General Synod Election Candidates 2026

The Revd Philip Rowlandson
Curate in the Parish of Marcham with Garford

Proposed by the Revd Martin Davy (Holy Trinity Theale)
Seconded by The Revd Joy Mawdesley (St. Nicholas,
Newbury)

My Journey
I am 33 years old, married to Heather, and we have three
lively boys, Ezra (7), Casper (5) and Rufus (2). My
educational background was in drama and film, with an
undergraduate degree in the former and a research Masters
in the latter.
I was raised in a Christian family in a large Anglican church in the charismatic evangelical
tradition and am thankful for an upbringing that surrounded me with Christian friends and
family that spanned all generations, classes, and backgrounds. I found church difficult and I
did not see my place in it so I drifted away from it when I became an adult, though I never
lost the seeds of my faith. I returned to church properly when I started attending my now-
wife’s church and the gospel came alive to me through the preaching and teaching of the
scriptures. Those seeds from my youth were watered, and faith began to flourish. I saw my
need for Jesus as Lord and to live as such – which I’ve tried to do ever since.
My Experience
If I were elected to General Synod, I would bring with me experience of ministry in different
roles in different churches within the Anglican evangelical tradition. I grew up in a large
charismatic church where, after my masters, I ran a group for children with additional needs
and their families. I then started my formal ministry in a small conservative evangelical
church plant in Arborfield as a ministry trainee and later assistant minister. I enjoyed
placements in two city churches in North London, one of which had a large international
ministry, particularly with Iranian refugees. I now serve as curate in a semi-rural parish which
manages four churches across the evangelical spectrum which celebrates the joys that
different liturgical styles offer, from evensong and mattins, to contemporary worship and
praise. Alongside my curacy, I am undertaking postgraduate study reflecting on mission,
preaching, and the parish, as well as much more. Whilst my life has been spent mostly in
evangelical Anglicanism, I am comfortable and happy in other traditions, both in and
outside of Anglicanism, and enjoy learning from their different perspectives.
I also bring with me the adaptability and people skills that I have built up from my
background in theatre and the conflict resolution, management skills, and problem solving
abilities I have from leading a property management team with high-value and high-profile
clients in London. I believe these experiences will help me to get alongside people who are

different from myself, walk together even in disagreement, and build and offer connections
between differing perspectives.

Why I am Standing?
Having spent my life in the Anglican church, having seen the fruit of both gathered and local
congregations, having benefited from what the Church of England offers spiritually and
materially, I want to give back and offer my voice in the ongoing shaping of the church. I care
for the Church of England and want to see it flourish and reach those who it has not reached
or struggled to reach before. I believe in the local church as the place where we encounter
God in word and sacrament, sing his praises, and speak to him in prayer. The local church is
an extraordinary place and I want to see it supported and equipped to serve local
communities with the gospel. I believe we should be paying attention to how we include all
in our communities within the life of the church as we celebrate the identity, teaching, and
traditions of the Church of England as we have received them.
What I hope to offer:
• An enthusiastic and open mind to the issues presented and the discussions around
them.
• A confident and relational presence that seeks the best in people and wants to be a
team player.
• The ability to manage conflict, considering all sides of a debate and offering
connections between them.
• Commitment to the Church of England’s identity and teaching.
• Specific ministry experience with lots of different groups of believers: old, young,
SEN, international, ecumenical and more.
• Ministry experiences in different contexts: lay, ordained, inner city, semi-rural, church
plants, established churches.

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