Pumpkins Bumped in the Night

I don’t think it’s on the liturgical calendar, but it happens like clockwork every year in October: United Methodist Churches around the U.S. host their annual “Pumpkin Patch” fundraisers.  A few have experienced dustups here and there – Knightsville (S.C.) United Methodist’s patch, for example, was picketed by a protester, and Myers Memorial’s patch was messed up by vandals who snuck in under cover of darkness and smashed the pumpkins. However, all’s well that ends well.  The pumpkin patch earned plenty of cash. As one church member reported, “Though the destructive behavior was upsetting, the kindness of others made up for the night of pumpkin smashing.”

In other Halloween happenings, a couple of United Methodist churches are offering something a little different this year: organ concerts that feature spooky music and in some cases, Phantom organists, like this one hosted by Myers Park UMC in Charlotte, N.C. tonight.

And of course, as soon as Halloween ends on Sunday night, the stores will be drenched in Christmas decorations. If you're looking ahead at your church's holiday worship calendar, here’s an interesting idea: Park Avenue UMC offers a “Traveler’s Worship” for anyone visiting the city on Christmas Eve.  If you can’t be home for the holidays, this sounds like the next best thing.