General Synod Election Candidates 2026

A SAFER, BOLDER AND UNITED CHURCH MOVING FORWARDS WITH RENEWED CONFIDENCE

Diocese of Guildford
Election to The House of Laity of General Synod 2026
BRUINVELS: Peter Nigel Edward
1
Proposed by -
Seconded by -
Lizzy Klintworth
Bishop’s Council and Guildford Deanery Synod
Graham Everness LLM
Lay Chair - Dorking Deanery Synod, Bishop’s Council
About Canon Peter BRUINVELS CC
Member of The General Synod since 1985
Governor and Church Commissioners 1992-2024
Vice President and Chairman of The House of Laity - Diocesan Synod 2003-2012
Born in Dorking and married (to Alison) with two daughters - Alexandra –
Solicitor in Bristol and Georgie – with a PhD (Medicine and Intervention
Science) from UCL. Has two granddaughters. Educated at Downsend,
St. John's Leatherhead, London University (LLB Hons) and Inns of Court
School of Law (Bar Exams).
Freeman of The City of London and Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts
(FRSA). Member of The Corporation of Church House since 1985.
P a r ish
and

D e ane

r y:

Member of St. Martin's Church, Dorking since birth. Member
of Guildford Diocesan and Dorking Deanery Synods since 1974;
served on St. Martin's PCC as Vice-Chairman for many years. A trained
Sunday Club Leader, Intercessor, OLM/NSM Training Chairman.
Di
o c e s e :
Peter serves on Bishop’s Council, College of Canons, St Martha’s
College, Vacancy-in-See and Dorking Deanery Leadership Team.
Former Member of GDET (Guildford Diocesan Education Trust);
Guildford Diocesan Board of Education and was its Chairman 2005-08.
N a tiona

l ly / Gen

e ral
S y n o d:

As a Governor and Trustee of the Church Commissioners, he served on
the Board 1992-2024; Deputy Chair: Mission Pastoral and Church
Property Committee (10+years) and Assets Committee (£11.6bn).
Member of the ‘Green Guide’ for Parsonages Working Party - he reviewed
it as part of the Mission and Pastoral Measure Review.
Elected Member of the GS Mission and Public Affairs Council working
with and advising the Bench of Bishops on Policy Issues in The House of
Lords
Peter is Armed Forces Champion for The Church of England.
Chair of The Queen Victoria Clergy Fund (Patron HM The
King) making grants (£150k+) to distressed Clergy spouses.
An Acting Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Legislative
Committee reviewing all Synodical Measures, prior to them
going to the Ecclesiastical Committee of Parliament.
An elected Member of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England
for 10 years and on its FAC Appointments and Grants Committees.
Served on General Synod Board of Education, Dioceses Commission
and Dearing Commission (1996-2006). On General Synod, he is a
member of the Evangelical Group (EGGS), STP and Catholic Group.
E d u ca
t i o n :
A former OFSTED Inspector (RE) of Church Schools and Chair
of Governors. Nominated Chair: St John’s School, North Holmwood
2026-Formerly
Chairman
of
Surrey
CC
Schools
Organisation Cttee and Member of Surrey LEA, he has campaigned
on General Synod for RE and family values to be taught by qualified and
committed RE Teachers and for more Church Schools.
Canon Peter BRUINVELS
P r o f e s s i o n and

Gen

e ral
Interests

Peter
Bruinvels
is
Armed Forces
Covenant Lead and Civilian-Military
Liaison Adviser to Surrey CC liaising
with all Surrey Local Authorities and
Military Bases; Farnham Pirbright,
Sandhurst, Keogh and Aldershot Garrison.
Armed Forces Champion for Guildford
Diocese and for The Church of England
He has been an Army Civil Servant for 11
Infantry Brigade and MoD Trainer on
the Armed Forces Covenant and Armed
Forces Awareness for Forces Connect.
Peter was instrumental in having the Armed
Forces Covenant signed by +Andrew
and 11 Infantry Brigade on
Remembrance Sunday. He also arranges the
Annual Flag Raising and Launch of Armed
Forces Week at Guildford Cathedral and
is a regular Newspaper reviewer on BBC
Radio Surrey.
He was also Service Chaplain for Surrey
Fire & Rescue Service.
H onours:

In June 2017, Peter Bruinvels was awarded
The Canterbury Cross by
Archbishop Justin for “sustained and
outstanding work in support of the Church of
England”.
Peter Bruinvels is Principal of his own
Media Management, Community Engagement
and Public Affairs Consultancy -PETER
BRUINVELS ASSOCIATES.
A former MP, serving on the Backbench
Defence, Education
and
Urban
Affairs
Committees, the Parliamentary Christian
Group and The Houses of Parliament
Ecclesiastical Committee.
Re-Elect….
BRUINVELS: Peter Nigel Edward
1
Printed and published by Peter BRUINVELS, September 2026

