Jill Stephens

Be Loved Of God

About Jill

Born in Middlesbrough, I spent much of my early life in Exeter.

I married George in 1964, and after living in London and Swindon, we moved to Gloucestershire in 1974. Although initially a somewhat reluctant teacher, I taught in primary schools until 1997.

I trained as a Minister with the Congregational Federation, becoming Minister at Berkeley, Longney and North Nibley, and was thrilled in 1997 to be appointed Church Support Worker for the South West, thereby returning to my roots. I now spend time working with Sandford and Stalbridge Congregational Churches and the rest of the churches of the South West area. I am currently President of the Congregational Federation.

I have three children; Ian, who is a theatre director, Gail, a teacher, and Shaenna, who with her husband Phil owns and runs two dental practices; and three grandchildren.

I have worked hard to open closed churches, such as those at Cawsand, in Devon and Trudoxhill, in Somerset. I am a great believer in the value of small churches, and feel that we have a responsibility to support and encourage them. I believe that it is important to investigate the role a church should be playing in its local community—by handing out community questionnaires and knocking on doors—and this is a task I enjoy taking on.

 

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