2015 ELECTION

FOR 3 LAY PEOPLE TO REPRESENT THE DIOCESE IN THE GENERAL SYNOD HOUSE OF LAITY

THIS BOOKLET CONTAINS THE ELECTION ADDRESS OF EVERY CANDIDATE WHO HAS PROVIDED ONE

General Synod 2015-09-13 Election Address Julie Banham

Who? Julie Banham, Secretary to Sheffield Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC), Trustee, Sheffield Church Burgesses Trust Trustee (September 2015), National Churches Trust

Experience • My role as a DAC Secretary and trustee of two grant making charities has shown me how both locally and nationally churches can be vital resources offering spiritual, social and cultural comfort the communities they are called to serve as no other place or institution can. All building shape our actions and outlook but few do as much as churches. They remain part of our emotional, spiritual and cultural landscape. Some are large, dynamic and innovative whilst others will always serve small communities for whom the unchanging rhythm of their faith serves them well. • The diocese of Sheffield contains over 200 churches each serving a unique parish with its own style of worship and liturgy, its own needs, understandings, history and challenges.

Premise • Churches are tangible and constant signs of our faith seven days a week, at all times of day and night. In an increasingly fragmented society where virtual friends are replacing face-to-face contact, church buildings can offer hospitality and sociability to all ages and backgrounds. • They are public spaces where national commemorations are held and which bear witness to the most intense personal emotions. • They uniquely convey the history, architecture and stories of the people and place, culture and faith that have shaped them over time offering access to a shared identity and sense of continuity.

Aims

• Archbishop William Temple said, ‘the Church is the only organization that does not exist for itself, but for those who live outside of it’. • If we are to engage with society, to offer help and hospitality where it is needed, if we are to nurture the social and spiritual fabric of our communities, then we need a space that helps to define us and support us in our work and which tangibly reflects the basis of our faith. • Our church buildings should have an increasing not diminishing role to play in society. If they are to remain open and Christianity part of our physical, social and spiritual landscape we have to find new ways of cherishing and sharing them, of not seeing them as burdens or museums but as definers of our mission and role in the service of our parishes and wider public.

Challenges • In 2011, Malcolm Cochrane was appointed an MBE for services to his parish church and local community in Shipton-under-Wychwood. Of his time as a churchwarden he said, "I didn't really enjoy it very much because it was always about the building falling down more than it was about religion." • Caring for church buildings is hard work, requiring time, dedication, energy, resourcefulness, and tenacity. • Change is difficult and the removal of pews to create a flexible space will only work if matched by a flexible mindset and a willingness to take risks. • Some believe change is wrong: the expulsion of moneychangers from the temple shows church buildings should only be for worship. In addition, caring for buildings prevents engagement with the real mission of the church. God is everywhere so why do we need specific buildings? • We lack the people and energy to find funds, make plans and carry them out.

Concern • If we fail to keep our buildings open, accessible, and relevant, we risk them becoming museums. Philip Larkin’s poem, Church Going is an uncomfortable and disconcerting reminder of the fate of faith and fabric if we fail to realize our buildings are bridges and not barriers.

A shape less recognisable each week, A purpose more obscure. I wonder who Will be the last, the very last, to seek This place for what it was

If Elected • During the course of the next general synod the future of church buildings will be under close scrutiny. How many do we really need, what should they offer, how will they be funded, where will volunteers be found, what training and support is required, and does the parish system still work are questions that will have to be addressed. • I would hope to voice the daily problems encountered by parishes as they strive to keep their buildings relevant to their form of worship and the lives of those around them. • I would hope to find ways of offering support, training, and resources to ensure our churches flourish, and discern how best to serve the needs of their communities. • Although I focus on buildings, their form, use and purpose encompasses many aspects of the Christian faith. The new Synod will need to consider matters such as same-sex marriages, our response to humanitarian crises, poverty of body and soul, and facilitating the different traditions within the Church of England. Fortunately, in my Father’s house are many mansions….and, I pray, solutions.

Julie Banham General Synod Election 2015

Election Address Lay candidate – Sheila Barnes

The main reason for my seeking to be a lay representative is that I feel a very strong need to fulfil that particular purpose.

I have been concerned in the past about the two way communication pathway from Synod to church members and the nature of representation, especially on some of the important issues which have come to the fore in recent years. I believe that an elected representative should represent the electorate opinion unless mandated to do otherwise.

