General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Dear clergy colleagues,
I am Vicar of St Mary Magdalene, Gorleston, a growing church
serving a very deprived estate community in Gorleston. Before
ordination I was a solicitor in the City of London and later spent
three years serving a Christian legal aid organisation in Uganda.
Alongside parish ministry, I have served on the Bishop’s Council
of Trustees since 2022 and am currently the Bishop of
Norwich’s Adviser for Urban and Estates Ministry. Since 2025, I
have also been the Regional Lead for East Anglia and the East
Midlands for the Church of England’s Estates Evangelism Task
Group.
These experiences — local, diocesan and national — have
shaped what I would bring to Synod:

1. Confident about holistic mission

In Gorleston we have discovered that we don't need to choose
between proclaiming Jesus and serving our community.
Foodbank, community meals, work with children and young
people, practical support and Sunday worship are all part of
one mission: loving our neighbours, building relationships and
creating opportunities for people to encounter Jesus.
Social action and evangelism belong together. The Church
should serve people simply because they matter, while
remaining confident that the greatest gift we have to share is
Jesus Christ. I want to see parishes resourced to share that
good news faithfully, relationally and creatively.

1. Trusting the local church and renewing the parish

There is no one-size-fits-all model for mission. The gospel
doesn't change, but how we communicate it must take
seriously the culture, needs and opportunities of the communities we serve.
Our approach in Gorleston has begun with listening and a simple principle: nothing done
to us without us. Some of our most fruitful ministries have grown by recognising the gifts
already present in our community and enabling people to become contributors rather
than simply recipients.
I believe the parish remains an extraordinary missional gift: a commitment not simply to
gather a congregation, but to seek the flourishing of a particular place and be present for
the long term. I welcome church planting and new worshipping communities alongside
that commitment.
National and diocesan structures are at their best when they listen to, trust and equip
local churches. Through my wider estates work, I have seen extraordinary ministry in
At a glance: Who am I?
•
Vicar of St Mary
Magdalene, Gorleston
•
Former City solicitor
•
Three years serving in
Uganda with a Christian
legal aid project
•
Member of Diocesan
Synod and the Bishop’s
Council of Trustees
•
Bishop of Norwich’s
Advisor for Urban and
Estates Ministry
•
Regional Lead for the
Estates Evangelism Task
Group for East Anglia and
the East Midlands
“I want the experience of parish churches and the
communities we serve to be heard in national
decision-making.”
General Synod: Election Address
The Reverend Matthew Price
Nominated by:
The Revd Jo Wood, Great Yarmouth Deanery
The Revd Mark Capron, Heacham and Rising Deanery
The Revd Matthew Price,
The Vicarage,
41 Nuffield Crescent,
Gorleston NR31 7LL
t: 01493 494248;
e: [email protected]

communities experiencing significant deprivation, often with limited resources. I want
their voices to be heard.

1. Investing in children and young people

At St Mary Magdalene we have seen what can happen when children's and youth ministry
is central to the mission of the whole church.
Through work with families, youth clubs, opportunities to explore Christianity and
pathways into discipleship and leadership, we are seeking to create places where young
people can belong, ask questions, encounter Jesus and grow in faith.
Despite the Church's ageing demographic, I see considerable reason for hope. We should
invest courageously in children and young people and make their evangelisation and
discipleship a priority.

1. Conviction with generosity

I am committed to the Church's historic understanding of marriage and relationships,
rooted in Scripture. I also recognise that faithful Christians have reached different
conclusions on these questions. I want to listen carefully and engage graciously, seeking
as much unity as possible and making space for one another's ministry to flourish. Our
churches should be places of genuine welcome, friendship and belonging for everyone.

1. Using our resources well

Money and structures exist to enable mission, not the other way around. We need
governance that is transparent and accountable, and structures that release resources for
frontline ministry.
My background in law, parish leadership, charity and more recently education
governance, together with my experience on the Bishop’s Council of Trustees, has given
me experience of difficult decisions about priorities and resources. I would bring to Synod
a willingness to read the papers, ask questions and engage constructively.
Ultimately, though, the renewal of the Church will not come through better structures or
cleverer strategies. At St Mary Magdalene we have learned our dependence upon God:
upon prayer, Scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit.
What I would bring to Synod
General Synod has significant responsibilities for the legislation, policy and wider life of
the Church of England. If elected, I would seek to listen carefully, speak graciously and
contribute constructively.
Although I will inevitably bring my own convictions, I would seek to represent and listen to
clergy across the Diocese, including those with whom I disagree, and to communicate
regularly about the work of Synod.
The Church of England faces real challenges, but I remain hopeful. I see people
discovering faith, Christians serving their neighbours, young people encountering Jesus
and congregations finding new confidence in mission.
I would be honoured to bring that perspective and experience to General Synod, and I
would be very grateful for your first or a high preference vote.
If elected, I’ll keep asking some straightforward questions:
•
Does this help us proclaim Jesus?
•
Does it strengthen the local church?
•
Does it help us reach people who currently have little connection with
Christian faith?
•
What will it mean for communities with the fewest resources?

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