General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Lucy Barr-Hamilton
Chichester, St Pancras. House of Laity
Proposer: John Booth CVO, Chichester deanery
Seconder: Gabriela MacBain, Uckfield deanery
As your lay General Synod representative, I will stand for the needs and interests of the people in our
local churches, the large and small congregations of God’s people, and those who we welcome from
our communities, by supporting:

Clergy wellbeing, enabling them to minister to their flocks. Our ministers and priests need
confidence that diocesan and central staff are focussed on encouraging people in the local
church to love God and love our neighbour, daily putting into action the words of Jesus:
o “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily
and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their
life for me will save it”;

The call to ordained ministry, so that more churches can have a minister of their own to teach
and care for them. The national decrease in people stepping forward to be ordained is partly
due to a recent lack of clarity about what the church believes. I will be standing for a renewed
commitment to scripture, the historic formularies of the Church of England, and the traditions
which have sustained us for hundreds of years. When it is clear that we believe the gospel
and submit to the teachings which underpin our existence, confidence to give lives fully to
serving the church will increase and our local churches can thrive once more;

The needs of rural churches and communities. Despite much city-dwelling, I am part of a
Sussex farming family, and those who live in the more isolated patches of England, and their
churches, will not be forgotten;

Stewardship of Church of England finances. Sacrificial gifts from parishioners must be used
for initiatives which will benefit and build up their own churches, with voluntary surplus-giving
primarily being shared with other churches as they partner in the gospel, rather than being
directed to central projects;

The number of young people looking for certainty in a changing world who are joining
churches which are more traditional, conservative and pentecostal. It is vital to increase
resources directly directed to encourage growth in our churches among children, teenagers
and young adults.

Mum to teenagers, a bookkeeper running a small
business and juggling multiple part-time finance
jobs for charities/a CIC, and the wife of a rector in
Chichester.
Growing up in Chichester Diocese, I was called to live
in very different parts: after spending a year
volunteering with street children in Colombia, I married
Nick, an ordinand, with who I was called northwards,
serving in Middlesbrough for four years, then
Washington, Tyne & Wear where we lived for thirteen
years, before returning home to Chichester in 2025.

.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
It is important to me to be involved in my local community here in Chichester:

It is a great privilege and encouragement to live 5 minutes’ walk from the Cathedral,
and to be able be a part of their community of prayer during weekday services;

I am the Treasurer of Chichester Hockey Club where my teenage children play. I
do all the bookkeeping for the club, as well as serving more generally on the board.

Our local Church of England secondary school runs activities I volunteer with:
Chicken Club and Gardening Club, clubs related by compost, for which I have a
long-standing love;

We are blessed that our rectory is in the city centre, where we can sit outdoors with
our cats in good weather and chat with those who pass by and want to connect with
someone.
Please consider voting for me at the top of your list. I love the Church of England and will be
fighting for its integrity and gospel-focus with all my votes and speeches. If you would like to
get in touch with me for further questions, please feel free to email me [email protected]
or write care of St Pancras Church, Chichester, PO19 7LJ.

Dressing up for Christmas outreach
events over the years
CHURCH and LIFE EXPERIENCE
My adult life has been committed to serving and encouraging
young people, including a spell as a paid Children’s worker, a
second degree studying the theology of Youth and Children’s
ministry and then 17 years of voluntary youth and children’s
ministry in the North-East. Our church in Washington was very
involved with the local food bank and had a ministry of feeding
people, from local children during lockdowns, to regular meals
for the elderly. Added to service on Deanery and Diocesan
synods, and running a church café, “The Table”, all these
ministries have given me a lasting desire for the Church of
England to be a beacon of hope to all, very much including:

children and teenagers;

people living in financial deprivation;

older people who struggle with losing their agency,
abilities and independence.
Therefore, on General Synod I will use votes and opportunities
to speak to lift up those who can often be forgotten.
Nick and I in our previous parish
Our family has been particularly affected and shaped by disability, and I long for all our churches to love
and encourage those with a disability or extra need to participate fully and as independently as possible,
including by making it easier to adapt our historic buildings.

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