General Synod Digest: Creation of National Register for Lay Ministers agreed THE Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Sophie Jelley, who is the lead bishop for lay ministries, introduced consideration on Friday afternoon of the National Ministry Register Regulations 2026. A National Register of Clergy had been created, but now ...

General Synod Digest: Creation of National Register for Lay Ministers agreed

#GeneralSynod #SynodDigest

General Synod Digest: Motion carried on sustainable flowers in churches A MOTION from Worcester diocesan synod on sustainable church flowers was carried by the General Synod on the Thursday, despite earlier attempts by some members to have to removed from the agenda. The motion originated from the PCC of St Bartholome...

“The motion . . . rejoices in foliage in church; it rejoices in what is naturally around you — simple, natural beauty.”

General Synod Digest: Motion carried on sustainable flowers in churches

#GeneralSynod #SynodDigest

General Synod Digest: Commit to creating a National Care Service, Government told THE General Synod voted overwhelmingly for a motion urging the Government to draw on the report of the Archbishops’ Commission on Care and its focus on the notion of covenant, as it delivers its manifesto commitment to creating a National Care Ser...

General Synod Digest: Commit to creating a National Care Service, Government told

#GeneralSynod #socialcare

General Synod Digest: National strategy agreed to support working-class vocations EFFORTS to remove obstacles to ministry by working-class people received a firm backing from the General Synod a year after the subject was highlighted by a private member’s motion. The Bishop of Barking, the Rt Revd Lynne Cullens (Southern Suffra...

General Synod Digest: National strategy agreed to support working-class vocations

#GeneralSynod #SynodDigest

General Synod Digest: Burial fees to stay the same after three-hour debate THE General Synod voted overwhelmingly to accept the Parochial Fees Order 2026 and keep burial fees as they stood at present. A series of amendments had enabled the Synod to reject a proposed one-off increase of £1000 in burial fees. The vote came...

#GeneralSynodDigest Funeral business now a crowded market, Synod hears: ‘Cost often dictates choices’

#funerals #GeneralSynod

General Synod Digest: Link between spiritual and mental well-being recognised TACKLING mental ill-health inside and outside the Church must be regarded as a mission priority, the General Synod heard on the Wednesday morning. Introducing a motion to affirm the work already under way, including the national working group led ...

General Synod Digest: Link between spiritual and mental well-being recognised

#GeneralSynod #SynodDigest #mentalhealth

General Synod Digest: Clergy Conduct Measure returns THE Clergy Conduct Measure (CCM) returned to the General Synod on the Tuesday morning. Given the Synod’s final approval in February 2025, it had then been deemed “not expedient” by the parliamentary Ecclesiastical Committee in October. Beginning h...

General Synod Digest: Clergy Conduct Measure returns

#GeneralSynod #SynodDigest

General Synod Digest: 14 million voices are ‘crying out for hope and justice’ members hears in poverty debate THE enduring nature of poverty and the Church’s capacity to relieve it were the subject of a resumed debate on the Thursday morning. Mark Sheard (Archbishops’ Council) reminded members they were picking up a debate that ran out of time last year a...

General Synod Digest: 14 million voices are ‘crying out for hope and justice’ members hears in poverty debate

#GeneralSynod #SynodDigest

General Synod Digest: Bishops recount ‘twists and turns’ of Living in Love and Faith process THE many “twists and turns” of the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) journey that had led to its conclusion were the subject of a presentation on Tuesday afternoon from five bishops and the Dean of Bristol. Introducing it, the Archbishop of York, who...

‘I know many of you are feeling hurt, angry, confused, perhaps bitterly disappointed about where we are’

General Synod Digest: Bishops recount ‘twists and turns’ of Living in Love and Faith process

#GeneralSynod #SynodDigest

General Synod Digest: Living in Love and Faith comes to an end after long and impassioned debate THE nine-year project Living in Love and Faith (LLF) came to an end after a long and impassioned debate on the Thursday, in which members aired their disappointment and frustration with what had and had not been achieved with regard to provision f...

"This isn’t where I want us to be, nor where I hoped we would be three years ago"

Read the General Synod Digest report of the Living in Love and Fait (#LLF) debate ⬇️

#GeneralSynod #Synod

Yes, I'm delighted that Young Adults are again being included, but how easy it is to rewrite history and ignore the foundations and contributions others made. #GeneralSynod

Campaigners react to Synod decision on future of LLF CAMPAIGNERS with contrasting views of Living in Love and Faith (LLF) have responded to the General Synod’s decision on the process after last week’s five-hour debate on a motion from the Archbishop of York (News, 13 February). The LLF process is e...

Campaigners with contrasting views of Living in Love and Faith (LLF) have responded to the General Synod’s decision on the process after last week’s five-hour debate on a motion from the Archbishop of York

#LLF #GeneralSynod #churchnews

'The #LivingInLoveAndFaith process has been "concluded" but the work for justice has not.'
Nic Tall, National Co-ordinator of Together for the Church of England, reflects on a bruising #GeneralSynod and moving from lament to action:
🔗 viamedia.news/2026/02/13/leaving-in-love-and-faith

Here’s your final Synod Spotlight for the February 2026 sessions 🎦

Every evening this week, we've shared moments from the sessions, which ended today.

