Cortez Church of the Nazarene in Colorado hosts and organizes the community’s lone support group for mothers and children. Thanks to the group, several young families have joined the church.

Twice a month, the Mommas and Littles group meets at Cortez Nazarene. Through grants from a local organization and the USA/Canada Region’s Blessing Our Community initiative, the church is able to pay childcare workers and provide snacks, coffee, and a door prize for the mothers.

Women from the church, including mothers with young children who can connect through current shared experiences and mothers with grown children, have volunteered to pass on wisdom to those who are new to the journey of parenthood.

Some of those conversations have led to deeper discussions about faith in God and the church. Pastor JanElle Hoffman said one family even started coming to the church as a result.

“We try to make it as nice an event as possible,” Hoffman said. “From that, organically, conversations have come up about faith and life, and that’s exactly what we want to happen.”

Nataly* began attending the Mommas and Littles group at the beginning of 2024. While she doesn’t attend Cortez Nazarene, she has noticed the group’s impact on her.

“Some [of the attendees] are going through the same things, and some moms already went through those [situations],” Nataly said. “I don’t worry so much about some things because now I know they are normal and how to deal with them. I don’t feel alone as a mom.”

The group began after Hoffman learned a local man and his young wife would soon leave the area. The man explained his wife had just had a baby, and there was nothing in Cortez regarding support or community for mothers.

“I remembered [my own] mom years and how important it was to have MOPS (Mother of Preschoolers) and those connections with other moms,” Hoffman said.

As pastor of Cortez Nazarene, Hoffman wanted to bless the community, and the seed that was planted by that conversation began to take root. Hoffman started asking around about groups focused on providing connection and support for moms.

“There was zip,” Hoffman joked. “Zero.”

Cortez is a city of roughly 9,000 people and is the largest community in the southwest corner of Colorado. Due to the proximity to multiple national parks, the town relies on the tourism industry. And while plenty of services are available for residents of Cortez, it surprised Hoffman that there was no support group for mothers.

“If there’s not that opportunity for connection, the ripples that it has throughout the community can be pretty devastating,” Hoffman said. “If a mom is not in a good headspace or her mental health is not good, it’s going to impact her kids, her marriage, and ultimately the community at large.”

So Cortez Nazarene set out to support moms like Nataly.

“We can show that we care,” Hoffman said. “We can show that this is a need that must be met. If we can help meet that need, that gives us a place to speak life and speak the gospel into people’s lives. That’s what we want to do.”

*Full name omitted for privacy.