Next week thousands of children will take to the streets to "trick or treat'' in search of delicious goodies to eat.

But there might be a slight decrease in the number of little Power Rangers and Pocahontases making the rounds this year if some of Bermuda's churches have a say.

Several denominations told The Royal Gazette they were planning to offer alternative Hallowe'en festivities for children or were advising youngsters to dress up as a Biblical character in a bid to return the holiday to its positive religious roots.

Radnor Christian Fellowship's Neville Smith said that although his church believed people had the right to choose whether or not to celebrate Hallowe'en, they followed a different path.

"We choose to celebrate Jesus instead,'' Mr. Smith said. "On October 31 we hold a little something for parents and children to celebrate Hallelujah Night.

"We have games and activities from 5 p.m. onwards,'' he said. "We encourage parents to come so it will be a family night.'' Mr. Smith said the church had been holding alternative Hallowe'en festivities for several years.

"It may not be a popular choice, but for us it's a good one,'' he added.

"It's an evening of fun and fellowship.'' If children wanted to dress up, he said, they should dress up as Biblical characters.

"I don't think the traditional costumes of ghosts and goblins are the best for them,'' Mr. Smith said. "There is nothing positive in them for them.'' Ebenezer Methodist Church, under the direction of Rev. Carolyn and Victor MacLeod, will be hosting a party on Hallowe'en for children 12 and under.

The two-hour party will get underway at 6 p.m. and will feature a costume contest and games.

Tickets are $2 per child and a maximum of 50 children will be accommodated.

"We are emphasising clean, good, organised fun,'' Rev. Carolyn MacLeod stressed. "We are approaching it from the stance that Hallowe'en comes out of All Hallow's Eve when the church used to honour saints the next day. it was a happy time, a time for celebrating the joy of the saints.'' A spokesperson from Allen Temple said the church would be holding a Bible character parade called A Keep Safe Night at their youth centre on Hallowe'en.

The free event will be open to the public and children are asked to dress up as a Bible character.

Rev. Andrew Doughty of St. Mary's Rectory in Warwick told The Royal Gazette that although he had enjoyed Hallowe'en as a child he thought the holiday had changed over the years.

"The church has to re-emphasise the Christian aspect of Hallowe'en and provide alternative entertainment for the children,'' Rev. Doughty said. "We have a job to emphasise that Hallowe'en is about God's victory over evil, instead of emphasising the evil.'' Pointing out that children enjoyed dressing up for Hallowe'en, Rev. Doughty said his church had advised children to dress up as something positive.

"We suggested they dress up as a saint or a historical figure,'' he said.

Although the church had no official alternative plans for Hallowe'en night, Rev. Doughty said that the Warwick Community Association was holding a party in the church hall with an invitation being extended to St. Mary's Sunday school children.

Father Bill LaFlamme of St. Theresa's Cathedral in Hamilton said the Catholic Church did not have an official stance on Hallowe'en.

"We don't have a tradition of throwing parties for kids here,'' he said.

"The church has no problems with kids dressing up or going trick-or-treating.'' But Father LaFlamme added that the religious significance of Hallowe'en had become lost.

"All Saints Day is on November 1,'' he pointed out. "but that is down- played now days. Hallowe'en has become removed from that now.'' Rev. Henry Shepard of Christ Church in Warwick said that the Presbyterian Church of Scotland had no official stance on Hallowe'en, pointing out that in Scotland Hallowe'en "has a benign flavour to it.''