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Halloween Alternative

or Fall Festival Ideas

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Looking for something new and different for this year’s October Family Event? Look no further! You’ve come to the right place!

Folks in many churches and communities just like yours are looking for a new fall event idea, one to help them—and kids from their neighborhood, too—celebrate God’s wonderful love for us in Jesus. Any and all of the ideas below will help you tie everything together and keep God’s redeeming love in Christ as your central focus. Interested? Read on!

Halloween Alternative

or Fall Festival Ideas

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God Lights Our WayThe games, craft, and conversation in this theme will encourage children to share the Good News of Jesus the Savior with their family and friends.

A visit to your local party store or a quick Internet search can spark decorating ideas. Think: white lights, glow-in-the-dark items, spotlights, yellow streamers, etc.

Consider recruiting people from your church who have a natural, winsome way of talking with children about Jesus. Invite them to lead an activity. This will give them an opportunity to share the wonderful truth that God lights our way through life, his love shining brightly on us and through us.

“Jesus Time”Plan a large-group worship activity to begin or wrap up your event. Visit the Resource & Idea Center at www.CTAinc.com to download the free God Lights Our Way Ministry Message from CTA and focus on it as the main activity for the day.

Gather everyone around you and use the Ministry Message you have downloaded.

If possible, consider introducing this Ministry Message by showing one of the many firefly videos available on YouTube, ideally, one with no narration, simply background music.

While you have everyone together, explain key details about your event and follow-up activities. Be sure every family receives information about your church and an invitation to attend future events—and Sunday school and worship services.

Consider putting the information and invitations in CTA’s God Lights Our Way goodie bag (GLW17TS12). It will help the children keep crafts and any other mementos in hand throughout the event.

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CraftsG.L.O.W. Jar

What You’ll Need• Tissue paper (yellow, white, red; cut into random shapes, each about an inch across)• Mod Podge waterbase sealer, glue and finish (or watered-down white glue) and sponge

brushes• Clear plastic jars (one per child)• A glue gun (for adult use)• Crosses cut from poster board (one per child)• Battery-operated tea lights from the dollar store (one per child)• Raffia (optional)

What You’ll Do1. Show the children how to apply a thin coat of sealer (diluted white glue) to a section of their

jar and apply the tissue paper pieces one by one, like a mosaic, to the jar’s surface. The crafters should move from section to section, applying tissue paper until the entire jar is covered. (Because you will want to screw the lid back on, leave the rim of the jar uncovered.)

2. When the sealer has dried (about 10 minutes), use the glue gun to attach the cross to the inside surface of the jar about half way from the top.

3. Put a tea light inside the jar and screw the lid on.

4. Tie the raffia around the jar.

What You’ll SayEncourage the children to use their G.L.O.W. jars as a night-light, reminding them that Jesus is always with them—even in the dark. Jesus is our light and our salvation. He took away our sins and gives us peace.

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Placemat Coloring Page

What You’ll Need• Printed copies of the God Lights Our Way placemat from the Resource & Idea Center at

www.CTAinc.com• Crayons or markers

What You’ll DoIt’s best if children can be seated in small groups around tables for this activity. Direct the children to read the Bible verse together with you. Then give them time to color the page.

What You’ll SayAs the children color, start small-group conversations, using questions like these:

1. Are you afraid of the dark? Everybody is sometimes. Why might that be? Accept reasonable answers. For example, when we can’t see where we’re going, we might step on something or trip over something and get hurt. Sometimes brothers and sisters hide in the dark to pop out and scare us. As the children talk, listen carefully, but guide the conversation quickly away from anything that might add to childhood fears—“monsters,” criminals, and the like.

2. The Bible sometimes calls sin, “darkness.” How is disobeying God like walking around in the dark? Disobeying God is dangerous—just like walking around in the dark. God gives us his Law to protect us, to keep us from hurting ourselves or other people.

3. Even though we know better, we still disobey sometimes, don’t we? How do kids your age sin? How do these sins hurt you or others? Again, accept reasonable answers. If you have older children in your group, remind them that sin isn’t always what we do. Sometimes, it can be what we say or even what we think. Sometimes, it can involve NOT doing something that we know would help or protect others.

