The Church of England’s General Synod will meet in London from 9 to 13 February 2026. The outline of its business is online here, and is copied below the fold.
GENERAL SYNOD: FEBRUARY 2026
OUTLINE OF BUSINESS
Full details of each item will be on the Agenda which will be circulated not later than 22 January
Monday 9 February
4.30pm to 7pm
Revival of Temporary Standing Orders
This will be required for Synod to be able to have a hybrid meeting, as the current provision expires 6 February 2026.
Amendment to SO 122(1)
This is proposed to allow five young adults to be invited to Synod under SO 122(1), as agreed by Synod at its meeting in February 2025
Opening Worship
Introductions
Business Committee Report
A take note debate on the content and shape of the Agenda
*6pm Questions
Tuesday 10 February
9am to 12.45pm
Opening Worship
Presidential Address
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business
Enactment of Canon No.44
This is the final stage of the Canon relating to Armed Forces Chaplaincy which was approved by Synod in July 2025
Report by the Legislative Committee
This is an update from the Legislative Committee on the Clergy Conduct Measure
2pm to 7pm
Living in Love and Faith Presentation
This a presentation with questions on the Living in Love and Faith programme in advance of the debate on Thursday
Deemed business
There will be the opportunity for deemed business to be taken at this time. Details will be made available on the Order Paper
Reimagining Care
This item invites Synod to engage with this important issue in light of the national conversations taking place on the future of social care.
Appointment of one member of the Archbishops’ Council
This is a formal item to appoint one new member of the Archbishops’ Council.
*5.30pm Questions
Wednesday 11 February
10.30am to 12.45pm
A service of Holy Communion will take place in the Assembly Hall from 9am
Address by Anglican Communion guest
Contingency Business/Deemed Business
There will be the opportunity for contingency and/or deemed business to be taken at this point
Details will be made available when the agenda is published in January.
Appointment of External Auditors
This is a formal item to appoint the external auditors.
2pm to 7pm
Church Safeguarding Structures: Next steps on implementation
This will be a presentation followed by a debate, outlining the progress on the work commissioned in February 2025.
Special Agenda II: Liturgical Business
Festival of God the Creator and Twenty-One Martyrs of Libya – Revision Stage
This liturgical business will be considered for its First Consideration stage and expands the calendar to include festivals for God the Creator and the Twenty-One Martyrs of Libya
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business
Amendments to Code of Practice on Mission Initiatives
This has come from the Scolding Review and will revise the statutory Code of Practice for mission initiatives
Thursday 12 February
9am to 12.45pm
Opening Worship
Amendments to the Standing Orders
There will be a number of amendments to the Standing Orders proposed, including those relating to elections of Central Members of the Crown Nominations Commission
Seat Allocation
This will set out the allocation of seats for the next quinquennium
Dates for February 2027 group of sessions
This is a revised envelope for the February 2027 to move the group of sessions to 22 to 26 February to avoid a clash with half term as raised by Synod in July 2025
*11.45am Poverty and the Church: 40 Years after Faith in the City: Resumed debate
This item is the resumed debate from July 2025 which marks the 40th anniversary of the Faith in the City report and encourages continued action to seek to end poverty at a time of great need and political opportunity
2pm to 7pm
Special Agenda IV: Diocesan Synod Motions
Sustainable Church Flowers
This is a DSM from Worcester which seeks to promote the use of local, seasonal flowers and foliage and discourage the use of floral foam.
*3pm Living in Love and Faith
This is the debate on the Living in Love and Faith programme following the presentation on Tuesday afternoon
Friday 13 February
9am to 12.45pm
Opening Worship
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business
Parochial Fees Order
This is the Order to set wedding, funeral and other parochial fees for up to the next five years.
Working Class Vocation and Ministry Next Steps
This will be a presentation and debate building on the debate in February 2025. It seeks to encourage the vocation and ministries of existing and new working class ministers both lay and ordained.
