Families Count Ministry

Our Purpose:

The Families Count Support Team exists to wrap families in relational, practical, and spiritual support, helping them feel welcomed, supported, and connected to First City Church while walking alongside them during a critical season of life.

Walk With Families. Make a Difference.

How to serve with Families Count

Spring Semester Details

When:            Tuesday Evenings
Dates:             February 3 – April 14, 2026

Times:             5:30 – 8:00 PM
Location:        First City Church

Core Commitments

  1. Welcome & Connection: Our team reaches out to these families and welcomes them in. We meet them at the door, share a meal with them, begin to establish trust and relational consistency.
  2. Relational Support (“Walking With Families”): We befriend families by checking in weekly, celebrating milestones, and offering encouragement.
  3. Prayer Coverage: We commit to regularly praying for assigned families and praying with them when appropriate and welcomed.
  1. Joyfully Serve: We intentionally look for ways to serve these families, and each other, while we walk through these classes together.

Serving Roles

  1. Greeters: This group greets parents at the door, assists with registration and name tags.
  2. Transportation Support: Some of our team may assist a family with rides to and from our meetings when transportation is a barrier.
  3. Food Preparation: We cater our meals. However, we need volunteers to serve prepare and serve the meals.
  4. Safety Team: This team makes sure everyone is safe and secure and is prepared if any unexpected situation arises.
  5. Childcare: This team gets paid to provide a great experience for any children who attend with their parents.
  6. Small Group Guides: Small group guides partner with families in small groups to talk through the experience they are having. This is where trust is developed and spiritual influence can happen.
  7. Clean-Up Team: This is everyone. We all do our part to make sure all areas around the church are clean and ready to welcome in the next event.

Volunteer Expectations

Volunteers agree to:

  • Complete Trauma-Informed training and background checks
  • Maintain confidentiality and healthy boundaries
  • Work under the direction of FC leadership
  • Commit to a minimum service term (One semester a year)
  • Represent First City Church with humility, compassion, and consistency

Outcomes We Hope to See:

  • Families desire to begin or grow a relationship with God
  • Families feel welcomed, supported, and less isolated
  • Practical needs are met without being overwhelmed
  • Families gain connection to the First City Church family
  • Families consider joining our Families Count team
  • Volunteers grow in compassion, prayer, and missional living

Semester Summary

  • Weeks 1-3: We meet as a team to prepare to meet the families court-ordered to attend the parenting classes. These three weeks we will clarify the mission, our roles and personal responsibilities.
  • Weeks 4-10: We will welcome in the families who are assigned to attend the parenting classes. We will eat together for the first 30-minutes. Next, we split into our classes (children to childcare, parents to classes, our team into a small group. At 7:30PM, our team partners in small groups with the parents for 30 minutes to talk through what they learned in the session. We conclude the night with a big circle prayer.
  • Week 11: We will have a team celebration meal and our teachers will provide any make-up classes needed for the parents.

Who We're Looking For

You might be a great fit if you are:

  • Have a heart for families and relational ministry
  • Are compassionate and dependable
  • A good listener
  • Comfortable praying with and for others
  • Willing to respect boundaries and confidentiality
  • Open to learning and being guided by FC leadership

What We Provide To Volunteers

  • Training and orientation
  • Clear expectations and ongoing support
  • Background check and safety processes
  • A meaningful way to live out your faith through service

Ready to get involved?

Contact:        Rick Hazelip, rhazelip@firstcitychurch.org
Next Step:     Register to start helping serve by clicking the button below

Start Serving with Families Count Now