It has been confirmed by the Business Committee that the July General Synod will debate the PMM proposed by Professor Helen King, which seeks to affirm the compatibility of intimate same sex relationships with Christian discipleship.

The controversial motion (in full below) is cleverly worded and designed to secure support for a revision of the Church of England’s sexual ethics, without explicitly asking for a change to Church of England doctrine.

Professor Helen King (Oxford) to move:

‘That this Synod affirm that there are no fundamental objections to being in a committed, faithful, intimate same-sex relationship, and that such a relationship can be entirely compatible with Christian discipleship.’

Private Members’ Motions function similarly to those in Parliament: once sufficient support is gathered, the Business Committee may schedule them for debate. While PMMs do not change doctrine or law, they can signal the theological and political ‘view’ of the Synod.

The last time General Synod expressed a view on marriage and sexual ethics in this way was in 1987. In that year, the ‘Higton Motion’ was passed by General Synod, which affirmed the Church’s traditional teaching on sexual ethics and marriage.

Revd John Dunnett, National Director, Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), said: “This motion matters. While it might be viewed by some as committing General Synod to ‘nothing in particular’, this motion shows that the revisionists will find new and different ways to continually push their agenda – away from Scripture, away from our Church’s doctrine and towards liberal change – even when the House of Bishops is not doing so. And were the motion to find support it could be seen as paving the way for further change.

“The big question is how the bishops and indeed the new Archbishop will respond. Will the Archbishop see it as an opportunity to allow Synod to express its mind, or would she prefer the process to be steered by the House of Bishops, and therefore encourage her colleagues to vote against the motion?”

Around the Communion, Dunnett cautions, the overwhelming response would be one of both sadness and despair.

“News of this motion will evoke a sad and negative response from across the Communion”, Dunnett concluded. “The Global South Fellowship of Anglicans and GAFCON would undoubtedly be concerned by the motion, and its passing would increase the impaired nature of relationships between the majority Anglican Communion and the Church of England.”

The Evangelical Group on General Synod (EGGS) will be working to defeat the motion in as an effective way as possible.

The February 2026 General Synod motion has committed the House of Bishops to forming a group which will carry forward the LLF trajectory – an initiative which could be of even greater threat to the apostolic understanding of marriage and sexual ethics upon which the Church of England has always been built.

]]> https://ceec.info/dont-let-your-voice-go-unheard/ Thu, 14 May 2026 14:49:15 +0000 https://ceec.info/?p=4938 Read more

All here at Living Out are praying for our brother and co-founder Sam Allberry following the release of a statement by his church, Immanuel Nashville.

We don’t know what has happened beyond this statement, but it references both Sam’s inappropriate actions and his repentance, humility and co-operation. We will be reaching out to Sam to better understand how we can support him, what has happened, and the implications. In the meantime, we believe his many past contributions to this site retain their value, and they will not be taken down.

We founded Living Out to be a place where real-life stories, including stories of sin, repentance, humility and co-operation, could be openly shared for the good of all who struggle with their faith and sexuality. We get that news like this is unsettling. If it is impacting you, please reach out to people you trust, and know that we are praying for you too.

Living Out exists because of people like Sam, and for people like Sam. We continue to appreciate all that he has contributed to Living Out. Please join us in praying for Sam and everyone involved – and all of us impacted by this news. Thank you.

The full post can also be viewed on the Living Out website.

What is immediately striking is the warmth of the welcome, the joy of the worship and the clear commitment to the authority of scripture. There is also a tangible graciousness in the way conversations are held and issues explored. At the same time G26 raises questions which need to be addressed if GAFCON is to offer any substantive support for those contending within the Church of England.

Some of the contributors have been outstanding: a video from Rick Warren challenged us to work missionally towards the 2,000th birthday of the church, an address by Michael Oh (CEO Lausanne Movement) reminded us that the bible is not ‘clay in our hands’ but the ‘bedrock under our feet’ and we were offered an insight into how the Lord is building His church in countries where Islam is the dominant faith.

The big news of this gathering is the launch of the Global Anglican Communion (GAC) and a new leadership structure: the Global Anglican Council. This Council replaces the former Primates Council, and now includes clergy and lay members. It also has a new governance ‘model’, in that the chair of the new Council (Archbishop of Rwanda) will exercise leadership without being primes inter pares.

The message from the stage was that GAC is neither a departure from the Communion nor a schism – rather a ‘reordering’ of the Communion from within. In practice, this will be most obvious in a commitment to withdraw from participation in the instruments of Communion (the Lambeth Conference, The Anglican Consultative  Council, the Communion Primates and recognition of Canterbury as primes inter pares).

