General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Clergy Candidate for General Synod
Rev’d Dr Paul Chamberlain
[email protected] - 023 9200 6184

Currently:
• Vicar of St Faith’s Church in Lee-on-the-Solent (since 2014)
• Member of Bishop’s Council (since 2015)
• Member of Diocesan Synod (since 2015)
• Area Dean for Gosport (since 2020)
• Member of General Synod (2021-2026)
• Married to Becca, with two boys (19 & 16)

Previously:
• Ordained deacon in 2010 and priest in 2011; curate in
Thame, Oxfordshire (2010-2014)
• Ordinand at Ripon College Cuddesdon (2008-2010)
• Environmental scientist at a government research agency, studying soils (2001-2008)
• PhD in chemistry with a mix of biochemistry and ecology (trying to work out the feeding preferences
of tiny soil insects; University of Bristol, 2002)

I have been a member of General Synod for the last five years, and am standing for election
again. General Synod continues to be a place where significant decisions about the future of
the Church of England are made – especially financial ones – and I hope to continue to
contribute to the mission and direction of the Church at Synod.

Proposer: Rev’d Emma Racklyeft, Vicar, All Saints Denmead
Seconder: Rev’d Gregg Mensingh, Rector, Botley, Curdridge & Durley

Our current context
We live in an interesting time in the life of the Church of England; the last 80 years have seen major change
in our society, not least attitudes to Christianity. When I was a child in the 1980s and 90s, very few of my
peers were connected to a church community; this is even more the case with children and young people
today. This shift away from Christendom is reflected in the makeup of worshipping communities in our
diocese, and if the Church of England is to continue to be “a Christian presence in every community”
we need to continually develop what we are doing. What has been wonderful in the last two years, is to see
people turning up in our churches wanting to know about Jesus (and I know this is happening all
over the diocese). Our challenge now is to teach the faith and disciple these people – and what a brilliant
challenge to have.

Knowing our changing context, throughout my time in Portsmouth Diocese I have sought to contribute
positively to our wider life together, and to encourage the diocese to respond helpfully to the challenges
we face. In seeking to do this, I have been a member of Diocesan Synod and Bishop’s Council, and latterly
also of General Synod.

Portsmouth Diocese has changed significantly in the last five years. Wonderfully, it is a much happier place
than it was. However, nationally and locally, we continue to grapple with the effects of financial
pressures. Our diocesan finances, like many dioceses, are not in great shape, and we need to continue to

engage with the Church Commissioners about a better funding settlement for dioceses and parishes.
These discussions will happen in the next General Synod.

Clergy wellbeing remains a key area the Church needs to address. Many clergy have high levels of burnout,
isolation and financial anxiety. The recent increase in clergy stipends and pensions, approved by General
Synod, is very welcome, but there are still institutional requirements and structural issues which makes being
a parish priest today a very demanding role. The wider church, including General Synod, needs to
continue to address these issues, in order for clergy to thrive.

Climate Change. As an environmental scientist, I am only too aware of the impact human activities are
having on our planet – as we all are after this summer. At St Faith’s our People and Planet group have
achieved the EcoChurch Silver Award. General Synod has voted that the CofE should aim to be carbon
neutral by 2030 – although this is unlikely to be met (it was always a very challenging target), progress to Net
Zero C is worthwhile.

Disagreements around sexuality. These took up a considerable time in the last General Synod, and
have not been resolved; new proposals are likely to come to the next Synod. I’m a same-sex attracted man
(now married to a woman – yes, there’s a story there, I’m happy to tell you sometime) who holds to the
traditional teaching of the church. I want us to continue listening positively to each other, and to find a way
forward. I know from my own experience that this is not just a theological issue to be debated – this affects
people’s lives.

In all this, the parish system remains crucial. It is the way that ministry and mission happen in the Church
of England, and individuals belong to parishes far more than to deaneries and diocese. I firmly believe that
church growth in our parishes is possible – as is shown by recent data for our diocese. We should
continue to see parishes as central to the future. In my own context, we started a new weekly contemporary
service, to complement our existing traditional services, and the church grew by 20% because of this. A
mixed ecology is really important, and needs the support of the Church Commissioners and
General Synod.

For all these reasons and more, I am standing again for General Synod.

If you would like to vote for me in these General Synod elections,
please do consider giving me a high preference vote.

I’d also welcome the chance to talk, if you have questions.
Please do get in touch using the details above.

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