General Synod – could you stand for election?A new General Synod will meet for the first time in London this November. General Synod is the principal assembly of the Church of England: it is both a deliberative and a legislative body and decides on key issues in the life of the Church. It continues a tradition of Synodical government which has its origins in the medieval period. Elections are being held between July and October this year. Have you ever considered standing as a candidate? For more information, take a look at the questions and answers set out below: How often does it meet and for how long? General Synod meets two or three times a year: in February (in London) for 4 or 5 days during a week, and (in York) in July for 4 or 5 days over a weekend. If required, Synod also sometimes meets in London for a shorter period in November. What is its composition? General Synod is elected every five years by a system of proportional representation. 467 members are made up of three Houses: Bishops, Clergy and Laity. The House of Bishops includes all diocesan bishops plus seven suffragan bishops. Both the Houses of Clergy and Laity include representatives of the armed forces, as well as members of religious communities. The House of Laity is composed chiefly of lay people elected from the dioceses. How is it elected? Directly elected members of the House of Clergy are elected by the licensed clergy of the diocese and directly elected members of the House of Laity by the lay Archdeaconry representatives, both as at 6.00 a.m. on 12th July 2005. Only those laity elected at AGMs held this year (by 30th April) and notified to the Diocesan Office are ‘qualified electors’. Why should I stand for election? General Synod covers many areas of the life of the Church of England, ranging from key legislative and policy decisions, such as the ordination of women as bishops or the approval of new forms of liturgy, to more routine matters like fees. General Synod also has a strong interest in current affairs and social issues, recently debating, for example, the environment, trade justice, and higher education. Who is eligible to be a member? Candidates in the lay elections must be must be aged 18 or over, be communicant members of the Church of England and be on the electoral roll of a chaplaincy in the diocese. Candidates in the clergy elections must be ordained priest or deacon, be licensed in the diocese and not be in episcopal orders. How do I stand? Candidates need to be nominated and seconded by qualified electors within the nomination period set by the presiding officer, 13th July to 29th August. Nomination papers will be sent to all qualified electors in mid-July. How would I get elected? Once you have been nominated and the presiding officer has accepted your nomination, your name will be included as a candidate in the postal vote. What sort of people make good synod members? People who have an interest in both the life of the Church as a whole, as well as public issues that affect society at large, and have a strong commitment to the Church and its mission. For how long does a synod member’s term of office last? A maximum of five years. When will the votes take place? Ballot papers will be issued on 5th September and must be returned by 4th October and the Count will be at 12.00 noon on Wednesday, 5th October How many General Synod members does the diocese have? In addition to the Bishop, there are places for two clergy and two lay representatives. Where can I get more information? Contact the Diocesan Office, or see the Church of England
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