An evening to remember

Ahhh… Valentine's Day, the most romantic of all the holidays. It conjures up images of happy couples enjoying a quiet evening, the smell of roses and dinner by candle light with soft music playing in the background. For parents of young kids, these luxuries are hard to come by. Last minute restaurant reservations are limited, and a romantic night out costs a small fortune. And then there's the real issue, "What are we going to do with the kids?"

Well, this unfortunate conundrum provides an excellent opportunity for the local church. Providing a much-needed night out for stressed parents provides a much-appreciated service to the community. By organizing a children's Valentine's party churches can give parents a break and share Christ with kids. Offering something for children that is free and safe is always attractive to parents. Many times if you can reach the children, you'll have an open door with the parents.

An organized event for children should include games, food, crafts and teaching. Most parents don't mind their children hearing stories about Jesus and getting some "church influence," though they don't express interest themselves. Use this event to reach the whole family for Christ. Here's how:

Pick the location(s) and secure volunteers

The party can be held at the church, neighborhood clubhouse or at several locations within your community. The more difficult part is recruiting volunteers. The key is to get church members to adjust their Valentine's plans. This will give them an opportunity to sacrifice and share Christ. A good rule of thumb is to enlist and advertise a variety of workers with a variety of skills. Parents will feel more comfortable with a good adult-child ratio. If possible, recruit health-care workers to handle medical emergencies and provide parents even more peace of mind.

Promote the event

Advertise through community newspapers, secular radio, bulletin boards or mail out flyers. Have members tell their unchurched friends, but stress to members that this service is for the unchurched community only.

Make it thematic

Of course, the event should have a Valentine's theme including all the red, white and pink crepe-paper decorations that go with that. Consider sandwiches cut into heart shapes and Valentine's snack cakes make an easy and festive dessert. Think of an even more specific theme for your teaching and craft time, such as "Jesus loves me."  Choose teaching materials that focus on Jesus' love for each child individually. Through creative literature, songs and activities the story of Jesus and the plan of salvation can be shared. Be sure to ask lots of questions during your lesson. Children love to interact with the teacher, and allowing them to comment and ask questions will help clear up any confusion. Remember, most people make a decision about Christ before age 12. And don't forget to bathe the whole event in prayer.

For added security

Prepare a duplicate release of liability agreement for parents. On the same sheet of paper provide your contact information for parents and get information on where they'll be in case of an emergency. Remember to get contact information for immediate follow-up.