A Statement on the IC General Synod campaign

The General Synod of the Church of England has important elections in 2020, and we’re putting together a partnership of like minded organisations to make sure inclusive voices are well represented. The General Synod is responsible for the overall policy direction and legislation of the Church of England at the national level, and helping the church to become more inclusive will need strong representation.

Lay members of Synod are elected by members of local Deanery Synods, and every parish church has a few representatives on this body. These representatives are chosen at the church’s Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM), which takes place by the end of April. If you would like to vote in the 2020 General Synod elections, do see if your parish has a vacancy for the local Deanery Synod. Or if Deanery Synod isn’t for you, encourage someone with inclusive views to stand. General Synod elections are usually very close, with only a few votes between winning and losing, so being on a Deanery Synod and using your vote is vital.

Clergy licenced in a diocese automatically get to vote in the General Synod elections, but if you are a priest and there are lay vacancies for Deanery Synod do approach someone who will want to vote for an inclusive candidate in 2020. In the end, we will only be able to make progress on important issues if the General Synod has a majority that want to bring in change. If you have any queries please contact synod@inclusive-church.org.