General Synod Election Candidates 2026

My name is Alex Perry and I am asking for your vote for election to the
General Synod in the Church of England.

To cut to the chase, my calling aligns with the aims of Together for the
Church of England, the Inclusive Church Network and Save the Parish,
but if you would like to learn a little more about me then please read on.

I worship at Wymondham Abbey; I am an altar server in the Eucharist,
and I am a representative on the PCC and the deanery synod. In past
churches I have led Bible studies, volunteered at food banks, rang bells,
worked with young adults and children, and occasionally preached.

I lived in Scotland for 12 years and it was there that I became a liberal,
Anglo-Catholic in the Scottish Episcopal Church. Though baptised in the
Church of England, I spent my teens and early twenties in Methodism
which has also shaped my theological views.

I am from a working-class family, and in the 1960s both of my parents
were trade union shop stewards. I am left-wing and I get angry when my
progressive friends, who are not religious, show greater acceptance of
homosexual people and are more supportive of women in leadership
roles than church members – we’re supposed to be the best!

I am of mixed-race and I have brown skin. My worst experience of
racism was at primary school, between the ages of 5 and 7, and I recall
insults such as “go back to your own country!” I don’t want anyone else
to suffer like I did, and I am glad that the Church welcomes refugees.

I have supported inter-faith activities such as the joint Christian-Jewish-
Muslim pilgrimage to the top of Ben Lomond, as I believe that religious
differences do not have to lead to war. Indeed, as part of the Dundee—
Nablus Twinning Association, I visited Israel, where our delegation
delivered books to schools in the West Bank and I supported a World
Council of Churches project on a Palestinian farm.

I have worked as a scientist, in STEM engagement, and as a social
science researcher. My work has resulted in me living in different parts of
the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the USA. I have seen
how the Church wrestles with the same issues, such as poverty and
prejudice, in different societal contexts. This has led me to the conviction
that Christians need to find solutions appropriate to the time and place
they are living in; for this reason, I favour initiatives led by local churches
and that the role of national church bodies is to support their grassroots.

My main hobby is drama, an interest which began in a church youth
group, and I have written stories, and scripts for films and theatre. I have
taken part in passion plays, and I favour ways of sharing the gospel that
engage with people where they are in life rather than annoy them. It is
evident to me that through its debates and decisions the General Synod
tells a story about the Faith to the public which can impact churches at
the local level, so it has a responsibility to tell a good one!

I trust this gives you a sufficiently detailed picture of who I am for you to
make an informed choice with your vote.

Best regards,
Alex

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