I have been an active church member for many years and an active member of the Mothers’ Union. My professional background is in nursing and health visiting, although I have been retired for several years now, but I remain active as a volunteer in the community in many different functions. I am also experienced as a representative on a number of committees, several of which being health related.

Lead Governor of Rotherham, Doncaster & South Humber NHS Foundation Trust

Member of National NHS Providers Governor Policy Board

Board member of Healthwatch Doncaster

South Yorks Police & Crime Commissioner - Independent Custody Visitor – Panel Convenor

Chair of Care-4-Carers Doncaster

I endeavour to fulfil what I believe to be the true purpose of life, as Jesus commanded, to love and care for one another. I also feel strongly the need to follow the similar advice in the Letter of James – to put faith into action.

I hope that you will feel as strongly as I and that you will have the confidence to offer your support by voting for me. Jackie Butcher - candidate for General Synod

10 Vernon Road, Totley Rise, Sheffield, S17 3QE 0774 800 4866 / 0114 262 1293 [email protected]

Proposed by Molly Smith (Ecclesall Deanery) Seconded by Joan Giles (Ecclesall Deanery)

Why am I standing (again)? After much reflection I have decided to offer myself as a candidate again because I am someone who DOESN’T believe that sexuality is the biggest challenge facing the Anglican Church. I believe that climate change is much more important and that, when the flood waters rise and lap at the door of Church House Westminster and the Province of Melanesia disappears beneath the waves, it won’t matter what gender our spouse is, we will all be swimming (or sinking) together. I would try my best to keep General Synod looking outwards.

Who am I? I have lived in Sheffield for 23 years. I am 50, married to Colin and the mother of Aidan (20) and Joanna (17). We worship at Christ Church, Dore. My paid work is as the coordinator at the local food bank. Probably the only candidate who regularly For those who like labels (I really don’t find them very dresses up as a Fairtrade banana! helpful) I would describe myself as an open evangelical with liberal catholic tendencies. I am a lifelong Anglican and have worshipped in churches covering a wide spectrum of the Anglican tradition as I have always tried to worship locally. I have been spiritually nourished wherever I have worshipped and I remain convinced that the issues that unite Anglicans (indeed Christians) of different traditions are much more important than the issues on which we disagree.

What experience of the church would I bring? 50 years in the Church of England have given me time to have a go at many different things in the church, pitching in where help is most needed. For 12 years I was involved with youth work. I was a church warden for 3 years – 16 months of that was during an interregnum which was a real eye-opener. I will be a MUCH better parishioner as a result of that experience! I am the lay-chair of Ecclesall Deanery Synod and have been involved in developing our deanery plan. I am the World Development Adviser (WDA) for the Diocese. I co-chair the national network of WDAs and represent them on the World Mission and Anglican Communion panel.

I have been a member of Diocesan Synod for 18 years and a member of the Faith and Justice Committee since its inception. I have been a member of General Synod for the last 15 years.

Passionate about holistic mission I have found the Five Marks of Mission enormously helpful in setting the context for my own work and ministry as WDA and at the foodbank. Evangelism and campaigning for justice are both essential aspects of mission and any attempt to prioritise either a “social gospel” or an evangelistic one is theologically flawed. If elected I would seek to make sure that when General Synod talks about “mission” it always means holistic mission. As World Development Adviser I have planned four Diocesan Lent Challenges. I represent the Diocese on the Sheffield Initiative for Fairtrade steering group, which has achieved Fairtrade City status for Sheffield. I regularly dress up as a Fairtrade banana during Fairtrade Fortnight. I’m really keen on toilet twinning. The Church is often criticised for being irrelevant to society. I am convinced that in issues of world development the church is speaking prophetically and is changing the world and I know that Government ministers believe that we have a major role to play in campaigning for justice.

So that’s me, what I do, where I’m coming from, what motivates and sustains me. Obviously I don’t know all the issues that will occupy General Synod over the next five years, but here are some thoughts about some issues that we know will be important.

Reform and Renewal I support measures to ensure that church structures foster mission rather than hindering it, to simplify the way the General Synod works (without making it simplistic) and to continue to develop models of ministry that will enable the church to grow and every Christian in the church to grow as a missionary disciple.

