General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Revd Christopher Ramsay
Vicar of St George’s Southall
[email protected]
07818 444 894

Scan the QR code or click here to watch my 70
second video of my reasons for standing to answer
the question ‘aren’t you pale, male and stale?’

With my wife of 31 years, Anita Kapila

Nominated by: Revd Prebendary Andy Rider: Stepney Dean of Mission
“I am very happy to nominate Christopher for election, his passion for mission and his long
experience of living amongst and serving a multi-cultural community in West London,
coupled with his organisational skills and heart for those on the margins, equip him brilliantly
for synodical leadership in our generation.”

Seconded by: Revd Prebendary Amatu Christian-Iwuagwu:
Vicar St Mark and St Stephen Bush Hill Park, Edmonton Area.
“I am delighted to second Christopher Ramsay’s nomination. Christopher is a thoughtful,
compassionate and deeply collaborative priest whose emotional intelligence, commitment to
diversity, and ability to build bridges across difference will be a tremendous gift to the
Church’s life and witness.”

Mission as the priority
When I was recently baptising a new Christian in his early
30s from Caribbean heritage (who explored Islam and
Jehovah’s Witnesses before coming to Christ) I thought “this
is what I signed up to do as a Vicar”.

After almost 30 years in ordained ministry and 25 years as
Vicar St George Southall I still get excited when I see Jesus
moving in people’s lives.

The parish as the catalyst
But of course, as clergy that’s not all we have to do and I’m
very conscious of the burden of management of buildings, finances, and organisational life, and not least the cultural
and internal pressures to succeed that take up so much time. The question is how can the resources of the Church
continue to support the front line of mission in the parish.

Clergy well-being is crucial
My experiences of conducting ministerial reviews for clergy is that we
give ourselves wholeheartedly and sacrificially to build God’s kingdom
through his Church. This needs affirmation and encouragement, our
well-being and the structures which enable this are crucial for the
future of the C of E. Personally I have found my hobby of stone carving
a wonderful outlet for creativity and rest.

My experience
I first thought about standing for general synod when I was a curate but realised that I
didn’t know enough people to get elected! That may still be true, but the desire to serve
the Church of England has been built into me since growing up with a dad who was Vicar
of a middle of the road village parish. On a personal note, I have a broad spiritualty using
Ignatius’s Spiritual exercises as a sermon series this year, and minster in a church with a
Eucharistic tradition, whilst integrating my charismatic evangelical formation. I believe I
am very C of E! I have served various capacities in London Diocese: as an Area Dean, as
an Area Director of Ordinands, as Director of Mission for the Willesden Area, as a Chair
of two new C of E Secondary Schools, and founding Chair of Ealing Foodbank. So I know
the dynamic gift of local parish life and owning the wider part we play in God’s church.

There is no
way I’ll be
a vicar like
my dad!
Me Age 11

Your representative
One of the things I’ve noticed is that after a General Synod election I have never really heard back from anyone that I
voted for. If you’d like someone to be your representative, then I’d do my best to do that by facilitating conversation
with you on ongoing basis. Perhaps an open ‘surgery’ with prayer online a couple of times a year could work.

Churches which are Intergenerational, Intercultural and Eco-Church
At St George’s we seek to be an intergenerational church so here is a picture of
two members of my church who recently preached with me. With imagination
every church can attract families. Safeguarding is essential to get right, whilst
not making it the goal of church life, but threaded through all of our life
together. I have a particular heart for inter-cultural ministry having served in one
of the most ethnically diverse parishes in the country since being ordained.
Despite being an inner-city profile church, we achieved our Eco Church Gold in
2025 because motivated by scripture we have woven ecological sustainability
into our understanding of all we do. And we are seeing people of other faiths
become Christians.
A call to prayer not anxiety
Some of the strengths I could bring to the role would be my strategic mindset, recognising
the current challenges in England as the landscape of faith changes with both churches
shrinking at the same time as amazing opportunities that a spiritually hungry generation
present us. I’m a down-to-earth effective communicator and I’m a good team builder. At
my own church we have raised up lay leaders who are slowly having a go at planting a new
congregation on the estate they live on. It’s not easy, but it is possible with intentionality
and support. A tight budget as the national church should not be an obstacle to church
growth but rather call us to prayer and dependency on God to do what we can’t.

If elected I would be a voice for:

1. You. I would be your representative

2. A call to prayer as the answer to our challenges as a church rather than

anxious activity

1. Mission as the priority, not management of an institution

2. The parish as the catalyst for new initiatives and planting new congregations

3. Championing the global Church, especially where we can intentionally

cultivate intercultural churches in the diverse communities of the UK,
including seeing people of other faiths become Christians

1. An integrated approach to ecological sustainability in the life of our churches

Upholding the historic view of marriage held by the Church for over 2000
years

I love the Church England, I feel at home in it, I want it to thrive and continue to be present and engaged in every
community in our nation. Please consider placing me as your number 1 or even 2 in your choices. Even if I don’t get
elected, your vote won’t be wasted as it will travel down your list to someone else you think could equally serve
God’s purposes in General Synod.

If you do vote for me, please do let me know, so I can stay in contact [email protected]

Every blessing on all your ministry,
My latest stone carving

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