General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Please Support me with your First Preference Vote in this Important Election.

Nathaniel Miles
For General Synod
About Me:
I am 40 years old and have lived in Witney, Oxfordshire
my whole life. I have grown up in the church, was
confirmed when I was 12 and am deeply involved in all
aspects of church life at St Mary’s on the Green in Witney.

• As a lifelong Christian in the Diocese of Oxford, I
serve on the deanery synod where I am also a
member of the finance committee and a member
of the PCC
• I am an active member of my church, and I really enjoy singing in our choir,
expressing my love for God through worship and creating a joyful sound that
lifts our prayer. I enjoy supporting the life and work of the church and often
volunteer with projects where needed; I was involved in the late-night café
project that provided a listening ear and a hot drink to those out late at the
weekend. This was hugely successful and was a great opportunity to bring the
love of Christ in a non-church environment.
• I have previously served as a school governor, and trustee of a local charity
and am the safeguarding lead for my local cricket club, so have experience of
working with people from all walks of life as well as working with different
agencies and businesses. I have previously stood as a candidate for local
council elections, because I feel we are called to be salt and light and to
safeguard society in a positive way.
I am a regular at the Greenbelt Festival and help as a volunteer on the hosting team.
This festival has always been an important part of my Christian life and supporting it
is important as it is a place where many non-church people can encounter Christ in
their life. Our synod needs to show how we are relevant and there for all and
working for the whole body of Christ.
I work in a secondary school in a specialist autism and communication resource base.
Supporting young people is an immense privilege and I enjoy helping them to access
the curriculum and support them in an important part of their growing up. I’m glad
Synod recently affirmed neurodiversity in the life of the church and I will continue to

Please Support me with your First Preference Vote in this Important Election.

support greater care for all in our churches as my church continues to benefit from
neurodivergent members of our congregation. In my spare time I have been a
volunteer Community First Responder for the Ambulance Service for over 9 years
which supports people when they need it the most; this aligns with the third Anglican
Mark of Mission, to respond to human need by loving service.
Why should you vote for me?
General Synod will face many important
decisions about our future. I feel my
experience, passion and love for our church
makes me a strong candidate. As one of the
younger candidates, I strongly believe that
we need to find ways to bring younger
people and families into our churches.
Having lived and worshipped in the Diocese
all my life it would be an honour to represent our diocese at the national level while
helping to preserve and support our local parish churches. We must also work to
ensure we are caring for our environment and work towards our churches being net
zero, for example using the newly created Hope for all Creation resources, which
urge us to see, reflect and respond.
St Mary’s on the Green, Witney is part of a benefice of five churches and so I have
experience of working with both rural and town centre ministry. I am committed to
equality for everyone, at all levels and roles within the church, regardless of
disability, economic power, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, learning disability, mental
health, neurodiversity or sexuality and I believe that genuine and full inclusion in the
church will make it stronger and more successful. We are all made in God’s own
image, and all are welcome at the Lord’s table. I am fully supportive of both women’s
ministry and equality for LGBTQ+ Christians at all levels and in all roles in the church.
I know that we have much more that unites us than divides us. Even when there can
be differences of opinion, listening to everyone in the church makes us stronger. I
have worked with people from all parts of the church – liberal, conservative, Anglo-
Catholic or evangelical – and we serve the Body of Christ best when we listen to each
other and work together for our church.
Thank you for reading my electoral statement. As a hard-working candidate who has
always lived in the diocese, I hope you will support me with your First Preference
vote this election. If you would like to contact me about anything I would love to
hear from you.
Nathaniel Miles
28 Oakdale Road, Witney, OX28 1BJ – [email protected]

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