One minute you’re celebrating Easter, and the next minute you’re knee-deep in camp registrations, VBS decorations, volunteer schedules, summer events, parent emails, and trying to remember if you personally ate lunch that day.

And somewhere in the middle of all of it… You’re also trying to be present for your own family. Can we be honest for a second?

Summer ministry is beautiful.
But it’s also exhausting.

The Summer Ministry Hustle
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If you serve in kids ministry, you know summer doesn’t mean “slow season.” It means:
● Camps
● VBS planning
● Extra events
● Volunteer vacations
● Weekend services
● Follow-up
● Team communication
● Last-minute schedule changes
● Ordering supplies
● Decorating spaces
● Parent questions
● “We forgot to register… can they still come?”

…and approximately 47 group texts a day.

Meanwhile, Sundays still happen every single week like they didn’t notice you just survived VBS with 200 kids and glitter permanently stuck to your skin.

The Pressure We Put on Ourselves

I think one of the hardest parts of summer ministry is the pressure we quietly carry.

We want:
● Every event to be amazing
● Every volunteer to feel appreciated
● Every child to encounter Jesus
● Every parent to feel connected
● Every detail to be perfect

And while we’re pouring into everyone else, our own families often get whatever energy we have left over.

That realization can hit hard.

Because ministry matters…
…but so does your family.

Here’s What I’m Learning
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I’m learning that “doing it all” is not the same thing as doing it well.

Just because I can carry everything doesn’t mean God asked me to.

Summer ministry has forced me to learn a few important things:

1. Not Everything Has to Be Big
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Every event does not have to feel like a conference.

Sometimes we overcomplicate things because we want to create unforgettable moments.

But kids usually remember:
● feeling loved
● laughing with leaders
● worshipping together
● hearing truth about Jesus

Not the balloon arch.

Excellence matters.
Perfection does not.

2. Delegation Is Ministry Too
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This one is hard for a lot of us.

We think:
“If I want it done right, I should just do it myself.”

But involving people gives them ownership.
It raises leaders.
It builds team culture.

Your volunteers do not need you to be a superhero.

They need you healthy, present, and leading well.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is hand something off.

Even if they do it differently than you would.

3. My Family Deserves the Best Version of Me Too

This one gets me every summer.

It’s easy to give ministry our best energy and give our families whatever survives. But ministry should never come at the expense of the people God entrusted to us first.

I’ve had to learn:
● to say no sometimes
● to protect days off
● to stop answering messages every hour of the night
● to be fully present when I’m home

Because burnout doesn’t make us more spiritual.

Rest matters too.

4. Jesus Is Still in Control Even When Summer Feels Crazy
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There are moments every summer when things feel overwhelming.

A volunteer cancels.
Attendance doubles unexpectedly.
The schedule changes.
The weather ruins the outdoor event.
You forgot something important.

And in those moments, I have to remind myself:
This ministry belongs to God more than it belongs to me.

I am called to be faithful.
Not superhuman.

Practical Things That Help Me Survive Summer

A few things that genuinely help:
● Planning farther ahead than I think I need to
● Building a strong volunteer communication system
● Blocking family time on my calendar FIRST
● Keeping one day a week ministry-light
● Saying yes to help
● Letting some things be “good enough”
● Remembering that kids need a present leader more than a perfect one

To the Kids Pastor Barely Holding It Together…
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​If summer ministry has you overwhelmed right now, you’re not failing.
You’re leading.
You’re loving kids.

You’re building the Kingdom in one of the busiest seasons of the year.
Take a breath.
Laugh when things go wrong.
Drink the coffee.
Ask for help.
Go home sometimes.

The work matters deeply.
But so do you.

And your family does too.

Sarah Petrokovich is the Kids Pastor at River Church in Alton, IL. Married to an amazing man, Joe, they are the proud parents of two wonderful adult children, Halee and Daniel. Sarah has been dedicated to serving in kids ministry since her teenage years. Her passion for nurturing children's spiritual growth and creating engaging, faith-filled experiences has been a cornerstone of her ministry work. She also invests in developing other kids' ministry leaders, pouring into them with guidance and support to strengthen their ability to positively impact young lives.