anglo-catholic,catholic,charismatic,charismatic evangelical,evangelical,finance,liberal,messy church,safeguarding,theological education,vocations,young people,youth

A LITTLE ABOUT ME
I am the Team Rector of the Papworth Team Ministry, serving fifteen rural parishes in west
Cambridgeshire. My ministry has taken me into quite different parts of the Church of England. I
began as a lay worker in a large charismatic evangelical church, before serving as a curate in a
rural context, as a school chaplain, and later as an Associate Priest in a liberal Anglo-Catholic
parish. I have also worked in theological education, helping to train people for lay and ordained
ministry.
These different experiences have shaped the way I see the Church. I have learnt to value
traditions and perspectives which are not always my own, and to recognise the faithfulness
found in very different parts of Anglican life. I have convictions of my own, but I also want to
understand why other people hold theirs. I believe General Synod needs people who are willing
to listen properly, take different views seriously and work constructively across disagreement.
Alongside parish ministry, I am in the final stages of studying for a PhD in medieval theology at
King’s College London. This has given me experience of working carefully with difficult questions
and weighing different arguments, which I hope would be useful in the work of Synod. I am also
actively involved in the wider life of the Diocese of Ely and Bourn Deanery and, if elected, would
want to remain firmly connected to the people and churches I would be representing.
A CHURCH FOR EVERYONE
In the Papworth Team we are trying to become a ‘Church for Everyone’. We often express this
through three simple commitments:
Everyone Invited. Everyone Involved. Everyone Inspired.
These words also say something about the sort of Church of England I want to help build, so I
have used them to shape this election address.
EVERYONE INVITED
I believe strongly in the Church of England’s calling to be present for every community. To me,
this means valuing the parish church, but also going beyond our buildings, building relationships
and finding new ways to share the hope of Jesus.
In the places where I have served, I have helped to develop Messy Church, toddler groups, work
with children and young people, school partnerships and wider community ministry. In the
Papworth Team we have developed a community hub and youth centre, and secured Growing
Faith funding to strengthen the relationship between church, school and home.
MATT PHILLIPS
THE REVEREND
[email protected] 07518 377245

I am especially passionate about the Church growing younger. Children and young people
should not simply be invited into what already exists. They should be listened to, trusted and given
a real part in shaping the life of the Church.
‘Everyone Invited’ also means making room for the breadth of the Church of England. We are
not going to agree about everything, and some of our differences are deep and important. But I
would like us to become better at understanding one another, making room for different
traditions and resisting the temptation to retreat into separate camps.
EVERYONE INVOLVED
The future of the Church cannot depend on clergy alone. I want to see lay ministry and
leadership encouraged, vocations nurtured and the gifts of the whole people of God taken
seriously. This is something we are trying to put into practice locally through developing lay
leaders through a Deanery ALM course, theological education and creating opportunities for
people to discover and use their gifts.
Serving fifteen parishes also makes me very aware of the weight of governance, buildings,
administration and finance. Safeguarding and good governance matter enormously, but our
structures should help local ministry rather than overwhelm it. Where we can simplify things, share
resources and work together more effectively, I think we should.
EVERYONE INSPIRED
The future of the Church will not be secured by restructuring alone. Our life begins with God:
worshipping him, following Jesus Christ and sharing his hope with the world.
There are very real challenges facing the Church of England, but I also see a great deal that
gives me hope: faithfulness in small congregations, children asking serious questions about God,
volunteers serving their communities, people exploring faith and new ministries beginning
alongside ancient churches. I want General Synod to spend serious time on the difficult questions
facing us, while never losing sight of why the Church exists in the first place.
If elected, I would bring experience of parish ministry, work with children, young people
and schools, theological education, and the wider life of the Diocese and Deanery. More
importantly, I would try to make a thoughtful, constructive and grounded contribution to
the work of General Synod.
I am not standing because I think I have all the answers. I am standing because I care
deeply about the Church of England, believe in its future, and would value the
opportunity to play a part in shaping that future.
If that is the kind of representative you would value, I would be very grateful for your vote.
If you would like to know more about me, or to talk about any of the issues facing General
Synod, I would be very happy to hear from you. Please do get in touch:
[email protected] or 07518 377245