The Diocese of Durham has an elected membership of laity and clergy who sit on the national Church of England's General Synod along with the Bishop of Durham who is required to attend.
The current members of General Synod can be found below:
Clergy:
Mark Miller (Stockton Parish Church)
David Tolhurst (Silksworth and Area Dean of Wearmouth) vicar@stmstw.org
Chantal Noppen (formerly Team Vicar, North Wearside, now Permission to Officiate in Easington Deanery) C.noppen+revd@googlemail.com
Mark Mawhinney (South Shields)
Vacancy – (formerly The Venerable Bob Cooper before he became the Dean of Guildford on 26 January 2025)
Laity:
Jamie Harrison (St Nic’s Durham) dunelm5@btinternet.com
Angus Goudie (St Nic’s Durham)
Helen Smith (Tudhoe Grange)
Alistair Bianchi (Alive Church Gateshead)
GENERAL SYNOD BY-ELECTION 2025
PROCTOR IN CONVOCATION (CLERGY)
The Diocese of Durham is represented at the Church of England's General Synod by five 'Proctors in Convocation' or members of the House of Clergy and four Members of the House of Laity.
There is currently a by-election to fill a casual vacancy in a Proctor in Convocation position (clergy) on General Synod. There are two candidates as follows.
The voting period will open on Wednesday 4 June 202517 September 2021 and close on Wednesday 25 June 2025. Those eligible to vote will receive information about how to vote. This information will be sent to their e-mail address.