Norfolk Church takes on Halloween

A church in Norfolk has ‘engaged directly with the forces of darkness’ at Halloween - to show the power of Christ.

At St Mary Magdalene Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, hundreds of queuing trick-or-treaters were challenged to enter a ‘battle zone’ to discover ‘Light on a Dark Night’. Around 400 of them climbed into the pitch black, smoke-filled church building and took on a series of battles against the darkness.

In the Dark Zone, where participants waged war against a witch and other tasks such as diamond-searching in a slime-filled bath and a whack-a-mole ghost, the forces of darkness were too strong.

But participants pursued their journey towards the light, following a trail of blood-marked footsteps. By the cobweb, they found a dead spider alongside leather sandals; the witch was found with a bullet hole in her head alongside a communion cup and plate of half-eaten bread. Ten half eaten apples were found within a crown of thorns; and Roman nails were found on top of a collapsed ghost.

Battle-weary participants were guided to a large cross (illuminated by LED tea lights) by the exit - the ‘diamond’ was lit up at the foot of the cross. And it was there that the vicar, Matthew Price, explained that Christ had defeated all the forces of darkness for them through His death on the cross.

Placing a tea light onto the cross, they could pass into the Light Zone - a room filled with victory music, fairy lights - and a large empty tomb. They were greeted by a person in party dress but with a battle wound who said: ‘Because of Jesus you have been victorious and can now enjoy being in the light.’

Participants filled up on hot chocolate and hot dogs and enjoyed activities like decorating chocolate-covered apples and making cardboard Shields of Faith. ‘Too often the church has retreated into the safety of the more usual Light Party to avoid the cultural phenomenon of Halloween’, Matthew said.

‘We at St Mary Magdalene find it thrilling and more effective to share the message of Christ in a way that positively engages our wonderful community, whilst highlighting the powerful, yet remarkably loving way, that Christ defeats the powers of darkness in our world through his death.’