Louise Heinrich

Deidre Palmer has a warm demeanour and sparkling eyes, with an engaging and focused manner that betrays her passion for her work. After 34 years of studying, teaching and working in youth and children’s ministry in the Uniting Church, she now helps churches to learn how to honour the developing spirituality of individual children.

“Spirituality is at the heart of who we are; it’s our relationship to God and the way that we connect to the world,” said Deidre. “Every child needs the kind of space where they can explore their own spirituality.”

Deidre has an impressive tertiary record: a Masters in Religious Education completed in North Carolina, a PhD in Religious Education and Theology from Boston, as well as a Masters of Social Work at Flinders University, completed several years ago.

After encountering the binary of ‘adult’s church’ and ‘kid’s church’, Deidre is now an advocate for ‘messy church’. “I believe it’s incredibly important to have intergenerational worship, so that children are included in all aspects of church. We need to look for ways that we can involve children – this requires creativity, time and listening to children and their families.

“Perhaps they don’t have to be kept still, or absolutely silent. Drama and colour and movement all engage children in worship.

“I’m not of the opinion that there should be separate spaces for children and adults, as children can feel separated from the community. I don’t want to put down people involved in kids church – I’m sure that they’re absolutely dedicated to the children – I just believe there’s a better way to teach children about God, community and worship.”

John Westerhoff first wrote about the socialisation approach to Christian education, through which children learn faith by being immersed in Christian community. Deidre studied under Westerhoff in the US under whilst completing her Masters in Religious Education.

“People get to know you while you’re in worship. Children learn to worship by being part of it, and observing the behaviour of the people around them.”

One of Deidre’s desires is to see children listened to, and included in all aspects of church life. “In the past, I’ve sat in a local church where the children are active and making noises, and adults give them an unwelcoming look, condemning the child.”

Deidre rebuts the idea that kids are too young to participate in their own spirituality, or understand concepts of God and worship. “I believe what Ana-Maria Rizzutto said in her book The Birth of the Living God. After conducting research with hundreds of children, she discovered that by the time kids are 5, they already have an image of God.

“Children develop a sense of trust, and being loved and included, from their experiences with people around them. That sense of trust is the foundation of where our understanding of God comes from.

“I have seen kids as young as two absolutely at home in a Christian community. I never taught my daughter the Lord’s Prayer, but she picked it up from church worship when she was three years old.”

Many churches go by the phrase, “Children are the church of the future.” Deidre disagrees with this dichotomy, instead urging churches to be conscious of what the children can contribute now. “Do they feel welcome? Do they belong? We need to encourage them to flourish as human beings now.

“I’m inspired by a quote from Gabriela Mistral: To this child we cannot answer ‘tomorrow’. This child’s name is today.”