So we're once again nearing another holiday with some dubious pagan connections.
Halloween is just around the corner, along with all the trappings. Kids dressed up in all their finery (my three have chosen to be a rock star, an alien and a cow this year - an interesting combination). Pumpkins with their fiery orange glow. Way too much candy too easily accessible (I told my husband if he opened the package I'd be in trouble, and sure enough...). Spooky spiders and masks decorating the stores.
At St. Aidan's this weekend, we'll be celebrating our annual Oktoberfest which will include not only an oom pah band, bratwurst and good beer, but also Halloween-inspired crafts and pumpkin decorating. It's that last bit that has led me into a little trouble. I signed up for altar flowers this Sunday planning to bring a bunch of those decorated pumpkins. They'll be dunked in glue and then peppered with feathers, puff balls, and all the glitter a kid could hope for. My mistake was in announcing my plan ahead of time. John, my rector, who revels in giving me a hard time anyway, wasn't so impressed with this idea. He accused me (I think/hope somewhat jokingly) of bringing pagan accoutrements into church.
But I have sympathy for this poor innocent produce that has come to be associated with the spookier bits of Halloween. It is one of God's good creations, afterall. So I hope instead of offending anyone's sensibilities, the decorated pumpkins will instead be a sign of the connection between our church and the world, a sign of God's loving creation of all of the life that fills our world, and a sign of God is in and through and around and about every piece of our lives.
I'll let you know how it goes on Sunday....
Halloween is just around the corner, along with all the trappings. Kids dressed up in all their finery (my three have chosen to be a rock star, an alien and a cow this year - an interesting combination). Pumpkins with their fiery orange glow. Way too much candy too easily accessible (I told my husband if he opened the package I'd be in trouble, and sure enough...). Spooky spiders and masks decorating the stores.
At St. Aidan's this weekend, we'll be celebrating our annual Oktoberfest which will include not only an oom pah band, bratwurst and good beer, but also Halloween-inspired crafts and pumpkin decorating. It's that last bit that has led me into a little trouble. I signed up for altar flowers this Sunday planning to bring a bunch of those decorated pumpkins. They'll be dunked in glue and then peppered with feathers, puff balls, and all the glitter a kid could hope for. My mistake was in announcing my plan ahead of time. John, my rector, who revels in giving me a hard time anyway, wasn't so impressed with this idea. He accused me (I think/hope somewhat jokingly) of bringing pagan accoutrements into church.
But I have sympathy for this poor innocent produce that has come to be associated with the spookier bits of Halloween. It is one of God's good creations, afterall. So I hope instead of offending anyone's sensibilities, the decorated pumpkins will instead be a sign of the connection between our church and the world, a sign of God's loving creation of all of the life that fills our world, and a sign of God is in and through and around and about every piece of our lives.
I'll let you know how it goes on Sunday....
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