General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Rev Dr Tim Matthews
1 Gervis Road, Bournemouth, BH1 3ED

[email protected]
07879 621979

Nominator 1: Rev Ali Hill
Nominator 2 Rev Dan Clark

Personal Background

Since 2014 I have been the Senior Leader of Lovechurch Bournemouth, a BMO ministry and Resource
Church for our town. We have been able to grow steadily and strongly, playing our part in establishing
ministries, raising up lay leaders and ordinands, and revitalising several other local parishes.

From 2017-2025 I was also Priest in Charge of our first revitalisation project at St Clement’s Boscombe,
a grade-one listed building in the heart of Bournemouth’s poorest community. This parish also has two
church schools.

I’m 52, married to Debi, and we have three teenage children. I’m a keen cyclist, which helps me stay
sane (I need it as I’m a Spurs fan). Prior to my ordination I was an academic, then a Chartered
Accountant with KPMG. This real-world background has proved useful in serving the wider church
beyond my immediate ministry.

Previous Experience

I completed the Church of England’s Senior Leadership Development Programme (SLDP) from 2017 to

1. I was then elected by Winchester Diocese’s House of Clergy to the Bishop's Council and served

as a director of Winchester Diocese Board of Finance from 2022-2024.

I joined the Bishop’s Council Finance sub-committee at a crucial time. We were all recovering from Covid
and the upheaval surrounding the departure of our former Bishop. A new culture had to be established,
significant financial and organisational challenges had to be met, and our fundamental mission had to be
renewed. There are similarities with where the Church of England finds itself today. If elected to General
Synod I will seek to increase the redistribution of wealth from the central £11.6 billion pot out to
grassroots parish mission.

I also joined the Diocese Environment Group. I remain very concerned that this is the most important and
urgent discipleship and mission challenge we face - and that it is getting lost amidst other debates and
wider political shifts in the country. If elected to General Synod I will do everything I can to enhance the
Church of England’s national leadership on this issue. Future generations will be open to our message
and mission if we do, and closed to it if we do not.

I believe that good relationships are crucial to success for any organisation - especially the church. I
have trained in counselling skills and prior to my career in accountancy, I completed a PhD in Social
Psychology. I believe the Church of England is very well placed to play an important role in addressing
the mental health epidemic in our nation. The wellbeing of both our clergy and lay leaders is fundamental
to this effort.

I have been distressed to see the Living in Love and Faith process cause such division. I will do
everything I can to fully respect the sincere faith of all - especially those with whom I might disagree.

Whilst remaining open-minded, and keen to listen and learn from others, I willingly acknowledge my own
orthodox beliefs. I am a member of the Alliance network and believe the Church of England’s existing
doctrine of marriage to be faithful to the teaching of scripture.

Candidacy for General Synod

In Bournemouth we see society changing as it is elsewhere. Younger people are becoming much more
open to the gospel. The needs of the poor and vulnerable often seem to be worsening. In 2020
Lovechurch took on hosting and staffing the town’s Christians Against Poverty (CAP) debt centre. I have
seen how these factors present significant challenges as well as enormous opportunities for anglican
mission. I believe I could play a part in strengthening General Synod’s focus on mission, rather than
secondary, internal matters. I believe we can and must reverse decline.

I feel very strongly that one of the most under-valued ministries of the Church of England is its schools.
As a parent and parish priest I saw first-hand the gains for all of a close partnership between the church
and schools. I was an active Governor, going on to serve as director on the academy trust we began and
then also for the Mixed Academy Trust we joined. My wife still serves as Chair of Governors. Strong
safeguarding cultures and processes must also enable greater numbers of well-trained and supported
volunteers for children and youth ministries. That requires intelligent leadership and I am keenly aware
that we look to General Synod for this.

I am also a founding trustee of the charity Spear Bournemouth, which coaches disadvantaged young
people who are not in employment, education or training. Through this charity we have assisted over 500
local young people to transform their lives by getting back into work or education. I wholeheartedly
support the Church of England’s aim to become younger and more diverse and if elected to General
Synod I will do everything I can to accomplish it.

Finally, I am a passionate advocate for church unity and ecumenical engagement. In our town we have
seen tremendous gains in mission, as well as support and wisdom for church leaders, coming from
ecumenical prayer and mission. If elected to General Synod I would seek to exercise a “ministry of
reconciliation” both within the Church of England and outside it. “By this everyone will know that you are
my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

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