biblical,church commissioners,church planting,clergy wellbeing,discipleship,evangelism,finance,generosity,gospel,marriage,mission,national safeguarding,safeguarding,sexuality,vocations

Candidate for General Synod
The Revd. Dr. Ashley Carter
e. [email protected]
t. 07908 779325
The Rectory, 2 School Lane, Kirk Ella
HU10 7NR
Please get in touch if you have any questions
Rector, St Andrew’s, Kirk Ella
and St Luke’s, Willerby (since 2018)
Member of Diocesan Synod (since 2019)
Member of the DAC (since 2023)
Dear Diocese of York Clergy Colleagues
I am offering myself to serve you for the next quinquennium of General Synod. I
don’t offer this lightly. The previous Synod was a somewhat bruising experience for
many. But our Synod is so important to our life as a national church with an
international importance. Having been privileged to see growth at St Andrew’s over
the last few years, I am excited to encourage the church to focus on the things that
make for our unity and the flourishing of parish churches to the glory of God.
As you consider a number of excellent candidates, could I ask you prayerfully to
consider giving me your first preference vote so that I can represent your concerns
at Synod.
About me
I am married to Mim, a secondary maths teacher, and we are the parents of Harry
and Tim, plus one dog and a guinea pig. I grew up in an agnostic household with
little exposure to church. It was at university that I was first introduced to Jesus
and began to follow him. I am hugely grateful for the courage of the students who
offered me the gospel and remain a champion of both student ministry and our
wider mission wherever God has placed us.
I spent eighteen years in London where I first worked as an accountant, before
being called to ministry. In my ministry, I have been involved with serving students,
running workplace evangelism in central London, including to the civil service in
Westminster, church planting in a couple of contexts, and now semi-rural parish
ministry on the edge of Hull. I believe that this variety of experience is invaluable to
understanding the variety of ministry contexts in our county and the country.
I have sought to serve the wider church in a number of ways. I have contributed to
several books, including The Money Mentor and God Speaks (both IVP). I have
served on the Diocesan Synod since my arrival in the diocese, and more recently
on the DAC. We are the national church, and I have always believed that an
Anglican should be willing to serve the parishes by serving beyond the parish in

some capacity. I ask that you would enable me to begin serving you in General
Synod.
Specific Issues
The parish is the way God has promised to grow his church - through local people
living and speaking for Jesus in their context. I will use my finance skills to press
the Church Commissioners to strengthen frontline ministry. This will also mean a
focus on clergy wellbeing that enables faithful, fruitful ministry. This will be
essential both for our current clergy and any hope of sustaining future vocations
into the Church of England.
National Safeguarding remains high on the agenda for the next quinquennium. I
long to bring rich reflections on building a healthy Christian community in the
parish to Synod. It is vital that the highest safeguarding standards are focused
through a biblical understanding of the church and work in practice in and for all
our churches.
I am concerned that mission and discipleship is often neglected in our national
conversation for more peripheral matters. It is time to restore this main thing in our
national and diocesan conversation.
A significant part of addressing the foregoing is our emphasis on mutual
flourishing. My doctoral work was on working together across difference in the
seventeenth-century church and I hope I can bring a historically-informed
perspective to Synod. Inevitably, this synod will discuss sexuality and marriage at
length. The last synod clarified the depths of our disagreements. Generosity,
patience and a commitment to mutual flourishing will be necessary in order to
resolve the issues highlighted. I believe I am well-placed to play a part in these
discussions.

Please vote for Revd. Dr. Ashley Carter for your General Synod rep.
Nominated by: The Revd Canon Adam Gaunt, Loftus-in-Cleveland & Carlin How
with Skinningrove (Cleveland)
Seconded by: The Revd Vicky Earll, The Ascension and St Thomas, Hull (East
Riding)