General Synod Election Candidates 2026

GENERAL SYNOD 2026
REBECCA LLOYD
Dear colleagues in Christ,
I am asking you to consider voting for me to serve the Diocese of Liverpool on
General Synod.
Why me? Why Synod? Why now?
I am standing because I believe the voice of Self-Supporting Ministers needs to be
heard — not as a separate voice, but as an important part of the whole Church.
SSMs make up around a third of our clergy, yet at the last Synod there was only one
SSM. I believe we need a stronger voice that reflects the reality of ministry
alongside work, family and everyday life.
I am a mum, priest, a solicitor and a hospital chaplain. For most of my working life I
have worked as a solicitor, giving me the knowledge of law, governance,
accountability, negotiation and finding practical solutions to difficult problems.
As a priest, I have seen the Church from the pew, the vestry and the altar. As a
solicitor, from the boardroom. And as a chaplain at LUHFT, I see every day the
privilege and responsibility of being alongside people at some of the most difficult
and significant moments of their lives.
These different perspectives have given me a deep love for the Church — but also a
determination that our structures, systems and resources must serve our mission
rather than become an end in themselves.
This year I have also had the privilege of working with colleagues across Warrington
Deanery as we have taken the significant step of becoming one parish.
It has taught me that change isn't easy. It requires listening, trust, honesty and a
willingness to put aside our own preferences for the sake of the bigger picture.
But it has also shown me that we can do more together than we can do alone.
That is the voice I would bring to General Synod.
We cannot simply ask, “How do we maintain what we have?”
We must also ask:
“What is God calling us to become?”
Nominated by Rev Paul Givens and Rev Tabitha Rao

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO ME FURTHER EMAIL ME AT [email protected]
Children and families — Children are not just our future, but our priority now
For ten years I have served as a diocesan governor for our local school, working closely with the Diocesan
Board of Education, and I have subsequently been invited to become a Director of a new Multi-Academy
Trust of Church of England schools in Warrington.
I have seen first-hand how the Church can transform the lives of children and families through schools,
churches and communities.
This is about far more than growing church numbers. It is about mission — and about tackling poverty,
exclusion, youth crime and the inequalities that affect our communities.
As a mum and a priest I must prioritise that Children and families must be at the heart of our mission.
Inclusion matters
I believe in equality for everyone, at every level and in every role within the Church, regardless of disability,
economic circumstances, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity or
sexuality.
I believe God has given us a broad Church in which everyone should be able to find a place to call home.
Being inclusive does not mean that we will always agree. It means choosing to remain in relationship,
listening to one another and treating one another with dignity, compassion and care.
Safeguarding and accountability
The Church must be a place of safety. I support independent oversight of safeguarding within the Church
of England and stronger accountability when safeguarding fails. We must listen to survivors, learn from
what has happened and put the safety of people before the protection of institutions. My experience as a
solicitor gives me particular skills that I would bring to this work.
Your paragraph text
My Priorities
WHY ME
If elected, I will listen. I will listen to clergy and laity, to parishes and deaneries, to our
communities and to those whose voices are too often unheard. I will bring the perspective
of an SSM parish priest and hospital chaplain, the professional skills of a solicitor, and the
experience of working collaboratively to bring about change.
But above all, I will bring a deep love for the Church and a determination to see us
become the Church God is calling us to be. Not simply preserving what we have, but
building what comes next.
I would be honoured to have your vote and, if elected, privileged to serve you.

accountability,broad church,crime,deaneries,diocesan board,disability,equality,gender identity,inclusive,mental health,mission,neurodiversity,poverty,safeguarding,self supporting,sexuality,survivors,youth