General Synod Election Candidates 2026

MARIAN H. NICHOLSON
Parish of St Mary Bredin Canterbury Deanery
E: [email protected]
52 Mount Road, Canterbury, CT1 1YF

WHO AM I?

I have been married to Iain for 45 years and
we have 4 children, all married and we are
blessed with six grandchildren.
I grew up in Croydon and have lived in
Canterbury for 32 years, spending much of
it serving in numerous roles in the Diocese.
In my spare time I love spending time with
my family, gardening, crafting and seeing
friends.

EXPERIENCE

I grew up attending church with my 6
siblings and became a Christian very early
on and have never left or doubted my faith
having been involved fully in church life at
all ages and stages.

With my family we have attended non-
denominational churches as well as Church
of England when I lived in Croydon and then
Brighton, before moving to Faversham in

General Synod
Election Address 2026
House of Laity

1983 where we had our family. I was very
involved here across all the local churches
with Evangelistic outreach, C of E Primary
School, summer missions and outreach,
starting up and running a large church Parent
& Toddler Group, a home bible study group
for mums new to faith, and singing at many
church events throughout the town and local
villages.
In my time in Canterbury at the large parish of
St Mary Bredin, I have served as PCC
Secretary, Churchwarden during an
interregnum and for 8 further years; Deanery
and Diocesan Synod and General Synod for a
period of 3 years following a by-election in

1. I am currently Welcome Pastor, a role I

love with a passion and is a privilege to hold,
particularly supporting those coming into our
church for the first time and helping them to
feel part of the church family.
Some other relevant experience includes the
appointment at the age of 38 as the youngest
Magistrate and then Chairman in East Kent;
adult criminal court, youth criminal court.
Trained with Kent Adoption Panel and
approved respite Foster Carer and parent
support with Medway Council to a boy with
Downs Syndrome who passed away age 20.

General Synod
Election Address 2026
House of Laity

Chair of K&C Special Care Baby Unit Support
Group following my fourth child’s time in
SCBU.
Disability Support and Reader to numerous
students at Canterbury Christ Church Uni
and two Diocesan Ordinands, the most
recent for the past 13 years.
Diocesan and inter-parish support to another
large church in interregnum at the request of
the then, Archdeacon.
Founding member and international mission
experience with the Anglican Compass Rose
Society and the Secretary General of the
Anglican Communion.
These roles without exception required
resilience, accountability and the ability to
navigate complexity – qualities directly
relevant to Synod’s work at a time of
significant challenge for the Church.

WHY AM I STANDING FOR GENERAL
SYNOD?
My time in Canterbury Diocese has given me
a rich experience of small village church life,
working alongside other churches, larger
parish life and all the associated ministries
and congregation friends along the way.
Our Diocesan vision, Changed Lives,
Changing Lives is right where the Gospel has
so many opportunities to be shared, and
each of us has a role to play, and for a few -
on General Synod. I am committed to
continuing to engage with enthusiasm and
commitment to this diocese and its national
governance, longing for Christ’s church, to
reflect the full spectrum of the many cross-
cultural contexts that enrich our faith, our
worship and our service.

There are many areas of concern for our
Parishes from small village churches
concerned for buildings, for our hardworking
Clergy and their spiralling costs and lack of
numbers; to bigger Parish Churches, some
who have a vast range of mission fields,
extreme poverty, complex pastoral needs and
the cost-of living impacting ministry and
congregation alike, from every angle.
General Synod will in the next period of time,
continue to address long standing current
issues along with various structural reforms
and mission initiatives and it is vital that
normal, parish ministry is not forgotten.
I want to serve God and the Church of
England and my recent, experience on
General Synod means I am familiar with
the process and structures. Contributing to
conversations and decisions and knowing
the ropes already will enable me to ‘hit the
ground running’.
MY COMMITMENT TO YOU
If you choose to vote for me, I will commit to:
being prayerful at all times, in my service;
being faithful in upholding and safeguarding
the truth of Scripture;
being missional in seeking to ensure the
gospel is being served across the breadth of
our diverse parishes.
Thank you for reading this, and please feel
free to contact me should you have any
questions. I would be so grateful if you
would consider giving me either your first
or highest available preference vote.
Marian H. Nicholson
Proposer: Mr Harry MacDonald - Harry is
Secretary to Canterbury Deanery Synod and
has known me for over 30 years.
Seconder: Mr Tim Conka - Tim is the
universities Christian Union Staff Worker in
Canterbury.

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