Re-hallowing Halloween

Angels replace mischief with message

Candy-dispensing homeowners in Belleville, Ontario, expect heavenly visitors again this fall. Along with Yoda, Pokemon, and the usual goblins, a host of angels will appear on Halloween night.

The town's 19 evangelical churches will sponsor "Touched by an Angel" for a third year. We dispatch the children of church families in costume to deliver cards reading "God cares for you and wants to touch your life." This allows children whose parents struggle with Halloween to collect some candy and spread the word at the same time.

While the children ring the doorbell, parents are asked to stand curbside and pray quietly for the people who live there. We tell the children to say, "I have a message for you," and hand them the card. We remind them not to say "trick or treat," because angels don't trick.

The project has grown to include an angel float in the Christmas parade, where the kids gave out 5,000 cards with candies attached, and a community ...