General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Matt Orr
General Synod - House of Laity
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Who?
My name’s Matt, I’m 28 and live and worship in
Hackney. I work as the Head of Belonging at SAINT,
a group of parishes collaborating across East
London. I studied Theology, Ministry and Mission at
Trinity College in Bristol, before finishing my degree
at St Mellitus when I moved to London 3 years ago.
I’m single, and have a deep love for community and
hospitality, alongside most team sports and live
music. Good food, good company, good times.
10 years of working with Children, Youth and Young Adults across diverse contexts within the
Church of England - as well as various ecumenical projects and events.
5 years on General Synod as a Lay Representative for the Diocese of Bath & Wells.
Elected lay member for both the Vacancy in See Committee and Crowns Nominations Commission
for the successful nomination of +Michael Beasley, the Bishop of Bath & Wells.
6 years of paid Parish Ministry (3 years council estate ministry, 3 years resource church ministry) as
well as 4 years of voluntary Parish Ministry (serving my local parish church as a key volunteer).
5 Years working for a Youth Resource Network across 3 Dioceses.
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Synod, Church & Ministry Experience
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More about me...
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Contact Information
Email: [email protected]
Proposed by: Clive Scowen - (Harrow Deanery)
Seconded by: Ruth Nathan - (Chelsea Deanery)
Having come to faith at the age of 18, growing up in a secular household, I’ve since witnessed and
experienced the transformational power of the Gospel and the adventure following Jesus brings, seeking to
be obedient to His call. I came to faith in a Bishop’s Mission Order called G2 in York, and have since
worshipped nearly every Sunday for the past 10 years in a Church of England church.
Shortly after giving my life to Jesus, I moved to Bristol to serve on a local council estate, turning what was
intended as a gap year into 3 of my most formational years worshipping with and serving this community. It
was here that a deeper passion to see an end to injustice began and a more full vision of the Kingdom was
planted in my heart. At St James Lockleaze, addicts would worship alongside former MP’s, guests to our
food bank would find a place to belong and a community who would champion them, and my understanding
of ‘church family’ would constantly be stretched to something far more biblical.
After 3 incredible years in Bristol I moved to Bath in faith that God would use me there. I’d spent 2 years
travelling back and forth serving a Youth Resource Network called Movement as a volunteer alongside my
role in Bristol, but God was doing something new. In faith that God would provide financially, I left my job to
follow His call. The following 3 years would be dedicated to serving young people across Bath & Wells,

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Continued...
Bristol, and Gloucester Diocese, alongside my local parish church, St Philip’s Odd Down. During these
years we saw hundreds of young people make first time commitments to following Jesus, helping them find
home in their local church, and help resource their discipleship journeys. My community and small group at
St Philip’s was also incredibly formational and a testament to the beauty of the local Parish church. I loved
what God was doing in Bath, but once again God required my obedience to trust Him with a new season.
The past 3 years I’ve been working at SAINT, serving our parishes across East London. I had the privilege
of leading our Emerging Generations (0-25s) team across our parishes for 2 and a half years, working with
well over 500 young people throughout the week and over 200 every Sunday. As part of this role I had the
honour of leading our Youth Minster in partnership with the Diocese of London, working with Youth
Workers, clergy and churches across the Stepney Area. God is moving in and through this generation, and
what a joy to play a small part in cheering them on in their faith journeys.
The past 7 months I’ve worked with our clergy team and ministry departments to help facilitate greater
depths of belonging in our parishes, working on the less glamorous structures, systems and strategies
required to help our church continue to grow in healthy ways. I also have the joy of overseeing our Connect
Groups, supporting over 80 of our incredible Connect Group Leaders and helping newcomers find home in
this beautiful community.
I love His church, and I’m so expectant for all Jesus has planned for the Church of England in my lifetime.
I’d love your first preference vote to be re-elected to General Synod. With 5 years of General Synod
experience, I’ve witnessed the importance of dedicating time in the chamber and in prayer to serving our
church in this way. Synod can be a complicated environment, with difficult and complex work required. For
many it takes the best part of your first quinquennium to find your feet. But having contributed in debates,
successfully amended motions, utilised questions, served in working groups and spoken at fringes, I feel
confident, by His grace, I could serve you and our Diocese well in this space.
As one of the youngest members of the last quinquennium, I’ve seen the need for younger and more
diverse representation at Synod. The decisions made in this next quinquennium - be it stewarding our
resources and finances well, ensuring greater clergy welfare and growing an increased number of
ordinands, improving our safeguarding, or simplifying our structures - will have significant impact on the
future of our beloved Church of England, as we seek to turn the tide and see our churches full of life and
hope for all.
This is an exciting time to be a part of the Church of England, the church which has shaped and formed me
through various expressions and traditions - having worshipped in Cathedrals and Abbeys, local Parishes
and Bishop’s Mission Orders - I truly love this church in all its fullness. I’m passionate about seeing a
healthy Mixed Ecology, where the whole breadth of our traditions can flourish, and long to see every
Parish thrive within its context. We have lots of challenges that face us, but we do so with an eternal
hope.
I’ve got so much faith for Jesus to continue to move in power through the Church of England, and
feel called to serve Him again in this capacity.
I appreciate you may know and support other candidates - if that’s the case please do consider me for your
second preference vote, or as high as you can give me. If elected, I commit to representing all laity in this
wonderful Diocese as we seek to serve the Lord and His church here in London together.
Please do reach out and say hello!
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Why vote for me?

biblical,clergy welfare,dioceses,discipleship,ecology,ecumenical,environment,finances,food bank,gospel,injustice,mission,ordinands,prayer,resource church,safeguarding,vacancy,young adults,young people,youth,youth workers