church commissioners,disciples,evangelism,finances,good news,gospel,mission,ordination,safeguarding,scripture,young people

Diocese of Guildford
2026 General Synod Election Address
House of Clergy
Ven Martin Breadmore

    Candidate for General Synod

Old Cricketers
Portsmouth Road
Ripley
GU23 6ER

07850 649255
[email protected]

Dear Guildford Clergy Colleagues,

I am willing to offer myself to serve you, the Diocese of Guildford and the wider Church
of England by standing for election to the General Synod. I am writing therefore to ask if
you would be willing to entrust me with your first-preference vote.

Having been ordained for 33 years this October, 17 of which have been in a parish
context, with the remaining 16 in senior clergy roles, I sense that I would bring a
particularly beneficial perspective to General Synod. With the experience I have gained
over the years, it feels right now to seek to represent you at a national level.

I firmly believe that the parish is where frontline mission and ministry takes place and
that any Diocese and the central Church exists solely to support gospel ministry at grass
roots level. I am committed to ensuring that:

• church structures are simplified
• the historic resources of the Church are used for clear mission and ministry
purposes
• clergy well-being is taken more seriously
• the most appropriate way forward is identified to enable our churches to be
places of genuine safety
• we find creative ways to reverse the decline in attendance, especially amongst
families, children and young people

Although feeling rather daunted by it, it would be an enormous honour and privilege
to serve you on General Synod and if elected, I commit myself to being a prayerful,
present and faithful member. I would work hard to build unity and consensus
whenever possible and would seek to represent all clergy and laity. I am committed
to engaging in any debate in a way that respects those whose views differ from my
own.

Please do prayerfully consider giving me your first-preference vote. If you have any
questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours in Christ,

Martin

Diocese of Guildford
2026 General Synod Election Address
House of Clergy

My Story
I grew up in Tiptree, Essex, before moving to Fetcham, Surrey, with my parents and
younger sister when I was 12. After school I studied for a University of London external
law degree in Bath, having realised that an acting career was not to be. It was during
those years that an early sense of God's call to ordained ministry, first felt before my A
levels, became clearer. After graduating, I spent a year as a pastoral assistant before
beginning ordination training.
It was through Scripture Union holiday clubs that I first encountered Jesus, and I remain
deeply grateful to the many people who patiently nurtured my faith and helped me
discover the love of Christ. Monica and I married during my training, and our ministry
has taken us to Kent, Camberley, Wallington and London before I became Archdeacon
of Dorking in 2019. We have one son, Joshua. Away from ministry, I enjoy theatre,
gardening, good food and walking our much-loved cockapoo, Jessie J.

My hopes for the future

My sense is that there is a widespread view that ‘business as usual’ for us as a church
will only lead to further denominational decline. The Lord is clearly at work in new and
exciting ways across our Diocese and nation and we need to listen to and discern what
the Spirit is saying and where he is leading. General Synod must act in a way that
extends the mission of the Church and enables every local parish to focus on sharing
the good news of Jesus through word and deed.

In my role as Archdeacon I recognise many of the challenges that clergy face today,
which include parish finances, an ever increasing administrative burden and concerns
around their own health and well-being.

I understand that the next quinquennium will continue to work on the Governance
Review that Bishop Andrew chaired, as well as addressing the questions about how
money from the Church Commissioners is allocated. Significant work has been
achieved on practice, oversight, and governance in safeguarding but that there is more
work to be done on identifying the most appropriate arrangements for independent
scrutiny and governance arrangements. Some significant decisions have been
thankfully taken with regards to clergy stipends and pensions, but there is more work to
be done in improving how complaints and allegations against clergy are handled.

If elected I will seek to ensure that the most appropriate decisions are made in each of
these, and other areas, to enable clergy to keep evangelism and growing disciples
central to their ministry; to keep the main thing the main thing!

Please vote for Ven Martin Breadmore for General Synod
Nominated by The Revd David Uffindell, Rector of St. Andrew’s Farnham and Chair of the House
of Clergy
Seconded by The Revd Jackie Richardson, Vicar of St. Peter’s Hersham and Area Dean of Emly