General Synod Election Candidates 2026

General Synod Election Address 2026
House of Laity
S T E P H E N O G B O N N A
ST J OHN'S PARK PARISH – ATTERCLIFFE DEANERY
Tel. 07564 330573
Email: [email protected]
St John's Park Parish, Attercliffe Deanery, Sheffield
WHO AM I?
I am a father of one, living and serving in
Sheffield. I currently work within NHS mental
health services while serving as a lay minister,
theologian, chaplain and community practitioner
within the Church of England.
My journey to the Church of England has been
shaped by ministry, migration and the
transforming grace of God. Having served
churches in Nigeria, lived through displacement,
ministered in Italy, and now serving in Sheffield,
my theology is rooted in Scripture, informed by
the Anglican tradition, and continually enriched
through ministry alongside people marked by
suffering, resilience and hope.
I hold both a BA (Hons) and an MA in Theology,
Ministry and Mission from St Hild College /
Durham University, with my MA research
specialising in multifaith chaplaincy, migration
and personhood.
EXPERIENCE
Parish & Deanery Governance: Active
member of St John's Park PCC and Attercliffe
Deanery Synod, committed to strengthening
the flourishing of local churches.
•
25+ Years Christian Ministry: Extensive
ministry spanning church planting, parish
mission, and intercultural discipleship across
Nigeria, Italy and the UK.
•
NHS Mental Health & Chaplaincy:
Professional experience in NHS mental health
services and healthcare chaplaincy, providing
compassionate emotional, spiritual and
pastoral care to vulnerable individuals.
•
Refugee & Asylum Support: Dedicated
frontline advocacy, pastoral care, and practical
support for asylum seekers, refugees, and
communities experiencing displacement.
•
Community & Charity Governance: Serving
as Trustee and Board Member for several
charitable and not-for-profit organisations,
supporting good stewardship and community
development.
•
Theological Scholarship: Rigorous research in
chaplaincy, migration, personhood, and
pastoral theology to resource Church
leadership in contemporary mission.
•
Ecumenical & Intercultural Engagement:
Building constructive partnerships across
diverse theological traditions and cultural
backgrounds.
•

General Synod Election Address 2026
House of Laity
WHY I AM STANDING FOR
GENERAL SYNOD
The Church faces significant challenges. We need
churches that are confident in proclaiming Christ,
compassionate in serving their communities, and
united enough to pursue God's mission together
despite our differences.
I believe my life experience, pastoral ministry,
theological scholarship and professional work
equip me to make a distinctive contribution to
General Synod. Having lived across different
cultures and experienced both welcome and
exclusion, I understand how deeply the Church's
witness matters. I want to help ensure that
national decisions serve and strengthen the life
and mission of our local parishes.
MY PRIORITIES
LIVING IN LOVE AND FAITH
I hold the historic Christian understanding of
marriage as a covenant between a man and a
woman. At the same time, I am equally committed
to ensuring that LGBTQ+ people experience the
Church as a place of welcome, dignity, friendship
and spiritual care.
My own experience of migration and exclusion
has taught me the importance of listening well,
treating every person with dignity, and seeking
reconciliation wherever possible. General Synod
needs members who can hold deep convictions
while engaging respectfully with those who differ,
always seeking the unity of Christ's Church.
MY COMMITMENT TO YOU
If you choose to vote for me, I commit to:
Thank you for reading this address. Whether you
give me your first or a later preference, I would
be honoured to serve with integrity, humility and
hope.
With many thanks and every blessing in Christ,
Stephen Ogbonna
Proposer: Charles Benkowitz
Seconder: Sunday Dawodu
Growing healthy local churches: Supporting
parishes to flourish in faithful worship,
discipleship, evangelism and community
engagement.
•
Supporting clergy and lay leaders: Ensuring
those called to ministry receive the
encouragement, resources and pastoral
support they need.
•
Mental health and pastoral care: Drawing
upon NHS and chaplaincy experience to
strengthen the Church's response to
emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
•
Mission among marginalised communities:
Continuing Christ's ministry of welcome, justice
and practical hope for those experiencing
displacement and hardship.
•
Young people and future generations:
Investing in discipleship, youth leadership
development and vocations for younger
generations.
•
Good stewardship: Supporting responsible
governance and financial decisions that
resource parish ministry sustainably.
•
Listen carefully before speaking;
•
Represent the Diocese of Sheffield faithfully;
•
Pray and study Scripture diligently for
debates;
•
Promote mission, evangelism and
discipleship;
•
Work constructively across theological
differences;
•
Speak with conviction while treating all with
dignity;
•
Keep local churches at the centre of
decisions.
•

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