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When church meets Halloween
Published 03:57 p.m., October 29, 2009
Halloween is anything but scary for a group of Christians from New York Mills.
Pastor Ryan Stout of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in New York Mills is taking his congregation back to early Christian traditions — and surprising some people along the way.
One of those traditions will be revealed at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, when Stout leads a Saturday evening Halloween service from a most unlikely setting: Greenwood Cemetery.
“We have the promise of resurrection and no place so dark or defiled or spooky that Jesus is not with us,” Stout said.
But Stout says the intent isn’t to conduct a service that’s bizarre or sensational.
“These days, we certainly remember Halloween as a fun holiday, but not many people realize or remember its roots in the Christian Church,” Stout said.
The early Christian Church recognized Hallowtide, which included the celebration of All Saints Day on Nov. 1 and All Soul’s Day on Nov. 2.
“This used to be one of the high festivals of the church year,” Stout said. “Everybody enjoyed these.”
The service recognizes a tradition of St. Peter’s Church to remember those who have gone before them.
Stout is taking church members back in time this Halloween with a traditional service, modeled after an Episcopal liturgy.
“We’re not trying to be anything but orthodox or traditional, but we’re also trying to have some fun,” Stout said.
Service will begin with attendees walking to the cemetery, creating the shape of a cross. The service will include Scripture readings related to death and resurrection.
“The general idea is that all of the things we used to be afraid of are now no longer anything that we need to worry about,” Stout said. “We can, in fact, have fun, frolic and have the laughter of our children in the midst of all the things that used to scare us.”
The Halloween service is also a reminder to parishioners that, with Christ, there’s nothing to be afraid of.
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i would like to see a liturgical return to the real meaning. When i lived in Mexico the "Day of the Dead" was a feast day of the living paying homage to those who had passed. A few times i made my way to the cemetery with friends to place wreaths on graves. It was a day to honor those in the history of the Christian Church who lives we were to exemplify in our everyday lives of choices that distinguish us as members in the message that is Christ. This year the "Day of the Dead" occurs on a full moon.....run for your lives
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