Who Is Pastor Moreno?

Pastor Jennifer M. McDowell-Moreno was born in Amarillo, Texas. She comes from diverse religious family background. She married her husband in June 2002 and has served those years as an Active Duty Army Wife through his 20-year career. She is the mother to two daughters, ages 15 and 9.

She started her walk with God as a young girl when she attended Bible Heritage School in Amarillo from the age of 4 until she was 12. God blessed her with a talent and passion for singing, and at the age of 11, started private voice lessons and began performing with the Amarillo Opera Company. Her first leading role as Queen of the Night in Magic Flute at 16.

Jennifer has performed with Opera Companies around the world and different organizations for over 25 years. Music has played an essential role in her walk, as she uses this as a worship outlet.

She began her ministry walk in 2002, while stationed in Japan. She started with the Post Chapel in the choir, and in time became the Music Minister for two different congregations on the post.

The Army has played an enormous role in her success and blessed walk with the Disciples of Christ. In 2005, after relocating to Fort Carson, Colorado, her family started attending church at First Christian Church, Colorado Springs and joined FCC on 31 December 2006. While stationed in Colorado, she sang with the Chancel Choir and was a Deacon.

The Army moved them to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and the Lake of the Ozark's Region in 2012; this is where she began to follow her call into ministry and working on her walk towards commissioning. Jennifer completed and graduated from Colorado State University-Pueblo, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music and Mass Communication with a focus in Journalism. While Stationed in Fort Leonard Wood, Jennifer Performed with the 282ndArmy Band at different functions and venues. In 2013, Team Moreno appeared on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams as the Fort Leonard Wood Family of the year, receiving their first live Christmas Tree through the Trees for Troops Program.

With the blessing and affirmation of the Lake of the Ozark's region, she served as pulpit supply for Dixon Christian Church and Stoutland Christian Church. She was a part of the First Christian Church Lebanon, the Practice of Ministry group, until she moved to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in February 2015.

The Army took Team Moreno to Fort Jackson and First Christian Church Columbia, in February 2015. FCC Columbia is where they call their church home, and South Carolina as their home region. Since her arrival, she volunteered on Fort Jackson to include: Fort Jackson Housing Mayor, Fort Jackson Neighborhood Watch Coordinator, and United States Drill Sgt. Academy AIT Spouse Volunteer Instructor.

She has sung with the FCC Columbia Choir and filled in for the Music Director from time to time leading Praise and Worship and directing the choir. She works closely with the Disciples of Christ South Carolina Region, under the supervision of Rev Sotello V Long, and Rev Melvin Brown, as an instructor for the Cross-Cultural and Anti-Racism Experience for the Commissioned-on Ministry Continued Education classes, and Co-Director for the Disciples of Christ Regional Conference, in 2016 at First Christian Church Columbia. She has served as the Public Relations Minister since 2015. She is behind the reconstruction of the Disciples of Christ South Carolina Homepage located at http://scdisciples.org/home, The Christian Church Disciples of Christ South Carolina Regional Facebook page, as well as South Carolina Disciples Women Facebook page. She has served as a pulpit supply around the South Carolina Region.

She served as a facilitator for the Fort Jackson Protestant Women of the Chapel and worked closely with the United States Military Chaplin's School, Located on Fort Jackson. Jennifer served as the Evangelism Director, and Military Ministries Minister for First Christian Church, Columbia. Jennifer was also a member of the Columbia Choral Society.

In June 2016, the Army moved Team Moreno to Fort Bliss, Texas, where their family received movement orders to service not only with the Army but also with the Disciples of Christ. Jennifer formed and organized the Fort Bliss Disciples of Christ Military Ministry Facebook Group to help fellow Disciples find a church located in the El Paso area that would fit their family's needs. Thru this group, Jennifer has seen a vision of bridging together Military Chapels and Off Post Church Congregations through fellowship, worship, and teaching the word of God to all. To further her ministry, Jennifer was the Director of Youth for all Fort Bliss Protestant Religious services from October 2016-January, 2017.

Upon moving to Fort Bliss, Team Moreno began attending Bethany Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in, and transferred membership in August 2016. Jennifer became Bethany's Associate Pastor in October 2016 through August 2017, heading up their children, youth, college-age, and military ministries and serving as their interim minister after the senior past left.

Listening to God's call for Team Moreno, in August 2017, they left Bethany to join First Christian Church El Paso in their Missional Model services, offering their gifts, talents, and graces to the congregation. Jennifer served as the Minister of Music and Intern-Minister for First Christian Church El Paso. She performed these duties under the direction of senior pastor Rev. Leslie Dalstra until her husband received reassignment orders to MacDill Airforce Base in Tampa, Florida, where her husband has recently retired from the Army with 20 years of honorable service.

Since November 2018, Pastor Jenn has served as the Interim Minister for Palm Lake Christian Church in St. Petersburg, Florida. Pastor Jenn has helped the congregation heal and find their identity through new ways of thinking and positive reinforcement.

She has used her social media knowledge to create a new Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/PalmLakeChristianChurch/web site, www.palmlakecc.org, and live stream services for Palm Lake Christian Church. She concluded her ministry with this congregation in March 2020.

She is a member of the Florida Regional Strategic and Planning Team and is one of the directors and facilitators for the 2020 Florida Regional Assembly, and serves on the Christian Church Disciples of Christ, Leadership Council for the Florida Region.

Jennifer's music career has always run parallel to her ministry, no matter where she is. In El Paso, She became a member of the El Paso Chorale Society, El Paso Chamber Choir. She performed with them regularly. Jennifer uses her musical talents to sing for many various occasions in the area to include weddings, celebrations of life, concerts, and other venues and opportunities.

In 2014, Jennifer received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President Barrack Obama, to name one of her many awards received for her volunteer service and dedication to the Army and military families across the globe.

Jennifer was the Volunteer Pastoral Care for the 22nd CBRN Battalion and 46thChemical Company in Fort Bliss and served as volunteer Senior Spouse Advisor with the Family Readiness Group.

Jennifer Continues her ministry through her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PastorJennMoreno

Jennifer has been a member of many different regions across the country to include: Lake of the Ozarks, The Rockies, South Carolina, Southwest, and is excited to join the Florida Region. Jennifer was a member of the Christian Church Southwest Region, Tres Rios Area Board, and a member of the Border Cluster Group for Tres Rios. She continues to work with these areas to help improve communication, social media use, and educational options for commissioned ministers throughout the region.

Jennifer is a Graduate of Phillips Theological Seminary as of May 2019. Jennifer is currently a Commissioned Minister in Florida, holds good standing, and is in discernment for the Apprentice Track for Ordination through the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ.

Jennifer was featured in the Disciples News Service for setting up Military Ministries across the US. To read more about her visit: https://disciples.org/people/florida-pastor-launches-military-ministries-across-u-s/e