General Synod Elections
Information regarding the elections for General Synod
Elections to Synod on the Church of England website.
Nominations are now closed: Here are the candidates.
Candidates for the House of Clergy
For 6 places in the House of Clergy, we received 14 nominations
The Revd Keith Addenbrooke
Commonly Used Name: Keith
Nominator 1: The Revd Paul Deakin
Nominator 2: The Revd George Roach
The Revd Dr Janine Arnott
Commonly Used Name: Janine
Nominator 1: The Revd Laura Rhodes
Nominator 2: The Revd Canon Christine Broad
The Revd Christopher Blunt
Commonly Used Name: Chris
Nominator 1: The Revd Hennie Johnston
Nominator 2: The Revd Andy Bull
The Revd Jenny Bridgman
Nominator 1: The Revd Lucy Brewster
Nominator 2: The Revd Dr Andrew Knight
The Revd George Crowder
Commonly Used Name: George
Nominator 1: The Revd Katie Wade
Nominator 2: The Revd Canon Peter Froggatt
Father Stephen Dunton
Commonly Used Name: Fr. Steve
Nominator 1: Father Thomas Ruston
Nominator 2: The Revd Daud Gill
The Revd Liz England
Nominator 1: The Revd Simon Gowler
Nominator 2: The Revd Lynn Caudwell
The Revd Hannah Harvey
Commonly Used Name: Hannah
Nominator 1: The Revd Karen Andrews
Nominator 2: The Revd Karen Gardiner
The Ven Jane Proudfoot
Commonly Used Name: Jane
Nominator 1: The Ven Dr Michael Gilbertson
Nominator 2: The Revd Bee Boyde
The Revd Prof Peter Selby
Commonly Used Name: Peter
Nominator 1: The Revd Denise Noble
Nominator 2: The Revd Dr Mark Pickles
The Revd Mike Smith
Nominator 1: The Revd Hennie Johnston
Nominator 2: The Revd Canon Tina Upton
The Revd Emma Speake
Commonly Used Name: Emma
Nominator 1: The Revd George Roach
Nominator 2: The Revd Anne-Marie Naylor
The Revd Joshua Tomalin
Commonly Used Name: Josh
Nominator 1: The Revd David Brewster
Nominator 2: The Revd Andy Bull
The Revd Marc Wolverson
Nominator 1: The Revd Debbie Wilkinson
Nominator 2: The Revd Natalie Maxwell
Download candidate pack for House of Clergy
Candidates for the House of Laity
For 7 places in the House of Laity, we received 15 nominations
Dr Janette Allotey
Commonly Used Name: Jan
Nominator 1: Mr Bryan Coghlan
Nominator 2: Mr Ernest Charlton
Canon Fiona Bruce
Nominator 1: David Hermitt
Nominator 2: Audrey Kerr-Taylor
Mr Clifford Jason Clarke
Commonly Used Name: Jason
Nominator 1: Dr Alan Dowen
Nominator 2: Canon Dr John Mason
Dr Alan Dowen
Commonly Used Name: Alan
Nominator 1: Canon Dr John Mason
Nominator 2: Mr Sam Wilson
Canon David Hermitt
Nominator 1: Canon Dr John Mason
Nominator 2: Dr Janette Allotey
Mr Nigel James
Commonly Used Name: Nigel
Nominator 1: Mr Richard Lewis
Nominator 2: Mrs Marjorie Cooper
Dr Princy Linnet Johnson
Commonly Used Name: Princy
Nominator 1: Stephen Tynegate
Nominator 2: Andrew Creeth
Mr John Anthony Lancaster
Commonly Used Name: John
Nominator 1: Anne de Reybekill
Nominator 2: William Stockdale
Mr Jonathan Masters
Commonly Used Name: Jonny
Nominator 1: Samuel Wilson
Nominator 2: Anne Joyce
Dr Nick Munn
Commonly Used Name: Nick
Nominator 1: Joanne Tillotson
Nominator 2: Hannah Wilson
Mrs Michaela Pschierer-Barnfather
Commonly Used Name: Michaela
Nominator 1: Andrew Creeth
Nominator 2: Stephen Tynegate
Miss Elizabeth Pugh
Commonly Used Name: Beth
Nominator 1: Fiona Goode
Nominator 2: Ruth Ormiston
Mrs Winsome Richbell-Brown
Commonly Used Name: Winsome
Nominator 1: Ruth Ormiston
Nominator 2: Jon Drayton
Mr Samuel Wilson
Commonly Used Name: Sam
Nominator 1: Esme Hammer
Nominator 2: Dr Alan Dowen
Miss Deborah Woods
Commonly Used Name: Debbie
Nominator 1: Ruth Bull
Nominator 2: Peter Hart
Download candidate pack for House of Laity
ELECTION TIMETABLES for HOUSE OF CLERGY and HOUSE OF LAITY
What is the commitment?
