Ah, February. I’ve always loved it. Even though it’s winter, it’s short, and you get chocolate – and half-priced chocolate if you wait until February 15!

If you’re looking to add a bit of fun to your church’s stewardship efforts, February is a fantastic time to invite your congregation to share why they love their church. What draws them back each week to this particular community? When have they felt the loving hand of Christ through their church?

Hosting a February love-fest is a wonderful opportunity to highlight what makes your church special and positively impact stewardship without asking for donations. This approach is crucial because constantly asking for money can become tiresome.

Sometimes, it’s important to remind people why they are part of the church, hoping that this goodwill will inspire them to support the church generously in all ways.

Here’s how you might accomplish this.

Love notes

Place small sheets of paper, about the size of index cards, in shades of pink and white (avoid red as it’s hard to read) at the end of each pew in a small basket along with some pens or pencils. During your minute for mission, announce from the pulpit that the basket should be passed down the row for anyone who would like to share a few thoughts about why they love their church. Encourage them to add their name if they’d like.

Ask everyone to place their notes back in the baskets, and collect them after the service. You can then display these notes by clothes-pinning them to a string in your fellowship hall, pinning them to bulletin boards, snapping photos for social media, or showcasing them in other creative ways. If you receive several particularly meaningful notes, consider asking for permission to share them from the pulpit on the following Sundays – or even better, invite the writer to share them personally. Starting this on the first Sunday in February – February 2 – gives you three more Sundays in February to share the love notes.

Social media shares

For congregations that are social media savvy, taking this task digital can be a lot of fun. Encourage members to share why they love their church on social media, accompanied by a selfie at church or a photo with their pastor or family. It can be just a few words. Ask them to tag the church in their posts and use a specific hashtag that’s easy to remember and search. Make sure they set their posts to public so everyone, including the church’s social media administrator, can see them.

What I love about this approach is that it extends the message beyond the church walls for everyone to see!

Minutes for mission

This is the simplest approach. Find four members of your congregation who love their church and ask them to share from the pulpit why they do. One person can share each Sunday in February. However, remember that activities confined to the sanctuary on Sunday mornings won’t reach beyond your church walls. That’s why I recommend using social media, your church newsletter, and other channels to spread the love beyond the pews.

While Valentine’s Day is often associated with romantic love, it can mean so much more. Consider those in your congregation who might feel lonely this month. Sending them a card is a wonderful way to show love and care. You could even have the children in your congregation make cards for them. Who wouldn’t love to receive a Valentine’s card from a child in their church community?

Happy Valentine’s Day, and remember, it’s good stewardship to buy the chocolate half-off.