Viewing all of this from the perspective of the Church of England raises various questions.

First, what is not clear is how, and if, the launch of GAC will have a direct impact or relevance for those of us contending within the Church of England (we do however remain grateful for the ongoing commitment of GAFCON to support those contending within the C of E as well as those who have felt compelled to leave).

Second, I noted that the stage was dominated (perhaps even exclusively?) by men. This of course might reflect various cultural sensitivities, but if GAC is to be truly global then this needs to be addressed.

Finally, it continues to remain unclear how GAFCON and GSFA might relate going forwards. It is to be hoped that the launch of GAC will not exacerbate differences between them.

Above all – and despite the questions that the launch of GAC might raise – it is a joy to see so many Anglican bishops meeting with an agenda for gospel mission, biblical authority and the honour of the Lord Jesus.

John Dunnett – Observer at G26

The Abuja Affirmation can be read here

The news comes less than a month after Bishop Andrew announced that he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. On sharing his bleak prognosis with the wider diocese, he reassured them that he was “cheerfully persisting towards a good death”, and that his “faith in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting, had only grown stronger”.

Bishop Julian Henderson, President, Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), said:

“CEEC is deeply saddened by the news of Bishop Andrew Watson’s death.

“We give thanks for the life and ministry of our dear brother, Bishop Andrew, whose faithful service to the life of the Church of England, and to those he ministered to and shepherded, will leave a lasting mark. His leadership was marked by humility, wisdom, and a wholehearted commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“We pray for Beverly, their children, their friends and the whole diocese as they grieve his loss. We pray that the grace of God may prove sufficient for this time of grief and transition.”

Bishop Andrew was born in 1961 and grew up in Buckinghamshire and Hampshire. Andrew read law at Corpus Christi, Cambridge, returning in 1984 where he took a second degree in Theology whilst training for ordained ministry at Ridley Hall. He was ordained in the Diocese of Worcester in 1987 and served his curacy in Redditch. He subsequently moved to the Diocese of London, serving first in Notting Hill and then as vicar of St Stephen’s Twickenham.

In 2008, Andrew was appointed as Suffragan Bishop of Aston in the Diocese of Birmingham before his translation to Diocesan Bishop of Guildford in 2014.

In recent years, he has been a member of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC).

Bishop Andrew is survived by his wife Beverly, four children and three grandchildren, as well as his mother and three siblings.

You can read the announcement on the Diocese of Guildford website and you can sign an online condolence book here.

Following a five-hour debate of a four-part motion, two new groups will be established which will be chaired by bishops and will be tasked with carrying the LLF work forwards. Both the Archbishop of York and the outgoing programme board made it clear that the cause must continue.

Rev John Dunnett, National Director, CEEC, said:

“​It is anticipated that the newly established groups will be pushed very hard by those wanting to pursue change to bring to the General Synod, as quickly as possible, some kind of proposal to amend the canons of the Church of England, so that clergy same-sex marriage will be a possibility.

“It’s also possible that the General Synod will find itself debating a motion, even as early as this July, exploring the proposal that intimate same-sex relationships are entirely compatible with Christian discipleship.”

Here are four themes we’ve noticed from our work at The Word One to One.

Helping Everyone Play Their Part 

I love this story from a church in Northern Ireland. A woman new to church turns up one Sunday. A chat with the person she sits next to leads on to a coffee, then to the 321 course. Alongside, they read John’s Gospel together. Through friendship,looking at the Bible and getting to know the church family, wonderfully this lady comes to faith and is baptised. I love it because it sounds so ordinary, but God has been at work in an extraordinary way.

We can sometimes forget that the work of ‘making disciples’ isn’t just a job for church leaders. We might expect Ephesians 4 to say that leaders are given to do works of service. But it doesn’t say that. Leaders are given to equip God’s people for works of service, so that the whole body matures in Christ. This means that we are all called to play our part.

What also stands out to me from that story is the believer’s availability.  They understood the pathways the church had created for those curious about Jesus and prayerfully chose to walk alongside someone through them.

If we’re church leaders, we can pray for our people to be available like this, with hearts ready to meet others and help them take steps towards Jesus. Resources such as A Passion for Life training videos and materials have proved a valuable way of envisioning and equipping everyday believers for this work.

And we can all ask ourselves the question: “In this season of life, how can I help others come to know and love Jesus?’

Offering Connection 

Another thread from that story from Northern Ireland is the importance of relationships. Many who come to church for the first time are not just exploring faith – they are seeking connection. Whether they come back is not often to do with how polished the service is, but whether they are noticed, welcomed and known.