Sexuality Although I began by saying that this isn’t the biggest issue facing the church, I do recognise that it’s not an issue we can ignore. Continuing to muddle along by avoiding talking about the subject really isn’t a viable option any more. I believe that neither gender nor sexual orientation should be relevant when ordaining or consecrating clergy (or licensing lay ministers). Our sexuality, along with our skin colour and our gender, is part of how God made us. It does seem at least possible to me that our understandings of gender and sexuality are undergoing a shift as large in magnitude as when Galileo first realised that the earth orbited the sun instead of being at the centre of the universe. I took part in the Yorkshire Shared Conversations earlier in the year and am absolutely committed to listening to the experiences of LGBTQI Anglicans. I am a member of Accepting Evangelicals. I support greater honesty and openness in the church but respect the consciences of those who cannot agree and would always vote to protect that.

An Inclusive Church Inclusion is about much more than sexuality. Working at the foodbank I meet many people who find themselves excluded from a lot of the opportunities most of us take for granted. I long to be part of a church which is generous, welcoming, open and inclusive; where everyone can participate fully in the membership and leadership as they are called to do so, regardless of wealth, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexual orientation.

If you have any questions about any of this (or anything I haven’t mentioned) then please get in touch. Do use the electronic hustings. I hope that you feel able to give me your first preference vote. But, even if you don’t/can’t, please do encourage your church to become a Fairtrade Church and consider twinning your toilets!

Jackie Butcher Imogen Clout 327 Fulwood Road Sheffield S10 3BJ

0114 2686645 [email protected]

Reader at Saint Andrew’s Psalter Lane Church LEP Warden of Readers, Diocese of Sheffield

Proposed by Chris Lowry, of Ecclesall Deanery Seconded by Tina Powell-Whiffen, of Hallam Deanery.

What I am committed to • putting into practice the gospel of hospitality and reconciliation • being a truly inclusive church, welcoming everybody, whatever their ethnicity, disablity, age, status, gender or sexuality, and helping them to flourish. • recognising the many gifts and ministries that lay people bring to the church, and encouraging their expression. • supporting men and women in ordained ministry, and all who are exploring their callings in the Church. • working with people of other traditions and faiths to explore and honour the many things that we hold in common and to understand and respect each other’s differences.

What experience I bring to the role • Experience as a solicitor and family mediator in dealing with complex problems and dispute resolution. I have skills at helping people understand opposing viewpoints and finding workable agreements. • A lifelong Anglican who has been part of many different church traditions, now happliy settled in an Anglican/Methodist church partnership, which means I am also a member of the Methodist Church and committed to ecumenical working. • My work as Reader and Warden of Readers, fostering and encouraging the ministry of lay people. • My work as a Children’s Minister, bringing children into the life of faith and of the church. • My work as a Spiritual Director, accompanying people on their faith journeys. • Membership of Remuneration and Conditions of Service Committee of Archbishops’ Council (as the Central Readers’ Council lay representative). • For ten years I was chair of Dawn, (formerly the Dawn Project), an initiative of the Board of Faith and Justice of the Diocese of Sheffield, helping families recover and move on after divorce and separation. • Experience as a university lecturer in communication and teaching. I have an M.Ed in higher education and adult learning.

Who I am • Married for 35 years to David Body. He is also a solicitor. • Mother of three children, now all in their early twenties. Two are still at university. • Born near London, and have lived in Sheffield for the past 24 years. • Author of a number of books on legal matters, and most recently, co- authored with Revd Prof John Rogerson More Places at the Table; legal and biblical perspectives on modern family life. • Member of WATCH (Women and the Church) and Inclusive Church.

What I will do if I am elected • Listen to people in the Diocese and try to fairly convey their views • Work for cooperation and understanding • Try to move the debates on which the Church concentrates on to the issues that really matter to the world and the kingdom of heaven: poverty, justice and our care of the earth, gentleness and kindness.

46 Chorley Road Sheffield S10 3RJ 0114 2302994 [email protected]

September 2015

Dear Elector, General Synod Election 2015 As a candidate in the election to represent Sheffield Diocese in the House of Laity, I am writing to ask you as a Deanery Synod member to please consider voting for me using your first preference or your highest available preference vote.

