anglo-catholic,bcp,catholic,children's ministry,eucharist,evangelical,finance,liturgical,marriage,mission,prayer,sexuality,tradition

KATIE COLAHAN

GENERAL SYNOD ADDRESS 2026
HOUSE OF LAITY

Nominated by: Proposer: Adwoa Boliston (Lambeth
Deanery)

Seconder: Adrian Greenwood
(Bermondsey & Rotherhithe Deanery)

About Me

| am 30 years old, married to William, and mother to a brilliant
daughter who keeps me firmly on my toes! | grew up in Berkshire and
moved to London at 18 to begin an apprenticeship in the Civil Service.
| have lived in London ever since, although my career has taken me
overseas, including three years living and working in Turkey.

| have been part of Holy Trinity Clapham since 2018. My faith journey
began much earlier. | wasn't raised as a Christian, but as a child |
asked my parents if | could go to church. | joined the choir of an Anglo-
Catholic church and loved singing at Eucharist. When | moved to
London, | found St Stephen's in Putney. Through the encouragement

Expertise

Civil Service: 2014—
present; Foreign Office &
Cabinet Office.
Leadership: Strategy,
governance, finance, HR,
communications &
oversight of £6m church
building project

Church: Church Warden &

of my vicar, | attended the Alpha course which was instrumental to my
faith journey and was subsequently confirmed. | have never looked
back. Since then, | have sought out opportunities to serve the Lord and
His Church. | have found again and again that God is able to use
unexpected experiences and open unexpected doors.

Treasurer, St Nicolas,
Ankara. Seconded to HTC
Oct 2023 - June 2026 as
Director of Operations.

. . . . . Ministry: Home/Connect
In my spare time, | love cooking, going to the theatre, and listening to

The Archers. Group leader, Alpha,

preaching, prayer &
Please give me a high preference vote (1st , 2nd or 3rd place)

Church Experience

| love the breadth of the Church of England because | have experienced it first-hand.

children's ministry

My earliest church experience was Anglo-Catholic; my faith grew in evangelical churches; and while
living in Ankara | worshipped at the small Anglican church serving the British Embassy community.
Today, although HTC is my home, | still love the 8am BCP service and often attend Westminster
Abbey. My own prayer life draws on both liturgical and evangelical resources.

| don't see these traditions as competing. | believe they are different, complementary ways of
drawing us towards Christ. My husband was raised Catholic, and enjoying this breadth of tradition
together is important to us as we raise our family.

The Church of England has a remarkable ability to hold this diversity together. | want to be a voice
for the beauty of each of those. We should be confident in our different traditions, willing to learn
from one another, and always remember what unites us in Christ.

What | have to offer:

| am standing for General Synod because | love the Church of England and want to see it flourish
in its calling to proclaim Christ. | believe the experience | have gained in public service can help
Synod make wise, thoughtful decisions that support the Church’s mission.

Since 2014 | have worked in the Civil Service, now leading a team in the Foreign Office. My work
has involved navigating complex issues, balancing different priorities and turning policy into
practical outcomes. | am used to asking the right questions, understanding the implications of
choices and explaining difficult subjects clearly so that people can engage well with them.

A large part of my career has been about bringing people with different perspectives together
and finding a constructive way forward. Good decision-making requires listening, understanding
what matters to others and building consensus - skills | would bring to Synod.

Synod’s work is legislation, policy and governance: the structures that help the Church live out its
mission. | understand parliamentary processes and how policy is developed and implemented,
and | would bring a practical grasp of these systems alongside a willingness to engage seriously
with the detail.

| hold to the received teaching of the Church on marriage, sexuality and gender, and | believe truth
must always be accompanied by love, humility and a willingness to listen. We should be a Church
where people can encounter Christ, ask difficult questions and know they are welcomed and
valued.

| believe the Church of England has an important role in the life of our country. My experience has
given me a deep appreciation of the contribution the Church can make to public life, and | want to
see us engage confidently and constructively with the world around us.

If elected, | would seek to be:

e A good listener - valuing the breadth of the Church of England and seeking to understand
different perspectives.

e A constructive legislator - engaging carefully with complex questions and helping Synod
make well-informed decisions.

e A consensus-builder - bringing people together, finding common ground and helping turn
difficult discussions into practical ways forward.

| care deeply for the Church of England. Its history, its breadth, its place in our communities and its
calling to proclaim Christ. | would be grateful for the opportunity to serve on General Synod and
to contribute my experience and expertise.

Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. | would be so
grateful if you would give me either your first or highest available preference vote.

With many thanks and every blessing in Christ,
Katie Colahan