The Pumpkin Prayer

I love Fall. Fall decorations, the weather, the holidays.
LOVE it!

My friend Rachel posed the question on her blog asking what other people thought of Halloween and celebrating it. Well, I treat the holiday as a cultural FUN holiday. We don't get into the spooky things or the gruesome scary costumes or decorations. We let our kids dress up for Halloween, though we don't make a huge deal out of the holiday. We visit a few neighbors that we know (can't go roaming around the neighborhood to a bunch of strangers these days) and then go to our church fall festival. We always visit a pumpkin patch, and carve a pumpkin.

I think you can certainly enjoy Halloween and honor God at the same time. The fall holds SO much that can be related to spiritual things.

Rachel mentioned a few books that she had purchased, and we actually have a few of those! She also had a great activity. I was reminded about a few I have used and wanted to share them with you!

Below is a way to share the Gospel with your Children while you carve your family Pumpkin:

The Pumpkin Gospel
Open with prayer and share “Every Halloween, people carve pumpkins to make jack-o-lanterns. We’re going to carve a pumpkin too, but our pumpkin is going to teach us about the Gospel and God’s promise of heaven.

Theme: We become a new creation when Jesus comes into our hearts.

Supplies: Pumpkin, large bowl, newspapers, sharp knife, spoon, candle, matches, Bible

Activity: Cut an opening in the top of the pumpkin and have your kids pull out the seeds and scrape the inside of the pumpkin while you read Matthew 23:25-28 and Revelation 3:20

Ask: How is the stuff we pulled out of the pumpkin like sin in our hearts? (They’re both yucky, sticky…) How is the way we cleaned out our pumpkin like the way Jesus cleans us out when we confess our sins?(Jesus scoops the yucky stuff out, etc)

Draw a happy face on your pumpkin, then carve it out. When your pumpkin has a happy face read 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Ephesians 2:10

Ask: How have we made this pumpkin a “new creation”?
How do we become new creations when Jesus comes into our hearts?

Share: When Jesus comes into our hearts, we become new creations, just as our pumpkin has become a new creation. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

Read aloud: Matthew 5:14-16. Then light a candle and place it inside the pumpkin. Turn off the room lights and have everyone stand or sit so they can see the light coming through the pumpkin’s face.

Discuss how God wants our light to shine before others. Read 2 Cor. 4:6

Ask: How is the way the candle light comes through the pumpkin like the way God wants our light to shine?

Also...here is another adaption of the one above called

The Pumpkin Prayer

Dear God,

Open my mind so I can learn about You;
(Cut the top of the pumpkin)

Take away all my sin and forgive me for the
wrong things I do; (Clean out the inside)

Open my eyes so Your Love I will see;
(Cut eyes)

Open my ears so Your Word I will hear;
(Cut ears)

Open my mouth so I can tell others about You;
(Cut mouth)

Let Your Light shine in all I say and do! Amen.
(Place a candle and light)

Oh....and I just remembered about the Candy Corn Prayer-- great as a class favor or to hand out to trick or treaters!

Candy Corn Prayer
White is for purity and holiness...
Lord help me to be holy like You.
Orange is for courage...
Lord help me to have courage like You when You died on the cross for me.
Yellow is for God's Son...
Lord let His light shine through my heart.

Thanks Rachel for reminding me of those great books and the Pumpkin Gospel activity!

*Disclaimer-- the activities and poems above are not my original idea. But I also have no idea who to credit..now, carry on!