Who am I? I grew up in a church-going family, attending the local parish church in suburban Liverpool. I became a believer as a teenager and through my adult life have remained a member of the Church of England. Since moving to Sheffield in 1987 I have been part of the church family of Christ Church, Fulwood, southwest of the city centre. I am 54, single, and have worked as a doctor in the National Health Service for 30 years: for the last 17 years I have worked as a consultant surgeon at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust. More recently, as the Associate Clinical Sub Dean, I have had responsibility for managing the more than 500 student doctor clinical attachments each year and their teaching programme. I also serve on several university course management committees. In my time-off I relax by catching up with family and friends, cooking (although I have no Masterchef or Bake Off aspirations), gardening and being a member of a book club.

How have I served the church? Since election to General Synod in 2010 I have come to understand that Sheffield is representative of the whole Church of England in its spectrum of church traditions. I have played a full part in the business in Synod and spoken in a number of debates. In reporting back to Diocesan Synod I have sought to give an account which is comprehensive, fair, and to highlight especially what is most relevant in our context. I served on the governing body of a theological college (Cranmer Hall, Durham) and since 2012 have been one of Synod’s 3 elected lay representatives on the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), the national church body which selects candidates as diocesan bishops for nomination to Her Majesty the Queen. So far I have participated in the appointment of 12 diocesan bishops, including Blackburn, Durham, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and most recently Newcastle. Serving on the CNC has given me insight what is happening in the life of the Church of England across the country, and the challenges faced in a variety of situations. From 2002-2010 I was one of the churchwardens at Christ Church Fulwood, and came to understand what it takes to keep a parish church ‘on the road’ in the 21st century. In practice this meant being a lay member of the leadership team managing all aspects of the church’s ministry, and week by week being involved in the organisation of Sunday services, as well as special outreach events such as ‘Carols by Candlelight’. We have been seeking under God’s sovereignty, to grow the church locally, in the city (working with our diocesan partners at St Andrew’s Kendray, St Thomas’s Kinhurst, Holy Cross, Gleadless Valley, Christ Church Endcliffe), and further field. As a Christian I understand that service is an integral part of daily living and have sought to put this into practice in the local church: as a relatively new teenage Christian I helped teach 8 year-olds in Sunday school, then helped with a midweek children’s group and a holiday club for children with special needs. Being part of a large church I recognise that getting to know people is a challenge. As a member of a Bible study small group since 1996, we seek to share not only the gospel but our lives, as we meet, learn, pray together and care for each other in the ups and downs of normal life. I have also been part of the student ministry team, which seeks to disciple Christian students at Sheffield and Hallam Universities, and to encourage, equip and support them as they seek to live distinctive lives and reach out with the hope of the gospel to their fellow students.

What I believe? As a conservative evangelical I believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired and written Word of God, telling us about Jesus Christ and God’s plan for our eternal salvation through Him. It provides the basis for our Christian fellowship and unity and teaches us the principles of how to live in our culture today. I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform believers’ lives. I seek to uphold the supreme authority of Scripture in today’s church and believe that the historic creeds and the 39 articles of the Church of England are as relevant in 2015 as when they were agreed in 1562 at the convocation in London. I believe that the great commission at the end of Matthew’s Gospel remains the church’s mission statement.

Why vote for me? My extensive experience in the NHS, education, in a thriving local church, and now from General Synod and the Crown Nominations Commission, have equipped me to understand the society in which we live, the context in which the national and local church ministers, and the challenges for mission and growth. In the next 5 years, these challenges of numerical and spiritual growth, resourcing ministry and serving the common good will remain. If elected I will continue to work collaboratively to ensure we remain faithful stewards of the truth and resources we have inherited, and also that the organisation helps rather than hinders the mission of all God’s people.

In Christ,

Jane Patterson Proposed by Christopher Dean (Hallam Deanery) Seconded by Sam Crossley (Wath Deanery)

Canon Mark Russell The experience and passion to work for change in the Church of England

Web: www.markrussell.org.uk Email: [email protected]

Dear friends,

It is a real pleasure to throw my hat in the ring to stand for General What people say Synod here in my home Diocese of Sheffield. about Mark

