marriage,mission,next generation,other faiths,pcc,stewardship,youth,youth group

Christina Spybey
Faith House, and on the PCC of St Barnabas, North London, Barnet deanery
Proposed by Keith Bootle of Barnet deanery
Seconded by Paddy Muteshe of Barnet deanery
Please give me your high preference vote
Any
Questions?
I can be
contacted at
[email protected]
How has God been at work in my life?
If you had told my twenty-year-old self that one day I would
be standing for General Synod, I would probably have
laughed—and then asked what on earth General Synod was.
I came to faith in my twenties in Singapore. I was born into a
non-Christian family. Becoming a Christian was not always
easy. There was opposition, misunderstanding, and plenty of
moments when it would have been simpler to keep my faith
private. But once I met Jesus, there was no turning back.
Like many, I’ve had seasons of uncertainty. When my
engagement broke down, I felt unwanted, unlovable,
and questioned God’s plans for my future. I eventually
surrendered all to Him and prayed, “Lord, if You are real,
show me—and if You are, I will follow You for the rest of my
life.”
I gave God a list of five things I wanted in a husband. I met
my husband online, we got engaged after merely four days
together in person. This year we celebrated 23 years of
marriage. God listens more carefully than we think. Then
in May 2009, I nearly lost my life. At that moment, I prayed,
“Lord, if You save me, I will serve You for the rest of my life.”
He did save me.
In short, I am not
standing for Synod
because I think I am
impressive. I am
standing because I
have seen God do
impossible things.
What experience, skills and
passion would I bring to
General Synod?
If you had told my twenty-year-old self that one
day I would be standing for General Synod, I would
probably have laughed—and then asked what on
earth General Synod was.
I came to faith in my twenties in Singapore. I
was born into a non-Christian family. Becoming
a Christian was not always easy. There was
opposition, misunderstanding, and plenty of
moments when it would have been simpler to keep
my faith private. But once I met Jesus, there was
no turning back.
Like many, I’ve had seasons of uncertainty. When
my engagement broke down, I felt unwanted,
unlovable, and questioned God’s plans for my
future. I eventually surrendered all to Him and
prayed, “Lord, if You are real, show me—and if You
are, I will follow You for the rest of my life.”
I gave God a list of five things I wanted in a
husband. I met my husband online, we got engaged
after merely four days together in person. This year
we celebrated 23 years of marriage. God listens
more carefully than we think. Then in May 2009, I
nearly lost my life. At that moment, I prayed, “Lord,
if You save me, I will serve You for the rest of my
life.” He did save me.
In short, I am not standing for Synod because I
think I am impressive. I am standing because I have
seen God do impossible things.

Leadership across cultural divides
I come from a different culture and have always
been curious about people. I enjoy listening,
learning, and building bridges. Whether I am
speaking with Christians, people of other faiths,
or those with no faith at all, I have found that
genuine relationships open doors for meaningful
conversations about God.
That has led me to serve as a Chair of a multi-faith
charity. It involves governance, working with local
authorities, developing faith covenants, handling
complex issues, and occasionally encountering
situations where doing the right thing is not the
easiest thing. At times standing up against harmful
behaviour has made me a target. Leadership is
not about avoiding conflict. It is about having the
courage to do what is right whilst treating people
with dignity and grace.
Harnessing difference
Being diagnosed as neurodivergent has been both
surprising and deeply liberating. God is helping
me see my differences not as weaknesses, but
as part of how He created me. This journey has
deepened my empathy for those who feel unseen
or misunderstood and strengthened my passion to
help everyone feel valued, heard, and empowered
to share their God-given gifts.
A heart for mission -
amidst resource challenge
I am currently part of a Bishop’s Mission Order
(BMO), which gives me a different perspective on
church life and mission. We have to step out in
faith, finding suitable venues for Sunday worship,
balancing affordability with accessibility, and
working within the practical challenges that
come with being a mission-focused community.
This teaches me the importance of careful
stewardship of resources. We have had to
navigate the reality that regular giving does
not always cover costs, whilst serving people
from challenging and often vulnerable
backgrounds.
A passion for the next generation
Psalm 78 tells us to tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord so that
generations yet unborn may know Him. That has
become a calling for me.
Our son was identified as a talented footballer
as a child. Should we organise our lives around
football or faith? We chose Jesus. At the time he
was embarrassed to call himself a Christian. We
trusted God. Today, he co-leads a youth group
that regularly welcomes more than twenty every
week.
Why am I standing?
I am standing for General Synod because I believe God has
given me a heart for mission, experience in leadership, and a
passion for the next generation.
•
I know what it means to be an outsider who found
Christ.
•
I know what it means to walk alongside vulnerable
people.
•
I know what it means to bring together people with
different views and backgrounds.
•
I know what it means to stand firm when the pressure
comes.
If elected, I will seek to serve prayerfully, courageously,
and collaboratively. I will listen well, work hard, and always
remember that our calling is not simply to maintain the
Church, but to help people encounter the living Jesus.
Because I am here today as proof that God still changes
lives. And I believe He is not finished with His Church yet.
Thank you.