General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Nominated By
Most of what I do is rooted in my own parish, St Peter’s,
Walworth. I am a member of the PCC and the Deanery
Synod, and I serve regularly at the altar. I care deeply
about the spiritual life of the Church, but also about the
practical work required to keep a parish alive, active
and financially secure.
Additionally, I contribute to parish life in several areas:

I believe that the Church of England has a
future: one that will be varied in its people,
ministries and expressions. Over the coming
years, it must navigate significant change
courageously while holding Christ firmly at its
centre. I want the Church to maintain a
confident public presence in our schools,
universities, communities and national life,
while continuing to play a constructive role
within the Anglican Communion and the
wider
Church
through
partnership
and
service. Through General Synod, I hope to
help the Church fulfil that calling.

Cheryl Bartels
How I Currently Serve My Church
Community
Siriol Davies
Fundraising Events and Performances
Candidate for the House of Laity of General Synod — Diocese of Southwark
PCC and Deanery Synod Representative at St. Peter’s Church, Walworth
Peter Chadwick
Seconded By
[email protected]
Email
A Church for Everyone
I am an inclusive candidate because I believe in St
Paul’s conviction that neither death nor life, neither
angels nor demons, neither principalities nor powers,
neither the present nor the future, neither height nor
depth, nor anything else in all creation can separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans
8:38–39).
I, therefore, believe in equality for everyone, at every
level and in every role within the Church, regardless of
disability, economic power, ethnicity, sex, gender
identity,
learning
disability,
mental
health,
neurodiversity or sexuality.
The Church must bear witness to the overwhelming,
never-ending, reckless love of God.
About Me
I love the Lord my God, and I want to give my
life in service to Him. Serving on General
Synod is one of the ways I can do that. I want
to serve a Church whose central focus is the
Lord Jesus Christ and which bears witness to
him not only in name, but also in action
through worship, ministry, service within our
communities and faithful governance.
Why I’m Asking For Your First Preference Vote
Vision for the Future
Worship, Community and Shared Faith
Parish Finance Task Force
Building Beyond Activities Task Force
The Body of Christ is for everyone,
especially anyone who wants to be
part of it.
General Synod 2026 | Diocese of Southwark
Professional Experience
Professionally, I am an IT Project Lead
working across the Middle East and Asia. My
work has equipped me to analyse complex
information, ask difficult questions, and see
decisions through. I hope to bring that
practical experience, alongside my PCC
and finance experience, to General Synod.

A living, serving, worshipping and evangelising
Church
“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31)
I believe the Church of England has a future in this country. But that future
cannot be sustained by institutional memory, historic buildings or
constitutional privilege alone.
The Church must remain a living, serving, worshipping and evangelising
presence throughout England: in parishes, schools, chaplaincies, public life
and the ordinary places where people are trying to make sense of their
lives.
The Church should welcome renewed attendance while recognising
that growth requires confident, loving congregations that are visibly
active beyond their buildings.
Making service visible and participation possible
“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and
give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
The Church already undertakes an extraordinary amount of work in local
communities, but too many people, including members of our own
congregations, do not know what is happening or how they can participate.
National Church initiatives should be communicated through dioceses,
deaneries and parishes with clear invitations, practical resources and
simple routes for congregations of different sizes to participate.
Cheryl Bartels
General Synod 2026 | Diocese of Southwark
Page 2 of 2
My Priorities for the Church
Equality, inclusion and a courageous
public voice
Integrity, safeguarding and
visible accountability
‘For we intend to do what is right not only in the Lord’s
sight but also in the sight of others’ (2 Corinthians 8:21).
The Church must be willing to speak truth to power,
including when that power is the Church itself.
Decisions, finances and responsibility should be
transparent at every level.
Safeguarding reform must include survivor support,
independent scrutiny and clear accountability.
The Church must be honest about its failures,
because service cannot replace repentance and
reform.
“Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend
the orphan, plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:17)
I want a Church that is brave about the equal dignity of every
person and willing to speak when communities are targeted.
Migrants, refugees, Muslims, LGBT+ people, women and other
minorities are too often subjected to hatred, suspicion and
political scapegoating. The Church should not wait until a story
has passed through the news cycle before finding its voice.
The Church of England has a national voice through the media,
schools, Parliament and local communities. It should use that
voice promptly and consistently, while helping parishes
understand how they can respond locally.

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