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| Sabbath School Programs and Teaching Plans for your Church |
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Formerly Sabbath School Leadership, LEAD is a quarterly magazine to bring more power and polish to your Sabbath School programs and Sabbath School teaching.
 Listen to the Sabbath School Theme Music for this Quarter
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Witness Creatively About Death 
 Where do you go when you die? Are ghosts real? These were two of the questions posed to the public at the Erie, Pennsylvania, Seventh-day Adventist Church's Halloween cemetery gathering.
The event began at 6:30 p.m. on October 31, at the Erie Cemetery that covers 14 city blocks and is entirely surrounded by a black wrought iron fence. The mausoleums, old-fashioned headstones, and large gnarled trees are the perfect setting for a Halloween gathering. More important, being located within the city made our group visible to the public during the established trick-or-treat hours of 6:00-8:00 p.m. Church members advertised in the local newspaper, sent "funeral" invitations to visitors and friends on the church mailing list, and put up posters in stores.
In October, weather in Erie can be lovely or lousy. So the Lord blessed us with a warm, clear evening—a perfect night for a walk in the cemetery. Local elder Steve Strothman's presentation on the state of the dead provided truths about death and the hereafter. Participants received a handout bearing Bible verses that Steve referenced in his talk. As Steve spoke about what the Bible says concerning death, spirits, and heaven, passers-by took note of what was going on. The cemetery caretaker came out of his office to hear what was being said. A mother and her young son who had been trick-or-treating in the neighborhood joined the group.
At the conclusion of the cemetery walk, the group went to the "funeral parlor," the home of a church member who lived near the cemetery. Arriving guests were greeted at the 8-foot arch erected at the entrance to the yard, and "headstones" dotted the landscape. Folding chairs had been set up on the patio facing a "casket" draped in black.
As participants entered the parlor, they found a guest book to sign and received wallet-size memorial cards containing Bible verses about the state of the dead. The group spent the remainder of the evening in fellowship: talking and enjoying a variety of healthful vegan refreshments, including meatballs, tofu cheesecake, pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, caramel apple wedges, and cider.
"We have been looking for out-ofthe-box methods to reach out to the Erie community," said Debbie Danielson, personal ministries director. "This was our first Halloween event. Overall, I think the evening went well. The Erie church is working hard to be more visible and to promote friendship evangelism. We will look at ways we can improve our Halloween event and brainstorm ideas for new programs to continue this type of outreach. We'll be glad to share what we do with all of you."
 Debbie Danielson is a designer in the Corporate Design and Publishing Department of the Erie Insurance Exchange in Erie, Pennsylvania. She is personal ministries director for the Erie church, located on Hunter Willis Road.
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