Following several years of inviting people to St Paul’s for ‘The Big Treat’, this year
we decided to take the treat out into the parish, running ‘Treat on the Streets’ in Holt
Park, Tinshill and at St Paul’s. As Christians, we often struggle with how to approach
Halloween and trick or treating. Treat on the Steet aimed to bless people as they
were out trick or treating, being Good News to those we met.
Here are some reflections of those who were involved:
Mark at St Paul’s
The "Treat on the Street" event at the St. Paul’s Church venue was a heartwarming
success, bringing together around 180 people from the local community for an
evening filled with fun for. Families enjoyed delicious hot dogs and steaming cups of hot
chocolate as they mingled and connected. One of the highlights was the craft station,
where kids created crafts with the message, “Jesus is the Light of the World”. Goodie
bags were handed out to children as a gift from the church. The event ran smoothly
thanks to a dedicated team of over 15 enthusiastic volunteers, who gave their time
and energy to ensure everyone felt welcomed and cared for. Treat the Street brought
warmth, light, and a sense of togetherness embodying the church as a "Growing
Community, Shaped by Jesus".
Geoff in Tinshill
Halloween has never been on my ‘to do’ list so I wasn’t sure what to expect from
Treat on the Street. However in conversation with neighbours over the craft work
they pointed out that it was a great opportunity to meet people and get to know who
lives in your area!! We also discovered that the skips in the next street were the
result of 3 families who rather than buying bigger were making alterations to their
homes with a view to staying in the area.
A lot of the contacts were via informal school whatsapps and nearly all were family
groups Mum, Dad and Primary age children. A few were friends or family from a
distance who had joined them for the evening.
Easy hospitality in the form of a hot dog, hot chocolate and an interesting but simple
craft made it comfortable for people to come and go stopping for 15-20 minutes. We had lots of good conversations and are encouraged to find more ways to connect
with our neighbours.
Best of all we didn’t do it for too long…..Just an hour and a half.
Paddy and Eleanor in Holt Park
Our Treat on the Street was pitched at the corner of Holtdale Lawn. This was at the
suggestion of Alan Mann, an influential community leader - who visited us soon after
we arrived there. The Halloween crowds come in two waves. The first of mainly tiny
witches and skeletons accompanied by their parents; later teenage werewolves
made their appearance. We served a lot of hot chocolate and hot dogs to cold and
grateful revellers. The steady stream of people meant we weren’t overwhelmed at
any point and had quite a lot of conversations with all ages.
Over the course of an hour and a half, across the three venues, we connected with
more than 350 people, several of whom expressed appreciation that Treat on the
Streets was so local. A great way to shine the light of Jesus into Halloween. Several
of the team involved in serving have started thinking of other ways we can bless our
parish – maybe carols and mince pies as Christmas approaches? As plans are
made, Come and join in as we seek to be a blessing to our parish.