Jill says she has tried to be an encouraging and positive face of the Federation in an exciting, varied, demanding and sometimes frustrating year.
'It has given me the chance to meet many different churches of the Federation - to hear about the good things happening as folk realise that now is the time to act before it is too late. Many have really grasped the fact that today people don't naturally flock to our churches and we need to be out in our communities - part of God's mission out there - being "churches without walls".
'I would also have loved to have been part of more of those conversations about "what can we do?" as well as hearing the many success stories that have been such an encouragement to me.
'I have felt frustrated when I have been in the position to attend many of our committee meetings and have realised that sometimes the spirit and excitement that has been generated in a meeting has inevitably been lost in the recording of the minutes and as one committee reports to another. I also feel that sometimes some issues could have been dealt with more effectively if some of our key people had been able to be present with more knowledge to inform, answer questions and allay fears of committees which are made up of hardworking, conscientious people who have often not been shown the whole picture.
'I also wonder whether we could so easily pay lip service to the prophetic words from council and are we really prepared to listen to God and act when the unexpected happens?
'So what will I do after May? I will go back to being church support worker in the South West reinvigorated, more knowledgeable, with a renewed personal faith in a God who does walk with us in the good and bad times.'