Everyone’s Talking About Love

In the past couple of years, we have had to learn how to reach out to people in very different ways, when we couldn’t meet or gather.  We used times of the year that have significance – Easter, Christmas, Mother’s Day and Valentines Day, to find ways of blessing the community.

Last Valentine’s Day, we hung little wooden hearts in local areas, with the words from 1 Corinthians 13 about love – Love is patient, kind, slow to anger, etc.  We also put signs outside the church building, with the same words, alongside a blackboard, for people to write down the names of the people they loved.  We had a lovely conversation with two friends, who were sat on a bench, reading the hearts and talking about what love meant to them.

Stories are powerful, through sharing them we share something of ourselves, our lives, and our faith. Let’s see what God can do with the stories we share of His goodness and grace.

Using hearts, we invited local people to write the names of people they had loved and who have died. We took a gazebo, wooden hearts and pens, out into the community – in the local park, housing estate and in the church garden. While many people didn’t want to write on a heart, we had lots of good conversations about the impact of the lockdowns and were able to offer prayer to those who wanted it. We then planted the wooden hearts in the garden at the church, so people could see them as they walked past. This extended far beyond Valentines Day and offered opportunities to engage with local groups as well as individuals.

In the past, we have visited local businesses and shops, offering chocolate hearts, and asking if there is anything we can be praying for – either personally or for their business. This opened up lots of conversations and got us into places we wouldn’t normally visit! This year, we are, once again, planning to go out and about, handing out chocolate hearts, and offering prayer.

Valentines Day is one of those times when everyone is talking about love. They may be excited about it, or dreading it, but it’s right there at the front of their minds. We think it’s a great opportunity to share God’s love, and show how much He cares for them.