Five candidates from Brighton and Hove missed out in the elections to the General Synod – the “parliament” for the Church of England.
The Reverend Martin Poole, from St Luke’s Prestonville, in Brighton, and the Reverend Colin Lawlor, from Stanmer with Falmer, were among 15 candidates for the House of Clergy. But they were not among the five elected.
Seventeen candidates stood for the eight Diocese of Chichester seats in the House of Laity.
The candidates included three men from Brighton – Jeff Fuller, from St Martin’s Church, Robert Macrowan, from St Michael & All Angel’s, and Keith Sharpe, from St Paul’s. They weren’t chosen this time.
The General Synod considers and approves legislation affecting the whole of the Church of England. It formulates new forms of worship, debates matters of national and international importance and approves the annual budget for the work of the church at national level.
Representatives of the diocese, which has its offices in New Church Road, Hove, are elected to the Houses of Clergy and Laity and vote on the issues presented at Synod.
The Bishop of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner, a member of the House of Bishops, said: “”It gives me great pleasure to congratulate the newly elected General Synod members.
“My hope is that the debates and discussions within the General Synod will inform our diocesan strategy as we seek to grow numerically and spiritually, as we creatively reimagine ministry and as we work for the common good.
“The new Synod will be inaugurated on Tuesday 24 November and its first session will include such important issues as global warming and the church’s response to the migrant crisis.
“I ask that you would hold the work of the new Synod and all its members in your prayers.”
The Synod election results can be found here.
