women/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/#comment-4405 I also use to take my girls out on this day before I understood what it meant. I really never thought of this day seriously, I just wanted to take my girls out and see who could get the most candy like my family did with me. Now that my family and I are Christians, we do something at our church. For the stuff at school my girls dress up as something fun and positive and something we can be creative with at home. They pick characters like, a teacher, cheerleader, cow, horse, kitten, angel, butterfly, ect. I had to explain to them why we don't go out or why we don't celebrate or participate or decorate like other people. I also use to take my girls out on this day before I understood what it meant. I really never thought of this day seriously, I just wanted to take my girls out and see who could get the most candy like my family did with me. Now that my family and I are Christians, we do something at our church. For the stuff at school my girls dress up as something fun and positive and something we can be creative with at home. They pick characters like, a teacher, cheerleader, cow, horse, kitten, angel, butterfly, ect. I had to explain to them why we don’t go out or why we don’t celebrate or participate or decorate like other people.

]]> By: Peggie http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/comment-page-1/#comment-4402 Peggie Mon, 30 Oct 2006 05:10:27 +0000 http://tmdevotionals.com/women/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/#comment-4402 My story is about identical to the one Doris wrote, I just did not know while I was raising my 2 girls that there was anything wrong with Halloween. I can now proudly say that my daughter who has children has never allowed my 2 grandsons to trick or treat. Our church has a really good party called "Hallow Him" each year. No costumes are allowed because so many kids come, and not all of them are from churched homes. The church is just afraid that if we allow "non-scary" costumes, then the scary ones will seep in also. As it is, someone always shows up in a costume no matter how hard we try and get the word out. We have many, many, games like a cakewalk plus lots of others. There is regular food like nachos, hot dogs, etc. Also, there is more candy than the kids would probably get than if they went trick or treating. This is something that has really grown over the years that gives so many kids an alternative to the traditional halloween. My story is about identical to the one Doris wrote, I just did not know while I was raising my 2 girls that there was anything wrong with Halloween. I can now proudly say that my daughter who has children has never allowed my 2 grandsons to trick or treat. Our church has a really good party called “Hallow Him” each year. No costumes are allowed because so many kids come, and not all of them are from churched homes. The church is just afraid that if we allow “non-scary” costumes, then the scary ones will seep in also. As it is, someone always shows up in a costume no matter how hard we try and get the word out. We have many, many, games like a cakewalk plus lots of others. There is regular food like nachos, hot dogs, etc. Also, there is more candy than the kids would probably get than if they went trick or treating. This is something that has really grown over the years that gives so many kids an alternative to the traditional halloween.

]]> By: Doris http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/comment-page-1/#comment-4401 Doris Mon, 30 Oct 2006 02:30:11 +0000 http://tmdevotionals.com/women/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/#comment-4401 When my children were small, they were allowed to dress up and go around the community doing Trick or Treat. I saw nothing wrong with the celebration as a fun thing for the children to do. However, I've learned more about the practice as a pagan rite, putting out pumpkins, corn, apples and the like in the yard and on the fences to appease the spirits of the dead and keep them from harming the family. In an attempt to Christianize the pagan rite, the name was changed to All Saints Day. Since I have learned about the origins. I do not celebrate Halloween. I do not decorate, dress in spooky clothes, or perform any of the rites to appease the devil. If any children come to my door, they are apt to receive a Bible verse along with a piece of sandy or a cookie, and a May God bless you as I send them on their way. When my children were small, they were allowed to dress up and go around the community doing Trick or Treat. I saw nothing wrong with the celebration as a fun thing for the children to do. However, I’ve learned more about the practice as a pagan rite, putting out pumpkins, corn, apples and the like in the yard and on the fences to appease the spirits of the dead and keep them from harming the family. In an attempt to Christianize the pagan rite, the name was changed to All Saints Day. Since I have learned about the origins. I do not celebrate Halloween. I do not decorate, dress in spooky clothes, or perform any of the rites to appease the devil. If any children come to my door, they are apt to receive a Bible verse along with a piece of sandy or a cookie, and a May God bless you as I send them on their way.

]]> By: Nini DJ http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/comment-page-1/#comment-4400 Nini DJ Sun, 29 Oct 2006 23:55:30 +0000 http://tmdevotionals.com/women/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/#comment-4400 I will celebrate the death of evil done on the cross in Calvary during Halloween . Mindsets are hard to be renewed . Putting the gospel in the baskets with the goodies isn't a bad idea either is having your child have a bible character as a costume during the celebration and declare the story of the character . Sad really is they celebrate halloween more than Christmas . Let's pray that minds hearts be renewed His abounding grace bring true salvation in all the hearts of our neighbors , our communities . Make us creative Father God for your gospel to be preached . I will celebrate the death of evil done on the cross in Calvary during Halloween . Mindsets are hard to be renewed . Putting the gospel in the baskets with the goodies isn’t a bad idea either is having your child have a bible character as a costume during the celebration and declare the story of the character . Sad really is they celebrate halloween more than Christmas . Let’s pray that minds hearts be renewed His abounding grace bring true salvation in all the hearts of our neighbors , our communities . Make us creative Father God for your gospel to be preached .

]]> By: Pearl http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/comment-page-1/#comment-4399 Pearl Sun, 29 Oct 2006 16:53:19 +0000 http://tmdevotionals.com/women/2006/10/29/make-the-most-of-halloween/#comment-4399 A woman was asked by a co-worker, "What is it like to be a Christian?" The co-worker replied, "It is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then he cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc., and then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see." "I never looked at it like this before." A woman was asked by a co-worker,

“What is it like to be a Christian?”

The co-worker replied,

“It is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then he cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc., and then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.”

“I never looked at it like this before.”

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