Spiders and Skulls and Blood: Halloween at Wesley
By Barbara Hirua
Spiders! EEEK! Skulls! EEEK! Witches! EEEK! And lots of gore. EEEK! It’s Halloween at Wesley UMC’s Trunk ‘N’ Treats and what a shriekingly wonderful outing for our church’s ministries and for the neighborhood. The children and their parents, drawn to our parking lot by the booming sounds of San Jose Taiko, traversed out parking lot full of frighteningly colorful and imaginative trunks and delightful Wesley people in creative costumes. Winning the top prize of course, was Rev. John doing his best Maui (the demigod from Moana) impression. What a wild man/god.
This is one of our highlight events that showcases our church to the Japantown Community and over the years we have been the place to go for safe trick-or-treating for the children and with the best toys and candy around. It is an event not to be missed. We’ve been truly blessed to have the outreach activity.
We are thankful for the outpouring of love and yes a mountain of candy and treats we gave out all the children, teens, parents, and families. Sorry, no candy for the pets. It was a grand event that showcased our various church ministries. We had representation from Nichigo led by Mimune and Mieko Tsukamoto with Akiko Buchanan, Michiko Collins, Hikaru Bakoshi, Mayumi Miyakwa and Takumi Ogawa; Missions led by John Tanaka with Andrea, Doris Tabuchi and Judy Yasutake; Children and Family Ministries with Hatty Lin and Malcolm, Hands of Grace with Yumi and Wayne Haraguchi; United Women in Faith with Terri Koike, Bobbie Ueunten, and Cynthia Fukuda; Primetimers with Warren and Jane Hayashi; our congregation with Roy and Hannah Takeuchi; Choir with Hector Acuna and Don Saito; Compassion led by Mark Teagle with Barbara Hiura; and Pastoral Staff with Rev. John Oda. We were blessed to have a great team of electrician providing our electricity for our trunk lights and bow-ups led by Byron Longmire and Jim Higuchi with Jim Yamaguchi and Vince Lee.
We couldn’t have held this event safely without the help of Jeffrey Oldham and Kelvin Kamachi who ensured that cars kept away and children and families could safely cross the street in front of our parking lot. They had a masterful plan of action and carried it out wonderfully. Hats off to them.
Accolades to Kelli Martines and Hikaru Bakoshi for all the behind the scenes work in making this event happen with pretty nifty signage and a meal for all the participants. That made the evening for our various ministries. To cap it off, Terri Koike made squash soup for all the participants and a delightful pumpkin cake for dessert. It was fabulous.
Finally a big huge thank you to our congregation who really came through with enough candy that we even have left-overs. We served probably over 600 children and families. So if you see bowls of candy around the church, please help yourself to your favorites.
Spiders! EEEK! Skulls! EEEK! Witches! EEEK! And lots of gore. EEEK! It’s Halloween at Wesley UMC’s Trunk ‘N’ Treats and what a shriekingly wonderful outing for our church’s ministries and for the neighborhood. The children and their parents, drawn to our parking lot by the booming sounds of San Jose Taiko, traversed out parking lot full of frighteningly colorful and imaginative trunks and delightful Wesley people in creative costumes. Winning the top prize of course, was Rev. John doing his best Maui (the demigod from Moana) impression. What a wild man/god.
This is one of our highlight events that showcases our church to the Japantown Community and over the years we have been the place to go for safe trick-or-treating for the children and with the best toys and candy around. It is an event not to be missed. We’ve been truly blessed to have the outreach activity.
We are thankful for the outpouring of love and yes a mountain of candy and treats we gave out all the children, teens, parents, and families. Sorry, no candy for the pets. It was a grand event that showcased our various church ministries. We had representation from Nichigo led by Mimune and Mieko Tsukamoto with Akiko Buchanan, Michiko Collins, Hikaru Bakoshi, Mayumi Miyakwa and Takumi Ogawa; Missions led by John Tanaka with Andrea, Doris Tabuchi and Judy Yasutake; Children and Family Ministries with Hatty Lin and Malcolm, Hands of Grace with Yumi and Wayne Haraguchi; United Women in Faith with Terri Koike, Bobbie Ueunten, and Cynthia Fukuda; Primetimers with Warren and Jane Hayashi; our congregation with Roy and Hannah Takeuchi; Choir with Hector Acuna and Don Saito; Compassion led by Mark Teagle with Barbara Hiura; and Pastoral Staff with Rev. John Oda. We were blessed to have a great team of electrician providing our electricity for our trunk lights and bow-ups led by Byron Longmire and Jim Higuchi with Jim Yamaguchi and Vince Lee.
We couldn’t have held this event safely without the help of Jeffrey Oldham and Kelvin Kamachi who ensured that cars kept away and children and families could safely cross the street in front of our parking lot. They had a masterful plan of action and carried it out wonderfully. Hats off to them.
Accolades to Kelli Martines and Hikaru Bakoshi for all the behind the scenes work in making this event happen with pretty nifty signage and a meal for all the participants. That made the evening for our various ministries. To cap it off, Terri Koike made squash soup for all the participants and a delightful pumpkin cake for dessert. It was fabulous.
Finally a big huge thank you to our congregation who really came through with enough candy that we even have left-overs. We served probably over 600 children and families. So if you see bowls of candy around the church, please help yourself to your favorites.
Rev. John welcoming truck or Treaters to Wesley, seen here with Amanda and Lat Ware and children.
Bobbie Ueunten and Terri Koike representing the United Women of Faith ministry and with Trick or treaters
Cute in their onesies, Hatty, Akemi and Hikaru!!!
John Tanaka, Doris Tabuchi and Judy Yasutake with the Missions Ministry trunk
Shark attack the Peanuts trunk
Warren and Jane Hayashi treat the children with their Unique Japanese motif trunk
San Jose Taiko beckon the children to enter Wesley’s parking lot and come they did!
The eerie lights from Roy and Hannah Takeuchi’s scary trunk.
Safety patrol guy, Jeffrey Oldham ready to get the children safely across the street.
Thank you to three of our electrical crew…Jim Yamaguchi, Jim Higuchi, and Vince Lee. Hector Acuna, far left jining them for a bite to eat.
Nichigo car with Michiko Collins, Mimune and Mieko Tsukamoto, Mayumi Miyakwa, Akiko Buchanan, and Takumi Ogawa.
Wayne and Yumi Haraguchi with Virginia Bailey’s grandchild out for some Halloween fun.
What’s a Halloween party without Snoopy!!!
Harry Lin and Hikaru Bakoshi set up the children and Family gaming table.
Posted in Newsletter 2023-11-16