Murphy – The oldest attendee was 80, and the youngest a 7-week-old baby. That’s what pastor Chris Flick hoped for Murphy Presbyterian Church’s first fall festival – participation by all age groups.
Wanting to do something a little different than traditional Halloween trunk-or-treating, Flick’s wife Jules came up with the idea as a youth outreach event. Saturday’s misty weather didn’t deter families from coming to enjoy fellowship, games, a glow-in-the-dark spooky hallway and of course, candy.
The festival was held from 5-8 p.m. and Jules counted more than 50 kids coming through in just in the first hour. Many families were making the rounds of all downtown church events, and sidewalks held a stream of costumed people.
“We’re going everywhere that we know about tonight,” an excited John Anthony Worley said. Dressed as the My Pillow guy, he aced a cornhole game before venturing into a spooky hallway that was lit by colorful glow sticks and blacklights.
The adults seemed to be enjoying themselves just as much as the kids. Church elder Grace Frederick greeted everyone as they came through the door and said it was wonderful to see so many people having fun after past events were canceled or put on pandemic hold.
Flick said he couldn’t agree more.
“We wanted to let the community know that we love them,” he said. “And to tell them about the love of Jesus.”
By Tracy Barnes, Staff Correspondent