How Your Church Can Still Make Valentine’s Day Great for Married Couples

by Ted Lowe

I think the phenomenon of Valentine’s Day is fascinating. For Valentine’s Day 2015, in this country, we spent $18.9 million on jewelry, an evening out, flowers, clothing, candy, gift cards/certificates and greeting cards. The great news is that married people still feel the positive pressure to celebrate their relationship on Valentine’s Day. That is why I’m all for it. That is why I jump up and down with church leaders shouting, “This year if you are doing anything for married couples at your church, jump start it on or right before Valentine’s Day.”

The problem with Valentine’s Day for couples and for churches is finding an answer to the question:
“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you want to do?

Couples want to do something for Valentine’s Day, but many aren’t sure what that is, so they buy something or go out for dinner. Which can be great . . . for some. But many couples feel so disconnected the rest of year, Valentine’s Day can be just an expensive lesson in frustration.

As the church, it is a great idea to leverage Valentine’s Day to empower marriages. But you may find yourselves asking, how, with such limit time, resources and staff.

But you really can make some great things happen for Valentine’s Day. Just grab a volunteer couple and empower them with some great ideas. Here are a couple of suggestions:

• Provide childcare and provide a step-by-step date. Some MarriedPeople churches print off a MarriedPeople date PDF, put it in a gift bag with candies, coupons to local businesses, candles, etc. Then have couples pick up the bags at church when they drop off their kids at childcare.
• The greatest way to celebrate Valentine’s Day is to stretch it out. You can do this by doing the suggestion above 2-3 more times during the year.
• You can also send married people the MarriedPeople E-ZINE, a monthly emailed magazine filled with a lot of great, fun ways for couples to connect. Or create your own version.
• If you still have time, create a one-night event for married couples. These nights help couples to connect with each other and other couples all while they laugh, celebrate and hear one piece of wisdom to make their marriage great… all year long. If you can’t pull off an event in time for Valentine’s Day, plan it for later in the year.

Couples want to do something for Valentine’s Day, and they are obviously willing to spend time and money to celebrate it. So this year, help them do something better for Valentine’s Day by not only helping them celebrate it, but by giving them tools for their relationship all year long.

 

 

Ted Lowe is the Director of MarriedPeople, and the co-author of Married People: How Your Church Can Build Marriages That Last. Follow Ted on Twitter @tedlowe.

 

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