General Synod elections: The C of E needs you!

  A new General Synod will meet for the first time in London this November. General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England and decides on key issues in the life of the Church.

  Elections to General Synod will be held between July and September this year – have you ever considered standing as a candidate? For more information, take a look at the questions and answers set out below:

 

What is General Synod? The General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England. It came into being in 1970 under the Synodical Government Measure 1969, replacing an earlier body known as the Church Assembly. It continues a tradition of Synodical government which, in England, has its origins in the medieval period. The Synod is both a deliberative and a legislative body, having been given power by Parliament to pass ‘Measures’ which (on approval by Parliament) become part of the law of the land.

How often does it meet and for how long? General Synod meets two or three times a year: in February (in London) for four or five days during a week, and (in York) in July for four or five 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. It is made up of three Houses:  Bishops, Clergy and Laity. The House of Bishops includes all diocesan bishops plus seven suffragan bishops. In addition to clergy elected from the dioceses, the House of Clergy also includes cathedral deans, a  representative of prison chaplains and clergy employed in the Universities.  The House of Laity is composed chiefly of lay people elected from the dioceses. Both the Houses of Clergy and Laity include representatives of the armed forces, as well as members of religious communities.

How is it elected? Directly elected members of the House of Clergy are elected by the clergy of their dioceses and directly elected members of the House of Laity by the lay members of the deanery synods. The seven suffragan bishops are elected by the other suffragan bishops.

Has anything changed since the last General Synod elections? The number of members has been reduced from a maximum of 581 to a maximum total of 467.  Additionally, archdeacons no longer have a ‘special constituency’ of their own (having to vote and stand in the elections for the House of Clergy) and clergy with permission to officiate (ie in most cases retired clergy) can stand for election and, if they are members of the deanery synod, vote in the clergy elections.

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 the fees for church weddings. 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 parish in the diocese or the community roll of the cathedral. Candidates in the clergy elections must be ordained priest or deacon, be beneficed or licensed or have permission to officiate in the diocese and must 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.

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 which your diocese will hold for its lay and clergy representatives.

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.

Can a previous Synod member stand again? Yes.

When will the votes take place? By 19th July a letter will be sent to the electorate inviting nominations. 26th August is the closing date for nominations. Voting papers will be issued by 9 September and all voting papers must be returned by 30th September.  The day of the count is 4th October.

How many General Synod members does St Albans diocese have? This diocese has 6 Proctors or clergy members (as for the election in 2000). It has 6 places for members of the House of Laity. In the last quinqennium this Diocese had 8 lay places. The reduction reflects a decision by the General Synod to reduce the overall size of the Synod - most dioceses, except the very smallest, have reduced representation for the coming period. It also reflects a reduction in the Electoral Roll figure for this diocese from 47469 in 1999 to 41251 in 2004.

Where can I get more information? Visit the Church of England website at: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/churchlawlegis/gselections. Alternatively contact the Diocesan Secretary, Susan Pope on 01727 854532.