July 14, 2025 / by Sandi Shearin
Several years ago, a friend said that her family set out donuts and coffee on Halloween and invited those that came by trick-or-treating to help themselves. I liked the idea, but our neighborhood doesn’t see a lot of trick-or-treating traffic so I wasn’t sure what to do with it…
But, with God handing us the idea, He also showed us a way to use it. Last fall, we held our third neighborhood gathering (since 2019). We’re not really into Halloween, but recognize that it is a time when people are out and about and seem to be fairly open to talking to one another, and the weather is usually cooperative although it did snow one year! We don’t make it a Halloween party, but just go with a fall theme.
We keep it simple and make it a floating event from 5:00 – 7:00. With the turnover on our street, it is a great way to meet the new people and connect with those we don’t get to see very often before the weather turns cold and we all hunker down for the winter!
Our experience has included:
- I write up a short invitation and hand-deliver it to each of the other 16 houses on our street. Sometimes I need to go to a house multiple times to catch someone at home, but I really think it helps for them to see a face and receive a personal invitation. And I’m glad for the opportunity to meet them.
- Simple snacks – coffee, hot chocolate (just a powdered mix but made with milk, it is by far the most popular drink!), water, and 3-4 different kinds of homemade cookies (including some without nuts).
- Name tags – on which people put their name and most add their house number
- In the garage, we set up a couple of card tables for the food and some lawn chairs to encourage folks to sit and visit for a while.
- On the invitation I mention that they are welcome to bring their Halloween candy if they’d like to give it out from our house. Last year was the first time neighbors brought their treats and I wasn’t prepared, but next time I’ll set up a table for the candy bowls!
- Each year more people have come. Last fall, people from 12 of the 16 houses on the street joined us – some for a few minutes while they trick-or-treated with their kids, but many stayed for an hour or more! It was wonderful to hear them connecting with stories of their yard projects, when they moved to the street, or where they work.
A few days after the gathering last fall, I received a note from Nancy, one of our neighbors. She thanked me and said it was kind of us to “host and bring our neighbors together – creating a community”. Her note reminded me why we do this and why God calls us to reach out to our neighbors.
Sandi is married to John and they have two college-age sons, Will and Ben. They found East White Oak through an ad in the yellow pages (yes, that many years ago!) and have been happily attending and serving at EWO ever since. Sandi holds babies in the nursery, helps with check-in at the children’s ministry computers, is a secretary for Sparks in AWANA, and attends the Acts 2:42 ABF.
Fall will be here before we know it!
We’ll have the wonderful opportunity to head into our front yards and bring the Gospel with us! That’s right… Fall events, Halloween, and S’more Neighboring! Get it? Connect with a neighbor this Fall through a S’more party or a Fall-themed get-together.
