The Revd Emma Speake
Chester
House of Clergy
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Where everyone is welcomed,
celebrated, affirmed and able
to participate at every level.
A CHURCH FOR
EVERYONE
A church which seeks to
remove barriers to
belonging, believing &
participating.
AN ACCESSIBLE
CHURCH
A church that takes
safeguarding seriously; that
speaks truth in humility and
in openness to being
changed.
A SAFER
CHURCH
For General Synod
For people, place & planet.
Where Kingdom values &
justice are priorities.
A CHURCH
THAT CARES
REV’D
EMMA
SPEAKE
PRIORITIES
‘I have come
that they might
have life—life
in all its
fullness’.
JOHN 10:10
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WHO AM I?
I’ve been Vicar in one of the most ‘deprived’ parishes in the
country for 8 years. I’ve experienced just how tough and
lonely it can be... but I also appreciate the beauty &
generosity of parishes like mine, which is why I will always be
an advocate for estates & lower income areas who are often
marginalised in different ways.
First & foremost, I feel called to stand for general synod as an
important way of standing with those who feel this
marginalisation - just as Jesus did - through advocating,
affirming, challenging & bringing the concerns & voices of
those in our parishes and communities into the room.
I’m already doing this in my parish work: as disability advisor
and in the different committees & groups I’m involved with.
For 2.5 years I’ve led a small worshipping community for
families with SEN, I’ve worked closely for 6 years with a HIV &
LGBTQIA+ organisation to whom I offer chaplaincy &
friendship, and I seek to create inclusive & welcoming spaces
where all are welcome & able to participate (which is why I
recently undertook training in Makaton and BSL).
I’m incredibly proud to lead a church who have an ‘Autism
Affirming Place of Worship’ award & are part of the ‘Inclusive
Church’ network. I aspire to be a pioneer in inclusive &
accessible ministry - at least, I work hard at it, I listen & I act.
Through my varied ministry, I hear story upon story of pain,
exclusion & hopelessness - emotions I know well. I have lived
experienced of exclusion through my neurodivergency &
various life experiences (growing up on a social housing
estate, homelessness, mental health & in other ways too).
But I’ve also experienced how faith in Jesus can change &
transform us, and the beauty of Christian community when it
works well and works together; I believe inclusion is
missional, as is disagreeing well and collaborating.
Coming to faith in my 20's totally transformed me & gave me
new things: hope, peace, belonging, something to cling onto -
fullness of life you might say. I want that so desperately for
others which is a huge part of my calling to ministry &
ultimately to standing for Synod. I believe in the church &
parish, & value the opportunity to help shape & transform it,
so every generation can also know the fullness of life that
faith in Jesus brings.
Helping people belong is important to me as I understand
this is often how folk come to believe - as I did. But I
recognise there are barriers that prevent some from
accessing church & so coming to faith. I’ve spent my
ministry, lay & ordained, working to change that.
I promise if I’m elected, I will continue to work so all voices
are heard, barriers removed, & all are equally able to
participate in the life of the church at all levels. Kingdom
stuff!
Vicar at Grange St.
Andrew. A small estate
church in Runcorn.
Experience - ordained
10 years, Vicar 8 years.
Chester Diocesan
Disability Advisor.
Assistant Rural Dean in
Frodsham.
Member of the
pioneering ‘Runcorn
Revs’ team - a
collaborative team of
clergy working together
to build the Kingdom
across our town.
Chaplain to a local HIV,
LGBTQIA+ Support &
Pride group.
Member of the
disability forum &
Outreach Committee.
Previous joint ‘Estates
Ministry’ lead & school
chaplain.
Pre-ordination: Parish
Children & Families
Worker, & Detached
Youth Worker.
Best of all: Follower of
Jesus.
I’d appreciate your vote as first preference if my priorities are yours. If
not, please consider voting for our Curate, Rev’d Hannah Harvey, who is
also standing and is a wonderfully passionate & experienced candidate.
WHY AM I
STANDING?
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affirming,chaplaincy,disability,generosity,homelessness,housing,inclusive,inclusive church,justice,lgbtqia,mental health,missional,ordination,outreach,safeguarding,social housing,youth,youth worker
affirming,inclusive,inclusive church
lgbtqia
safeguarding
missional,outreach
disability,homelessness,housing,justice,mental health,social housing
chaplaincy,generosity,ordination
youth,youth worker
