General Synod Election Candidates 2026

C O N T A C T
07990509402
[email protected]
23 Mowson Lane, S35 0AJ
EXPERIENCE
P E R S O N A L F A I T H
2001 - present
I am deeply grateful to have grown up in a family where I was taken to church and taught the
gospel of Jesus from a young age. The best decision of my life was when I chose to trust and
follow Jesus as a teenager. As soon as I began to follow Jesus, I loved sharing the gospel with
others and opening up God’s Word to explore and discover who Jesus is, and as a young Christian,
I was given lots of opportunities to serve and grow as a young leader. After I finished school and
completed a Foundation in Fine Art, with the support of my church, I pursued a path into full-time
church-based ministry among children and young people.
M I N I S T R Y T R A I N I N G
2005 - 2010
I was given the opportunity to serve as an apprentice in Children’s and Youth Ministry in
Charleston, South Carolina. It was a very special experience to serve in such a different church
context. I then completed an additional apprenticeship back in Sheffield Diocese before going on
to complete a BTh in Theology and Pastoral Care at George Whitefield College in Cape Town,
South Africa. This was an incredibly enriching time, studying Scripture in such a diverse context,
among students from many church backgrounds and from all over the continent and beyond. I was
greatly blessed by experiencing the gospel flourishing in such a multi-cultural context.
Oughtibridge Parish
Ecclesfield Deanery
ANNA
DE CASTRO
ABOUT ME
I am 40 years old, and grew up in beautiful Sheffield. In my early twenties, I moved to Cape
Town, South Africa to study Theology and Pastoral Care. It was there I met and married my
husband, Mendes, and we have now been married for 16 years. After our time in South Africa, we
returned to Sheffield, where we have been raising our two lovely daughters, Gabriella and Lucia,
who are now teenagers.
For the last 13 years, I’ve had the privilege of serving in full-time ministry in the Diocese as a
Minister for Children, Youth, and Families. I am passionate about seeing children and young
people grow in faith and love for Jesus, and flourish as active members of the local church.
Outside of ministry, I love spending time in nature, especially exploring the treasures of the Peak
District. I also love painting, cooking, watching great movies, and spending time with family and
friends.
General Synod Election Address 2026
House of Laity
Proposer: John Marsden - Ecclesfield Deanery
Seconder: Lydia Proudman - Wath Deanery
B A C K I N S H E F F I E L D
2010 - present
After graduating, we returned to Sheffield, and found great joy serving in this beautiful
multicultural city. As well as still serving with children and young people, we had a great desire to
continue exploring and serving the gospel in multicultural and diverse contexts. This involved
ministry among international students before we found our home in a wonderfully diverse parish in
the Diocese, where I served for 7 years as a Minister for Children, Youth and Families. This parish
is still very dear to us. In 2020, we moved to serve in a semi-rural parish to support a church graft,
with the same goal of reaching out and discipling young people and their families.
I am so grateful to God for the whole variety of experiences that have been included in our
ministry journey so far.

Thank you for reading and considering me as a candidate.
I would be so grateful to have your support with either your first or highest preference vote.
Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions or matters you wish to discuss.
With every blessing in Christ,
Anna De Castro
General Synod Election Address 2026
House of Laity
Since 2021, I have had the privilege of serving as a member of the House of Laity on General
Synod. During this time, it has been a great gift to serve alongside brothers and sisters from
across the breadth of the Church of England, for the sake of blessing and effecting the life of our
loved church. It has been a huge learning curve in so many ways! One of my most treasured
aspects of this time has been to serve alongside those from such a variety of church backgrounds
and traditions. Serving on General Synod has enhanced my commitment to seeing the gospel
flourish in the life of the Church of England in ways the impact and bless local parish ministry. My
ongoing interest and investment in seeing the Church of England flourish meant it felt like a very
natural step to stand for Bishop’s Council in 2024, and I’ve been very grateful to serve on that
body since then.
WHY I AM STANDING FOR GENERAL SYNOD
thank you!
C H U R C H O F E N G L A N D
2021 - present
I would love the opportunity to continue serving as a member of General Synod, doing what I can
to ensure the Church of England is a place where people of all ages and backgrounds are
welcomed and can encounter the saving love of Jesus. I am committed to listening carefully and
working thoughtfully alongside those who hold different views, and seeking the good of the whole
Church as we pursue our shared calling to make Christ known.
Some particular areas of interest are:
Children and Young People
Racial Justice
I have a particular heart to see children and young people being reached and growing as disciples for
the blessing of the church. I believe my experience in this area could help to serve the mission of our
church to grow younger.
I’ve had the great blessing of living, studying, serving, and marrying cross-culturally. These have all
been powerful and enriching experiences in my own faith, and I would love to use them to help shape
the Church of England to ensure it is a place of welcome, embracing the beautiful diversity of the
people living in our parishes.
Marriage and Sexuality
I am deeply committed to ensuring our churches are places where all encounter genuine welcome, are
cherished as image-bearers of God, and given the opportunity to come to know the life-giving love of
Christ, regardless of their sexuality or gender. I hold the Church of England's historic understanding of
marriage and sexual intimacy, and believe the gospel of Jesus is where all are invited to flourish fully
as humans. I am whole-heartedly dedicated to serving with graciousness, respect, and love.
Low Income Parishes
It is of great importance to me that the Church continues to invest and support the gospel flourishing
in low-income areas. Having served in parishes that fit this profile, I am aware of the distinct joys and
challenges of ministry in these contexts, and I would love the opportunity to support work that sees
thriving congregations in these areas of our Diocese.

disciples,discipling,gospel,justice,marriage,mission,racial justice,scripture,sexuality,teenagers,young people,youth,youth ministry