Comments on: Trunk or Treat: A Church Halloween Alternative Idea http://ministry-to-children.com/trunk-or-treat/ Children's ministry should NOT be so hard . . . Ministry-To-Children.com exists to help you. You'll find thousands of lessons, ideas, and resources for telling kids about Jesus. All of this is 100% free and easy to print.. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:51:27 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jason http://ministry-to-children.com/trunk-or-treat/comment-page-2/#comment-23098 Jason Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:08:23 +0000 http://ministry-to-children.com/?p=3116#comment-23098 So, if this is "harmless fun at a 'Church'", why am I seeing Jack-O-Lanterns and Ghosts on the trunks? We are called to be "Different" and the 'Light' and 'Salt' of the earth, not cheap copies of Satan's perversion. :( Why did you NOT at least mention "forgo the evil symbols" when decorating the trunks in your article? So, if this is “harmless fun at a ‘Church’”, why am I seeing Jack-O-Lanterns and Ghosts on the trunks?

We are called to be “Different” and the ‘Light’ and ‘Salt’ of the earth, not cheap copies of Satan’s perversion. :(

Why did you NOT at least mention “forgo the evil symbols” when decorating the trunks in your article?

]]> By: Peter http://ministry-to-children.com/trunk-or-treat/comment-page-2/#comment-22981 Peter Sun, 31 Oct 2010 00:43:28 +0000 http://ministry-to-children.com/?p=3116#comment-22981 Every year we have our daughter dress up in a Halloween costume and take her trick-or-treating. We tell her not to believe in spooks, so there's no problem. Every year we have our daughter dress up in a Halloween costume and take her trick-or-treating. We tell her not to believe in spooks, so there’s no problem.

]]> By: K Gray http://ministry-to-children.com/trunk-or-treat/comment-page-2/#comment-22972 K Gray Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:51:46 +0000 http://ministry-to-children.com/?p=3116#comment-22972 That would be great!! Love your idea for being united in Christ and drawing the community. That would be great!! Love your idea for being united in Christ and drawing the community.

]]> By: Jennifer http://ministry-to-children.com/trunk-or-treat/comment-page-2/#comment-22969 Jennifer Sat, 30 Oct 2010 19:17:55 +0000 http://ministry-to-children.com/?p=3116#comment-22969 Just me again...thoughts on Trunk or Treat. Granted, I'm not a Christian so I don't know whether this would work or not. Has anyone ever thought about getting a bunch of local churches together and doing a HUGE Trunk or Treat? You could all be united in Christ and with a large event, you would be more likely to draw in more community members. Just my 2 cents. :) Just me again…thoughts on Trunk or Treat. Granted, I’m not a Christian so I don’t know whether this would work or not. Has anyone ever thought about getting a bunch of local churches together and doing a HUGE Trunk or Treat? You could all be united in Christ and with a large event, you would be more likely to draw in more community members. Just my 2 cents. :)

]]> By: K Gray http://ministry-to-children.com/trunk-or-treat/comment-page-2/#comment-22966 K Gray Sat, 30 Oct 2010 17:06:02 +0000 http://ministry-to-children.com/?p=3116#comment-22966 That said, this weekend is a great time to teach our kids what God has said about spiritists, mediums, the occult, and seeking guidance from anything or anyone other than Him. And then go to T/T and enjoy. This year we are taking prayer requests - a great way to continue to minister after T/T! That said, this weekend is a great time to teach our kids what God has said about spiritists, mediums, the occult, and seeking guidance from anything or anyone other than Him. And then go to T/T and enjoy. This year we are taking prayer requests – a great way to continue to minister after T/T!

