dioceses,finances,mission,outreach,parish share,pcc,save the parish,scripture,stress,young adults

(Continued)

TIMOTHY FOOT

Dear electors,

I am standing to be one of your lay representatives on the
General Synod for the next quinquennium (2026-2031).
I worship at Great St Bartholomew, Smithﬁeld, where I am
Vice-Chairman of the PCC and Chairman of the Mission &
Outreach Committee, and I have been an elected lay member of
the Diocesan Synod since 2024.
In my day-to-day life, I practice as a chancery barrister from
chambers in Lincoln’s Inn, advising on and litigating in (inter alia)
commercial, property and charity matters. Outside my normal areas
of practice, I have co-authored a book on the royal prerogative
(Executive Power, Hart (2022)).
About me
Born and brought up in Oxford, I was lucky to grow up in two
wonderful parishes which gently nurtured my faith and inspired in
me a lifelong love for the Church of England.
I have been a church volunteer since childhood, as an altar-server
and a (more eager than pitch-perfect) member of a parish choir, then
in my student days as a chapel warden.
At Great St Bart’s, I have helped develop and support new ventures,
including an annual retreat for young adults, parish-wide
pilgrimages and quiet days, “soup and scripture” evenings, and
“Hymns and Pimm’s” events. As well as spending probably too
many evenings at parish committee meetings, I assist as a server,
reader, and sidesman.

Why am I standing?
My experience on Diocesan Synod has opened my eyes to the
desperate situation in which the Church of England ﬁnds itself. A
crisis of identity and a crisis in ﬁnances is likely to overwhelm
parishes in our own diocese and throughout the country.
The Church of England faces a stark choice: will it continue to be a
church for the nation, or just be one of many nationwide churches?
A parish church is there for all, through joy, grief
and everything in between. Nor does the
Church exist for one churchmanship or another,
but for all God’s people.
We need to keep our churches open, well
supplied with clergy, and well resourced
to serve their communities.

AT A GLANCE

Priorities

Invest in parishes

Support volunteers

Provide for our clergy

Scrutinise legislation

Except the Lord build the house,
they labour in vain that build it

Psalm 127:1

These, like a ﬁre of glowing coals,
Strike warmth into each other’s souls,
And though they be but two or three
They keep the church for you and me.

John Betjeman, Septuagesima

NOMINATORS
Roy Sully
Great St Bartholomew

Sophie Pateman
Holy Trinity, Sloane Square

ANY QUESTIONS?

CONTACT ME

If you have any questions,
just get in touch:
[email protected]

My priorities
If elected, I would see it as my moral duty to support the Save the Parish movement to defend
the Church that has done so much for me. In particular, I would work to:

Put the frontline ﬁrst

Parish share (which keeps going up and up) should be directed to mission and the cure
of souls, not ever inﬂating central costs. Diocesan costs have grown (nationally) by
29% over the last three years, and dioceses employ an average of 1 person at central
HQ for each 3.5 parochial clergy.

This is not just a story of “bureaucracy gone mad” (albeit it is doubtless an overstaffed
system), but a deliberate choice to change the model of the Church of England away
from the parish system. That is a path that must be resisted.

Sustain our volunteers

As all of you will know, the Church of England relies on its lay volunteers. But they are
being pushed to breaking point: by way of example, up to 21% of parishes have no
churchwarden at all and 78% of churchwardens would resign tomorrow if they thought
someone else would take over.

This is a direct result of decisions made by the central Church. Those should be
reversed: there should be a “one in, two out” standard for compliance and regulatory
restrictions; dioceses should be prevented from making unnecessary demands on parish
volunteers; and there should be a mandatory cut-off for church vacancies.

Care for our clergy

The Church of England has always been a two-way street between clergy and laity, each
essential to the mission and ministry of the other. Yet there is a crisis in the recruitment
and training of clergy, and too many parish priests are put under intolerable stress.
We need to halt cuts to front-line clergy posts; preserve manageable beneﬁces; and
dismantle the managerial model imposed on our rectors, vicars and curates.

Scrutinise and reform legislation

With legislation, the devil is in the detail. General Synod will face a number of
important decisions this quinquennium. Although Save the Parish has had signiﬁcant
victories, the Mission and Pastoral Measure and a revised version of the National
Church Governance Measure are due to return for debate. As a lawyer, I would hope
to be able to contribute to that scrutiny to defend the parish system and the important
national role of the Church of England.

Beyond the parish
General Synod also sets the tone for debate throughout the
Church of England, particularly on topics that profoundly affect
people’s lives. Personally, I am committed to a Church that is
equally open to all, at all levels and roles within the Church.
The potential for disagreement is not a reason to close down
discussion, but it saddens me when the manner in which we disagree
crowds out our common priorities.

If you share my concerns,
please support me with your
ﬁrst or a high preference vote.