Peter BRUINVELS
Home:
07721 411 688
4 Dunkeld Place
Mobile:
07721 411 688
Roman Road
Email: c a nn
o n b r u i n v e l s @
g m
a i l . c o m

DORKING Surrey RH4 3EU
Dear Elector September 2026
A SAFER, BOLDER AND UNITED CHURCH MOVING FORWARDS WITH RENEWED CONFIDENCE
In 2021, I was privileged to be re-elected to General Synod by Guildford Diocese for which I thank you. I now offer myself again for
re-election. During these past 5 years, I have endeavoured to live up to that trust shown in me as an active full-time Christian
participant in all spheres of Synodical Government culminating in my re-election as a Church Commissioner and re-appointment
as the longest serving Governor of The Church Commissioners. Until 2024, I served as a Member and Trustee of its
Assets Committee (£11.6bn) having been re-appointed by the Archbishops, where I took a strong interest in ethical and green
issues, as well as advocating that The Church of England goes carbon net zero to safeguard God’s creation.
I continued to make Guildford's presence felt, ensuring orthodox faith and apostolic order were upheld as a regular
attender and participant in many Synod debates and at Question Time. I strongly supported the Cathedrals
Measure having served on the Cathedrals Fabric Commission. Having successfully proposed the adoption of the
Armed Forces Covenant with the support of both Archbishops offering pastoral, welfare and spiritual support
for the Armed Forces Community, I continued as Armed Forces Champion for The Church of England with
Guildford Diocese (+Andrew)
h a v i n g
signed
the
Armed
Forces
Covenant
with
11
Infantry
Brigade (Aldershot) in Guildford Cathedral. I have helped 9 Dioceses including Oxford and Rochester sign the
Arme d Forc es Covenant. I also spoke for The Armed Forces Chaplains (Licensing) Measure enabling Service
Chaplains to lead Services ‘outside the wire’.
As an
Acting Chair and member of Synod's Legislative Committee, I have been working closely with the new
Ecclesiastical Committee to get them ‘onside’ attending informal meetings and seeing Members privately as we need to work ‘in
tandem’ rather than have them reject measures such as the National Church Governance Measure. The good news is that we
saved the Clergy Conduct Measure 2025 – because we separated Safeguarding and made it our number 1 priority saying we
would pay whatever it costs in compensation to the many victims through the Church Commissioners.
During the next five years of Synod, sadly without +Andrew, we will need unity and stability within our Church of England to enable
the agenda for ‘Working Together’ to flourish. I will continue to make our Bishops remember their commitments solemnly given
at their consecration - that there is only ONE CHURCH, ONE FAITH and ONE LORD embracing the Thirty-Nine Articles of
Religion with Biblical Teaching placed at the heart of it all. A number of senior Bishops and Lay Members have encouraged me to
stand for re-election and assured me that my churchmanship and long experience is needed and that I still have a valuable contribution
to make.
There are more than 15 issues of concern that will dominate Synod during the next 5 years, s u c h a s Church-State Relations,
Suffragan Bishop numbers with Diocese mergers, See Houses, Stronger Safeguarding, Supporting the Parish System (STP) with direct
grants to the Parishes, Clergy Discipline Commission, Racial Justice, Living in Love and Faith – which I cannot support,
Dispossessions on Pastoral Review grounds, Rural Issues, Being Church and Vocations, Church Planting and Growth, (I used to be a
Church Army Director), Mission Action Plans and Evangelism building on my experience as a Director of St Martha’s College,
Strategic Development Funding, including giving more to Cathedrals and giving evidence to the Mission and Pastoral Measure to
retain its independent Appellate Role. If only we had more priests available!
During the last Synod, I remained one of the most active and enthusiastic members. My energy and enthusiasm continue unabated as a
full-time member and questioner, standing up for Guildford. Continuity, keenness and experience will all be important. When
Diocesan Lay Chair, I represented the breadth and comprehensiveness of our Diocese and did so on General Synod. If elected, I will
continue to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ afresh in each generation and seek to be a Church that is Jesus centred and Jesus
Christ shaped. We must also continue with +Andrew’s legacy, as well as supporting +Paul during the Vacancy. Any queries – do
please ask me. I
ill feel able to re-elect me by giving me your first or an early preference vote.
Yours Sincerely
Re-Elect…
BRUINVELS:
Peter Nigel Edward 1
Printed and published by Peter BRUINVELS, September 2026

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