General Synod Election Candidates 2026

General Synod election address by Louise Seddon

My name is Louise and I live in Marlborough. I am married and my three daughters are now
all grown up! I was licensed in September 2025 and have served as an LLM for a year. I
really enjoy it. I would love to serve on General Synod as I feel passionately about the
Church of England, and lay Ministry. I am very active in Marlborough as an LLM and am
involved in the team with services, including in all age services, preaching and pastoral
ministry. I also co-lead a women’s prayer group and meet regularly with the clergy and my
co- LLM’s. I have been accepted to start an MA In theology at Sarum College. I have an
academic background having completed a PhD in German literature and I already use my
academic skills in preaching would love to use my skills to serve on synod and to play a
part in the future of the church. I really believe that lay and clergy can work well together for
the good of the church.

Hopes for the future.

One of the highlights of church ministry is seeing multi-generational families in church and
it is my belief that this how church communities can grow and be family to each other. My
hope is that the church can be united in seeking healthy growth by encouraging
intergenerational friendships and also growing younger. One of my hopes is that as we
seek to become a more multi -generational church, that we can take “church “out” of
church and be more active in showing the love of God to those in our communities and we
are attempting this in a small way in Marlborough with our ‘faith on tap” initiative, which
seeks to provide a forum for us to discuss questions of life and faith in the pub. We hope
that this will make faith accessible and relevant to all. I believe that it is important in our
modern world to be available and be willing to engage with the difficult questions and to be
prepared to listen to each. I hope that if we can listen to each other at all levels of the
church we can be more united in serving God and in making Jesus known in our diocese.

prayer