Hell Houses, Trunk or Treat, Reformation Day: 5 ways churches are recognizing Halloween this year

Halloween has long been associated in the United States with scary stories, costumes, candy, horror movies, and going around the neighborhood asking for tricks or treats.

American churches have offered a wide spectrum of responses to the holiday, from outright rejection over theological concerns to passive embrace or appropriation of the less controversial portions.

Here are five ways that five congregations choose to observe the occasion this year. They include remembering the birth of the Reformation, scary productions known as Hell Houses, and kindly community events like Trunk or Treat.