During Halloween (All Hallow’s Eve) many churches run ‘light parties’ or similar to connect with their local communities. In Brundall, each year there is a Spooky Trail in the village. This year, the parish church community thought and prayed about how to join in. Revd Dave Hanson explains:
“Every year Brundall has a Spooky Trail for Halloween. Last year we made the prayerful decision to offer hot drinks and a place to sit and chat on the Rectory drive. We were overwhelmed by the number of families who stopped and wanted to chat and even thanked us for providing this.
This year, again after much prayer and thought, we decided to be a bit bolder and in collaboration with Fox Events, ran an event called ‘Light in the darkness’.
We set up a light trail across the churchyard leading down to the church. Inside the church was a large steel cross with part of a disco ball attached which reflected coloured beams of light shining into each corner of the church as a laser beam hit it. Bible verses came up on the screens, ambient music played in the background with the smell of incense burning.
We estimate that over 200 people came through the church, many dressed in Halloween costumes but as one volunteer said, ‘In the light of the cross it didn’t matter’. It became irrelevant. One man left because he felt he was going to cry, another said they felt the presence of Jesus there. A young girl told her grandmother, ‘I think I am half Christian and half normal!’ Somebody else said, ‘It was like entering a prayer bathed personal experience with God’s beautiful, gentle and powerful Holy Spirit.’
We are very grateful for all the volunteers and to Matthew Jameson from Fox Events who gave their time.”
