Convocations of Canterbury and York
The Convocations are assemblies consisting of bishops and clergy of the two provinces. They pre-date the General Synod (and its predecessor, the Church Assembly) by several centuries. When the General Synod was created in 1970, it took on most of their functions, but the Convocations still meet on a very occasional basis to consider matters of particular concern to clergy (e.g. in relation to their professional conduct prior to guidelines being issued in 2015). They consist of an Upper House – made up of members of the General Synod’s House of Bishops – and a Lower House made up of the members of the General Synod’s House of Clergy, each from the respective province. The Chair of the respective provincial House of Clergy is known as the Prolocutor.
Further details can be obtained from the Synod Office - please use Contact Form at the foot of the page for any enquiries.
Officers
Convocation of Canterbury
President: Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr Justin Welby (Archbishop of Canterbury)
Prolocutor of the Lower House: The Revd Canon Simon Butler
Pro-Prolocutors: The Revd Prebendary Stephen Lynas
The Revd Jane Morris
Other members of the Standing Committee of the Lower House:
The Revd Prebendary Simon Cawdell
The Revd Zoe Heming
The Revd Julian Hollywell
The Revd Prebendary Sarah Schofield
The Revd Stephen Trott
Registrar: Mr Stephen Slack
Synodical Secretary: The Revd Stephen Trott
Ostarius: Mr Clive McCleester
Convocation of York
President: Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu (Archbishop of York)
Prolocutor of the Lower House: The Ven Cherry Vann
Deputy Prolocutors: The Ven Paul Ayers
The Revd Paul Benfield
Assessors for the Upper House:
The Rt Revd Dr Peter Forster (Bishop of Chester)
The Rt Revd Paul Butler (The Bishop of Durham)
Assessors for the Lower House:
The Revd Canon Paul Cartwright
The Revd Canon Ruth Crossley
The Revd Jacqueline Doyle-Brett
The Revd Canon Joyce Jones
The Revd Dr Ian Paul
The Ven Peter Spiers
The Revd Canon Dr Dagmar Winter
Registrar: Mrs Louise Connacher
Synodal Secretary: The Revd Paul Benfield