The church hosted their annual Trunk or Treat on Sunday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with more than 20 decorated vehicle trunks loaded with candy for the trick or treaters.

This year the event had more decorated “trunks” than ever, said organizer Amy Kriner who, with her husband DJ, greeted visitors at the entrance to the church parking lot. There were 24 participants this year, 10 of which were community members or organizations and 14 were church members, she said.

Kriner said she believes the community has really come to enjoy the Trunk or Treat, which makes her work easier.

“It wasn’t so bad organizing this year,” she said. “I think that’s because we have been doing it for a while and the community has gotten used to it.”

Community Connections at Findley Lake was on of several organizations which joined in the fun at the Trunk or Treat sponsored by the Findley Lake United Methodist Church. Photo by David Prenatt

Kriner said they chose the hours for trunk or treat so that children could also go trick or treating around the town, which had set its hours from 5 to 7 pm.

Pastor Dave Cooke was stationed at the parking lot exit where he gave, not only candy, but a Bible storybook and a gift bag to each family. He noted that the gift bag contained a night light to “help share the light of Jesus,” he said.

Cooke said that the church has been providing trunk or treat for at least eight years and it seems to be growing every year.

“We’ve been inviting more community organizations. It’s a great partnership between the community and the church,” he said. “The best part is just bringing the church and the community together in a safe and fun way.”

Craig and Ashley Williams, along with their daughters, Ava and Kylie, decorated their area as the Olympics, including the winners podium on which visitors could take a photo of their children.

Marcie Park welcomed truck or treaters with a depiction of Sleepy Hollow. Photo by David Prenatt

“I think our world needs a little more togetherness,” said Ashley Williams, \referring to why they chose the Olympics as a theme. “This is a nice, safe spot for all the kids in our community.”

Craig Williams noted that this is their third year taking part in the Trunk or Treat.

“It has been a very fun thing to do,” he said. “The best part is seeing the community come out.”

Kathy Carter and her husband Chuck have been taking part in the Trunk or Treat for as long as the church has been having it. This year, they chose a psychedelic 1970’s theme, complete with music from that decade.

“Just seeing the kids and their costumes is great,” she said. “Plus, we get to share a little bit about God’s unconditional love. That’s what we’re all about.”

Photos one to three – Church and community members as well as several community organizations dressed up their viehicles at the Trunk or Treat sponsored by the Findley Lake United Methodist Church. Photos by David Prenatt

This was the first year for Marcie Park, who created a Sleepy Hollow theme, complete with the headless horseman on a child’s rocking horse.

“The rocking horse was in the living room and I just thought it was a good idea,” she said. The horseman wasn’t really headless, but had a pumpkin for his head. “We put a hood on him, so he wasn’t so scary,” she said.

Community Connections at Findley Lake was one of the organizations that got in on the fun this year. Activities Coordinator Judy Miller said the church asked if they would take part in it.

“I thought it sounded like a really good idea,” she said.

Dee Dascomb, who was assisting Miller, said the experience was delightful.

“It is lots and lots of fun seeing all the kids dressed up in their costumes,” she said.

According to Good Housekeeping, “Trunk-or-Treat is a Halloween tradition in which cars get just as decked out as candy-seekers. Participants bring their cars to a central location, most likely a church or school parking lot, and then decorate them with some kind of thematic flair.”

The Findley Lake United Methodist Church, however, expands on that definition.

As Cooke put it, “we are sharing the love of Christ in a fun and positive way.”