Petrina Enchelmaier serves as the Kids Ministry Coordinator at Southside Presbyterian Church in Brisbane, Queensland. 

Petrina oversees programs for children from preschool through to primary school.

How did you first get involved in kids ministry?

I’ve been in kids ministry since I was a teenager. I started as a helper, then led small groups, and eventually coordinated ministry as a volunteer. 

When I moved to Southside Presbyterian Church, I kept serving until the staff role opened up. That was seven years ago, and I’ve been here ever since.

What changes have you seen over those seven years?

The biggest shift has been becoming a strong team amongst the pastors and staff, which has been such an encouragement. 

More recently, moving to two morning services with kids church has been a huge change. It’s stretched us but also allowed us to serve more families.

We’re working out what should remain consistent, where to adapt, and how to stay united as one team when we can’t all meet on Sundays anymore. 

Staying connected and trained together is still a work in progress.

What shapes the way you think about kids ministry?

Theologically, I’m convinced that parents are the primary disciplers of their children, and our ministry should serve alongside them. 

The challenge is balancing that conviction with the day-to-day reality of running kids church and supporting volunteers, which takes most of my energy.

What advice would you give to others leading kids ministry?

Prioritise strong relationships with senior leadership. 

Kids ministry can easily feel separate from the rest of church life, but being integrated into the wider staff team has made such a difference. 

It means kids ministry isn’t siloed, but part of the whole mission of the church.

Taking time to cultivate staff relationships has been crucial for me. Kids ministry thrives when it’s well integrated into the life of the whole church.

What encouragement would you give women considering ministry?

Just give it a go and see if it fits with the season of life you’re in. Ministry is flexible, and it changes as church life and family life change too. 

For me, being a mum in ministry has been a gift. My kids get to be part of what I’m doing, and I get to serve God’s people in a role I love.

Petrina’s been part of the Team Development Program, learning alongside other ministry leaders how to build healthy, gospel-centred teams. You can do the same. Join other leaders across Australia investing in their leadership.