General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Revd Adam J Beaumont

Candidate for the House of Clergy e Diocese of Bristol
Associate Archdeacon of Bristol and Malmesbury

The church flourishing from the bottom up “
Lives transformed from the inside out V

Why am | standing again?

Being elected a year ago was the culmination of a decade of discernment, prayer, and reflection which had led me
to know | was being calling to serve the church at synod. My experience of a year as a member has confirmed this,
and now it feels like I’m just getting started! | have a head start on the next five years, and am certain that my
passion, commitment, and experience will add great value to being able to represent you at General Synod,
making a real difference, to real people, where it really matters - in the local church.

My passion and commitment

My deep commitment is to the flourishing of every church in the Diocese of Bristol (Jn 10.10). This is what gets me
out of bed in the morning, and what drives me to do all | can to serve clergy, ministers, parish officers,
congregations, and communities. General Synod must serve those same people and places by holding the national
church to account to serve them too. The local church is our superpower, and | will do all | can to help it flourish,
in all its breadth, for the sake of the gospel. This also means | am committed to equality for everyone, regardless
of disability, economic power, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity,
sexuality, age, or theological position. Each one of us is made in the image of God and has a place in His church.

Alongside this | have a particular passion in advocating for Children and Young People. The Church of England
states that it’s priority of priorities is to double the number of young active disciples by 2030. This is really exciting

(cf. Ps 145.4) but it’s not just about the future, it’s not just about strategically prioritising the fastest shrinking
demographic in the church nationally, its more important than that: it’s about being a whole church today, a

church that really is for everyone.

Experience alongside my core role as Associate Archdeacon

A deep and wide experience of this Diocese:

For 33 years, and until recently, | had worked or lived
in all but one of our deaneries.

Now, over the last 2% years, proactively getting to
know every benefice in the diocese in different ways
through my current role.

Past leadership in large evangelical, suburban
catholic, small market town, and multi-parish rural
contexts in this diocese, and now working closely
with senior leaders and diocesan support staff.

Children and Young People:

10 years as a Secondary School Science Teacher and
Head of Year.

Deanery Missioner for Schools Children and
Families, developing churches, camps, clubs and
worship nights.

Participation in national CYPF and Education
conferences and regional CYPF leadership
development.

Varied experience of detailed and complex
governance and strategic roles:

Member of Bishop’s Staff and a Director of the
Diocesan Board of Finance, alongside Bishop’s
Council, Diocesan, and Deanery Synods.

Extensive education governance experience
(primary, secondary, special schools, MATs, including
chairing boards) as well as Chair and now Vice Chair
of the Diocesan Board of Education.

Project board chair with responsibility for
governance of diocesan strategy for discipleship,
evangelism, and under-18s.

Voluntary ministry in clergy development and
ministry support:

Former Assistant Diocesan Director of Ordinands,
and current National Bishops’ advisor for vocations.
Qualified Spiritual Director

Bishop’s advisor and team leader for deliverance
ministry. Member of national deliverance network.

What have | achieved at General Synod so far?

| committed to attending every session in full (it is shocking how
empty the chamber is for some debates) ensuring | listened,
understood, and | represented you in the way | voted.

| spoke in support of the working-class vocations motion in
February 2026 (“an eloquent and moving speech”, +Mark,
Chester) to highlight the outstanding work in our diocese and
what we have learned, and to call for a national strategy which
removes the opaque institutional barriers to the full flourishing of
working-class ministers.

| submitted as many questions as permitted, to be a critical friend to synod. On diverse subjects such as the
permissions clergy have in using Common Worship, adherence to synodical process, and due diligence regarding
safeguarding.

| was active in my participation in the synod fringe events, particularly in promoting young synod membership and
vocation, and in building connections across dioceses for the sake of mutual encouragement and flourishing.

What do | want to achieve in the next five years?

Speaking into a fractured society. We must shape Children and Young People. The national target for
the church and its structures to offer something doubling young disciples by 2030 falls within the
different, “something quieter but stronger: shared next quinquennium. It is vital that motions are
history held in tension, shaped by prayer and lit from brought to synod which support this in coming to
within by the glory of Christ”, to quote ++Sarah. | fruition. It is wrong that were no items of business
long to see our unity in diversity, our hope rather with a specific CYP focus during my year on synod. |
than fear, our love for each other as the thing which will challenge synod to give Children and Young
makes the headlines (Jn 13.35). People the attention they deserve.

Safeguarding. Continuing the implementation of new national structures. | bring experience of our
(outstanding) independent diocesan safeguarding review, sit on the Diocesan Safeguarding Steering Group, and
have championed work behind the scenes to ensure safeguarding compliance in our churches.

Church Governance. Increased governance demands Clergy Wellbeing. Following the agreed Clergy

are an existential threat to our parishes and the Wellbeing Covenant and progress on the Clergy
wellbeing of our ministers. The reshaping of the Conduct Measure, synod needs to continue its work
national church following the agreed governance in ensuring wellbeing through a PCC code of conduct
measure must be fit for purpose and ultimately and wider support structures. As a member of the
resource the local church. We cannot continue to steering team for our internal clergy wellbeing and
squeeze more resource out of fewer people. clergy voice groups | know what you say you need.

Committing to Work Together. The past quinquennium has seen huge division in synod, perhaps echoing the
zeitgeist of our national culture. | want to be counter-cultural. | want to make a positive contribution to all who
are called to serve God within the collective life and structures of the Church of England, so that we attend to
our first calling: to know Him better, so that we love Him better, so that we serve Him better.

Thank you for taking time to consider who might be your representative for the
next five years. | hope what you have read here resonates with your hopes for the k AK
church and that you would consider giving me your first or a high preference vote. >

Do get in touch: [email protected]

The Revd Adam Beaumont is married to Sheona, an artist and academic. They have two

secondary age children, a musician and a dancer. They are each the servants of a black lab called Gus.
Adam loves a bit of cooking (and eating), DIY (he is attempting to restore a wooden sailing dinghy),
and wishes he was a rock drummer with a motorcycle (both of which used to be true).

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