General Synod Election Candidates 2026

These two little girls - my granddaughters - are why I want to be elected to
General Synod.
I and their parents want them to be brought up as active christians, with grace-
filled churches to attend and devoted parish priests helping them and others to
grow up knowing and learning about the joy and hope and truth of Jesus Christ.
In other words, a truly christian future - one which in time they will be able to
pass on the precious gift of faith and love to their own children.
Sadly, the more I observe of the direction of travel and obvious priorities of the
current leadership of the Church of England, and the General Synod actually in
action, the less faith I have that that will come about.
Yes, of course there’s already good people fighting to do the right thing on the
General Synod. But plainly not enough….
So it seems to me that rather than just despair about it, I should try to do
something practical. Hence I am asking for your vote to elect me to General
Synod so I can join and help the fight from the inside for change.
I am a member of the campaign group Save the Parish. I am one of the founder
members of STP’s first local branch, Save the Parish Cornwall here in the Diocese
of Truro.
The ethos is simple - an ordained stipendiary priest in a local church in the
traditional parish setting is core to the Church of England and its survival and
future.
So believed Queen Anne in 1704 when she established her Bounty to bail out and
fund the poorest parishes and their churches for ever more.
That Bounty, according to an investigation by STP financial analysts that received
national press coverage, this year brought in £653m in revenues - yet only £85m
of that was distributed to parishes!
How can those who currently serve on the General Synod and did nothing live with
that?
Perhaps if more of that Bounty had been properly shared out, particularly to
poorer rural diocese like Truro, then the spectacle could have been avoided
where in Kerrier 20 churches are being mashed into one giant benefice with just
three ordained full-time priests.
Incidentally, the diocese wanted just two - but we protested and after a public
hearing the Church Commissioners agreed and insisted on the increase.
Of course there are money pressures – but failing businesses do not turn
themselves around by dispensing with all their sales staff and closing all their
outlets.
There are so many issues that must be addressed at General Synod - the car-
crash that national safeguarding policy is, again an issue that has impacted in
Truro diocese.
Plainly too those finance issues loom large - but with an investment pot of over
£11BILLION administered by the Church commissioners, shouldn’t General
Synod be making a difference?
I pray so - I am desperate for the Church of England to not only survive but
thrive.

Because I want to be elected to try to help ensure there IS a Church of England
For my granddaughters - and those who come after them - to find a spiritual
home in.
ENDS

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