Stand for General Synod

New clergy and lay members are being elected to General Synod this year – and you are invited to stand as a candidate.

General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England. It shapes and approves laws that affect the whole of the Church of England. It agrees new forms of worship, debates matters of national and international importance, and approves the annual budget for the work of the Church at national level.

In Autumn 2026, elections are happening for new General Synod members. Those elected will serve for five years. Members are a mixture of bishops, clergy and lay people.

Almost anyone who attends church regularly is likely to be eligible to stand as a lay member. You don’t need to be a member of a PCC, Deanery Synod or Diocesan Synod.
We are looking for candidates who represent the whole range of people and churches in the Church of England. We particularly welcome candidates whose background may currently be underrepresented.

There is a supportive induction programme to help new members in their roles.

Why stand?

• Opportunity to represent the concerns of your community and your diocese at a national level.
• Have a say in national legislation that affects all parts of the Church of England.
• Raise issues and contribute to debates on social and policy matters.
• Can be enormously rewarding.
• Meet other Anglicans from across the country and the world.

What does a General Synod member do?

Members speak in debates, propose and vote on motions, serve on committees and review legislation.

Do I need special skills?

You will need to be able to show you are someone who listens with an open mind, who is able to reflect prayerfully on issues, and who is able to confidently contribute to discussions.

We are looking for candidates who represent the whole range of people and churches in the Church of England.

You don’t need any previous experience in making speeches. You don’t need to be a member of a PCC, Deanery Synod or Diocesan Synod.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t know everything about how the Church operates or how General Synod works – people will help you with this if you do get elected. There is a supportive induction programme.

What is the commitment?

If elected, you would be expected to attend each meeting of Synod for the next five years. It is possible to attend all General Synod meetings either in person or online.

Each meeting lasts five days and there are usually two meetings per year, one in London and one in York. In your first year, you would also attend an additional three-day meeting in London.

Do I get paid for this?

The role is voluntary and unpaid. Members’ travel and accommodation expenses are covered.

I’m interested, what’s the next steps?

If you would like to stand as a lay member, use the eligibility checker at cofe.io/StandForSynod as a guide, and then contact Kate Cortez at the Diocese of Truro for more information and to confirm your eligibility.

If you don’t wish to stand but know someone who you think should consider standing, please pass this information on to them.

How the election process works and key dates:
1.    Eligibility: Contact Kate Cortez to confirm your eligibility.

2.    Nominations: If you are standing as a lay member, you will then need two people who are members of a Deanery Synod to nominate you. If you are clergy, you will need two other clergy to nominate you. Your diocese will have a nominations form that you need to fill out and that will need to be signed by the people who are nominating you. Nominations open on 14 August and close on 7 September.

3.    Statements and hustings: You will need to write an election statement and may be asked to record a video or give a short talk at a ‘hustings’ event. Statements and hustings are an opportunity to talk about why you want to be elected and what you could bring to the role.

4.    Voting: The lay Deanery Synod members in your diocese vote for lay candidates, and the clergy in your diocese vote for clergy candidates. The voting period is 21 September to 13 October.

5.    Results: If elected, you would come to General Synod for the first time at its meeting in London this November.