I have been Chief Executive of Church Army since 2006, and I led the Mark has an infectious relocation of our entire national home from London to Sheffield in love for Jesus Christ and 2010. Church Army’s national home, the Wilson Carlile Centre, is a a refreshing commitment living dynamic missional community in the centre of Sheffield, to evangelism which is resourcing a movement for mission that stretches across the UK and exactly what the Church Ireland. When the offices relocated I moved and made my home here of England needs right in Sheffield. I live in Sheffield and worship at St Thomas Crookes. I now! have preached across the Diocese of Sheffield and I am a licensed The Archbishop of York Reader. If General Synod is to My commitment to lay ministry and raising up more lay ministry in an make an impact on the life often clericalised church is well known. The Bishop of Sheffield has and mission of the invited me to preach at the Diocesan Reader Ministry celebration next Church, it needs people in year, and I will also be the keynote speaker at the National Reader it who love the Church Ministry Celebration in Leicester. and are passionate about God’s call to make I am standing for election because I believe I have the experience, the disciples. Mark is certainly energy and the passion to make a useful contribution to the next term one of these people and of Synod. One of the main items on Archbishop Justin’s agenda is Synod would be vastly evangelism, and he has appointed me to the Archbishops’ Evangelism improved with him on it. Task Group. Dr Paula Gooder It would be a privilege to represent this wonderful Diocese on Synod and I hope I can earn your trust and support

Grace and peace

Mark

Canon Mark Russell

The experience to make a difference Aged 26 Mark was appointed the youngest member of the Archbishops’ Council and quickly became known as one of the General Synod’s most passionate advocates for evangelism and mission. As the leader of Church Army, the largest home mission agency in the Church of England, he is a respected voice across the Church of England. If you give Mark your support, you will enable that voice to be heard once more in Synod, standing up for lay people, standing up for younger people, standing up for Sheffield. Mark is respected across the traditions of the Church of England and has a proven track record of understanding how to deliver change from within complex structures. Commitment to unity in our church As Chief Executive of Church Army Mark leads a team of over 500 The next five years will see even Evangelists and staff across the UK and Ireland. more complex discussions on Mark loves social media, and in 2013 and 2014 was awarded the human sexuality. Mark wants to “Christian Tweeter of the Year” award. see the Church enable people to respectfully hold different views Originally from Northern Ireland, Mark read Law at University, and walk together in unity, and in his spare time he loves the gym, travelling, reading and a whilst creating a safer church good red wine! where LGBT people are welcomed and loved.

Commitment to younger people Mark is known as one of the leading advocates for children and young people in the Church of England. The average age of the Church of England is 69, and we need to take urgent action to make mission to and with younger people a priority. If elected to General Synod Mark will be passionate about mission and evangelism, especially with younger The Regeneration Summit, when Mark invited 40 people. bishops, 2 archbishops, 30 youth workers and over 200 young people from across England to Mark is committed to challenging the church to invest come to Sheffield to dream of how we reach more in excellent children and younger people’s work; not to young people with the Good News of Christ save the church as an institution, because to see younger lives transformed by God’s love. 2

General Synod (House of Laity) candidate 2015-2020

Nigel Russell

Having served the church locally in a number of different capacities I am now seeking your support for election to General Synod for the coming five years to represent the Diocese of Sheffield. I have been proposed by David Clark (Hallam Deanery) and Nathan Fairhead (Attercliffe Deanery).

My address below outlines some of the issues that will challenge the new Synod; issues that, for me, have the potential to celebrate the diversity and richness of the Church of England, and that will ensure the church plays its vital role as a leading voice in society.

“When I needed a neighbour, were you there?”

Inclusivity: The Church of England is the church for all Christians and those seeking to know Christ, whatever their gender, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, clothes they like to wear, and so on. The church should be leading society by example and, sadly, on issues such as inclusivity it is the other way round. The next Synod will, I hope, follow on from the momentum of the ordination of women bishops by spending time considering the inclusion of all members of the church, including lesbian and gay people, in all aspects of the church’s life – including ministry as bishop.

Poverty: That people living in our own diocese, let alone nation, are having to choose between heating and eating in this day and age defies belief. That there are children in Sheffield who only eat a decent meal on week days during school term time also defies belief, and is heart-breaking. I strongly support the church in pushing parliament towards realistic living wages, and realistic living benefits for those unable to work. I also strongly support the work of the new community benefit society, Sheffield Money, which the Dean of Sheffield has been actively involved in setting up and which opened its doors in January 2015. This community project encourages saving through current accounts and through transparent loans at fair rates of interest. I would like to see this work being shared across the church so that other community benefit societies can be set up as the place of choice for people looking to save and borrow ethically whilst supporting their own communities.

