General Synod Election Candidates 2026

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Debbie Buggs

Please would you give me your first preference vote in the election?

How I currently serve:
• General Synod member since 2015
• Member of the Crown Nomination Commission which nominates diocesan bishops
since 2022
• Church treasurer
• Leader of small group bible studies

I’ve recently been:
• Elected as one of the two lay representatives to the Archbishops Council’s Audit
Committee (2015-2021)
• Invited by the archbishops to be a member of the Implementation and Dialogue
working group reviewing the practical outworking of the settlement that accompanied
the Women Bishops Measure (2018-2021)
• Appointed by the archbishops to the panel of chairs of General Synod (2019-2023)
• Member of the Diocese of London’s Bishop’s Council and Diocesan Finance Committee
(2012-2018)

I’m a chartered accountant and lead the finance function for a professional membership
organisation whose members are largely NHS employees. I’ve also worked in a charity
running care homes and in a company in the insurance sector. I’ve got experience in
financial management, strategy, governance, risk management and safeguarding. Working
with others, I’d like to continue to use these skills for the benefit of the whole church.

I’m in my 50’s, I live in Bow and cycle to work in central London. I’m an auntie to 16
nephews and nieces ranging from 1 to 26 years old.

In volunteer roles, I’ve been a governor of a small independent school and chaired its
Finance and General Purposes committee. I’ve been a trustee of the Church Pastoral Aid
Society (which runs summer holidays for teenagers, and does clergy training and patronage
work). For many years I was head cook on Christian holidays for teenagers in the summer.
I’ve served on the City Deanery Synod since 2003, and the Diocesan Synod from 2012.

Vision: I’m a strong supporter of the Diocese’s 2030 Vision for every Londoner to encounter
the love of God in Christ, with its ambitions of growing confident disciples, building
compassionate communities and creative growth. The priorities of reflecting the diversity of
our city and being a welcoming and safe place are ones which need to be adopted in the
Church of England nationally.

Diversity, discipleship and evangelism: I support the development of discipleship and
evangelism and an ethnically diverse leadership. The simplification of how the Church
operates is a great objective, but needs proper accountability and good governance. The
local voice is important and needs to be heeded.

Resourcing mission: The targeting of resources needs to encourage growth, but should also
support ministries in deprived communities. National resources need to fund mission
where financial sustainability is difficult. I’m keen to see that the national church’s
resources are allocated well and the sacrificial giving from parishes is used effectively.

Stewardship: The Church of England needs to set an example of good stewardship of God’s
good creation, and care for the marginalized and disadvantaged.

Our voice: The Church of England should be willing to speak prophetically and, where
necessary, counter-culturally when faithfulness to the scriptures requires it.

I support the manifesto of “Save the Parish” to:
• Restore Church Commissioners’ funds to their founding purpose: stipendiary parish
ministry.
• Direct the parish share to mission and the cure of souls.
• Adopt a Charter of Care that values our clergy and guards them from mental and
physical exhaustion.
• Renew rich theological resourcing for theological education which is ordinand-centred
not budget-centred.
• Adopt a ‘Churchgoers’ Charter’ that honours the volunteers who hold our parishes
together.
• Reform the Mission and Pastoral Measure (to make it easier for parishes to resist
closures and mergers)

It has been my privilege to serve you as a member of General Synod since 2015. I’d be
grateful for your first preference vote, and if that isn’t possible, the highest preference
you are able to give me.

Debbie Buggs

0772 958 9461

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