General Synod Election Candidates 2026

GENERAL SYNOD
ELECTION ADDRESS
Warren Bohan
Local Missional Leader
St Luke in the City Team Ministry
Proposers and Seconders
Proposer: Dr Victoria Ekpo – Liverpool North Deanery
Seconder: Mrs Sue Mitchell – West Derby Deanery
Who am I?
I worship at St Bride's, Toxteth and have served for
eighteen years as a Lay Minister with Open Table
Liverpool, a Fresh Expression of Church for
LGBTQIA+ people, friends and families. I am the
Inclusive Church Regional Ambassador for
Merseyside and work for the Diocese of Liverpool
supporting lay ministry.
Born in Sydney, Australia, I grew up in a variety of
Christian traditions, from Anglo-Catholic Anglicanism
to Charismatic Pentecostalism. Following a period
away from faith as a young adult, I experienced a
renewed encounter with Christ that led me back to
the Church and eventually to Liverpool, my home
since 2006. I am married to my husband of 14 years,
Kieran, and together we have built our lives in this
city and diocese.
My ministry has focused on creating spaces of
welcome, belonging and discipleship, while helping
lay people discover and use their gifts in God's
mission.
Why I'm Standing
I am standing for General Synod because I love the Church of England and believe deeply in its
calling to be a church for the whole nation.
The breadth of the Church of England is one of its greatest gifts. Throughout my life I have
encountered different traditions and expressions of faith, each bringing wisdom and insight.
Our diversity is not a problem to be solved but a gift to be received.
I want to contribute to a Church rooted in the Gospel, attentive to the Holy Spirit and
committed to serving the communities in which God has placed us. I would seek to bring a
thoughtful, prayerful and collaborative voice to Synod
“Our diversity is not a problem to
be solved but a gift to be received.”

My Key Issues and Priorities
A thoughtful, prayerful
and collaborative voice
An Inclusive Church for All
I believe every person is created in the image of God and called into abundant life. I want to see
a Church where people of every background, age, ethnicity, ability, gender, gender identity,
sexuality, neurodiversity, experience and more are welcomed, respected and able to flourish.
Our calling is not simply to make room for one another, but to value and celebrate the gifts each
person brings to the Body of Christ.
The questions raised by Living in Love and Faith are not theoretical. They concern real people,
real relationships and real vocations. As a gay married Christian, I support the Church moving to
the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people, including the recognition and celebration of faithful
same-sex marriages. I believe this is consistent with the Gospel's call to love, justice and human
dignity. While I am clear about my convictions, I remain committed to listening well and seeking
ways for the Church to stay together amid profound disagreement. However, our unity must
never come at the expense of the God-given dignity, humanity and flourishing of any person.
Safeguarding
I support fully independent safeguarding arrangements, ensuring that scrutiny and
accountability are never compromised by institutional interests. The voices of survivors must
remain at the centre of the Church's decision-making and cultural change. Safeguarding is
intrinsic to mission; part of what it means to reflect the love, justice and integrity of Christ.
Mission and the Local Church
The Church of England is uniquely called to proclaim the Gospel afresh in every generation. I
have seen mission flourish when parish churches, chaplaincies, fresh expressions and new
worshipping communities work together. We need both rootedness and innovation, drawing
from tradition while responding creatively to contemporary life.
I have seen the faithfulness and creativity of lay Christians across our diocese. The Church is
strongest when these gifts are recognised, nurtured and shared.
My prayer is for a Church where people discover the immeasurable breadth and depth of God's
love, are nurtured in faith, and encouraged to play their part in God's mission. As followers of
Christ, we are called not only to proclaim the Gospel but to embody it: seeking justice,
challenging exclusion and serving those on the margins.
Listening Across Difference
I value the breadth of the Church of England because every tradition brings gifts and
weaknesses, wisdom and limitations. Good discernment happens when we listen deeply across
our differences, receiving one another's gifts with humility and allowing ourselves to be
challenged as well as affirmed. I believe General Synod is at its best when it creates space for
that kind of prayerful, generous and Christ-centred conversation.
I would be honoured to receive your first preference vote and to serve the Diocese of Liverpool in
the General Synod of the Church of England. If you have questions please contact me:
[email protected]

accountability,anglo-catholic,catholic,charismatic,discernment,discipleship,fresh expression,fresh expressions,gay,gender identity,gospel,inclusive,inclusive church,independent safeguarding,justice,lgbtqia,living in love and faith,mission,missional,neurodiversity,new worshipping communities,prayer,safeguarding,same sex,sexuality,survivors,tradition,vocations