depression,dioceses,disciples,evangelical,make disciples,mission,ordination,save the parish,stipendiary,theological education,young people,youth

General Synod Election 2026 • Rev’d Rich Townend • Page 1
Rev’d Rich Townend
Candidate for the House of Clergy — General Synod 2026

I’m Rev’d Rich Townend, and I am standing to be
your clergy representative from the Diocese of
Newcastle on the Church of England General
Synod.
In my present role, I am Vicar of Felton,
Longframlington and Whittingham in the Alnwick
Deanery. Prior to this, I served in coastal and
urban settings in Bridlington and Middlesbrough.
Before training for ministry, I was a primary school
teacher and also worked as a regional director for
the evangelical youth charity Urban Saints.

Why am I standing for Synod?
A few years ago, on a Sunday morning in a rural church, I set up for Communion — and nobody
came. It marked an unwanted first for me, and I took a photo with the caption, “The table is set,
but there’s nobody here,” and shared it on social media. Within hours, the post had gone viral, and
journalists from local newspapers, the Church Times, the BBC and even some of the nationals were
getting in touch. I was surprised by the reaction because, sadly, I am sure that I am not alone in
this experience as a parish priest. The church in question was at risk of closure, and my story
highlighted why.
But that was not the end of the story. We worked hard to keep that little church open, not just on
Sundays but every day. One day, someone new came to a service. Andy was a local businessman. “I
come into this church every day, and now I’m here at the service because I need to pray,” he said.
Andy wasn’t from a Christian background and acknowledged a deep need for Christ. Within a few
weeks, I baptised him, and now he reads the Bible from the lectern on a Sunday morning.
It is so easy to evaluate the merits of our historic churches by the number of people who attend
Sunday worship — but in doing so, we trivialise the countless stories of people who step through
the door. What’s more, we risk losing the sacred connection between God and the communities we
serve. All the while, the role of the parish priest has changed beyond recognition. I have to confess,
this is not always the role I hoped it would be, and that fills me with sadness for the Church I am
called to serve. This is why I am standing for General Synod: because I believe that the parish
system, properly resourced, remains the right way for the Church of England to be present in every
community in this country.

General Synod Election 2026 • Rev’d Rich Townend • Page 2
This belief is at the core of the Save the Parish manifesto. I particularly want
to champion the following commitments:

A Charter of Care that values our clergy and guards them

from mental and physical exhaustion
The latest ministry statistics show that the number of stipendiary clergy
continues to be under considerable pressure. Clergy are too often spread too
thinly and are unable to provide the pastoral presence their communities need. The Church of
England’s latest Living Ministry research found that 35% of the clergy surveyed showed signs of
possible, mild or clinical depression. As a Church, we must model better pastoral care for our
clergy so that their own pastoral ministry can flourish. Without this, we risk reaching a crisis point,
with more clergy leaving ministry early and fewer younger people attracted to a vocation they see
as increasingly unsustainable.

Rich theological resourcing for theological education — ordinand-

centred, not budget-centred
I was fortunate to receive an excellent standard of education at Cranmer Hall. My family was
supported so that we could live in Durham for the two years of my training. This provided
something more important than education alone: it provided formation — not just for me, but for
my whole family. I believe that fully funded residential colleges provide a depth of theology,
community and formation that must be allowed to thrive alongside more flexible forms of training.

A “Churchgoers’ Charter” that honours the volunteers who hold our

parishes together
I am very aware of how fragile each of my parishes can be, dependent on a small number of
dedicated volunteers. Across the Church, too many parishes are without churchwardens, while
many existing wardens would gladly hand on the role if someone else were willing to take it. I
would press the Church not only to honour and value volunteers, but also to reduce unnecessary
burdens of internal compliance and procedural requirements. I would also campaign for much
greater scrutiny of prolonged vacancies, especially where posts are being held vacant primarily to
save money.
What else would I bring to Synod?
I am grateful to the Diocese of Newcastle for the support it gives to parish ministry, while also
recognising that decisions made by the national Church can have profound consequences locally. If
elected, I would seek to create stronger links between our diocese and the national Church:
listening carefully to clergy and parishes across Newcastle, taking their experience into Synod, and
reporting back clearly on the decisions being made there.
I would also champion ministry among children, young people and families. My own ministry
before and since ordination has convinced me that this cannot be treated as an optional extra: it is
central to the Church’s future and to our calling to make disciples. At the same time, I want Synod
to broaden my understanding of contexts very different from my own. We need to be a Church that
looks outward, learns from one another and looks after one another — across traditions,
communities and dioceses.

My ask
If you share my conviction that the parish remains at the heart of the Church of England’s
mission, I would be grateful for your first preference, or a high preference, in this election. If
elected, I will work to strengthen parish ministry, care for those who sustain it, and make sure
that the experience of clergy and congregations in the Diocese of Newcastle is heard clearly in
the national Church.
I would be very happy to hear from you or to answer any questions before you vote.
Rich Townend Email: [email protected] Telephone: 07507 061611