October offers rich opportunities for churches to engage faith and community through blessings, banned books, LGBTQ+ inclusion, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and family-friendly Halloween celebrations.

October is a busy time of year—the back-to-school and fall programming rush has ended, but as churches and families live into the rhythms and routines of the fall, here are some ideas of how to incorporate October holidays and commemorations into your CYF programming or congregational life.

Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, October 4th

St. Francis of Assisi is well-known as being the patron saint of animals, and many churches hold a “Blessing of the Animals” service where people are invited to bring their pets to church and receive a blessing. Due to the challenging logistics of bringing a lot of pets to church or even to an outdoor space, consider hosting the service over Zoom or another video conferencing software so people can have their pets blessed from the comfort of their own homes.

Banned Books Week, October 5th-11th

Banned Books Week is an annual event to raise awareness about banned and challenged books. If your church has a library, consider making a banned books display. Another option is to have a story time, either as part of regular programming like Sunday school or as its own event, where you read a banned or challenged book. Visit bannedbooksweek.org for more information about the week and a list of commonly banned or challenged books, or check out PEN America’s list of banned or challenged picture books.

National Coming Out Day, October 12th

National Coming Out Day is an annual celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community with the intention of providing support and raising awareness of the challenges that many LGBTQIA+ people face when coming out. It is a day that celebrates inclusivity and the invitation to be one’s authentic self.

There are many ways your church or programs can participate in National Coming Out Day. Consider having a rainbow day at church or in programming, where people are encouraged to wear rainbows to show their support of the LGBTQIA+ community. Have a lesson or read a book about queer people and allies who lived out their faith by supporting justice for the LGBTQIA+ community. Additionally, National Coming Out Day may be a good catalyst for conversations about how to make your church or programming more welcoming of transgender youth and their families.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day, October 13th

Christopher Columbus Day was made a national holiday in 1943, yet since its adoption, the day has been called into question by many for celebrating colonialism and the genocidal histories of European colonialism against First Nations peoples. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a reframing of the national holiday to honor the historic and ongoing First Nations communities and cultures, as well as being a way to educate and advocate for the justice issues facing many native communities today.

When participating in or hosting events for Indigenous Peoples’ Day, it is important to remember that advocacy, education, celebration, and support are needed year-round. Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a holiday is a good entry point into awareness and activism, but churches that participate should consider how to remain engaged in justice work throughout the year.

Many denominations have their own or ecumenical commemorations of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Additionally, many states, cities, and regions have programming and festivities as well. Check in with your denomination and local community to see what events are being held. You may also host a documentary viewing and discussion, such as one of the documentaries featured here. If your congregation does not already have a land acknowledgement statement, consider drafting one as a first step toward awareness and justice. You can read more about land acknowledgements here.

Halloween, October 31st

Many churches participate in Halloween festivities with family-friendly events like Trunk-or-Treat or youth group Halloween parties. One youth group fun and fellowship event idea is to go to a local haunted house or similar attraction, and then finish the evening with an All Hallows’ Eve service, such as the one found in Steve Case’s book, The Book of Uncommon Prayer: Contemplative and Celebratory Prayers and Worship Services for Youth Ministry. Another option is to host a spooky (or not-so-spooky) movie night and discussion.

Conclusion

As your congregation moves through the month of October, these observances offer both meaningful opportunities for worship and creative possibilities for community engagement. Whether through blessing pets, reading banned books, honoring Indigenous communities, or gathering for Halloween fellowship, each event provides a chance to connect faith with daily life. Consider which ideas fit your context best and let these moments be starting points for deeper reflection, celebration, and action throughout the year.

Peace and all good,
Dr. Pace Warfield

About the Writer

Pace C. Warfield (they/them) is a recent graduate of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. In addition to their studies, Pace has worked in children, youth, and family ministries for over fifteen years at various congregations throughout the country. Pace has previously written blog posts for We Talk, We Listen, the diversity blog of the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, on mental health and the holidays called “Waiting for Snow” and a Lutheran approach to LGBTQIA+ systematic theology called “The Queer Ground.” They are the creator and cohost of the podcast Horror Nerds at Church, which examines the theology of horror films. They live in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with their partner and two dogs.

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