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GENERAL SYNOD ELECTION ADDRESS
Dr John Mullett Seeking Election to the House of Laity | A Voice for Our Parishes
Thank you for taking some of your valuable time to read this address. As a candidate who is new to many
of you, I want to share why I am standing to represent the Laity of this diocese, what principles drive me,
and a bit about my background. My motivation is straightforward: I want to use my life experience to help
the Church of England evolve, grow, and flourish.

Standing for 'Save the Parish'

Meeting the dedicated people involved in the Save the Parish movement has given me immense hope
that the Church of England can dynamically change and adapt to make better use of its financial
resources for growth and mission through our parish network. I am putting myself forward for election to
General Synod to support and champion the core priorities they espouse.
Local Christian communities—who know, love, and serve their neighbourhoods through daily witness—
are precious. Christ promised that where 'two or three are gathered,' He is there; a small, faithful gathering
is just as significant as a congregation of hundreds. Our parish churches are the critical hubs for these
communities, especially in our poorest, smallest, and most rural areas. While the Church faces genuine
financial and clergy shortages, these challenges never justify dissolving or abandoning the frontline.
Multi-parish benefices are, in my opinion, designed for administrative diocesan convenience—they are
transient and arbitrary. I know this first-hand: after around 30 years in one parish group, we were
reassigned to an entirely new benefice. This top-down approach does not work. We must stop managing
decline with bureaucratic reshuffles and instead work harder to pioneer alternative, sustainable
approaches to local ministry and pastoral care which work better for both priest and laity.

Core Focus Areas for Change in the General Synod

If elected, I will seek to influence change across several crucial, interconnected areas:
• Restoring the Parish: Bringing the local parish back to its rightful place as the primary unit of pastoral and
ministerial priority.
• Financial Resource Realignment: Ensuring that Church of England assets are used directly to support and
develop local parishes, rather than undermining them through the current pressures of the voluntary 'parish
share' system. Funding priestly ministry not the administration's support staff should be its top priority.
• Equitable Laity-Clergy Relationships: Rebalancing the relationship between the laity and ordained
Ministers. The current system is unequal and broken, as evidenced by the worrying number of churches now
unable to find anyone willing to step forward as a churchwarden. We need a radical revision of how we work
together so I would welcome the chance to contribute to the work already undertaken in this area.
• Realistic Expectations: Defining what is a reasonable, sustainable workload for a priest serving a multi-
parish ministry. Priests take solemn oaths under Canon Law at their induction services; the local 'souls'
under their care deserve clarity on what can realistically be expected from a shared ministry.
• Imaginative Climate Action: Addressing climate change as a clear, tangible threat to humanity. I find the
current institutional response inadequate and counterproductive, often mired in box-ticking and restrictive
'thou shalt not' attitudes. The ambition of a 'net-zero church' remains poorly defined—does it account for a
priest driving miles between parishes, or the fuel parishioners spend to attend? We need Bishops and clergy
to lead by practical example, using the Church's wealth to provide sustainable assets for communities. Think
of it as the modern equivalent of feeding the poor with fish from monastic ponds.

A 'Premature Funeral Eulogy' & Personal Background

Being at an age where funerals are more frequent social gatherings than weddings, I often leave a service
wishing I had known more about the person while they were still with us. In that spirit, here is a brief
snapshot of my life and experience:

My Deep Church Roots:
• Lifelong connection with the Church of England, beginning as a cathedral chorister in Lichfield and a school
choir server.
• Active involvement with the college chapel during my student days at Durham University.
• An energetic member of local parish churches wherever I have lived, serving on Parochial Church Councils
(PCCs) and working as a parish choirmaster for many years (retiring as a choir conductor in December
2025). I still actively play the saxophone in our local church band.
• Deeply inherited tradition: both my father and grandfather were Church of England priests, and my mother
was so dedicated to church life that she had "Mothers' Union" written straight through her middle - like a stick
of rock.
Professional & Environmental Experience:
• Now semi-retired, I continue to provide part-time consulting expertise.
• Inspired early on by Jacques Cousteau, I became a qualified scuba diver and instructor by 18. I later
studied Botany at Durham University under the mentorship of David Bellamy, leading multiple underwater
scientific expeditions alongside military personnel.
• Earned a doctorate (PhD) at Liverpool University focusing on the environmental impacts of pollution on
marine life.
• Built a global career in organic waste management and recycling, moving from seaweed to earthworms, and
ultimately overseeing recycling operations across 23 countries. I also founded and ran a small business
designing and constructing waste recycling infrastructure.
• Co-founded a social enterprise alongside business colleagues to bring clean sanitation and organic waste
technologies to refugee camps and impoverished communities (such as orphanages in hot, low-income
countries). I remain actively involved in efforts to improve sanitation in South Sudan refugee camps.
Life in the Community:
• Actively run a charity providing direct support to Ukraine, delivering crucial financial assistance directly to the
parents of disabled children who are unable to flee the conflict zone.
• Volunteer driver for a local community car scheme.
• I am an enthusiastic under-canvas camper and I enjoy wildlife photography and woodwork.
• Enjoyed Scottish Country and Highland dancing for many years, and served as the Musical Director of an
all-comers Community Choir for a decade.

In Summary

Throughout my life and career, I have worked alongside dedicated teams to deliver real, positive change. I
know first-hand that change is difficult. I have navigated the painful reality of redundancies, managed
severe cash constraints, and faced the anxiety of leaving the familiar behind. True transformation always
brings disagreement and opposition - but to build a lasting future, we must lead with an unwavering respect
for everyone involved.
Some call me a ‘disruptor,’ a title I proudly accept if it means refusing to settle for the status quo. I have
proven it can be done: my career was defined by innovating and helping to drive the paradigm shift in
waste management, moving an entire industry from landfill to recycling. Today, the Church of England’s
funding and ministry face a similar, critical turning point. I want to bring this proven experience to the
table, helping to push forward the evolution of the Church so that it can look forward to a vibrant, resilient,
and thriving future.
Please feel free to contact me if there is anything you would like to discuss.
Thank you for reading this far. I would appreciate your support, prayers and of course your first or high
preference vote.
John Mullett: Mobile 07702679191 Email [email protected]