General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Jane Rosam
Having served this Diocese as a member of General Synod for the
past five years, I am again asking for your first preference vote so
that I can continue. I have been nominated by Jane Belle & David
Edgar, both churchwardens from the Tonbridge Archdeaconry,
who know me well and believe I am well placed to serve on Synod.
Farming, Faith and Action
I am a farmer and a Lay Minister, licensed to the benefice of
Brasted, Sundridge with Ide Hill and Toys Hill. Over the past five
years I have been active at parish, deanery, archdeaconry and
diocesan synod level, alongside General Synod.
I serve as an Anna Chaplain – an important ministry of spiritual care and kindness to older people
– both within my benefice and also in Hever and the Three Spires Benefice. And I am a member
of the Tonbridge Mission and Pastoral working group, which aims to have strategic oversight and
help resource and support local parishes.
I am married to Joanna and we have lived and farmed in Kent for 30 years, the majority spent in
Hever, where I was churchwarden for 7 years. Farming, with its obvious connection to
creation, is a way for me to live my everyday life of faith, guided by the spirit. I have lived
this out within my local parishes by:
•
Leading and contributing to weekly worship and establishing and running an Eco Forest
Church.
•
Running a popular monthly parish lunch and organising pastoral and community
engagement initiatives, including walks, cycle rides, Farm Church and barn dances.
I am a member of the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals and a follower of Compassion
in World Farming.
Previously, I worked in direct access hostels for the homeless for both the Church Army and
Church Housing, managed resettlement and housing for young single homeless with the Stopover
project in South London, co-ordinated volunteers for South London Charities and served on the
board of the South London Family Housing Association. My work with the marginalised and
socially excluded has given me a deep understanding of poverty and exclusion, and enabled
me to develop both communication and advocacy skills.
I am passionate about Everyday Faith and wish to continue contributing to the flourishing of the
Church of England and, most importantly, to enable everyone in this country to live life in all its
fullness through knowledge of the Gospel.
“Throughout her time at Synod Jane has been a constant attender, and a constant supporter
both of good independent safeguarding, and transparency and accountability in our
governance. We still have a long way to go. With many fresh members likely to be elected it is
vital to have such people with the ‘historic memory’ to make sure institutional obstruction is
identified and mistakes are not repeated.” Martin Sewell

What I stand for
I am aware of, briefed and up to date on the major issues facing the church, including – financial
allocation and parish viability, safeguarding reforms, environmental commitments and concerns,
and also sexuality, identity and relationships.
Mission should be at the heart of who we are. As many people lack a good understanding of
Christian Faith, it is vital to reach out to all who do not (yet) know the power or comfort of God in
their lives. Good Worship and Good Hospitality – with a mixed economy of styles – is key to
engaging beyond our church communities, physically and socially as well as spiritually.
Inclusion. I believe passionately in a church for everyone, regardless of gender, disability,
ethnicity, mental health, socio-economic status or sexuality. We are all made in God’s image,
invited to the Lord’s Table and loved equally. I am fully supportive of women’s ministry and
equality for LGBT+ Christians, at all levels and roles in the church. As a gay woman I have
experienced exclusion first hand and am well placed to challenge prejudice and strive for change.
Listening to each other. The Pastoral Principles of living and learning well together have shown
that we are at our best when we listen honestly to each other. Ours is a wonderful broad church,
and we have far more that unites us than divides us. Even though we are under strain as we face
difficult decisions about our future direction, I promise to help us all to listen and work together
well.
Safeguarding continues to be integral to all we do and strive to do. In the past five years we
have moved on but we must keep up the momentum, implementing structural change and taking
responsibility.
Climate change and caring for creation is a genuine emergency as our weather this summer
demonstrates. I fully support the work being undertaken at all levels of the church to face up to
this challenge, believing that we can succeed with both bold and gentle steps with expert
guidance.
Parish, resources and strategy. I am a strong advocate of the importance and centrality of
parish ministry and therefore support the Save the Parish Movement, which campaigns for
funded stipendiary parish ministry, enabling mission and the cure of all souls in every parish and
understanding clergy wellbeing as vital to the health of the church.
I have both addressed and questioned Synod on all these topics over the past five years. Whilst
many have been disappointed by slow progress – particularly over inclusion – much has been
achieved and I am committed to pushing forward.
Thank you for reading my electoral statement. I do hope that you will give me your first
preference vote so I can continue to keep up the momentum. If you wish to contact me, I would
be happy to hear from you.
Jane Rosam
Hever Brocas, Hever Road, Hever. TN8 7LE. [email protected]
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds,
not giving up meeting together… but encouraging one another… ” Hebrews 10:23-25

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