General Synod Election Candidates 2026

ETHAN GLACKIN-MCCOLGAN
Standing for the House of Laity of
General Synod
Proposer: Caroline Leveaux,
Parish of St Leonard’s
(Lambeth South Deanery)
Seconder: Yvonne Panton,
United benefice of Upper Tooting
(Tooting Deanery)
WHY I AM STANDING?
I am standing because I believe in the Church of England and I believe that it can
continue to be a beacon of hope in our changing world. Our parishes have
extraordinary ordained and lay people and I will champion the imprtance of our
parishes if elected. I am prepared to speak up, listen to others, work through
differences and challenge the status quo when needed.
Overleaf you can find out how to contact me during the voting period.
I am 33, married to my husband Daniel
and have 3 dogs; Tartan, Mac & Donald.
In church I am a Licensed Lay Minister
(Pioneer) and outside of church I work
full time as a publican.
I am passionate about hospitality both
at work in our pubs but also the
hospitality of our churches in our
communities.
I worship and minister in the United
Benefice of Upper Tooting and I have
been a Christian all my life. Raised a
Roman Catholic in rural Northern
Ireland, I became an Anglican when I
moved to London 14 years ago. The
inclusion of LGBTQI+ people in the CofE
was the main reasons I left the Roman
Catholic Church.
As a Licensed Lay Pioneer and
publican, I bring experience of
sharing faith both within the
Church and in the everyday life
of our communities, and I seek to
be a thoughtful, inclusive voice
that helps the Church of England
welcome, listen to, and serve all
people.
DON’T FORGET
TO USE YOUR
VOTE!
Votes must be in by
13 October 2026.
th

BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE CHURCH
Everyone is part of the Body of Christ and every person should be treated with dignity, listened
to and valued as a member of the Church. Although we all have different theological viewpoints,
we should be able to listen to each other with respect and value each person as a member of
God’s Kingdom.
I strive to promote a Church that:
welcomes people from different backgrounds in our parishes
is committed to equality for everyone, at all levels and roles within the church, regardless
of disability, economic power, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, learning disability, mental
health, neurodiversity, or sexuality.
provides pastoral care for LGBTQI+ people who have often been excluded
open to conversations between different theological viewpoints rather than deepening
division
IMPROVING AND STRENGTHENING SAFEGUARDING
Safeguarding is not a legal tick box, it is rooted in the example of Christ in the Gospel.
I strive to promote a Church that:
ensures survivors are listened to and treated with dignity
continues to improve safeguarding practices and training
creates a culture of reporting and good practice at every level of the Church
promotes independent scrutiny
PUTTING THE PARISH AT THE HEART OF THE CHURCH
If we want the Church of England to flourish, we must put the parish once again at the heart of
our common life and mission. The parish is where the Church is encountered day by day and is
where the Gospel is lived out among the people and places God has entrusted to us.
As St Teresa of Ávila famously wrote:
“Christ has no body now but yours.”
Those words remind us that the Church's mission is not ultimately about structures, strategies or
systems. It is about Christ being made known through his people in the places where they live.
I strive to promote a Church that:
puts the parish at the centre of our thinking about mission and ministry
ensures that parishes are properly and sustainably resourced towards frontline ministry
wherever possible
reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and duplication.
simplify processes so that clergy and lay people can spend more time on pastoral ministry,
evangelism and community engagement;
WHAT DO I BELIEVE?
GET IN TOUCH
I am available throughout the voting period for questions, clarifications or simply to say
hello. Please email [email protected] and I can arrange a phone call
or online meet.

benefice,catholic,disability,equality,evangelism,gender identity,gospel,inclusive,inclusive church,mental health,mission,neurodiversity,roman catholic,safeguarding,sexuality,survivors