Faith in the Community: Join us for an alternative family celebration

I wonder if you’ve ever come across the idea of a Light Party? It’s an event that churches often run towards the end of October.They are often designed to be family-friendly alternatives to Halloween. The origins of Halloween are actually based in the Church calendar, as it was ‘All Hallows Eve’ – the night before All Hallows Day or All Saints Day, when Christians traditionally gave thanks for the faithful saints who had died.But it’s fair to say that most of those out trick-or-treating or dressing up in horror costumes won’t be aware of its origins.

And, as a parent of a young child, I can see that most family venues only offer Halloween-themed activities during October half-term. Churches therefore quite often choose to offer something different that celebrates the light of Jesus and allows younger children to join in without getting scared. This year, for the first time, St Mary’s Church in Rowner is hosting its very first Light Party for families living in this part of Gosport.We want everyone to have a fun time on October 31st, and offering a party in the church hall means every family can join in.

This year our light party is superhero-themed, so you can encourage your children to come dressed as their favourite character. But you’re welcome even if you’re not dressed up. Families can join in with our glow-in-the-dark bowling, our ‘rescue the cat’ activity, and our beat the buzzer game. There will be sweets too, and it’s all free! Just sign up online to let us know you’re coming.Parents are welcome to bring along any child aged four to 11, and we’d encourage you to book tickets on www.stmarysrowner.org so we know how many people to cater for.

It’s all part of what we’re trying to offer at St Mary’s, which is family-centred, contemporary worship on Sunday mornings at 10am, which includes high-octane activities for children each week. We also run a toddler group each week, and regular one-off activities for children and families.We’re also starting a new afternoon service each Sunday, which we promise will be different to anything you’ve seen before.

Join us for ‘The Four’ between 4pm and 5pm each week from November 3 onwards.We’d love to get to know your family better, to discover what kind of things you enjoy, and to find ways of helping you to discover more about the Christian faith – in your own time and at your own speed.ST MARY’S CHURCH, Rowner Lane, Gosport, PO13 9SU