General Synod Election Candidates 2026

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Professor Lynn Nichol General Synod Election Address 2026
Proposer – John Nicholson, Lay Chair Greater Dudley Deanery
Seconder – Robert Pearce, Deanery Treasurer, Worcester Deanery

Who am I?
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I’m Lynn Nichol and I have had the privilege of representing you on General
Synod for the past 5 years. Since May 2025 I’ve lived in Malvern and worship at
Great Malvern Priory.
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I moved to the Diocese of Worcester in 1998 and, over the past 28 years, have experienced the
beauty and challenges of life in a rural benefice; Powick, Callow End, Madresfield and Guarlford;
a Worcestershire town, Malvern Holy Trinity and St James West Malvern, and in the Black
Country at St Andrew’s Wollescote and St Peter’s Pedmore.
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I have been active on PCCS and Deanery Synods in both Greater Dudley and Malvern and Upton
Deaneries.
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In 2024 I chaired the Diocesan Vacancy in See Committee responsible for discerning the needs
of Worcester Diocese for our new Bishop. Through this role, I gained an even deeper appreciation
of the people, places, opportunities and challenges that make up our diocese and its mission.
•
I’m an elected member of Bishop’s Council and was appointed in 2025 by the Archbishop of
York as a member of the panel of chairs for General Synod.
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My day job is at the University of Worcester as Professor of Human Resource Development.
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I’m married to David, a retired priest, which explains our moves to different parts of the Diocese
over the years!
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If I’m not doing any of the above, I’d like to spend my time walking on the Malvern Hills, singing
with a community choir, tending my vegetable garden, or spending time with my family.
Why am I standing for General Synod and why consider voting for me as your first preference?
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In a nutshell, I discern a call to serve for another five years, and it is now for you, the electors, to
test that call. I love the Church of England, and although at times it can be one of my greatest
sources of frustration, I want it to flourish.
•
I bring significant experience of both the wider Church of England and our own diocese. I
understand the realities of parish life across Worcestershire and Greater Dudley, and over the
past five years I have learned how to contribute effectively to General Synod and ensure that the
voices of people across Worcester Diocese are heard.
•
I’m a lifelong Anglican with a personal faith journey that encompasses a range of traditions
including attending a church in the catholic tradition as a child, a large evangelical church in Hull,
and nine different churches in Worcestershire and Dudley.
•
We know ‘we have a gospel to proclaim’ however I consider the Church is faced with four key
barriers it must overcome to ensure its sustainability:
Money - how should funding be allocated to sustain parish ministry?
People – in the context of decline in the numbers of vocations and church attendance and reports of
burn out and unreasonable workloads, how do we train and support clergy, lay ministers and lay
officers and enable them to thrive?
Trust - how do we rebuild trust in and within the Church after recent safeguarding scandals?
Unity - how do we reconcile our differences on same-sex relationships?
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I’ve started to contribute to this agenda, and I believe I can use my experience and skills to help
shape a Church that is fit for purpose to confidently proclaim the gospel.

How would I represent you?
General Synod is sometimes seen as disconnected from the concerns of the local church. I see it as my
job to bridge the gap.
. If I’m elected, I will:
•
Represent and give voice to the experiences of people, parishes and deaneries across the
Diocese of Worcester.
•
Attend all sessions of General Synod in person and contribute actively by listening, speaking and
voting in the interests of Dudley and Worcestershire.
•
Publish a written report after every Synod meeting, available to all parishioners across the
diocese.
•
Use my professional expertise and understanding of the Church of England to advocate for a
Church that is fit for purpose in mission and ministry today.
•
Continue, as a member of Inclusive Church, to advocate for equality regardless of disability,
economic background, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, learning disability, mental health,
neurodiversity or sexuality, while contributing expertise on issues of gender, class and wellbeing.
•
Continue to engage respectfully with those who hold different views from my own on the Prayers
of Love and Faith, seeking ways to walk together, disagree well and preserve the unity of the
Church.

My contribution to General Synod in the last 5 years
•
I’m not a single-issue candidate, I have attended in person every day of every General Synod
meeting to listen, debate and vote across the whole range of Synod debates. I have contributed
to every session (after induction) by asking questions, speaking in debates or chairing Synod.
Some of the issues on which I have been particularly active include:
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Challenging the Church to take clergy, lay officer and ministers’ wellbeing more seriously.
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Advocating for clearer, fairer and more professional clergy terms and conditions.
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Raising concerns about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on parishioners and local
churches.
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Opposing proposals for a 100% increase in burial fees.
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Supporting broader representation and greater equality on Vacancy in See Committees.
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Promoting practical environmental action, including support for initiatives such as Meat-Free
Friday during Lent and reducing single-use plastics.
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I’ve represented General Synod on the Church of England’s Advisory Group on the Wellbeing of
Ministers, the revision committee for the Clergy Conduct Measure and the working group for the
Professional Guidelines for Conduct of the Clergy.
•
One particularly memorable moment was chairing the first Presidential Address delivered by a
female Archbishop of Canterbury. It was an historic occasion and a privilege to play a part in it.
After I had written this election address, I questioned how representative were my comments on the last
5 years, so I asked the AI tool CoPilot ‘What has Lynn Nichol contributed to General Synod since 2021?’ It
replied:
Professor Lynn Nichol represents the Diocese of Worcester as an elected member of the House of
Laity on the Church of England’s General Synod. She does not belong to a single political "party" or
faction, but her active contributions reflect practical care for the environment, structural
accountability, and community welfare.
I couldn’t have put it better myself! Thank you for reading this election address. If it resonates with you,
I’d be very grateful if you put me as your first preference in the election. If you have any questions, please
do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected].

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