Ministry team


John Fenn











Jenny Pathmarajah Despite her complicated surname, Jenny’s roots lie firmly in the north of England! She was born in Halifax, Yorkshire, and moved six years later to Warrington in Cheshire, where she lived until she was 18. Jenny’s mother is English and her father Sri Lankan, which explains her unusual surname and white skin.

Music has always played a key role in Jenny’s life. She is a classically-trained pianist who achieved her Grade 8 at 15 and later took up other instruments. She played the viola for both her town and county orchestras which embarked on several tours, including a successful competition in South Africa where the Cheshire Youth Orchestra won the title of Best International Youth Orchestra. Jenny also plays the flute to a high standard, as well as being a competent singer; ‘The British Tars’ recorded a CD in 2003. She was Musical Director of ‘Spotlight’ amateur performing arts company and taught piano privately for a number of years.

Jenny suffers from the travelling bug and when the opportunity for a gap year came along she taught English in Sri Lanka for six months, with a quick holiday in India, before crossing over to the USA, where she was Assistant Musical Director for several music projects with the Presbyterian Church of New York State (with some trips to Canada in between).

Back in England, Jenny studied English Language and Linguistics at the University of Durham and graduated with a 2:1. Whilst at university she became a College Chapel Warden, which gave her an insight into the mechanics of the Anglican and Methodist Churches and a taste of ministry. She was a valuable member of St John’s College netball squad which toured Barcelona in 2005 and an avid member of the Methodist Society, climbing the ranks from librarian to Bible group leader. Jenny made many life-long friends at college and was persuaded to go on mission to the Middle East, which led to two trips that significantly altered her perspective on life, the first in Amman, Jordan, and the second in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Jenny comes from a strong Christian background and Methodist family, and felt called from an early age to some form of ministry. Applying for a Lay Worker’s job seemed the natural next step after University and she has ended up working full-time in Norwich. She hopes to continue in Norwich for a few years, developing her ministry and discerning God’s call, wherever it may lead her.