Dear Friends,

November has arrived and with it comes all sorts of interesting services and events at St Martin’s! As the days get shorter we look more for the light and warmth that can come from our faith and the spiritual practices we engage in. Each of us needs space to reflect and reimagine our lives as we go through different challenges and achieve various goals and November offers us plenty of opportunities for this.

This morning I read about a church in Kent who open their doors to trick or treaters. Rather than putting on a light party or teaching that it is wrong and evil to participate in Halloween as many churches do, they invite “little witches, vampires and werewolves” into their church to enjoy games and activities such as “apple-bobbing, a slimy lucky dip and (my favourite) spooky stories in the graveyard”. It was an interesting article in which the vicar argues that being anti-Halloween is a bit like being anti-fun, not really a good look for an organisation that is struggling to attract younger people. Rev’d Ravi says “it’s wonderful to see hundreds of children in our church having a great me even if they are dressed as Dracula or Frankenstein’s monster.” Each of us will have our own experiences, perspectives and beliefs to bring to a discussion about Halloween and how churches and Christians should engage, or disengage, with it and I certainly don’t want to try to persuade you to any particular position. Each of us must make decisions about these things that make the most sense for us and our families. For some in our church that will mean they choose to not participate in Halloween at all. Others might decide they are happy to enjoy the fun of it, finding ways to engage that feel positive. However we participate or distance ourselves from it, I think it raises all sorts of interesting questions for us about our faith and the way we practice it. We are led to ask questions about evil and “the Devil”, to decide how literally we take ideas we encounter in medieval interpretation of the Bible. We are also led to ask questions about how we engage with society in general. Should we attempt to live, as many Christians suggest, as people who are “in the world but not of the world” and if we do then what does this look like? What does it mean?

There is not space for me to go into detail about my perspective on all of this here but as I say, it is an interesting conversa on so I’d be happy to chat if you would like to. What I think is worth highlighting at this point is that the Christian message is one of good news. Part of that good news is that God, through Jesus, has conquered the powers of evil – God’s love and light and the power of good is stronger than the power of evil. But it doesn’t always feel that way day to day. So, however you spent yesterday evening, whether in costume or not, I hope and pray that this week you will find space to reflect on the power of good to overcome evil.

This weekend at St Mar ns we will take me to remember those whom we have loved and lost in our Commemoration of the Faithful Departed. We will light a candle for each and every name that is read aloud, celebrating their life, acknowledging that we miss them and trusting that the God of all love holds them now in a warm embrace. Do join us at 4pm on Saturday if you would like to witness or participate in this special moment. We will also be reflecting on hope in our faith in our Sunday services as we think about “the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.” You are welcome and invited!

Grace & Peace,

Rev’d Phil