]]> By: K Gray http://ministry-to-children.com/trunk-or-treat/comment-page-2/#comment-22965 K Gray Sat, 30 Oct 2010 17:00:27 +0000 http://ministry-to-children.com/?p=3116#comment-22965 I feel that Trunk or Treat often functions as a church fellowship. It is fun, informal, imaginative, and everyone laughs a lot. It is a good time for everyone! As for outreach and evangelism? Here are my real questions: Is there more praying than planning? Do we honestly expect people to come to Christ; do we expect and plan for it? Are there people available to counsel or talk to anyone? Do we know or find out anything about the people who come? What is the followup? If a relationship is begun at T/T, how is it continued? Are the tracts in English only; how about Spanish? Do people keep or look at the tracts? How many other T/T's and festivals are on the same night? How many churches are putting resources into the same activity, same timeslot? Does anyone do a post-T/T review of TT as evangelism and outreach? Do we teach our own kids why we are having T/T, and educate them on Halloween, or do we just tell them that our church is dressing in costume and handing out candy? We need to look at what we do very honestly. I feel that Trunk or Treat often functions as a church fellowship. It is fun, informal, imaginative, and everyone laughs a lot. It is a good time for everyone! As for outreach and evangelism? Here are my real questions: Is there more praying than planning? Do we honestly expect people to come to Christ; do we expect and plan for it? Are there people available to counsel or talk to anyone? Do we know or find out anything about the people who come? What is the followup? If a relationship is begun at T/T, how is it continued? Are the tracts in English only; how about Spanish? Do people keep or look at the tracts? How many other T/T’s and festivals are on the same night? How many churches are putting resources into the same activity, same timeslot? Does anyone do a post-T/T review of TT as evangelism and outreach? Do we teach our own kids why we are having T/T, and educate them on Halloween, or do we just tell them that our church is dressing in costume and handing out candy? We need to look at what we do very honestly.

]]> By: Jennifer http://ministry-to-children.com/trunk-or-treat/comment-page-2/#comment-22923 Jennifer Sat, 30 Oct 2010 04:25:26 +0000 http://ministry-to-children.com/?p=3116#comment-22923 Of course it is the parent's responsibility to remove anything they would not want their child to have, but for me it is more a matter of respect. Religion is so personal to everyone, I find it a bit disrespectful...not in the general handing out of tracts but in the experiences I've had, where the people attempt to hide them. Last year, one was folded very small and stuffed into the middle of a bag of tootsie rolls, where I can only suppose, they hoped I would not see it. So, perhaps it's not the handing out of tracts itself that bothers me-I've been giving this some thought over the last few days-it's the way I've experienced it. With people trying to hide them and sneak them. That's what I find disrespectful. Thank you all for the great input! I always appreciate different points of view, it keeps me grounded. :) Of course it is the parent’s responsibility to remove anything they would not want their child to have, but for me it is more a matter of respect. Religion is so personal to everyone, I find it a bit disrespectful…not in the general handing out of tracts but in the experiences I’ve had, where the people attempt to hide them. Last year, one was folded very small and stuffed into the middle of a bag of tootsie rolls, where I can only suppose, they hoped I would not see it. So, perhaps it’s not the handing out of tracts itself that bothers me-I’ve been giving this some thought over the last few days-it’s the way I’ve experienced it. With people trying to hide them and sneak them. That’s what I find disrespectful. Thank you all for the great input! I always appreciate different points of view, it keeps me grounded. :)

]]> By: Kristine http://ministry-to-children.com/trunk-or-treat/comment-page-2/#comment-22909 Kristine Fri, 29 Oct 2010 21:55:43 +0000 http://ministry-to-children.com/?p=3116#comment-22909 I am disappointed in the many churches that celebrate halloween. I don't see anything Godly about this so-called holiday. Why do we have to have an alternative for our children? Why can't we teach them to not participate at all? I feel having a substitute is only putting a Christian label on something that has nothing to do with pleasing the Lord. There are 51 other weeks of the year we can celebrate the harvest season or dress up. I don't think we need to do it at the same time as this secular "holiday". I am disappointed in the many churches that celebrate halloween. I don’t see anything Godly about this so-called holiday. Why do we have to have an alternative for our children? Why can’t we teach them to not participate at all? I feel having a substitute is only putting a Christian label on something that has nothing to do with pleasing the Lord. There are 51 other weeks of the year we can celebrate the harvest season or dress up. I don’t think we need to do it at the same time as this secular “holiday”.

]]> By: Lisa http://ministry-to-children.com/trunk-or-treat/comment-page-2/#comment-22903 Lisa Fri, 29 Oct 2010 19:33:11 +0000 http://ministry-to-children.com/?p=3116#comment-22903 Our Church has what we call Light the Night. It is similar to this trunck or treat but we have food, games, entertainment, hayrides, and bounce houses. It is always a great turnout. Our Church has what we call Light the Night. It is similar to this trunck or treat but we have food, games, entertainment, hayrides, and bounce houses. It is always a great turnout.

]]> By: How does your church react to Halloween? « MEDIA SALT http://ministry-to-children.com/trunk-or-treat/comment-page-2/#comment-22842 How does your church react to Halloween? « MEDIA SALT Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:42:39 +0000 http://ministry-to-children.com/?p=3116#comment-22842 [...] Trunk or Treats [...] [...] Trunk or Treats [...]

]]>