Earl of Wessex attends Synod service

Tuesday, 16th November 2021

His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex attended a Service of Holy Communion at the Inauguration of the Eleventh General Synod of the Church of England at Westminster Abbey.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby, presided at the service, which was also attended by the Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Stephen Cottrell, the two Archbishops being the Presidents of the Synod.

Appointed and elected members of the General Synod in the House of Bishops, the House of Clergy and the House of Laity were also present, together with Officers of the Synod.

Adam Kendry RN, a member of the House of Laity, read the first lesson from Revelation 3; and the Right Reverend Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, Bishop of Chelmsford, gave the Gospel reading, from St Luke 19.

The preacher was His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos, Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London.

Prayers of intercession were introduced by the Archbishop of York and said by:

Emily Hill, Hereford Diocese laity
Joshua Askwith, House of Clergy, Chester Diocese
Temitope Taiwo, London Diocese laity
Zoe Heming, House of Clergy, Lichfield Diocese
Addy Lazz-Onyenobi, Manchester Diocese laity
Leslie Siu, House of Clergy, Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocese

About General Synod

The General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England. It was created in 1970, replacing an earlier body known as the Church Assembly.

The Synod considers and approves legislation affecting the whole of the Church of England, formulates new forms of worship, and debates matters of national and international importance.

There are 483 members of General Synod, arranged into three Houses: the House of Bishops, the House of Clergy and the House of Laity.

Every five years, members of the newly constituted Synod are summoned to an inaugural service of Holy Communion in the Abbey. Afterwards they meet in the Assembly Hall in Church House.