General Synod Election Candidates 2026

The Revd Dr Janine Arnott
Rector of Malpas, Threapwood and Bickerton

A Christian presence in every community

Who I am and what I stand for
Rector of a rural multi-parish benefice in South Cheshire. Mum
to one son and two lively spaniels. Ordained for seven years
and standing for General Synod for the first time.

My two key priorities are clergy welfare and the parish system

What I bring
•
Professional experience: Twenty years in the voluntary sector supporting children with
additional needs and their families, followed by fifteen years in health and social policy
research, contributing to local and national policy.
•
Lay ministry: Experience of Faith in the Workplace and the diocesan Consultancy for Mission
and Ministry, strengthening my commitment to shared lay and licensed ministry.
•
Ordained ministry: Seven years of ordained ministry in suburban and rural contexts.
•
Education: Current member of the Diocesan Board of Education and a local school governor.

I bring experience of listening and responding to competing perspectives,
delivering and implementing policy, combining evidence with pastoral care,
and working with people across diverse social groups.

Faith, training and ministry
My adult journey to faith was shaped by a large suburban evangelical
church, Liverpool Cathedral, and independent study at St Mellitus College
(North West). Together, these experiences nurtured my faith and helped
me discern a call to ordained ministry.

I trained at Ridley Hall and Trinity Hall, Cambridge with placements in Vienna, Jerusalem, and hospital
chaplaincy. My curacy was in a large, traditional, suburban church and I am currently rector of a rural
multi-parish benefice. These experiences have given me a deep appreciation and love of the breadth
of Anglican life, theology, and worship.

My two key priorities

1. Clergy welfare and wellbeing

Clergy flourish in ministry when they receive effective care alongside fair, transparent, and
appropriate accountability. I would work to ensure that the Covenant for Clergy Care and Wellbeing is
effectively implemented and explore how it could be strengthened. I would also take a particular
interest in the new Clergy Conduct Measure. Clear standards of conduct are crucial, and disciplinary
processes must be robust, proportionate and fit for purpose for both clergy and lay office-holders.

Proposer: The Revd Laura Rhodes
Seconder: The Revd Canon Christine Broad
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1. Parish ministry

The parish system is one of the Church of England’s greatest strengths, and I share Save the Parish’s
commitment to sustaining and renewing properly resourced parish ministry.
Collaboration across parish boundaries can help us
share resources and develop lay and licensed ministry,
but it needs a strong, properly resourced parish base. I
would advocate for frontline ministry that sustains a
Christian presence in every community, honours the
cure of souls, and values relationships between parish
priests and the people they serve.

The bigger picture
Healthy parish ministry depends on good relationships, trust between parish, diocese and the
national Church, and listening and responding well to the communities we serve.
I will support proposals and policies that seek to rekindle the parish church as the heartbeat of our
communities; connect with parishes; and build trust and confidence in the Church.

Listening across the Church
My faith and ministry have taught me to value the breadth of traditions,
convictions and perspectives within our wonderfully diverse Church and to
celebrate how we serve and seek God together. I recognise that questions
concerning identity, relationships, gender and sexuality matter deeply and
deserve prayerful, open and compassionate engagement. I remain
open to that engagement, while my particular focus in standing for
Synod is clergy welfare and the support of parish ministry.

Why vote for me?
As a first-time candidate, I would bring a fresh perspective and
breadth of experience to the issues facing the Church today. I am
not afraid to challenge, scrutinise and test proposals on the issues that matter to you. If elected, I
would listen carefully, remain accessible to clergy across the diocese, communicate clearly, and
exercise my vote thoughtfully and prayerfully.

Contact: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/revdjanine.arnott/
Communicating and connecting
Good communication builds trust. I will support
meaningful consultation and communication with
clergy, laity, and our wider communities,
especially when decisions affect pastoral
reorganisation, finance, buildings or land.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding must be at the forefront of our
ministry and informed by lessons from the past. I
support continued scrutiny and improvement so
that our safeguarding responsibilities are
consistently met at every level.
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