Meet the Team
Leadership
At Solihull Christian Fellowship we believe that God is the head of the Church and we take our lead from him. However, God has given gifts to different people in the body. SCF has a leadership structure made up of Elders and Deacon’s (Pastors). Both roles are appointed in the church and seen as Church Offices. Collectively these two groups make up the Leadership of the church.
SCF’s Elders are called by God to have spiritual responsibility and oversight; they direct the church, and “shepherd the flock”;
SCF’s Pastors (Deacons) oversee our ministry areas and are responsible for the full development and growth of those areas.
SCF has established a “company limited by guarantee”. The Company is responsible for The Bridge & for employing our staff. A Board of Directors directs & manages the affairs of “the Company”.
Leadership Profiles
Ben Lees
Lead Pastor
Ben joined SCF in 2010 and is passionate about seeing the church truly develop and grow as the family of God, demonstrating love for one another and those in our community. Prior to joining SCF full-time Ben had spent 15 years in management in the finance sector. Ben is married to Claire and they have four children, Sammy, Jacob, Chloe and Amelia
Anna Cave
Elder
Anna has been an elder with SCF since 2017. She has lived for many years overseas with her family. She has a passion to see whole families worshipping God, from young to not so young. Anna loves Italian food, entertaining, running and travelling.
James Cook
Children and Youth Pastor (8-18)
James has been on staff at SCF in a part-time capacity since September 2015 and oversees our work with children and young people, from age 8 to 18. James enjoys drinking coffee, cycling up mountains and table tennis
Mandy Flanagan
Children’s Pastor (birth – age 7)
Mandy has been a member of the church since 2004, and took on the role of Children’s Pastor in 2015 becoming a part-time member of staff after many years of volunteering. Wife of Mark and mother of two teenage boys Mandy enjoys crafts including cake decorating, writing poetry and playing alto and tenor saxophone.
Andrea Lowndes
Associate Pastor
Andrea has been full-time staff with SCF since 2006 following a management career in the insurance industry and her role includes overseeing our Sunday mornings and Worship, Women’s ministry and Community Engagement. Andrea loves cooking, swimming and singing in our local gospel choir
Sally Murcutt
Missions Pastor
Sally has spent most of her life sharing God’s love to the most vulnerable communities around the world. She is passionate about bringing healing, physically and emotionally to those broken by ‘life’ – seeing Jesus restoring and making people whole.
Craig Wood
Elder
Craig is passionate about strengthening and supporting the SCF church family; so that together we can have a positive impact upon the lives of people we meet, and upon our whole community. For many years Craig has combined being a husband, a father of three daughters, and a leader within SCF, with leading international businesses. Outside SCF, Craig chairs a couple of charities which span between the commercial world and church; he also finds time for cycling, walking and travel.
Sue Wood
Discipleship Pastor
Sue has been a member of SCF since September 1990. Sue ran her own training development and management consultancy until 2014. She transferred this love of helping people to develop and learn into church life when she became Discipleship Pastor in 2016. Sue loves swimming, travelling the world with husband Craig and painting in watercolours.
David Wort
Elder
David and his wife Marilynn have been with SCF since 1976. They helped establish the Family Support Centre in Shirley and are involved in relationship counselling and marriage preparation. David leads a charity called Family Equip supporting the families of children suffering mental health issues and development disorders. David enjoys gardening and visiting places with his favourite reading material – maps.