Diversity and skills: The Church of England’s diversity audit “Everyone Counts 2014” shows a commitment to monitoring diversity within the church and has published important evidence on ethnicity, disability and where people worship. The report concludes by asking a number of questions, including: “who are our neighbours?” “who is missing from our church?” “what have we missed?” “what else, and who else, do we need to ask?”. I would like to see this work followed up by broadening the scope to enable the church to embrace the skills people have to offer; skills that do not depend on race, colour, gender or sexuality. Perhaps by considering this the church will be seen as more relevant to today’s society, and in turn, society will listen to what the church has to say.

Refugee crisis: The current refugee crisis is not going to be resolved quickly or easily. I would like to see the church leading in the discussions on potential solutions to the crisis where the focus should be on the refugees as fellow human beings; not simply to be returned from where they came or fenced off. We need to understand the issues that have led to the mass migration of people from Africa, Syria, Afghanistan and other places in to Europe. We need to lead the discussions at home about what we can do for people seeking refuge in Britain and when it is appropriate to do so, and importantly, how we help those who are turned away from our shores. Climate Change: Synod has already had a debate on The Pope’s address to the whole of humankind. The church has a key part to play in encouraging responsible use of resources. My experience in sustainable energy engineering and public speaking on climate change and the science behind it will help inform future debates.

Church growth and spirituality: The Diocese of Sheffield’s vision is to “grow a sustainable network of Christ-like, lively and diverse Christian communities in every place which are effective in making disciples and in seeking to transform our society and God’s world”. In the strategy “Growing the body of Christ 2011- 2021” Bishop Steven encourages us to think about a “way of faith” by spending the autumn considering sowing the seeds of faith; from Advent to Lent we nurture and grow our faith; then Easter through to the summer we deepen our faith. This cycle provides the opportunity not only to grow and develop together but is at the heart of the mission of sharing the Good News and growing our communities. As a delegate of Synod I would not only share what we have learned in Sheffield but also bring back lessons from other dioceses so we can continue working towards our vision; continue to make best use of the gifts and skills people bring with them to the church; and to make a difference in society.

“And the creed and the colour and the name won’t matter, I’ll be there.”

Everyone matters: The Church of England is a church for all where everyone matters. Everyone who is called has a part to play, irrespective of gender, race, colour, sexuality and so on. This diversity is the future of the church and we must celebrate this. The only criteria for playing a part should be “what is God calling you to do?” and “what are you able to offer?”.

Biography

I was born in St Albans in 1970 and from the age of seven spent my formative years in Buxton where I sang in a church choir and taught myself to play the organ. Following studies in Chemistry and Materials Science at the University of Kent at Canterbury I moved to Imperial College London to pursue a PhD in Coal Science. I moved to Sheffield in 2000 to take up a lectureship at the University of Sheffield where my teaching and research focussed on areas relating to sustainable energy engineering. I was appointed Songman in Sheffield Cathedral Choir in 2003 and became actively involved in cathedral life as a member of Cathedral Council (2005-2008), Churchwarden and member of Chapter (2007-2008), Co-author and co-leader of the 2008 Lent course on climate change, and Treasurer of the Cathedral Arts Festival (2005-2009). In 2008 I was appointed Administrator and Chapter Clerk at Wakefield Cathedral, a position I held for just over two years. I returned to the University of Sheffield in 2010, a move which has brought me to my current position where I lead a team of Professional Development Managers for Learning and Teaching – a role which not only involves working with those new to teaching but also enables me to share good practice across the university and to work closely in shaping policy and strategy relating to learning and teaching not only in Sheffield but the wider higher education sector. I have been a trustee and honorary treasurer of the Anglican Chaplaincy Trust at the University of Sheffield since 2011. In 2013 I was elected to represent the cathedral community on Attercliffe Deanery Synod and took on the role of Secretary. In 2015 I was reappointed to the Cathedral Council and in July 2015 I was elected to serve on Diocesan Synod as a representative of Attercliffe Deanery.

All my roles rely on communication to ensure their success. If you ask me to represent you on General Synod I will ensure there is clear communication not only from Synod to the diocese and deaneries, but most importantly from parishes through to Synod. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to discuss any matter relating to the elections to General Synod 2015.

Nigel Russell, 231 Ridal Avenue, Stocksbridge, Sheffield S36 1EY

Email: [email protected]