You can find out more about the General Synod at cofe.io/Synod.

#GeneralSynod #Synod

A pint of beer on a beer mat advertising Polari Pale Ale

#GeneralSynod is prorogued - my last in Westminster so time for the traditional toast at #AdmiralDuncan
This is for you Nik, John, Andrea & babe
I’ll be back at the end of April

#Synod hasn’t yet learnt that love is love but we’ll keep on keeping on
@pinknews.bsky.social @churchtimes.bsky.social

'You only have to open @churchtimes.bsky.social to see the same thing – House for Duty, House for Duty, House for Duty…

That is a structural problem because the only people who can afford to do that are people with independent means'

Andrew Gray #synod working class ministry debate

#GeneralSynod

I missed my vocation to be a stand up comic. Whilst I get good laughs there are always important points. We need action to see working class vocations across all levels of leadership in the Church of England. #GeneralSynod

'Difference is not lesser'

@freerangepriest.bsky.social speaking in #synod debate on working class ministry & vocations

#GeneralSynod

Cutting stuff out of a five minute speech on the fly is difficult. #GeneralSynod

'Lack of degree can be seen as lack of intelligence... but we often learn in different ways'

Aneal Appadoo #synod on how he hasn't experienced racism in @churchofengland.org - but he has experienced classism

#GeneralSynod

Synod approves motion confirming LLF programme to conclude and new working group to be established | The Church of England General Synod has given its backing to establishing working and consultative groups to continue work on same-sex relationships and marriage as the Church of England’s Living in Love and Faith (LLF) pr...

Just in case you wanted to know waht #GeneralSynod decided about same-sex marriage (instead of what #DailyTelegraph and others think) read here
🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️Love💝Wins🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈
www.churchofengland.org/media/news-a...

I had a wonderful lunch at #GeneralSynod with Deaf Anglicans Together. I have been learning some sign language and the difference between sign language “accents”. Northerners count different. Who knew?

Official logo for the Church of England’s Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process. A modern, abstract logo consisting of four overlapping, transparent heart shapes in vibrant colors: teal, orange, magenta, and lime green. Where the hearts intersect, new colors are formed, symbolizing the "growing together" and "discernment" of the project. To the right of the icon, the words "Living in Love and Faith" are written in a clean, charcoal-colored serif font.

A headshot of Fr Robert Thompson wearing a black clerical shirt standing in front of a church garden and noticeboard.

'I CANNOT any longer... preach liberation on Sunday and accept spiritual diminishment on Monday.'
Fr Robert Thompson reflects on the conclusion of the #ChurchOfEngland's #LivingInLoveAndFaith process on #identity, #sexuality, #relationships & #marriage bit.ly/MoralClarityLLF
#GeneralSynod #CofE #LLF

'In areas of poverty we have to have the contact with the bereaved - and increased fees will stop that contact'

Jonathan Macy on his #synod amendment to ensure that funeral fees do not hit certain low-income areas "so hard that they aren't going to have a funeral ministry anymore"

#GeneralSynod

With @churchofengland.org's role in offering hatching, matching & despatching, we've spent this morning debating parochial fees - especially funeral fees

#synod

#GeneralSynod

We’re debating fees for weddings and funerals. I imagine that we’re going to come to an impasse where low income low wealth communities want them down and people with large rural graveyards want them up. #GeneralSynod

“We all die”. Morning #GeneralSynod

Title: Prayer for Church of England General Synod Friday 13th February 2026. Text content: "God of refuge and compassion, stronghold in times of trouble and shelter in every storm: draw near to those who are weary and burdened, and to all who tirelessly seek belonging and sanctuary. Be shade in their heat, safety in their searching, and comfort for their hearts. Bind up the brokenhearted; comfort those who mourn, feel lost, or hopeless, and free them to grow in trust and hope; that in your welcoming embrace they may find restoration, confidence, and joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Visual description: The prayer text is centered on a light, clean background featuring abstract, soft pastel waves in shades of orange, yellow, and blue. In the bottom right corner, the Open Table Network logo depicts a circle of eight stylized, rainbow-colored figures holding hands, with the words 'OPEN TABLE' in purple capitalized text below.

Day 5 of #ChurchOfEngland #GeneralSynod. As many carry weary hearts at the end of the #LivingInLoveAndFaith process on #identity, #sexuality, #relationships & Marriage, we pray that God’s welcoming embrace brings restoration, confidence, and joy to all who seek belonging. 🌈
#CofE #LLF

Listening to Bishop Martinez Rosa dos Santos Bassotto - visiting #GeneralSynod from Brazil. She brings greetings from the people of the rivers and the forest. She's telling us about COP30 and socio-environmental justice.

Friday 13 February On this final day of the February section of Synod, there will be a debate on how the Church can better recognise and support vocations from working class communities will take place in the Chamber, with an update on the work that has taken place so far. The last debate of the February General Synod will seek to finalise regulations for how clergy and lay ministers are recorded nationally, improving transparency and safeguarding.

Today is the final day of February's General Synod and and here's what to expect. ⬇️

📺 Watch all the events live at cofe.io/SynodLiveStream.

#GeneralSynod