When Paula Mazza talks about her work, she has a kind of shorthand.
“I get paid,” she says, “to help kids and families connect to God, each other, and the world they live in.”
Paula is the Director of Children’s and Preteen Ministries at Solana Beach Presbyterian Church, a community that takes seriously what it means to be local. Not just a place people attend on Sundays, but a church that belongs to God’s mission in the neighborhood—and to the kids growing up in it.
For Paula, discipleship isn’t abstract. It’s embodied. Relational. And deeply connected to the ground beneath our feet.
Worldview Takes Root Early
Paula is convinced that how children see the world matters—and that those frameworks form sooner than many of us realize.
“Worldview is usually pretty cemented by the age of 14,” she explained. “It doesn’t mean it can’t change after that. But it takes a jackhammer instead of just moving wet cement around.”
That conviction shapes how she approaches ministry. Formation isn’t just about information or behavior modification. It’s about helping kids discover who they are, how God made them, and what kind of relationship they’re invited into—with God, with others, and with creation itself.
When Paula and her preteens explored the Garden of Eden through Tend, something clicked.
They talked about original design—how humans were created to live in connection: God, people, and planet. And how brokenness shows up as disconnection from all three.
That framing mattered. It helped kids see that caring for the Earth isn’t a side issue or a political stance. It’s relational. It’s personal. And it’s central to what it means to follow Jesus.
“Caring for our planet is one of the best ways we can love people we’ve never met,” Paula said. “And we are called to love people we’ve never met.”
Creation, Wellness, and Thin Spaces
Paula has also noticed something else, especially among preteens: they’re tired.
“Mental health is huge,” she said. “It’s huge for pre-teens especially right now.”
Over time, she’s become more convinced that connection to the natural world plays a role in healing and resilience.
“Having your hands in soil is good for our overall wellness—our mental health,” she reflected. “Being connected to nature is … honestly, a lot less disappointing than connecting to people!”
Creation, for Paula, is where God’s presence feels close. It’s a place of order and beauty that quietly reminds us we’re part of something larger and more intentional than we often realize.
“When you get deep into nature,” she said, “what you find is mind-blowing. It’s so ordered. So divinely ordered.”
Those experiences matter for kids navigating anxiety, pressure, and suffering. Paula has seen how themes like staying rooted in love, especially through hardship, resonate deeply with preteens who are still learning how to name what they’re carrying.
Leading With Curiosity, Not Control
One of the things Paula appreciates most about Tend is that it doesn’t require her to have all the answers upfront.
“It’s very fun to bring our Fuel Kids on this journey together where I’m unsure what the end result is going to be,” she said. “Rather than me just presenting something to them.”
Instead of rushing to outcomes, Paula has been intentionally slowing things down—helping kids develop empathy, explore the “why,” and grow a sense of ownership over the process.
That hasn’t always been easy. They chose the composting Earthcare Activity, which takes some preparation.
“I’m trying to resist the temptation to just go do it myself,” she admitted. “And allow the kids to be part of it.”
The Activity Guide helped. She found it clear, simple, and surprisingly easy to execute. It’s part of a kit that Paula downloaded with hospitality instructions and curriculum for bible study and discussion shaping faith.
“The curriculum is very imaginative,” she said. “I love that.”
Even so, she made adjustments to the material. She knows her audience well.
“If we don’t play 45 minutes of games,” she laughed, “they will mutiny.”
Tend made room for that reality—offering adaptable content that could meet preteens where they are, while still inviting them into meaningful reflection and community.
A Diving Board, Not a Destination
Paula sees Tend not as a finish line, but as a starting point shaping faith.
“This is a great resource to use as a diving board,” she said, “into looking at earthcare as discipleship.”
She appreciated its theological grounding, its clear gospel orientation, and its focus on community-building. At the same time, she offered thoughtful suggestions, like adding more questions to bridge between the scripture and kids’ lives.
Paula has been in ministry for decades, and has plenty of experience with curricula. Her feedback comes from wisdom, but it also comes from her investment in Tend.
Paula is all in.
“Thoroughly,” she said. “I solemnly, with all my heart, approve.”
She’s also quick to celebrate how far the work has come. Paula was part of the group that helped fashion the concept of Tend, long before it had a name.
“This is amazing knowing where we started and where you are now,” she said. “This is beautiful fruit from whatever seeds were planted there.”
Growing Something That Lasts
At its core, Paula’s work is about helping kids grow deeper in love with God, with each other, and with the world they’ve been entrusted with.
She’s shaping faith and worldview while the cement is still wet. Inviting kids to put their hands in the soil. Teaching them that caring for creation is an act of love, not ideology. And creating space for wonder, imagination, and belonging along the way.
“I’m genuinely enjoying this partnership,” Paula said. “And I’m looking forward to continuing.”
