General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

My name is Kasta Dip. I am standing for election to the General Synod of the Church of England
because the voices of the Global South and Eastern Europe, and the experience of those of us who
minister across cultures and borders, must be heard more clearly in the councils of our Church.

I serve as a Chaplain for the Anglican churches in Poland and Ukraine in the Diocese in Europe. I
come from a global majority heritage and bring to this vocation a background shaped by
intercultural theology, ecumenical youth work, peace education, and the pursuit of justice and
peace. These are not abstract interests; they are the daily reality of ministry in a region marked by
war, displacement, resilience, and profound Christian witness.

Eastern Europe is not a distant concern for the Church of England. Thousands of our brothers and
sisters – Ukrainian, Polish, and others from the region – live, work, and worship among us. Many
have fled conflict; others sustain vital partnerships between our churches. Yet their perspectives are
too often absent from Synod debates on mission, liturgy, safeguarding, clergy wellbeing, and the
Church’s public voice. I want to help bring these experiences into the wider conversation of our
Church.

My ministry has taught me that authentic Christian leadership listens first. It builds bridges rather
than walls. It recognises that the Body of Christ is strengthened when those on the margins –
geographical, cultural, or political – are given space to speak. It has also taught me that listening
must lead to relationship, discernment and constructive action. I have worked with young people
across denominational lines, facilitated peace education in contexts of tension, and sought to hold
together justice and pastoral care. My ministry in Poland and my oversight of Christ Church Kyiv
have also given me a particular perspective on what it means for the Church to remain present,
faithful and hopeful in the midst of war and displacement. These experiences equip me to
contribute thoughtfully and constructively to Synod’s work.

I am standing not to represent a single interest group, but to widen the conversation and to bring
perspectives that can strengthen the whole Church. The Church of England’s future depends on its
ability to hear the whole Church – including those whose daily prayer is offered in languages and
landscapes far from England. Eastern Europe’s Anglicans, and the wider diaspora communities
among us, have gifts of faithfulness, creativity, and costly discipleship to offer. I want to help those
gifts shape our common life, while also listening to and learning from the experience of the wider
Church.

If elected, I will work to ensure that:

•
The experiences of Anglican communities in Poland and Ukraine inform our shared decision-
making, especially on issues of peace, reconciliation, and support for those affected by war
and displacement.

•
Intercultural and ecumenical insights shape how we approach formation, youth ministry,
and the renewal of parish life across the Church of England.
•
Justice and peace are not treated as optional extras but as integral to our identity as a
Church committed to the Gospel.
•
Global majority voices, and the particular wisdom of those who live between cultures and
traditions, are recognised as gifts that can enrich the whole Church.

I stand as a priest formed by the Global South, tested in the realities of Eastern Europe, and
committed to the Anglican way of Scripture, tradition, and reason held in creative tension. I ask for
your prayer and your vote so that the voice of those who live at the crossroads of cultures and
conflicts may be present when the Church of England discerns its path. I would seek to serve Synod
as a bridge-builder: listening carefully, speaking thoughtfully, and working with others for the good
of the whole Church. May the Holy Spirit guide us all into the truth that sets free and the peace that
the world cannot give.

In Christ,

Kasta Dip
Chaplain, Anglican Church in Poland with Oversight of Christ Church Kyiv

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