General Synod Election Candidates 2026

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Jacqui Jones
Proposer: Rev’d Amanda Barraclough
Previous General Synod Representative and Dean of Women’s Ministry

‘Jacqui brings energy, passion and a commitment to work within the structures of the
church to ensure the voice of all is heard and valued. I am confident she would use
her voice and her vote with wisdom, prayerfulness and integrity if elected to serve
the Diocese of Sheffield on General Synod.’

Seconder: Rev’d Diane Etchell
Associate Priest St Thomas Church Kimberworth, Rotherham

‘Having known Jacqui for many years, she has a gift for leadership and uses
wisdom to help and encourage others. She is empathetic to the diversity and needs
of the full spectrum of churches and could use her gifts to benefit the wider church.’
A Quick CV…
Presently
•
Oversight Minister at St Mary's
Stainforth, St Cuthbert's Fishlake,
St Mary’s Kirk Bramwith and Holy
Trinity Skyehouse.
•
TI of a Self-Supporting Curate.
•
Clergy Well-Being Steering Group
member.
•
Inclusive Church Network
member.
•
Cursillo Clergy team member.
Previously
•
Bishops Mutual Flourishing Group
member.
•
Associate Self-Supporting Priest,
St Peters Warmsworth Doncaster.
•
Volunteer Chaplain Doncaster
Hospice.
•
Lay pioneer role; Schools
Missioner Southwell and
Nottingham Diocese.
•
Threads Charity: worked as a
Christian schools’ worker sharing
ministry in schools across
Bassetlaw and Bawtry Deanery.
•
Children and Families Worker,
St Michael’s Church Rossington.
•
Lay reader at St Mary's Wheatley.
Personal
•
Native of Doncaster.
•
Wife and mother of two and
Flossy the dog!
•
Sea swimmer and lover of
reading, poetry and the theatre.

Dear colleagues,

I am writing to ask for your vote to serve at General Synod. I am
the vicar you probably won't have heard of, as I've spent the past
five years head down, embedded in the different contexts of my
four parishes. I have journeyed from being a Lay Reader to Priest,
transitioning from Self-Supporting to Oversight Minister. I fully
appreciate and support a team of Focal and Self-Supporting
ministers within my current context. I'm well placed to represent
the many hardworking priests on the ground, devoted to working
beside the broken, ordinary, folk of their parishes, bringing hope
and welcome within the complexity and struggle of their lives. I
offer my experience working within one of the 2% most deprived
areas in the UK and across three rural parishes.

As a passionate advocate of inclusivity and justice, I feel I could
bring a grassroots perspective to the issues of social deprivation,
multiculturalism, loneliness, disability and environmental issues, all
coming from a pastoral heart not just a ‘collection’ of issues.

Across my parishes, we try to be a beacon of Jesus’ hope and
radical welcome in the midst of bereavement and suicide, trauma
and anxiety. We offer a safe space for the LGBTQI+ community in
our monthly Rainbow Cafe Church. I believe as priests we need to
listen well, to notice people, hear their stories and take them
seriously. I would participate in General Synod knowing that the
things discussed and decided, affect real people and their lived
experience of the Church.

Do get in touch if you have any questions.
I would be honoured to receive your first preference vote.

Jacqui Jones
Telephone: 07894262706 Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Rev’d Jacqui

Inclusion and Justice
‘I am committed to equality for everyone, at all levels and roles within the church,
regardless of disability, economic power, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, learning
disability, mental health, neurodiversity, or sexuality.’
I am committed to recognising every person as a child of God and offering a
radical welcome with genuine acceptance to all. My aim is to ensure that every
individual can find their place within the body of Christ and be supported to live
out their calling. In doing so, I hope to help cultivate a church community
where everyone is valued, included, and empowered to flourish.

I support the use of the Living in Love and Faith prayers for same sex couples by those
clergy who wish to use them, and the right of clergy, following their own discernment,
to decline to use them. We need a Church which values diversity, including respecting
each other’s consciences. I have experience of working in collegiality and across
different traditions and would listen to and work with all. The world, as fractured and
divided as it is, needs a Church which lives with difference and behaves with grace and
generosity to all.

Rural Ministry
I am privileged to serve in three beautiful rural parishes, with ancient churches and strong
communities, each unique in their traditions and richness of spirituality. I am fully aware of
the struggles of farming communities, such as flooding, isolated living and recent
field fires. I respect their important traditions and the cycle of life and community,
honoured and nurtured within our faith communities. I recognise the importance of
contextual ministry, of fostering teamwork and of inspired initiatives to rejuvenate
worship and community cohesion.

Climate and Creation Care
All four of my churches have Bronze Eco Church Awards and we strive to challenge
our parishes to be more aware of the plight of the environment, and to be proactive
in our daily choices. Our belief is that we really can make a difference with faith-driven
action, living this out as an example to all. General Synod is well placed to enable
the Church to live out its missional opportunity to be prophetic in how we care for God’s
creation.

Supporting Clergy Wellbeing in Parish Ministry
I want to enable clergy to thrive through supportive structures in areas including administration,
buildings, communications and community engagement. I hope to represent those who are
often underrepresented, including women clergy and self-supporting ministers. I believe parish
ministry is one of the riches of our church, rooted in relational ministry at the heart of the
community, and I long to see it reflect the rich diversity and inclusivity of the communities we
serve.

Safeguarding
Safeguarding is central to the life of God’s church, ensuring the protection of clergy, lay
ministers, volunteers and congregation members. It requires vigilance from everyone,
guided and strengthened by the voices of Survivors.

Grassroots Parish Ministry
Parish ministry, in all its rich diversity, embedded in and responsive to the communities it
serves, is for me the bedrock of Christian ministry. Creativity and innovation in leadership,
especially where resources are scarce, enable us to respond to the Spirit’s activity in the
church and in the world.

A key issue for Synod is the resourcing of ministry and the nurturing of disciples within
working-class neighbourhoods and rural parishes. Developing lay leadership and
normalising patterns of discipleship are essential for nurturing faith and encouraging the gifts of others. All God’s
people should be affirmed and treasured as persons of dignity and worth.

My Six Priorities:
Please use your vote by 13th October. I’d be grateful for your 1st preference. Please use your 2nd
preference for Sarah Maughan, also an inclusive candidate.

clergy wellbeing,creation care,disability,discernment,disciples,discipleship,eco church,environment,environmental,equality,faith communities,farming,gender identity,generosity,inclusive,inclusive church,justice,living in love and faith,loneliness,mental health,missional,neurodiversity,safeguarding,same sex,same-sex couples,self supporting,sexuality,survivors,working class