[NBC] holiday? oh really? (REPLY)

#1 · October 23, 2003, 5:45 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on October 23, 2003, 5:45 pm
Posted by: psharp <psharp@...>

Chetin said:
>Just out of curiousity, and not meaning harm (really, I mean it) how do
your
>churches and/or families, treat halloween?

Halloween DownUnder is a bit of a non-event, although I regret that in the
last few years it's become increasing 'normal' to 'celebrate' Halloween.
Now, while Scripture lessons (taught by volunteers from local churches) are
still present in many primary (elementary) schools and ISCF (Inter School
Christian Fellowship) meetings are still held in many (actually, I don't
know how many) high schools during lunch time, more & more teachers -
especially in primary schools - have taken to promoting Halloween as a
'fun' thing to do. Yeah, really? It's sad to see.

Here in Ballarat, our local inter-denominational prayer network, and other
chapters of the Australian Prayer Network, has set aside Fri night 31/10 as
a praise & worship night. It will be held in one of the largest churches
in town, a Uniting Church (the building of which, incidentally, sprung from
a time of revival back in the 1870s), and our church worship team was asked
to lead the worship - I guess because we have a reputation as the best
praise & worship team in town. And I was privileged to be asked to be the
bassist that night. The timing is very deliberate, so we're out to take
back ground from the enemy, or at least not to give any away!

When me & my family had a year in Dallas, TX, in 94-95, the church we
joined there always held a Harvest Festival on Halloween night. We were
advised that, should we choose stay home, to lock up and keep all lights
off, since door knockers mightn't take kindly to being ignored if they know
you're home, but if they think you're out they'll (usually) just pass the
house by. Since we couldn't see ourselves sleeping amid all the expected
noise (one house in the street had a stereo outside or in an open window
playing some ghastly haunted music on repeat all evening), we went along to
the church & had a wonderful time.

God bless,
Peter Sharp
Ballarat Australia

Posted by: psharp <psharp@...>

Chetin said:
>Just out of curiousity, and not meaning harm (really, I mean it) how do
your
>churches and/or families, treat halloween?

Halloween DownUnder is a bit of a non-event, although I regret that in the
last few years it's become increasing 'normal' to 'celebrate' Halloween.
Now, while Scripture lessons (taught by volunteers from local churches) are
still present in many primary (elementary) schools and ISCF (Inter School
Christian Fellowship) meetings are still held in many (actually, I don't
know how many) high schools during lunch time, more & more teachers -
especially in primary schools - have taken to promoting Halloween as a
'fun' thing to do. Yeah, really? It's sad to see.

Here in Ballarat, our local inter-denominational prayer network, and other
chapters of the Australian Prayer Network, has set aside Fri night 31/10 as
a praise & worship night. It will be held in one of the largest churches
in town, a Uniting Church (the building of which, incidentally, sprung from
a time of revival back in the 1870s), and our church worship team was asked
to lead the worship - I guess because we have a reputation as the best
praise & worship team in town. And I was privileged to be asked to be the
bassist that night. The timing is very deliberate, so we're out to take
back ground from the enemy, or at least not to give any away!

When me & my family had a year in Dallas, TX, in 94-95, the church we
joined there always held a Harvest Festival on Halloween night. We were
advised that, should we choose stay home, to lock up and keep all lights
off, since door knockers mightn't take kindly to being ignored if they know
you're home, but if they think you're out they'll (usually) just pass the
house by. Since we couldn't see ourselves sleeping amid all the expected
noise (one house in the street had a stereo outside or in an open window
playing some ghastly haunted music on repeat all evening), we went along to
the church & had a wonderful time.

God bless,
Peter Sharp
Ballarat Australia