General Synod Election Candidates 2026

I am standing for election to General Synod because I believe God is calling me to offer my
experience, gifts and voice in the service of the wider Church. I come not because I have all
the answers, but because I have a deep love for Christ, for the Church of England and for the
people and communities we are called to serve. I believe my experience as a parish priest, my
pastoral ministry, my commitment to children and young people, my passion for safeguarding
and community cohesion, and my perspective as a Black African woman priest can make a
valuable contribution to the life and work of General Synod.
I have been ordained for five years and have served as a parish priest for almost two years.
These years of ministry have taught me that, before we speak, lead or make decisions, we
must learn to listen to God and to one another. The words of Samuel, “Speak, Lord, for your
servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9), express something of how I seek to live my vocation.
Prayer is central to my ministry: listening to God, interceding for people and for our world,
and seeking wisdom and discernment.
My ministry has been deeply pastoral. I love being alongside people through the many
seasons of life sharing in their joy and celebration, but also walking with them through grief,
illness, uncertainty, loneliness and loss. Pastoral care has taught me to see the person behind
the issue, to listen to their story, to recognise their dignity and to help them discover that God
is present even in the most difficult circumstances. I would bring this perspective to Synod,
remembering that decisions made nationally are never simply policies or pieces of legislation;
they touch real people, families, parishes and communities.
I have a particular love for children and young people. I believe they are not simply the
Church of tomorrow; they are the Church today. Their questions, hopes, creativity, faith and
concerns matter. I want children and young people to be genuinely heard and valued, with
their voices given a meaningful place in decisions that affect their lives and the life of the
Church. Alongside this is my strong commitment to safeguarding. Every child, young person
and vulnerable adult deserves to be safe, respected and able to flourish within the Church.
Safeguarding must remain central to our ministry and embedded in the culture of the Church.
As a Black African woman priest, I also bring a perspective that is not always represented in
the leadership and decision-making of our Church. I do not claim to speak for everyone who
shares my background, but I know the importance of seeing people from different
backgrounds represented, welcomed and heard. I would bring my own lived experience while
remaining open and attentive to the experiences of others.
I am passionate about building a Church in which diversity is not simply acknowledged but
received as a gift. I want to see a Church where people of different ethnicities, cultures,
generations and social backgrounds can find belonging, contribute fully and flourish together.
I believe strongly in community cohesion and in building bridges across differences rather
than allowing those differences to divide us.
Music has been one of the gifts through which I have seen this happen. I love to sing, and I
have experienced how worship and music can bring people together across cultures and
generations. I have seen people connect, share their gifts and celebrate the richness of our
diversity. For me, this reflects something of the Church I long to see: joyful, welcoming,
generous and united in Christ.

As a wife and mother, I also understand something of the realities, pressures and joys of
family and community life. I know that the Church ministers among people living real lives,
with real responsibilities, struggles and hopes. I would seek to bring that grounded parish
experience into the conversations and decisions of General Synod.
I want to encourage a Church that is deeply rooted in prayer and attentive to God. I also want
to contribute to a Church that embraces diversity and grows stronger in belonging,
community and reconciliation: a Church where every generation has a voice, where children
and young people are taken seriously, and where those from underrepresented communities
know that they have a valued place.
If elected, I would bring a combination of parish experience, pastoral understanding,
prayerful discernment, a passion for children and young people, a strong commitment to
safeguarding, a love of worship and community, and the lived perspective of a Black African
woman priest. I would listen carefully, engage respectfully with different traditions and
viewpoints, and seek to contribute with both courage and humility.
I am willing to learn, to listen and to be challenged. I believe Synod is at its best when people
bring different experiences and convictions to the table, while remaining willing to listen,
learn and discern together what is faithful, wise and good for the Church.
Scripture reminds us that “each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve
others” (1 Peter 4:10). I see this election in that spirit: an invitation to offer the gifts God has
given me, including my priestly vocation, pastoral experience, love of people, passion for
children and young people, commitment to safeguarding, love of music and community, and
the perspective I bring as a Black African woman for the service of the Church.
If elected, it would be a privilege for me to serve and I will seek to serve faithfully, listen
generously, speak courageously and build bridges patiently. Above all, I will seek to keep
Christ at the centre, working for a Church that is prayerful and attentive to God, welcoming
of diversity, committed to every generation, and ready to use all its gifts in the service of God
and the world.
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discernment,loneliness,prayer,safeguarding,scripture,young people