New website inspires Halloween outreach 

A new website has launched to inspire and equip churches to reach out to their communities on 31 October by creating welcoming 'light beacons'

lightbeacons.org.uk has everything churches need to know about running 'light beacons' on 31 October.

Light beacons are lit gazebos at a central location on a busy local patch, where churches provide a warm welcome by running a range of activities such as serving hot dogs and hot chocolate, running a children’s activity, giving away glow bracelets and offering a listening ear and confidential prayer.

Andrew Bates, the Outreach Team Leader at New Life Church in Old Woking, created the website. His church has been running light beacons since 2010. 

'The aim of the website is to equip churches to redeem the 31 October,' he said.

'The original vision came back in 2010 from a leader in another local church; he was angry that darkness always seemed to take over on Halloween and had a vision of South Woking being bathed in light on 31 October.

'Following his vision, a number of key players in local churches got together to pray and the idea of setting up Light Beacons in the community came about.'

The website explains what a Light Beacon is, why a local church might consider running one and how to go about it.



'The idea is about going to where people in the community are, so we set up gazebos on our local recreation ground, from which we give out hot dogs, hot chocolate and loads of glow bracelets; we also offer a ‘light’ themed children’s activity as well as a listening ear and prayer,' said Andrew.

'We’ve been doing this since 2010 and our local community looks forward to us being out there and offering a positive alternative to Halloween and a safe place to gather. We welcome approximately 200 people to our Light Beacon each year.'

Speaking about why churches might consider stepping out on Halloween in this way, Andrew says, 'We are redeeming the 31st October – we go out to freely give rather than get, to bring light in darkness and offer a safe place for people to mingle.'

Andrew continued, 'We meet the people in the community where they are. This is one night when many people come out of their houses.

'They come out to have fun, oblivious in most cases to the darker side of Halloween. We can join them in the fun ‘treating’ aspect and offer them a taste of the best treat ever - a relationship with Jesus.'

'The event also provides a non-committal way for church members to dip their toe in evangelism and hopefully get a taste for it and, very importantly, it empowers our young people - when all their friends are asking them at school what they are doing on Halloween, rather than be on the back foot, they can say, ‘We are running a ‘Light Beacon’, come and join us!’'

Other church leaders also share Andrew’s enthusiasm for light beacons.

George Osborn, pastor at Hope Church Kensington, Liverpool (formerly an Elder at Send Evangelical Church) said, 'I love the Beacons because it means getting out there and engaging with people rather than retreating on what is seen as a ‘dark night’.

'Let’s take the ground Jesus has already won and be out there engaging with people without judgement but armed with the gospel and Christ’s love! The Light Beacons do just that; go for it!'

And the Revd Jonathan Thomas, vicar for the Parish of St. Peter, Woking, said, 'St Mark’s Church Westfield has been running a Light Beacon since 2010 on Westfield Common. It has grown significantly over the years and we now welcome over 150 people.

'Local families remember we are going to be there and look out for us, with some who don’t like celebrating Halloween making it their Halloween event as a positive influence for their children. We have some great conversations about all sorts of things including our Christian faith and it has helped us build and develop really good relationships with families in our community.'
 

To find out more about how your church could redeem 31 October by running a Light Beacon, visit: lightbeacons.org.uk