Jan Fennell – Bio

I was brought up in Shaw, Lancashire, with Mum, Dad, younger brother, a dog and a cat! I was sent to Church as a child, following the death of my older brother Christopher, from meningitis. My parents were not active Christians, although Mum had a strong Catholic faith.
At the age of 12, I went on my first SU holiday, with my RE teacher from school. I went every year after that! I loved being away, loved the real pastoral care that was given to me and built up lifelong friendships that I still have today.
The spiritual input was always the same – being taught that Jesus loved me and desired for me to submit my life to him. This teaching was alien to me, as the church I attended sadly did not preach and teach the evangelical gospel and so I dismissed it until I was 15, when I gave my life to Christ at Wadhust College on an SU holiday.
Following my conversion to Christ, I moved churches to South Chadderton Methodist Church, a full, busy evangelical church with a real passion for young people. My teenage years gave me a real passion for spreading the gospel. I became fully involved in the church, in youth cell groups, Sunday Evening groups, became guitar and vocalist in an evangelistic band, serving in Sunday Groups and Girls’ Brigade. My emerging leadership skills saw me leading the school C.U. and then student C.U. I continued serving with Scripture Union throughout this time.
I trained as a teacher at Darlington College of Education/Neville’s Cross, Durham, married Geoff in 1980, had 3 lovely children we are very proud of. After almost 30 years as a primary school teacher I was called into Children’s Ministry.
My ministry at Moortown is varied, all with the underlying pin of laying deep and firm foundations of the faith that our children can build on, when they face life’s decisions. My passion is to see children find Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and go on to serve Him in adulthood. My work includes the daily, weekly work within the Church Ministry directly – Family Church, J.Elements.Z, toddlers, pastoral work with children and families.
Rewind is a huge part of my Ministry to schools – sharing what Christians believe about Christmas and Easter. It’s Your Move runs along similar lines – aimed at yr6 pupils about to move on to High School. We currently have 15 participating primary schools from the area, with approximately 500 children each event.
There is a lot goes on outside of the weekly routine – assemblies and R.E. lessons in schools, Annuall holiday Bible Club, Community based Christmas and Easter activities, the X:Site bi-monthly event and the X:Site residential.
Residentials are a real passion of mine. It was through a SU holiday that I, and many others came to faith. These are times when children and young people have space to think through life issues, to have conversations where they know they are being listened to and taken seriously. God uses these times to reach the children and young people of our day – and I am known to do everything I can to make them happen!
And now…. I’m still engaged in all I have been – but age is creeping up on me! I need to be evaluating what happens in the next 5 years! The children are older (Jonathan 25 , degree in Maths and working in I.T., Rachel 22, one yr to go in Liverpool, working on a joint honours degree in Primary teaching with QTS and Fine Art, Matthew 19, studying Music technology at Huddersfield). Geoff still working as an accountant with L.C.C. but wishing he was retired!