General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Candidate for the House of Clergy

Revd Dominic Newstead

Senior Chaplain, St Paul’s Tervuren (Belgium)

[email protected]

Proposer: Rev Canon Arani Sen

Seconder Rev Dr Deborah Chapman

Why Synod?

I’d like to offer myself to serve the Diocese in Europe by standing for election to General
Synod. As someone with French nationality, French family and whose children were
born in France | am a committed European, yet | am also English and a committed
Anglican (by choice rather than upbringing), so | really understand and can champion
the causes of our diocese, and represent our clergy with real conviction about the
important part we play in the church of England. I’ve served in the diocese for over 10
years, in France and Belgium, in new ministry and established ministry, so | truly get the
challenge and the joys, the opportunities and frustrations that come with being a
chaplain in this diocese.

My experience in ministry

e Ayoung ordinand, I’ve been ordained for over 30 years
e Nearly 20 of those years have been spent leading churches in schools
e A Guildford ordinand, I’ve worked in Chester & St Albans Dioceses also

Additional Responsibilities

e |currently serve on Diocesan Synod and Bishop’s council

e In StAlbans | served on Diocesan Synod, Finance Committee and Budget
Scrutiny committee

e In Chester Diocese | served on Diocesan Synod, Diocesan Board of Education
and Youth & Children sub-committee, and an IME tutor

e |was part of the Chester Diocesan team enabling churches to build thriving
multi-generational faith communities

e |served on and then chaired the Wirral Local Authority committee that sets the
curriciulum for RE and Collective Worship in non-church schools

e |was ecumenical officer in Paris, and taught modules on Eucharistic theology,
the Anglican reformation and Missiology at the ISEO theological faculty in Paris

e |currently serve on the board of an African Mission charity, and have served as a
director on the boards of several other Christian charities.

Some of what I’d hope to bring to Synod

Ministry Training: Throughout my ministry | have always sought to foster and encourage
the ministry of others, seeing women and men from my churches train for lay or
ordained ministry. | have trained curates, had theology students on placement and
been a part time lecturer in theology. Our Diocese is growing, and the number of
potential ordinands is increasing year on year, yet access to theological training for
those in this diocese is complex and costly. I’d work hard to facilitate additional
pathways for those seeking to serve in our diocese and beyond.

Racial Justice: At St Paul’s, | have worked hard to increase our racial diversity. I’ve
employed as assistant chaplains a Ghanaian and a Rwandan, have a Nigerian church
warden. I’ve worked in supporting and mentoring lay and ordained ministerial
colleagues from outside of Europe who are struggling to fit into “our way” of doing
things. | think this experience and understanding will be something positive | could
bring to enable us to think more positively and intentionally about how we can engage
and include and involve within our parishes and chaplaincies those who have different
experience of Christianity in other parts of the world.

Mission and Growth: a “pioneer minister” for significant parts of my ministry, | know
first-hand what mission and growth can be like. Whilst we are in a privileged position
here in Belgium, when in France, | was self-supporting (working as an English teacher)
until the church had grown sufficiently to take me on full time. If our diocese ( and the
wider church) is to meet its goal of planting new churches, then we are going to need to
find new ways of funding new work, new ways of planting and establishing churches,
ensuring clergy well- being and properly supporting new initiatives alongside existing
work. l’ve got insight and experience that would enables me to contribute fruitfully.

Holding us Together:In England it is easy to move to a neighbouring parish if you do not
agree with the position of your incumbent on sexuality. However, in the majority of the
diocese, and it is certainly true of St Paul’s, we have in our chaplaincies strongly held
but opposing views on these issues. The love within the community is what keeps
people together. This very differing experience in Europe is something that can be
helpful for the wider church as it thinks and prays its way forward.

A bit more about me

Raised in a faithful and loving Roman Catholic family, my faith came alive in my mid
teens, and by God’s grace, continues to grow and develop. | dropped out of my final
year at university with what we would now call mental health issues following my
mother’s diagnosis of terminal cancer. | worked in the city of London as a trainee
stockbroker, which was where | felt the call to ministry. I’ve been married to Annie for 36
years, and we are blessed with four children and a grandchild on the way. To relax, | love
mountains, books and the odd glass of french red wine shared with family and friends.

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