Holy Spirit Brings Together Children and Their Neighbors.

BATTLE LAKE, Minn. — “We didn’t get locked out this year,”  Missi Abfalter, Faith Formation director at First Lutheran Church, joyfully reported.

Abfalter so enjoyed church staff Reverse Trick or Treating last year, she added the event to the schedule of First Lutheran’s WAFL program (Wednesday at First Lutheran). WAFL is a community Wednesday after school program that is modeled after old-fashioned Sunday School. Forty-six students are registered this year.

Last year, staff members attempted to Reverse Trick or Treat the apartments across the street from First Lutheran, only to find it was a locked building. The Holy Spirit worked Her wonders last year as apartment building residents helped with the reverse trick or treating. In 2023, thirty-nine treat bags were handed out in the apartment building and neighboring houses.

This year eight teams of teachers, helpers and costumed children spread out over the city of Battle Lake, loving their neighbors with treat bags. Fifty-eight students and chaperones Reverse Trick or Treated 100 homes with treat bags that consisted of a cross keychain, magnet bookmark, candy corn keychain, Christian stickers, a pocket pebble, the pastor’s business card, a note that says “We think it is a real treat that you are our neighbor!” and, of course, candy. The total cost for the church was less than $50.

After the event, neighbor to the church Chris Maudal posted on Facebook: “We love being your neighbor more.” Another neighbor was so thrilled to have received the thoughtful act of love, she spent time getting to know the children and their chaperons. That group of children came back to the church shouting, “We love that pink house lady,” and “She is great.”

The most common reaction was, “Wait, it's not Halloween yet; let me get you something.” The children would reply ,“No, we have something for you!” Astonishment would cover those faces, when the adults realized they were getting a bag of goodies. After each drop off conversation, the children would yell “Happy Halloween!”

The Holy Spirit brought together two disparate groups of people: Those at home on a Wednesday afternoon and children from Pre-K to 6th grade. Most of the students had no idea who lived near the church. It was an opportunity to love those neighbors close to the church.

Reverse Trick or Treating allowed people and students who might not otherwise cross paths with each other to smile and laugh for a few moments. Pastor Lynn Melchior of First Lutheran Church recognizes that our lives have become lonelier due to technological advances, and good old face-to-face contact is a blessing for many.

Pastor Melchior and the 430-member congregation are seeking to be a part of their community.

“Our community extends beyond our four walls of the church,” states Pastor Melchior. “We don’t have to preach the gospel to be the gospel. And the WAFL students did just that.”

If a neighbor was not home, the children left the Halloween treat bag on the door handle of the residence. As the children returned to First Lutheran Church from Reverse Trick or Treating, they were jubilant. Choruses of, “Let’s do it again next year,” rang out. Abfalter plans to make this an annual event. And the neighbors agree.