What makes me tick …
I have been involved in Church politics since 1976, but I didn‘t realise it was politics at the time. I joined the PCC of my local church and my major contribution was to propose a new hall in celebration of the Jubilee the next year: a very practical suggestion which resulted in a hall being built over the next few years.

A move to a new parish in 1980 resulted in my appointment to the Deanery Synod. The election process was interesting. There were 4 candidates for PCC and 3 places, 2 candidates for Deanery Synod and 3 places. I was persuaded to swap my candidature from PCC to Deanery Synod ‘to prevent an election’. After all, I would be on the PCC and it was only 3 extra meetings a year. The rest they could say is history. However, after a spell as Lay chair of the Deanery Synod and a number of years on Diocesan Synod, I was elected as a member of General Synod in 1995.

I found a great affinity for the Open Synod Group because it championed the cause of those who took seriously the phrase that we should be neither for Paul or Apollos. The idea that we could have a forum where people could talk freely about matters really appealed. Over the years I have tried to represent the ‘person in the pew’ who has been disenfranchised by the over-intellectualisation of the Gospel by some theologians. I have tried to help our church to re-establish itself.

It was a great privilege to chair the OSG and I was supported by an exceptional committee. During my period of office I hosted some memorable meetings in which Lords, Bishops and Lord Bishops mingled with the humble clergy and laity to debate Education, Women Bishops, Homosexuality amongst other things.

I have now been entrusted with the role of representing all of the laity in the Archbishops’ Council. I hope that I will be broadly successful. However, I know that I can only succeed if the laity, and especially the members of General Synod, cooperate by making sure that they concentrate on the important business of what the church is really about – social engagement and preaching the gospel. So what disappoints me at the moment is that the church is bound up with gender and sexuality. The sooner we resolve our internal navel gazing and start doing proper outreach, the happier I will be.