General Synod Election Candidates 2026

GENERAL SYNOD ELECTION – 2026
VOTE FOR RICHARD MORGAN

Proposed by Mrs JM Wibberley, seconded by Professor F Basso.

Thank you for giving some of your time to read this Election Address. I hope you will read it
carefully and prayerfully before deciding how to cast your vote in the forthcoming General
Synod election. I have the knowledge, experience and ability required to help represent our
diocese and I am asking for your First Preferential Vote.

I have worshipped at St Mary-the-Less, Cambridge, for the past 22 years. I am a member of
the Parochial Church Council; Lay Chairman of Cambridge South Deanery Synod; and a
member of Ely Diocesan Synod. I am also a member of the Diocesan Patronage Board and a
former member of the Diocesan Houses Committee. I represent the North Ward on City of Ely
Council and I am also a former Mayor of Ely. I am married to Jane.

Evangelism is the essential role of the Church in this multi-cultural and multi-faith society. The
Church of England is a broad church, a Biblical church, and a Sacramental church and is in a
unique position to proclaim the Gospel. This is the church I know and love, and I want it to
remain that way.

As the Established Church our clergy have the ‘cure of souls’ within the parish system. The
continual amalgamation of parishes (and deaneries) stretches our clergy too wide. Laity need
to find new ways of supporting parish clergy, continuing ministerial education – and supporting
more ordinands! Properly ordered worship, God-Centred, emphasising the greatness of God
and our total reliance on the Creator will enhance our evangelism, and we must engage with
the new thirst for spirituality which is evident in our society.

Our work amongst young people is vitally important and well-presented teaching courses will
excite youngsters without the need to “water down” our faith or the uniqueness of salvation

wrought by and through Our Lord Jesus Christ. The deep spiritual understanding that children
possess should never be underestimated.

We live in a time of increasing secularism and we need to find new and effective ways of
presenting our Christian Faith to this land. I believe that General Synod should prioritise the
resourcing of mission initiatives and make this a primary objective. As a member of the General
Synod I will keep you and your deanery informed on the issues to be discussed so you can have
your say too! The need is urgent.

The withdrawal of the financial infrastructure that ensured the poorest parishes were not
abandoned has forced the closure of churches, reduction of clergy, merging parishes with
parishes and forcing the parish share up beyond the point at which churches feel that they can
pay them. Queen Anne (reigned 1702-14) knew that the poorest communities in the land could
never hope to pay for their own priests and buildings; and she also knew that the Church must
never abandon the poor. She left us a bounty, an endowment, for the “provision of the cure of
souls in parishes where such assistance is most required”. Today that endowment stands at
£11.6 billion! Let’s use it for what it was intended, not wasting it on Archbishops’ Councils
and other fripperies!

We need to look to the future and grasp the opportunity to rethink, in these days of financial
stringency, how the organisation of the Church of England can be more cost effective. I also
believe that after 50 years or so of synodical Government we need a realistic reappraisal of
whether it still serves the needs of the Church. I would like to bring a younger and fresher voice
to address these issues.

One of the strengths of the Church of England is that it has provided a spiritual home for all,
where diversity is welcomed, and where the marginalised have found an equal place. In the
current economic climate, I feel we particularly need to address the concerns of those who live,
work and witness to our faith in less affluent areas, those places where the Church needs to be
far more than just a building, however beautiful.

I support the work of The Mothers’ Union in this diocese and elsewhere: especially the
Cambridge Churches Homeless Project; Cambridge & Ely Child Contact Centres; The
Whitworth Trust; Visitors Centres at Littlehey Prison; Cambridge Women’s Aid and
Huntingdon Refuge.

Jesus Christ gave us the task of going out into the world with His Gospel of New Life. The
future of the Church of England is very close to my heart and I will consider it a wonderful
privilege and responsibility to be elected to serve on General Synod where I will do my best to
listen to you and reflect honestly and faithfully on whatever will assist all of our people and
parishes of the Diocese of Ely.

This Election Matters – Please Give Me Your First Preferential Vote

Thank you for your support

RICHARD MORGAN

23 Merivale Way, Ely CB7 4GQ, Email. [email protected]

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