At the end of Octobber an increasingly popular cultural event takes place in Mawson Lakes. It gets hundreds of families and their kids off their screens and onto the streets of our community laughing and interacting with neighbours and friends. It is Halloween on the 31st of October.
The word “Halloween” is a contraction of “hallow”(saint) and “eve”(evening of the night before). “All Hallows’ Eve” then is the evening before All Saints’ Day – a Christian festival where we remember loved ones and people of faith who have died. A time to give thanks for their lives, remember them.
This seems strangely disconnected from the pop culture practice of dressing up (sometimes in dark imagery) and ”trick-or-treating” – much like how traditions around Christmas can be more about presents and Santa than actually celebrating the birth of Jesus. Many Christians partake of both elements of Christmas. At MLCC we have decided to both “reclaim” this tradition, re-label it (from “Halloween” to “All Hallows’ Eve” to make people think about it’s Christian origin) AND use it as a time for outreach in our community.
How can I help?
PRAY for it – for the planning, the lead up and for our voluteers
BRING – wrapped lollies to church for August/Sept
PACK – lolly bags after church in October
VOLUNTEER – with setup, angel making, packup