Happy Halloween?

October is here and the nights are growing darker. Before long the clocks will change and it will be dusk before teatime!

Our Supermarket shelves are growing darker too. Halloween is on its way. Halloween - from All Hallow's Eve - was a great festival day for the church. On All Saints day Christians still celebrate men and women of faith who have been an example and an encoragement to us.

I can remember fancy dress parties full of pirates and soldiers and superheroes, a few skeletons (still the best costume my Mum ever made) and the odd vampire with plastic teeth from the little stall in the Corn Exchange.

Today however the choice seems to be between the most gruesome and terrifying images. Our children are encouraged to dress as if they were in the worst horror films by supermarkets with big advertising budgets.

I'm not against parties and fun at Halloween but maybe this year we can rediscover the fun part of the festival - lets make it a festival of light not of darkness - of joy instead of fear - lets leave the horror to Stephen King and celebrate all that is good in this community.

Happy All Hallow's Eve