If elected, you would be expected to attend each meeting of Synod for the next five years. It is possible to attend all General Synod meetings either in person or online.
Each meeting lasts five days and there are usually two meetings per year, one in London and one in York. In your first year, you would also attend an additional three-day meeting in London.
Do I get paid for this?
The role is voluntary and unpaid. Members’ travel and accommodation expenses are covered.
How the election process works and key dates:
Eligibility: Contact Ruth Laemmel to confirm your eligibility.
Nominations: If you are standing as a lay member, you will then need two people who are members of a Deanery Synod to nominate you. If you are clergy, you will need two other clergy to nominate you. Your diocese will have a nominations form that you need to fill out and that will need to be signed by the people who are nominating you. Nominations open on 14 August and close on 7 September.
Statements and hustings: You will need to write an election statement and may be asked to record a video or give a short talk at a ‘hustings’ event. Statements and hustings are an opportunity to talk about why you want to be elected and what you could bring to the role.
Voting: The lay Deanery Synod members in your diocese vote for lay candidates, and the clergy in your diocese vote for clergy candidates. The voting period is 21 September to 13 October.
Results: If elected, you would come to General Synod for the first time at its meeting in London this November.
Find out more:
Full FAQs
Who can vote?
Lay member of Deanery synods vote for lay members of General Synod for their diocese.
All clergy in each diocese can vote for clergy members of General Synod from their diocese.
What is General Synod?
General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England. It shapes and approves laws that affect the whole of the Church of England. It agrees new forms of worship, debates matters of national and international importance, and approves the annual budget for the work of the Church at national level.
Who are General Synod members?
General Synod members are a mixture of bishops, clergy and lay people. Clergy means vicars, and lay people means anyone who is not a vicar.
What do General Synod members do?
Members speak in debates, propose and vote on motions, serve on committees and review legislation.
Members speak and vote from their own viewpoints and report back to their diocese about key discussions and outcomes that have happened at General Synod.
You can get a sense of what happens by watching previous General Synod meeting recordings.
To give you an idea of the kind of issues that General Synod handles, here are some key topics that have been debated, amended and approved by General Synod in the past five years:
changes to the Church’s safeguarding structure
agreement of key milestones for how the Church can reach Net Zero Carbon
regulations enabling improvements to clergy pensions benefits
update to how clergy discipline and complaints are handled
setting parochial fees
backing a diocesan motion to encourage sustainable church flowers
establishing a day of prayer for the global persecuted church
introduction of Prayers of Love and Faith, enabling clergy to offer blessings for same-sex couples within regular services
modernising how Church funds are ethically invested and enhancing accountability in financial stewardship.
Bishop Mark expressed his gratitude to all who have served this diocese during the last Quinquennium as our representatives on General Synod and commended candidates standing for election. ‘We are grateful for the time, wisdom, prayer, care, and work that has been offered in the service of our Lord and His church. Please do pray for all standing to serve as members of the new Synod.’
Holy and mighty God,
Lord of lords, King of kings, and Governor of all
Direct and guide elections to the General Synod, we pray,
Bless all those nominated,
Give wisdom to all elected,
Form the new Synod in your grace
And let your Kingdom come,
Your will be done,
And all glory be given to you through Christ your Son, our Lord
Amen