Inviting people into our lives through opening our homes, sharing meals, and making time for a walk or coffee, can feel unremarkable. Yet in an age marked by loneliness, this kind of a connection carries surprising weight. When people not only hear the gospel explained, but see it lived out, following Jesus begins to feel tangible and real.

Blend the Organised and the Organic 

Structured evangelistic courses such as Alpha, 321, or Christianity Explored are a great option for churches, offering welcoming spaces for people to ask questions and explore the claims of Christ. But the question often follows: ‘What’s next?’

Often, discipleship flourishes where there is a healthy blend of the organised and the organic.

One natural next step after a course is to open the Bible together. Resources like The Word One to One, available as books or a free app, provide a simple, structured way to read John and Acts 1-to-1 or in small groups. There’s a double benefit. Christians grow in confidence as they read the Bible with others, trusting God to work. And those exploring faith deepen their understanding of Jesus, discover how to read the Bible for themselves, and are gently drawn into the rhythms of church life.

In South Wales, one church invites every newcomer for a coffee and the opportunity to read the Bible. Almost everyone says yes. They’re now preparing for twelve baptisms – and many of these new Christians say reading the Bible with someone was central to their journey to faith. ‘It doesn’t feel like revival,’ the church leader reflects, ‘but it feels a bit like what we see in the book of Acts – share the Word, and the church grows.’

Remember where the power lies 

Of course these stories remind us where the real power lies in evangelism and discipleship. It’s not in the strategies we employ, the slickness of a course, or the intellect of the Bible sharer – but in the Spirit of God working through the Bible and His people to bring people to Christ.

In this “quiet revival”, God invites His church to faithful dependence on Him. As we pray, open His Word and invest in others, we can be confident that He will be at work, drawing people to Jesus and making His glory known.

Allen is The Word One to One’s Regional Field Manager in Ireland. Allen joined the team in April 2025 and is based in Belfast.

Chelmsford Cathedral used the controversial Prayers of Love and Faith for the first time in a Sunday service on 16 November 2025. The Prayers of Love and Faith were commended for use in existing services by the House of Bishops in December 2023, although the legal basis and theological case for the Prayers has been repeatedly questioned.

Dunnett’s decision follows a letter sent in late November by CDEN to Bishop Guli and the Cathedral’s Dean, the Very Reverend Dr Jessica Martin, expressing “sadness and profound concern at the decision” to offer Prayers of Love and Faith at the Cathedral.

The letter, signed by more than 150 clergy and lay officers, outlined their concern that “this decision stands at odds with biblical (and Anglican) teaching on marriage and sexual ethics”. The signatories, comprising clergy, wardens, synod representatives and others, from the Diocese of Chelmsford said that the decision taken by the Dean and Chapter “leads us to feeling disenfranchised from the life and worship of the Cathedral” and called on them to reconsider their decision. Dean Jessica replied on 21 January to confirm that the decision will not be reconsidered or reversed.

Dunnett, who was made Honorary Canon by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, while he was Bishop of Chelmsford, in 2020, explained:

“I have not taken the decision to resign from being an Honorary Canon lightly or enthusiastically. It has been a privilege to have carried this honour over the last few years. However, the Dean and Chapter’s decision to use the Prayers of Love and Faith at Chelmsford Cathedral has alienated many of us who hold to the historic and biblical Anglican doctrine.

“My fundamental objection, which is shared by members of CDEN, is that we believe the Prayers of Love and Faith to be endorsing something that is contrary to the teaching of the bible. We don’t consider that a commendation from the House of Bishops in this matter has any authority if it is at odds with Scripture.

“Because Dean Jessica has indicated that the decision will not be reconsidered, it would be impossible for me to retain the title with integrity.”

Dunnett confirms his ongoing commitment to the life of the wider diocese, as a worshipper and a giver, engaged with synods, and committed to the mission of the church within the diocese.

This meeting followed their previous one in October, where bishops acknowledged the theological and lawful impediments to clergy same sex marriage and standalone services (see our news article).

Rev Canon John Dunnett, National Director, CEEC, said: “Without wishing to sound negative, this rather sounds like an admission of ‘Groundhog Day’.  The tectonic divisions caused by LLF continue to rumble through the Church of England. General Synod, Diocesan Synods and parishes are experiencing it – sadly, it is now eroding the collegiality of the House of Bishops and their ability to lead.

“It is hard to imagine that taking more time is going to enable the bishops to square a circle.  Our hope and prayer is that the House will have the courage to attempt a different approach – to recognise the depth of division LLF has caused in the church, and either halt the project, or revisit CEEC’s proposals for the creation of differentiated ‘spaces’ within the church that will help secure orthodoxy for the future.”

 The House of Bishops will meet again in mid-January to decide on what will be taken to General Synod.

]]>