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About Primary Focus
Primary Focus was established by Mark Tomlinson on the 1st April 2000.
Mark became a Christian at the age of 12, in 1973, through the ministry of Covenanters (Covies), the Bible-Centred, Church-Based, Christian Children’s & Youth Charity. He was nurtured by the leaders at the Church of the Good Shepherd group in Farnborough, Hampshire. At the age of 16, Mark moved into junior leadership at the group and over the next 6 years held a number of different roles, within the group.
After marrying Tracey in 1982, they moved to Bordon in Hampshire and set up a brand new Covie group for the 10+ age group at St. Mark’s Church. Over the next 7 years they worshipped at St. Mark’s and continued to establish and develop the children’s and youth work in a church where no effective children’s & youth work had existed before.
In 1989 Mark started working full-time for Covies, based in Manchester, initially as their Development Officer. Over the next 11 years, Mark had a number of different roles, including heading up Promotion, Resource Development, Training, Leadership Support (advice, information & encouragement), and Management of a National Project aimed at establishing Regional Leadership Support throughout the Uk and including appointing and managing a group of full-time regional workers.
On the 1st April 2000, Covies merged with Youth For Christ (YFC), based in Halesowen, and became a new department in their national organisation – ‘The Church Resource Department’. With this merger Mark decided to remain in the South Manchester area, with his family and after much prayer was convinced of God’s calling for him to continue in Children’s & Youth Ministry in a self employed capacity, utilising the many gifts and skills he had acquired both through his 11 years of Banking employment and more than 25 years of children’s & Youth Ministry. On the 1st April 2000, Mark went self employed under the name, ‘Primary Focus’.
Since moving to South Manchester in 1989, Mark and his family have worshipped at St. Mary’s Parish Church in Cheadle. He has been keenly involved in the Bible-Centred Children’s & Youth work there, initially on a voluntary basis, but more recently has been contracted to fulfil the role of ‘Children’s Outreach Worker’, with the particular responsibility of liaising with and working in the two local Primary Schools. This involves helping the two schools in their delivery of Religious Education through assemblies and lessons, and in any other way that will help the schools.
Mark is also an active member of ‘NW Youthworks’, formerly known the ‘3rd Pig’, a network of Bible-Centred churches committed to communicating the Bible & teaching Children’s & Youthworkers in all aspects of Bible-Centred Ministry. He has been regularly involved in the yearly training Conference and also the part-time ‘NW Training Course’. He is also one of the founder and main leaders of ‘Quinta Venture’, a four day, Bible-Centred, holiday for 8-11 year old children, during the May half term break, each year.
Mark continues to be focused on all aspects of Bible-Centred Ministry relating to children’s work and is as passionate about supporting, encouraging, equipping and training leaders, as he is about teaching children about God, Jesus and the Bible.
Experience:
More than 30 years of ministry involving the leading of children & young people (covering the 5-18 age range);
More than 20 years of full-time ministry, as above, and also as a member of various ventures and holidays with Covies, YFC and CPAS;
11 years experience in commercial Banking in the UK (including managerial).
Skills & Knowledge:
Training – in all aspects of Children’s & Youth work, at conferences and in local churches;
Teaching – the Bible to 5-18 year olds in a number of environments – churches (large & small groups across the age range), schools (lessons, assemblies & Bible Clubs), Holidays (main speaker & in small groups);
Support – through advising, encouraging, and giving information on all aspects of children’s & Youth work;
Resources – both writing and editing of a variety of Bible-Centred resources independently and for organisations such as Covies, The Good Book Company, Scripture Union & YFC;
Schools Work – over the last 9 years Mark has been a school governor and Chair of Governors, as well as delivering lessons and assemblies;
Bible Explorer – a qualified presenter of both the Old & New Testament and is therefore able to deliver 5 lessons in the Old Testament and 5 lessons in the New Testament covering the whole storyline of the Bible, to years 5 & 6 in Primary Schools;
Sports – vastly experienced in a number of sports, playing & coaching, including Football, Basketball & Lacrosse.
Qualifications:
- Moore Theological College: Preliminary Certificate in Theology
- English Basketball Association (EBA): Preliminary Coaching Certificate
- English Lacrosse Association (ELA): Development Coaching Award