STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

“On th’ night he be handed o’er t’ sufferin’ an’ Davy Jones’ locker, our Lord Jesus Christ took the hardtack; an’ when he had beat the weevils out, he give thanks t’ye, broke it, gave it t’ his maties, an’ said, ‘Take and be eatin.’ ”

So went the Pirates Eucharist at St. Thomas Episcopal Church this past Sunday held on the labyrinth outside the church.

Rev. Jonah Kendall and Rev. Kathleen Bean, both dressed in pirate’s garb, delivered a eucharist using pirate lingo and plenty of “arghhhs” that made onlookers chuckle at times. And Joel Bejot and three singers dressed in black medieval robes led the motley crew gathered round in a chorus of “Holy, holy, holy Lord” set to the sea chantey “What shall we do with a Drunken Sailor?”

The Pirate’s Eucharist originated as a fun way to teach children that they can have a sense of humor and be reverent at the same time, said Bean. And it is a perfect fit for the Halloween season, added Kendall.

The short service over, the motley crew walked down the gangplank to the ship deck below where modern-day ships like Teslas had been decorated with spider webs and black cats with treasure chests of candy waiting on the tailgate.

Chris and Cait Nielson turned their car into a castle guarded by inflatable green dragons. Four-year-old Ollie dressed in knight’s armor prepared to defend it with the help of his father, dressed as the Daddy Knight. Mom, dressed as a pink princess, tended to 16-month old Jasper who busied himself as a fire-snorting dragon.

“We based our castle on Tomie dePaola’s book “The Knight and the Dragon,” about a knight who’s not very good at fighting dragon so he opens a restaurant—the K & D Restaurant,” said Cait Nielson.

Sara Gorby dressed as Willy Wonka ushered trunk-or-treaters into her chocolate factory. Iris W. rolled around on bright pink roller skates, a hot air balloon basket on her shoulders. And 12-year-old Abbot Geer flitted around as the Candy Fairy as her dog Dash accompanied dressed as a skeleton.

Two kinds of chili augmented the sweet treats.

Chris Nielson said the trunk or treat was perfect for his sons at their age.

“Walking from car to car was just right. Walking from house to house would be too much,” he said. “We’ll stay home on Halloween and carve pumpkins.”