Words from Bede Circuit
Dear Friends
I can’t remember the last time 31st October fell on a Sunday, but I suppose it can’t have been that long ago. Those of you who will be venturing out to Church on Sunday evening will probably see lots of children (and possibly some adults too) dressed in scary costumes and knocking on peoples’ doors ‘Trick or treating’. Those of you who will be staying at home may be locking and barring your doors, or perhaps getting in a stash of sweets to reward the calling kids!
Sadly, we in the UK have taken up the commercial razzmatazz of Halloween from the USA, where they spend more at Halloween than any other time except Christmas – so that must include Easter! I found it very strange that when visiting our daughter in US the local Christian shop was selling all sorts of Halloween ‘tat’ alongside their very fundamentalist Biblical books.
Let me be clear and, at risk of sounding like a miserable old beggar, I am totally opposed to the ‘celebration’ of Halloween in any way. Why? Because it glorifies everything that is of the darkness, when we are supposed to be people of the light – which is why some churches hold ‘light parties’ to keep the kids off the streets and celebrate that Light of the world we worship. That glorification of darkness could for some people open the door to all sorts of dangerous ideas and practices. In addition, Halloween is also a direct descendant of the Celtic pagan feast of Samhain, held at the end of October as the dark times of year begin and when they believed the ghosts of the dead walked on earth again. Why would Christians want to be associated with that kind of nonsense?
Many people find November a difficult month, with the dark evenings beginning before tea-time and the weather often dank and dreary. But it begins with All Saints Day (which is why we call it Halloween, All Hallow’s Eve) and we can remember that all those who are followers of our Lord Jesus Christ are saints (that’s according to the Bible which uses the words ‘Hagios’, translated as saints, most often to describe Christians). Yes, parts of the Church venerate some special people as Saints, but in God’s eyes all those who have committed their lives to Him and try to follow his son Jesus are saints.
Online Bible studies continue each Thursday night at 7pm. We’re studying that fascinating, and sometimes bizarre, prophet Ezekiel so come and join in.
Keep safe, stay in the light!
Rev Paul Worsnop on behalf of the Bede Circuit Staff Team
PS Don’t forget to put your clocks back one hour on Saturday night, or you’ll have a long wait for church in the morning!