It's Valentine's Day...Love Your Congregation!

It's Valentine's Day...Love Your Congregation!

It’s Valentine’s Day…Love Your Congregation!

Last Saturday 53 of us gathered together in Salem to talk about “Changing the Church’s Culture Around Money.”  It was a great and productive day.  For one of the exercises, I asked a few groups to come up with their most creative ideas to express thanks to their congregation.  And, congratulations to Table #1 for capturing the holiday spirit and linking thanks with Valentine’s Day!

Here are Table #1’s ideas (with a few additional ones thrown in for good measure):

1.      Have special “Conversation Heart” candies made that say “thank you” (otherwise you might find yourself in hot water if a parishioner gets a candy that says “bite me” or “kiss me.”).  Clearly, this will be something to do next year.

2.     Hand out heart-shaped chocolates (one lay person emphasized that it should be “real” chocolate – personally, any type of chocolate will do – I’d just be happy as a clam getting any piece of chocolate during worship).

3.     Have kids thank people while they walk in to worship – have them thank adults for making Sunday School, ministry, and worship happen.

4.     Decorate your sanctuary with helium-filled, heart-shaped balloons.  If they don’t have “thank you” written on them already, feel free to scrawl it on yourself. 

5.     Go to the store and buy a big, big box of Valentines cards – the ones children hand out to all their classmates.  This is where you can express your inner you – “Hello Kitty,” “Strawberry Shortcake,” or “SpongeBob Square Pants” (you may want to avoid the “Twilight” vampire cards – let that be your own little secret).  Be sure to sign and write “Thank You!” on each card and hand them out on Sunday.  Who wouldn’t love getting a Valentine’s Day card from their clergyperson?

So many of you truly like and love your congregations – and for those of you who are struggling in that department, maybe, just maybe showing a little love will yield great rewards and help you feel more loving as well.

And by the way…Will U Bee My Valentine? 

Questions?  Comments?  Contact Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com