General Synod Election Candidates 2026

General Synod Electoral Address: Mrs Gill Verschoyle

It has been a great privilege to serve as your representative on General Synod over the last five
years, and I hope to have the opportunity to continue that service. During that time, I have
attended every Synod group of sessions, worked hard to understand the issues facing the
Church and sought to keep parishes informed about the decisions being made nationally. It is
vitally important for congregations to be in touch with the central Church. Several issues, such
as same-sex marriage, were not finalised in the last five years. I have followed these closely and
want to be involved in helping to bring them to a conclusion in the next groups of sessions. I
feel that my vote counts towards the critical decisions that Synod makes.

I am standing on a Save the Parish ticket. I believe that the parish system is the bedrock of the
Church and the way that we ‘Make Jesus Known’. It is an established fact that parishes with a
priest flourish and grow; however, the number of stipendiary parochial clergy has slumped to an
all-time low. Save the Parish’s (STP) aims for the next quinquennium include ensuring that
Church Commissioners’ funds and parish share are used for their original purpose of supporting
parishes and their mission, making sure that clergy are valued, cared for and theologically
trained, and valuing the volunteers who hold the local church together. I want to help achieve
these aims.

STP has achieved a great deal in the last five years, though there is more to do. It is clear from
the Archbishop of York’s speech at the last session in York, in which he emphasised the
importance of traditional parish ministry, that STP have changed the narrative so that the
Church now recognises the central importance of our parishes. I am proud to have helped
achieve this. I have served for about 10 years on my PCC, some time as Secretary, and I am a
dedicated bell ringer.

Probably the most difficult problem of the last few years has been safeguarding. There have
been several high profile and shocking cases of cruel treatment of young people, which have
been one of the main causes of the current lack of trust in the Church. We are fortunate to
have a first-class safeguarding department in our diocese. However, various excellent reports
have emphasised the importance of the total independence of church safeguarding from the
central organisation, and this has not yet been achieved. This is something to work for in the
future.

Project Spire is the organisation which the Church has set up to control the £100 million which it
plans to distribute to address historic links to slavery. So far £1.15 million has been used for
historical and legal research. Distribution of the rest of the fund is delayed, because the Church
faces a challenge as to the legality of disbursing church money in this way. 81% of churchgoers
are against Project Spire and believe the money should be spent on supporting parishes. I

would not vote for Project Spire. The links between Queen Anne’s Bounty, which formed the
basis for the Church’s wealth, and money connected to slavery, are not strong. The British were
among the first people in history to abolish slavery and they spent many resources to suppress
it. Much time has passed since QAB was established.

Lastly, there is LLF, (Living in Love and Faith) or same-sex marriage. At the end of the last
quinquennium it was decided to shelve discussion of LLF for the time being, although there is
still in fact a committee working on it. At some point the Church will have to come to a
decision. Many in the Church yearn for their loving and committed same-sex relationships to be
recognised by marriage in church. They are not wholly satisfied with the Prayers of Love and
Faith offered to them currently. However, in a recent debate on whether same-sex
relationships are compatible with Christian discipleship, the House of Bishops voted firmly
against. I have spent time reflecting on the relevant biblical material, and I am, as of now,
committed to the current teaching of the church, that marriage is a long-term faithful
relationship between a man and a woman. If at some point the Church decides on a change, it
seems that it will have to alter Canon Law.

If I am re-elected I intend to help Save the Parish to achieve its aims, by voting in favour of
them, being involved in debates, and by ensuring that I am fully informed of the background to
STP’s motions. For example, STP intends to work against the formation of mega benefices,
some of which contain 20 or even 30 parishes. By urging the Church to increase the proportion
of its income spent on parishes (currently only 85 million out of a possible 653 million is devoted
to parish ministry) STP hopes to ensure that dioceses are resourced to keep priests in parishes,
to discourage the creation of mega benefices and to shorten vacancies. Another crisis is the
collapse in the number of ordinands.

If STP can achieve these aims, and more, we could once again have priests in parishes in
manageable sized benefices. Priests who would know their parishioners and care for them,
and who would administer the sacraments and ‘make Jesus known’.

Serving on General Synod has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. If re-elected I will
continue to work to represent the concerns of local churches conscientiously, prepare
thoroughly and speak up for the parish churches which are at the heart of the Church of
England. I would be honoured to have your support for a second term. Thank you for taking
the time to read this statement. I would be grateful for your vote.

Phone:
0744 3573469
Email:
[email protected]

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