2pm to 4.30pm
Address by Anglican Communion guest
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business
National Ministry Register Regulations 2026
These Regulations provide for the creation of a public register of nationally recognised lay minsters.
Deemed business
There will be the opportunity for deemed business to be taken at this time. Details will be made available on the Order Paper
*4.30pm Prorogation
Deemed Business
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business
Amended Trust Deed and Rules for the Church of England Pensions Board
Regulations under the Church of England Pensions Measure 2018
Payments to the Churches Conservation Trust Order
Safeguarding Code of Practice (Safer Recruitment and People Management)
Contingency Business
Mental Health and the Church
This proposes steps to deepen the understanding of mental health within the church and to foster a culture of sensitive and effective adjustments to enhance access and inclusion
Special Agenda IV: Diocesan Synod Motions
Lowest Income Communities Funding
This DSM seeks to review and amend the formula used to distribute lowest income communities funding to dioceses.
Special Agenda I: Legislative Business
Church Representation Rules (Amendment) Resolution 2026.
This amends Rule M29 of the Church Representation Rules so that any decision approved by correspondence would need a third of members to approve the proposal.
Wow. Well you’d never guess from all that that the CofE is rapidly withering in communities all around the country, as rural ministry becomes impossible to sustain with clergy spread ever more thinly across parishes and smaller congregations unable to keep up with the burden of building maintenance, parish share and compliance. Having had a year without an Archbishop with no noticeable loss to the church, maybe we could try having a year without General Synod. Just think what good we could do with all the extra time and energy that would release – 483 weeks of time from this… Read more »
I’m sure the afternoon to be spent debating banning Oasis followed by LLF will be a treat.
Don’t underestimate the emotional attachment to oasis – some people in my parish had a bit of a moment when it was suggested that we should use an eco-friendly alternative. I think facilitated conversations on the matter may be necessary.
It’s not often I dig deeply into the Synod agenda, but I admit to searching the paperwork to discover what objection Worcester Diocese had to Manchester’s biggest Britpop band.
Usurping the opening words of the Hymn Morning Glory for nefarious purposes ?
I guessed correctly!
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2022/5-august/features/features/not-mourning-oasis-glory-the-environmental-impact-of-church-flowers
Not having a subscription I have no idea what it is about.
Or maybe we are all on wrong track.
Oasis is another term for floral foam.
https://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/sustainable-church-flowers.php
Why it needs a synod debate is the mystery. Just do it.
Definitely Maybe, it would be easier to ban the rock band Oasis than reach agreement on what to do with the green foamy stuff
Well it will take a braver cleric than me to tell local church flower arrangers they can no longer use it!!
Might this motion be an act of virtue-signalling minutia?
Can I defend the flower arranger is here. This came up at a recent PCC meeting where the issues were explained by a couple of PCC members involved in our own church flower arranging. They explained that there is a lot of pressure on women (and it’s always women) to decorate the church, especially for special occasions such as festivals and weddings. But many people are unaware of the environmental cost of these flowers. Most of the cut flowers on the market are grown abroad under intensive cultivation, and with the high risk of environmental damage. https://corbinmaxey.com/blog/rose-the-tragic-rise-and-fall-of-kenyas-lake-naivasha Then there is… Read more »
So conservative people, as you call them, don’t understand the environment? I have never heard such a ridiculous statement as this on TA.
Also, I find it pathetic that this item would be discussed at GS. Hopefully the story will get a good hammering in the media as the institution slips beneath the waves in terms of serious relevance.
I feel sorry for any 5 young adults who might be attending GS in future.
It is very patronising.
Also one can be 100% sure that any young adult who want to attend GS and read the documents is completely unrepresentative of their peers.
I had to look it up. At first I thought your GS may have it in for the two musician brothers from Manchester.
🤔 No discussion about delaying the installation of new Archbishop after the most recent revelations? Of course not.
Do any of the staff at Church House watch the news? It’s out of the bag now that which they hoped would stay hidden and the whole world is watching.