General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Revd David Lower – Candidate for General Synod
Vicar of St Paul’s Clacton-on-Sea and St Bartholomew’s Holland-on-Sea
[email protected]
01255 475900

Nominated by: Revd Tom Rout, Vicar, St Margaret’s, Stanford-le-Hope
Seconded by: Revd Funmilayo Vaughan, Vicar, St Mary’s, Frinton-on-Sea

I would like to offer myself to serve the Diocese of Chelmsford and the wider
Church of England by standing for election to General Synod.

For the last 12 years I have served in the diocese first as Priest-in-Charge and
then Vicar of St Paul’s Church Clacton-on-Sea and also as Associate Minister and
then Vicar of St Bart’s Church Holland-on-Sea. I have served on Diocese Synod
for nine year and the Deanery Standing Committee for nine years. Before
moving to the ‘Sunshine Coast of Essex’ I served as Curate for four years in the
United Benefice of Sileby, Cossington & Seagrave, Leicester Diocese. Before
training for ordination I worked as a Management Accountant in the waste and
recycling industry. I summarise the things I stand for as follows:

Putting Parishes First
My ordained ministry has almost entirely been spent with ordinary people in
ordinary parishes. I still believe in the parish system and in the importance of
local churches which should be front and centre of decisions made by those on
General Synod. As article XIX reminds us, the church is the place where the
faithful gather, the word of God is preached and the sacraments are

administered - it is a precious thing, as is the Anglican Parish System. I therefore
believe that dioceses and their structures (and the wider Church of England)
should be there to serve the parishes and the work and mission taking place
within them. If elected to General Synod, I would seek to represent ordinary
people in ordinary parishes so that local churches can flourish and take the
gospel message to people in parishes across our nation.

Supporting the Poor
Living and working in an area of high deprivation I am naturally concerned for
the poor, the marginalised and the people who are often ‘left behind’. I
regularly take assemblies in three local schools and frequent occasional offices
so I am fully aware what life is like for most people in the country and the
concerns they have. I know how hard ministry can be in areas with little by way
of resources to work with and when faced with so many needs. If elected to
General Synod, I would seek to represent poor and deprived communities so
that resources can be channelled to support work and ministry within them.

Encouraging the Young
Over the last 12 years we have established a stable youth and children’s ministry
in Clacton-on-Sea. I firmly believe young people are interested in faith, Jesus,
the Bible and Church. If elected to General Synod, I would seek to represent
work amongst younger people so the that gospel is passed on to the next
generation.

Helping the Clergy
Serving in a multi parish benefice I am all too aware of the pressure clergy are
under, not just with the needs and concerns of the parishes they serve, but also
with the ever increasing administrative burden the diocese and structures place
on them. I would love to see parishes actively helped by the wider Church of
England, to free them up to be the churches they should be. If elected to
General Synod, I would seek to represent overstretched clergy so that they get
more of the help they need to enable their ministries to flourish.

I’m married to Naomi and together we have four children (2 at university, 2 at
school). I enjoy walking our two dogs and complete the Clacton Parkrun most
Saturdays.

If you felt able to put me a one of your candidates of choice I’d be most grateful.

Thanks, David

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