Tuesday was Halloween. My wife Nancy and I put on our 10 th annual Halloween gathering for our neighborhood from 6:00pm-10:00pm. We went all out on decorations in the front yard. We rented a mechanical Bull and operator to give kids and adults a thrill. We moved our fire pit onto our driveway and surrounded it with chairs for neighbors to cook hotdogs and s'mores.. Our neighbor let us use tieir front yard as well to set up folding tables and chairs in their front yard. We served and went through over 350 hot dogs that people grilled over the fire. we went through over 70 large Hershey chocolate bars, bags of marshmallows, and boxes of graham crackers and I have no idea how many, s’mores were made. We had two 8’ tables of cupcakes , cookies, snack cakes, and bags of chips. We put out 3 coolers of drinks and gave out LOTS and LOTS of candy. And we set set up a table of T shirts we gave away for free. We had over 500 people with kids come and Trick or Treat us throughout the night, hang out around the fire, cook a hot dog or s’more with a stick over the fire, and get a drink. Hands were shaken, introductions were exchanged, and “Where do you live?” “What do you do?” questions were asked and life stories were connected.
And it was these interactions with our neighbors, the stories shared around the fire, and the smiles of delight on the children that made all the days of work setting this up worth while.
I was handing out candy to a 9 or 10 year old girl when the woman accompanying her, whom I later found out was her grandmother said to me, “Wow, This all looks great!” Her granddaughter looked up at her and said, “This house is always like this, it’s awesome! it’s my favorite!” And after an invitation they went over to the fire pit gathering and joined in s’more making.
Another mother with her children walked up to my wife and looked and the spread of food and treats and asked me, “Is this for everyone"?” My wife told her, Yes! The woman shocked her head in disbelief and said WOW!. then her and her kids enjoyed the spread.
A father with three kids came up with them later to get candy. The father said, “The kids all discussed before we headed out they wanted to go to this house last. Save the best for last! Plus once we come her we usually hang out awhile.” Then they headed towards the fire pit and fun.
Another woman who came trick or treating with her daughter-in-law and grandkids. She came up to me and Nancy as she was leaving and said, “Thank you so much! I am so grateful for the fact that you offered such great hospitality and welcomed into your home a stranger you just met. I wish more people would do this!”
And I don’t know how many people and youth stopped and took time to take family pictures and “selfies” in our front yard as a background for their memories.
No one asked or cared that I am a pastor of house churches or that I was an Elder in the UMC. I was dressed in a costume as a hippie with a long blonde hair wig. My neighbors who came they just cared that I cared about them and their neighborhood. No formal sermon or liturgy was given and our gathering did not require people to “come to us” and take place in a church building, but around the fire in our front yard in the sharing of stories. However a gathering of around of more than 500 people of parents and children took place “in the community” and God was glorified. And we obeyed Jesus’ command to “love our neighbors as we love ourselves.” And we invited our neighbors to come back to our house this coming Wednesday to share another meal and join us in the simple church gathering we hold in our home every Wednesday evening.
How are you known in your neighborhood? If you were to move out would your neighbors or those in your apartment complex miss you? Would they grieve the loss of you in their lives? Or would they not even notice that you left? If you are part of a church and attend a church, that is good! However, Your were not sent by God to a church. You help serve and participate in a church, but it is the neighborhood and neighbors that you find yourself living amongst are to whom you are called and sent by God. You are sent into your neighborhood to be to them a tangible example of the kingdom of God in their lives. You are sent to be to them examples of salt and light, justice and mercy, love and compassion, partying and banqueting, laughter and dancing.
My family, I am asking you to take time to pray over this today, but not in your house or apartment on on your couch with a cup of coffee, but out in your neighborhood. Go outside and spend time prayer walking your neighborhood. Take your spouse, children or roommate with you. Go sit at a picnic table in your community’s public area, playground or community center. As you walk, pray over the houses and apartments to which you have been sent. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you opportunities to connect with your neighbors. Pray and come up with ways and events you can be to them tangible examples of salt and light, justice and mercy, love and compassion, partying and banqueting, laughter and dancing, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below with us from todays reading.
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