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Integrity is the topic of Quaker
Heritage Week
Group has presents on hand for a
time of crisis
Pastoral Pondering: Give of yourself
--
God will set your boundaries
Harvest
festivals offer
alternative to Halloween |
Many church congregations in the area find
other ways to celebrate October's end |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
|
Candy is distributed, costumes (no scary ones
please) are encouraged and games are planned.
This may sound like a common occurrence for Halloween night in any community
across the United States. However many fall festivals are held at churches in the
community.
For members of the Newberg Christian Church, the Fantastic Fall Family
Festival is an opportunity to bring people in that wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to
church.
“The goal is to have people that don’t come to a church see that we
can have fun even though we are a church,” said Debbie Groat, secretary at the
church.
Although the event is similar to a Halloween celebration, it is considered an
alternative because it allows families to come to one place for a dinner of corndogs and
macaroni and cheese, play games, win prizes, go line dancing, get some balloons, have
their photos taken and pick up lots of candy.
Most events are held inside the Community Life Center at the church, however
Trunk or Treat — cars decorated by members of the church who fill their trunks with
candy — allows families the choice of staying in one place out of the weather instead
of going door-to-door.
Last year about 500 people attended the celebration, Groat said.
“It’s big and it’s full and it’s fun and it’s loud and it’s
great,” she added.
Costumes are encouraged for adults and children, as long as they aren’t
frightening for young children.
Groat said everything from a Big Mac and fries and a homemade Christmas tree,
to spiders and a robot have appeared for the event in the past.
“People get really creative, which is fun.” she said.
The event is free, with carnival games, a bouncy house and putt-putt golf, as
well.
In addition, a child safety team in bright yellow T-shirts will be on hand to
help find children if case they get lost or separated from parents. The church is also
collecting mittens, scarves, gloves and winter hats for the Newberg-Dundee Youth Outreach
center.
NCC isn’t the only church partying on Halloween.
“We’re doing the children’s party,” said Father Jim
Nibler of St. Peter Catholic Church. “Children will dress as saints.”
Youth groups at the church are preparing a harvest festival beginning at 6
p.m. at the church with games, cake and candy. Nibler speculated at least some of his
younger parishioners will come as ghosts or goblins.
Nibler said they may talk a little about where the holiday comes from, and
that the tradition of ghosts and goblins is purely American. |
|
From Oct. 25,
2003, Newberg Graphic
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