General Synod

Members take part in debates, propose and vote on motions, consider legislation, ask questions, and may serve on committees or other Church bodies.

They prepare for meetings by reading papers and considering the issues being discussed. Members also keep in touch with their dioceses and report back on important discussions and decisions.

General Synod considers Church legislation, worship, mission, ministry, safeguarding, finance, and matters of public concern.

Recent business has included changes to the Church’s safeguarding structures, progress towards Net Zero Carbon, clergy pensions, clergy discipline and complaints, parochial fees, sustainable church flowers, prayer for persecuted Christians, Prayers of Love and Faith, and the ethical investment and stewardship of Church funds.

Recordings of previous meetings can help prospective candidates understand the range of subjects considered.

They prepare for meetings by reading papers and considering the issues being discussed. Members also keep in touch with their dioceses and report back on important discussions and decisions.

No specialist qualifications or previous Synod experience are required.

Members need to be willing to listen carefully, consider different perspectives, reflect prayerfully, and contribute constructively. You do not need previous experience of making speeches, sitting on committees, or working with legislation.

If elected, you will receive an induction and support to help you understand how General Synod works.

No. A lay candidate does not have to be a member of any of these bodies.

You will, however, need two lay members of a deanery synod to nominate you.

Almost anyone who attends a Church of England church regularly may be eligible.

In the usual parish setting, a prospective lay candidate will need to:

• have been aged 18 or over when General Synod was dissolved on 14 July 2026;
• meet the relevant confirmation or baptism and communicant requirements;
• be entered on the appropriate church electoral roll; and
• have received Holy Communion at least three times during the qualifying 12-month period.

Different provisions apply to people worshipping in cathedrals or other worshipping communities, members of religious communities, members of the Armed Forces, and people baptised in another Trinitarian Church.

Certain disqualifications also apply. The online checker is only a guide, so candidates should contact the diocese for a formal eligibility check.

Clergy elections are governed by separate eligibility and election rules. Clergy considering standing should contact Kirsty McCullough at kirsty.mccullough@yorkdiocese.org for advice and the appropriate nomination form.

A clergy candidate will need two other clergy to nominate them.

General Synod has three Houses: Bishops, Clergy, and Laity.

Diocesan bishops are members of the House of Bishops, alongside elected suffragan bishops and certain other members.

Lay members of deanery synods vote for the lay representatives of their diocese. Clergy vote for their diocese’s clergy representatives. Separate arrangements apply to constituencies including universities and theological education institutions, religious communities, cathedral deans, and the Armed Forces.

Members speak and vote from their own viewpoints. They are expected to listen to the people and communities they represent, keep in touch with the diocese, and report back on significant discussions and decisions.

General Synod brings together people with a wide range of theological perspectives, church traditions, experiences, and opinions.

Members are normally expected to attend each meeting during their five-year term.

General Synod usually meets twice a year: once in London and once in York. Each main meeting normally lasts five days. During their first year, new members also attend an additional three-day meeting in London.

Members need time to read papers and prepare between meetings. Those who join committees or other Synod bodies will have additional meetings and responsibilities.

It is currently possible to attend General Synod meetings either in person or online.

Membership of General Synod is voluntary and unpaid.

Travel, accommodation, and subsistence expenses are covered. If paying these costs in advance would be a barrier, prospective members should discuss this with the diocese.

For 2026/27, the Archbishops’ Council’s compensation rate for actual loss of earnings arising from attendance at General Synod or its subordinate bodies is up to £220 for each day of absence, subject to the applicable rules.

New members receive a supportive induction to introduce them to Synod’s procedures, people, and ways of working.

If disability, access requirements, the cost of attending, or another practical concern might affect your ability to serve, please contact the diocese to discuss this before deciding that the role is not for you.

Candidate information will be published after nominations have closed and nominations have been confirmed as valid.

Successful candidates will receive information about induction and their first meeting. The new General Synod will meet in London from 16 to 18 November 2026.

The Diocese of York will publish the names of its elected members following the declaration of the results.