A church family day checklist for the organizing team

Give every volunteer a job, a start time and a contact person. “Help with family day” leaves the organizing team to assign work while guests are arriving.

Confirm the plan with the venue and hosts

Write down the gathering date, access times and the person responsible for opening and closing the space. Check which rooms, outdoor areas and equipment the group can use. Agree on what happens if the outdoor plan changes.

Ask the hosting group which traditions or activities belong in the day. Do not assume every guest knows the schedule or takes part in the same way. Include enough detail in the invitation for a newcomer to understand what is happening and whom to contact with questions.

Build a volunteer handover sheet

List the entrance, food area, activities, shirt or bag pickup, and cleanup as separate jobs. Record:

• The job and the place it happens.
• The named volunteer and their arrival time.
• Supplies or information they need.
• The person relieving them, if there is another shift.
• Any unresolved question for the organizing lead.

The printable sheet below keeps those details together. Confirm assignments with the volunteers rather than assuming that a name on a list means they are available. Keep contact details in the organizer’s copy.

For activities involving children, follow the host organization’s established supervision and safeguarding procedures. Confirm who owns those arrangements before advertising the activity.

Help guests find the right place

Send the entrance, arrival window and organizer contact before the day. Ask guests how they would like to share food or access needs. Confirm arrangements with the venue instead of guessing from a photograph of the building.

At the entrance, give the welcome volunteer the current schedule and directions to each activity. If the plan changes, update that person first so new arrivals receive the same information as guests already inside.

Keep optional goods separate from the RSVP

Record shirt choices separately from attendance. Collect the exact garment, size, color, quantity and approved wording. Confirm permission to use the group’s name or artwork before ordering. A community name can include punctuation or a formal spelling that should not be guessed.

Choose who checks delivered goods and how guests collect them. Use a private order list at pickup, then mark each handover. Before volunteers leave, account for uncollected items, borrowed equipment and the final room check with the venue contact.