General Synod

General Synod meets at Church House Westminster, February 2023. Photo (c) Max Colson

About General Synod

General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England, commonly referred to as the Church’s Parliament. There are currently 483 members of General Synod. Together with the Westminster Parliament, it is the only body in the land which is entitled to make national law for England.

Synod considers and approves legislation affecting the whole of the Church of England, authorises new forms of worship, debates matters of religious and public interest, and approves the annual budget for the work of the Church at national level.

Members of General Synod are arranged into three Houses: the House of Bishops, the House of Clergy (all ordained members, excluding bishops), and the House of Laity, the lay members from every diocese of the Church of England. Members of the Houses of Clergy and Laity are elected by the clergy and lay members respectively of the Deanery Synods.

Papers and minutes of General Synod can be found on the Church of England website. Meetings are livestreamed on YouTube and the official Twitter feed keeps everyone up to date with news and announcements.

News and announcements

We are about to enter into an election period, find out everything you need to know here.

Following the resignation of the Revd Tim Norwood as a proctor (clergy representative) for the diocese of Oxford on General Synod, a casual vacancy arose. As Presiding Officer for the General Synod elections I can now announce that the relevant votes cast in September and October in 2021 have now been recounted (in accordance with the Election Rules), and the candidate elected to fill the casual vacancy is the Venerable Jonathan Chaffey.
 
He now joins his fellows proctors elected in October 2021 and February 2022 (at an earlier re-count), the full list of diocesan proctors now being: 

The Revd Andrew Castell Atherstone
The Revd Canon Mark David Bennet
The Ven Jonathan Paul Michael Chaffey
The Revd Joy Maria Mawdesley
The Revd Ross Alexander Meikle
The Revd Jeremy Michael Moodey
The Revd William Oliver Clinton Pearson-Gee
The Revd Canon Valerie Isabelle Dawn Frances Plumb
The Revd Canon Vaughan Edward Roberts 
The Revd Canon Toby Christopher Wright
 

Darren Oliver
Presiding Officer
23 June 2023

Previous announcements

Presiding officer – 2 February 2022: casual vacancy election announcement
Following the resignation of the Revd Andrew Lightbown as a proctor (clergy representative) for the diocese of Oxford on General Synod, a casual vacancy arose.

As Presiding Officer for the General Synod elections I can now announce that the relevant votes cast in September and October last year have now been recounted (in accordance with the Election Rules), and the candidate elected to fill the casual vacancy is the Revd Ross Alexander Meikle. He now joins his fellows proctors elected in October last year:

  • The Revd Andrew Castell Atherstone
  • The Revd Canon Mark David Bennet
  • The Revd Joy Maria Mawdesley
  • The Revd Jeremy Michael Moodey
  • The Revd Timothy Norwood
  • The Revd William Oliver Clinton Pearson-Gee
  • The Revd Canon Valerie Isabelle Dawn Frances Plumb
  • The Revd Canon Vaughan Edward Roberts
  • The Revd Canon Toby Christopher Wright

Darren Oliver
Presiding Officer
2 February 2022

Presiding officer – 12 October 2021
As Presiding Officer for the General Synod elections, I can now announce that, following the count of votes earlier today, the candidates elected to represent the diocese are:

As members of the House of Laity:
Mr Peter George Barrett
Dr Andrew Robert Bell
Dr Gracy Vijaya Crane
Miss Prudence Mary Prior Dailey
Mrs Julie Patricia Dziegiel
Prof Helen King
Mr Daniel Mbusi Sajabi Matovu
Ms Jayne Margaret Ozanne
Mr Jacob Max Wigley

As proctors (house of clergy):
The Revd Andrew Castell Atherstone
The Revd Canon Mark David Bennet
The Revd Richard Andrew Lightbown
The Revd Joy Maria Mawdesley
The Revd Jeremy Michael Moodey
The Revd Timothy Norwood
The Revd William Oliver Clinton Pearson-Gee
The Revd Canon Valerie Isabelle Dawn Frances Plumb
The Revd Canon Vaughan Edward Roberts
The Revd Canon Toby Christopher Wright

Thank you to all candidates who offered themselves for service in this way and to the time and effort that has been given during the course of this election. Thank you also to all those who voted.

Please hold all of the elected representatives and the work of the General Synod in your prayers as the new quinquennium begins.

Darren Oliver
Presiding Officer

12 October 2021

Click here to open the Form of Return (Laity)

Click here to open the Form of Return (Proctors)

Election in stages (Laity)

From Excel | From Word

Election in stages (Proctors)

From Excel | From Word


 

General Synod members representing the Diocese of Oxford

Proctors
 

Andrew Castell Atherstone
Deanery: Woodstock

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: None provided

Mark David Bennet
Deanery: Newbury

Election address: PDF

Video: None provided

Written response to questions: PDF

Jonathan Chaffey
Deanery: Oxford

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

Joy Maria Mawdesley
Deanery: Newbury

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: None provided

Ross Alexander Meikle
Deanery: Reading

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

Jeremy Michael Moodey
Deanery: Amersham

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

William Oliver Clinton Pearson-Gee
Deanery: Buckingham

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

Valerie Isabelle Dawn Frances Plumb
Deanery: Aylesbury

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

Vaughan Edward Roberts
Deanery: Oxford

Election address: PDF

Video: None provided

Written response to questions: None provided

Toby Christopher Wright
Deanery: Witney

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

 

Laity
 

Peter George Barrett
Deanery: Sonning

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

Andrew Robert Bell
Deanery: Amersham

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

Gracy Vijaya Crane
Deanery: Maidenhead & Windsor

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: None provided

Prudence Mary Prior Dailey
Deanery: Oxford

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

Julie Patricia Dziegiel
Deanery: Amersham

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

Helen King
Deanery: Wallingford

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

Daniel Mbusi Sajabi Matovu
Deanery: Maidenhead & Windsor

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: None provided

Jayne Margaret Ozanne
Deanery: Cowley

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: PDF

Jacob Max Wigley
Deanery: Buckingham

Election address: PDF

Video: Watch now

Written response to questions: None provided

 


General Synod elections 2024

Casual Vacancies have arisen in both Houses of General Synod which have triggered the election process.

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