One Pastor's Approach to Halloween // M-Note 10.31.26

I love Halloween. Though I love preaching, Halloween doesn’t demand a lot from pastors. I get to sit in my driveway, get a fire going in the firepit, say hi to friends and neighbors, meet some new ones, and give out full size candy bars. I love seeing the look on kids’ faces when I tell them they can take one!

A couple of weeks ago I was talking to my mail carrier and asked him if he was ready for Halloween. He looked at me kind of side-eyed and said, “Pastor, you can’t do Halloween? We are Christian." That led to a whole conversation and a lot of questions about ghosts, spirits, heaven, hell and what exactly happens to us when we die.

Whether you are into Halloween or not, most of us wonder what happens next. Is there an afterlife and if so, what is it like? You likely have an opinion about it, or have an image of what you think it will be like. Most of us have an image of heaven that is an amalgamation of ideas from books, movies, tv, other religions, and our own imaginings. It can be a surprise to learn what Jesus actually teaches us about life after death.

Tomorrow, I am beginning a new series called Afterlife: What Comes Next. We are going to talk about what the Bible reveals and what Jesus teaches about life after death. Even though much of the afterlife is a mystery, there is actually a lot we can learn about what it will be like. I know for some of you this may be a fascinating topic, and for others a hard one. It might kick up anxiety around death or remind us of churches that use heaven and hell to scare people into believing. That is not what we are about at The Gathering.

Instead, Jesus teaches us about the afterlife to give us hope, assurance, and resiliency in this life. Our hope for the future shapes our hope in the present.

So I hope you will join me tomorrow for worship as we kick off this new series. Don’t come alone. I know we all have friends who are curious about these questions or who might be struggling over the loss of someone they love. This is the perfect time to invite them to a series that will offer tangible hope even in the midst of loss.

What’s even better is that TONIGHT you get an extra hour of sleep, so don’t forget to turn your clock back. Be safe tonight and I will see you Sunday!

Peace,

Matt

P.S. This Tuesday The Gathering is hosting a book event for my dear friend and former Gathering Executive Pastor, Sabra Engelbrecht. She has recently published her first book, an Advent devotional called Gifts of the Mother: An Advent Journey with the Sacred Feminine. We so instinctively think of God in masculine terms, and yet, in many places, scripture describes God using feminine language. Exploring this side of God broadens and deepens our understanding and offers us a different way to connect with God. Tuesday night at 7pm at The Gathering McCausland, Sabra will discuss her new book, answer questions, and do a book signing. There will be books available to purchase.

Also, if you are struggling this holiday season, please check out our Holiday Wellness Groups. We have groups on topics like navigating complicated relationships to grief to managing expectations. Connect with others and don’t do the holidays alone. You can check out all the groups and sign up here.