General Synod Election Candidates 2026

I believe the Church of
England is at its best when
every parish is equipped
to serve its community,
every volunteer is valued,
every priest is supported,
and every person knows
they belong.
Growing up on a council estate in Newcastle
upon Tyne, and spending part of my childhood in
foster care, taught me the life-changing
importance of communities that offer stability,
hope and belonging. The unwavering support I
received from my home church during those
turbulent years continues to shape my
conviction that every parish should be a place
where everyone is welcomed, safeguarded and
enabled to flourish.
Those experiences also made me realistic: good
intentions alone are not enough.
Flourishing parishes need resources, training
and support, and clergy and lay leaders cannot
be expected to carry ever-growing
responsibilities without the investment and trust
they deserve. If we are serious about renewing
the Church’s mission, we must strengthen the
people and parishes at its heart.
My working life reflects those convictions. I
began my working career in palliative care,
supporting people at the end of their lives and
their families through profound grief. Today, I
worship at, and am Communications Manager
for St Paul’s Knightsbridge, where I previously
served as Liturgical Scholar, having earlier been
a Sheppard Scholar at St Martin-in-the-Fields.
Alongside the Communications role, my full-time
job is as Senior Fundraising Officer for a national
charity, securing resources for families facing
some of life’s toughest challenges. I have also
served as Development Manager at St Mary le
Strand.
Across all of these roles, I have learned that trust
is built through listening, good communication,
wise stewardship, compassion and a clear vision
for the future.
Growing up on a council estate in Newcastle
upon Tyne, and spending part of my childhood in
foster care, taught me the life-changing
importance of communities that offer stability,
hope and belonging. The unwavering support I
received from my home church during those
turbulent years continues to shape my
conviction that every parish should be a place
where everyone is welcomed, safeguarded and
enabled to flourish.
Those experiences also made me realistic: good
intentions alone are not enough.
Flourishing parishes need resources, training
and support, and clergy and lay leaders cannot
be expected to carry ever-growing
responsibilities without the investment and trust
they deserve. If we are serious about renewing
the Church’s mission, we must strengthen the
people and parishes at its heart.
My working life reflects those convictions. I
began my working career in palliative care,
supporting people at the end of their lives and
their families through profound grief. Today, I
worship at, and am Communications Manager
for St Paul’s Knightsbridge, where I previously
served as Liturgical Scholar, having earlier been
a Sheppard Scholar at St Martin-in-the-Fields.
Alongside the Communications role, my full-time
job is as Senior Fundraising Officer for a national
charity, securing resources for families facing
some of life’s toughest challenges. I have also
served as Development Manager at St Mary le
Strand.
Across all of these roles, I have learned that trust
is built through listening, good communication,
wise stewardship, compassion and a clear vision
for the future.
SHAUN O’BRIEN
Diocese of London | Laity
07862099455 | [email protected]
ABOUT ME
The Church of England has
extraordinary strengths: faithful
parishes, dedicated clergy and lay
people, beautiful liturgy, and a unique
calling to every community across our
nation.
The Church of England has
extraordinary strengths: faithful
parishes, dedicated clergy and lay
people, beautiful liturgy, and a unique
calling to every community across our
nation.
WHY I’M STANDING
I am not standing because I think I have
all the answers. I am standing because I
believe Synod needs people prepared to
listen, to ask difficult questions, to work
across differences and, when
necessary, to challenge the way things
have always been done.
I am not standing because I think I have
all the answers. I am standing because I
believe Synod needs people prepared to
listen, to ask difficult questions, to work
across differences and, when
necessary, to challenge the way things
have always been done.
I am standing because I believe in the
Church of England — and in what it can
yet become.
I am standing because I believe in the
Church of England — and in what it can
yet become.
See overleaf for my priorities
for General Synod, and how you
can ask me questions - or just
say hi! - during the voting
period.
See overleaf for my priorities
for General Synod, and how you
can ask me questions - or just
say hi! - during the voting
period.

The Church should reflect the
welcome of Christ.
It is where most people encounter the Church
at life's most significant moments, and where
worship, pastoral care, evangelism and service
come together.
I support the principles of Save the Parish
because I believe well-resourced, flourishing
parishes are essential to the future of the
Church of England.
In General Synod I will work to:
strengthen the parish as the primary focus of
mission and ministry
ensure local churches are trusted with the
resources they need to flourish
reduce unnecessary bureaucracy that distracts
clergy and lay leaders from ministry
encourage greater transparency in how Church
finances are managed and how decisions
affecting parishes are made
support mission that grows from and
strengthens parish life rather than competing
with it
I also recognise that our volunteers are the
backbone of parish life. Churchwardens, PCC
members, safeguarding officers, treasurers,
musicians, servers, flower arrangers and
countless others quietly sustain our churches
week after week. They deserve to be trusted,
supported and freed from unnecessary
bureaucracy so they can focus on serving their
communities.
STRENGTHENING
THE PARISH
The parish is the Church of
England's greatest gift to our nation.
BUILD AN
INCLUSIVE CHURCH
Every person should know they are treated with
dignity, listened to with compassion and valued
as part of the Body of Christ. We will not agree
on every theological question, but we can
choose to speak with grace, listen generously
and remain committed to one another.
I want to see a Church that:
welcomes people from every background into
the life of our parishes
provides compassionate pastoral care for
LGBTQ+ people and others who have often felt
excluded
values diversity while maintaining unity in Christ
encourages honest conversation across
theological differences rather than deepening
division
I believe the Church is strongest when
people who disagree are still able to work
together for the sake of the Gospel. I will
always seek to build bridges rather than
deepen divisions.
STRENGTHENING
SAFEGUARDING
Creating safe churches is not simply a legal
obligation — it is a Gospel imperative.
I will support work that:
strengthens safeguarding practice across
every level of the Church
promotes transparency, accountability and
appropriate independent scrutiny
ensures survivors are listened to, supported
and treated with dignity
continues to improve safeguarding training,
reporting and culture throughout the Church
GET IN TOUCH
Throughout the voting period, each Monday
between 6 and 7pm, I’ll be hosting an informal
Teams chat where anyone can join to either
ask questions, get clarifications or simply to
say hi!
Drop me an email via the email on the front
page to receive the link (it’ll change each
week, mind!)

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