Elections to General Synod for the period 2010-2015 will be held between July and September 2010. Clergy and Lay representatives are elected from each Diocese and on this occasion it has been determined that the Diocese of Exeter will have five lay and four clergy representatives.
The General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England. It has the task of discussing major issues in the life of the Church of England as well as passing important legislation (‘Measures’) that, once approved by Parliament, become part of the law of the land. The General Synod meets two or three times a year: in February (4 or 5 days during the week), July (4 or 5 days over a weekend) and, if required, a shorter meeting in November.
The General Synod debates a broad range of issues, from major policy decisions such as the ordination of women as bishops to more routine matters like setting the fees for church weddings. It also has a strong interest in current affairs and social issues such as environmental sustainability, trade justice and higher education.
It is very easy to stand for election and nearly all adult church members are entitled to do so. Candidates in the lay election must be aged 18 or over, be a communicant member of the Church of England and be on the electoral roll of a parish in the diocese, or the community roll of the cathedral. Candidates in the clergy election must be ordained priest or deacon and be beneficed, licensed or have permission to officiate in the diocese.
It is vitally important for the Diocese of Exeter and the Church of England as a whole that lots of different sorts of people put themselves forward for election. This means not only people with differing views on the headline issues of the day but also a broad spectrum of ages, racial backgrounds and economic circumstances. The General Synod can only have a diverse membership representing the whole of the Church of England if the people who stand for election are similarly diverse. Candidates have to be nominated and seconded by ‘qualified electors’ (see below) and the Synod Office can provide assistance to potential candidates who are not able to find a suitable nominator and seconder locally.
In order to encourage this diversity of representation, members of General Synod not only have their expenses paid, they also are able to claim for loss of earnings (for example as recompense for having to take unpaid leave from work). Details of these arrangements will be circulated with nomination papers.
Only the ‘qualified electors’ are entitled to vote. In the lay elections, most qualified electors are the parochial lay representatives to Deanery Synods (who were elected by annual parish meetings earlier this year) at the time when the election is called (existing lay members of General Synod and Diocesan Synod are also qualified electors). In the clergy elections, the qualified electors are the assistant bishops, archdeacons, beneficed clergy, cathedral clergy, clergy licensed under seal and those clergy with permission to officiate who are members of a deanery synod of the diocese.
Nomination papers are sent automatically to electors but can be requested by anyone from the Presiding Officer, Synod Office, The Old Deanery, Exeter EX1 1HS or by calling (01392) 294931. It is expected that this will happen in mid-July. The election ballots will be sent out to qualified electors in early September.
If you’d like more information on the General Synod, please consult the Church of England website http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/
or contact the Synod Office at The Old Deanery. The latter can also put you in contact with the current diocesan representatives who will be able to provide first hand information on the experience of being a General Synod member.
More than one national election is taking place this year. A campaign is launched today to encourage "people with a very big heart" to stand for election to the General Synod of the Church of England. Containing 378 lay and clergy members, and passing Measures that have the same effect as those of Parliament, the General Synod continues to play an essential role in the life of the country as well as the Church. It will be dissolved at the end of the July 2010 group of sessions in York, and a new Synod elected for a five-year term in September/October, and inaugurated in November.
Under the slogan 'Be Part of the Big Picture', new resources include a five-minute DVD filmed at General Synod in February 2010, featuring contributions from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Business Committee chair Preb Kay Garlick, outgoing members of the Houses of Laity and Clergy, and national journalists. Copies are being sent to dioceses to be available for viewings in all 718 Church of England deaneries.
A new website full of vital information for those considering standing has been uploaded at www.generalsynodelections2010.org. It includes an online videocast of the DVD and a free downloadable poster and leaflet, so that parishes can join in the campaign to encourage full representation from across the Church.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, says on the DVD: "Any healthy and mature Church is a Church where everyone feels they have a voice. Synod needs your voice because we need all the voices together to discover the truth that God wants us to know for our generation, society, sanctification, our own hope and our own health."
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, adds: "We want people whom I call all-weather Christians - people who are all-rounders really that can actually play the different jobs, because there are people sitting on committees, different boards and councils. So what we want are people who have a very big heart, who want to come here and bring friendship, bring love, bring vitality, and we want all ages."
On the new website Synod members guide visitors through the requirements and election procedures of the Houses of Laity and House of Clergy respectively.
To stand for the House of Laity you need to be:
18 or over
An 'actual Communicant' in the Church of England
On the electoral roll of a parish or the community roll of a cathedral
To stand for the House of Clergy you need to be:
Ordained priest or deacon, be beneficed or licensed or have permission to officiate in the diocese or hold office in the cathedral
David Williams, Clerk to Synod, said: "The next few months will be a challenging yet rewarding time of circulating the information and then electing members reflecting the diversity of the Church for the new quinquennium. Nominations are particularly welcome from people of minority ethnic backgrounds as we move forwards into our Ninth General Synod."
Closing date for nominations is 3rd September 2010; elections take place September/October 2010; the Ninth General Synod is inaugurated at Church House in London on 22nd-24th November 2010.
To find out more about the work of General Synod, visit www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod.