4. Our sin can be pretty dark and dangerous at times, can’t it? Does that mean we have to be afraid of sin’s power or its consequences? Why not? Use these questions to introduce the Gospel. Jesus died on the cross for us. He was punished in our place. He is our light and our salvation (Psalm 27:1). Jesus, our forever Friend, loves and forgives us always. He is the Light and leads us away from sin and toward true love for him and other people. When we know Jesus, we can GLOW with that love as we say kind words, think kind thoughts, and do kind things to help.

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GamesRed Light, Green Light

Have all the players gather at the starting line. Point out the finish line you have marked off about 20 yards or so from the starting line.

Choose one person to be the “traffic light.” The “traffic light” stands on the finish line with his or her back to the other children. Their goal is to be first to cross the finish line. The goal of the “traffic light” is to keep them from doing so.

No one may move until the “traffic light” shouts, “Green light!” When they hear those words, the children run toward the finish line as fast as possible. Then the “traffic light” shouts, “Red light!” and turns around quickly.

Upon hearing “Red light!” the children must stop in their tracks. If the “traffic light” catches anyone moving, that player must return to the starting line. This continues until someone wins.

The first person to cross the finish line takes over duties as the new “traffic light.”

Glow! Glow! Glow!

This game is a variation of hide-and-go-seek which involves only one person hiding and the rest seeking. All players, except the GLOWER, need a flashlight.

Choose one player to be the GLOWER. The GLOWER will hide inside designated boundaries.

Everyone else stands at home base, flashlights off, and counts out loud—1 o’clock, 2 o’clock, 3 o’clock, and so on until they reach “midnight!”

Then everyone turns on his or her flashlight, spreads out, and starts searching for the GLOWER. The first person to spot the GLOWER shouts, “GLOW! GLOW! GLOW!” Everyone who hears this must run back to home base as quickly as possible. The first person tagged by the GLOWER before reaching base becomes the GLOWER in the next round.

GLOW Balloon Volley

Activate a mini glow stick (snap and shake) and place it inside a latex balloon. Inflate the balloon and tie it off. Use one (or all) of these challenges:

• See how long you can keep the balloon in the air; use a watch or count the number of volleys.

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#GLW17DCE

• Create a second GLOW balloon and invite a second group to compete simultaneously.• Tie a piece of yarn or rope across a “court” and volley the balloon back and forth across it.

The only rule is that players can’t catch and throw the balloon. If the balloon touches the ground, the team on the opposite side of the “net” scores a point. Play to 10 points and then start a new game.

You may want to send a prize home after game time. CTA’s God Lights Our Way Activity Book (GLW17AB) will give children ages 7–11 some fun and engaging experiments and crafts to use as they explore darkness and light. The book will lead them to see Jesus’ love GLOWing in their lives, dispelling the darkness of sin, and they will learn ways they can also GLOW with the light of Jesus’ love and forgiveness.

Snack/FoodUse the God Lights Our Way (G.L.O.W.) Plastic Tumbler (GLW17PT) to serve orange juice or lemonade.

Try one or more of these for snacks:

• Create colorful crispy rice cereal treats using the original recipe but adding a cup of candy corn to the mixture. Hint: Recruit some of the older children to help you make these right on your site!

• Or make little pumpkins from crispy rice treats. Add about 15 drops of yellow food coloring and 8–9 drops of red food coloring after you melt the marshmallows and margarine. Mix it well before you add the cereal. To make the pumpkins, form balls 2–3 inches in diameter. Use strips of green apple fruit roll-ups to make stems for your pumpkins. Very cute!

• Serve apple slices and caramel dip.• Call on all the tailgaters and BBQ-ers in your church. Invite them

to cook and serve hot dogs, burgers, or both. This will not only be a treat for your guests, but it will get more members involved in a great service opportunity!

© 2017 CTA, Inc. www.CTAinc.com Permission to make photocopies or reproduce by any other mechanical or electronic means is granted and is intended for use within a church or other Christian organization, but not for resale.