Nominations are now being invited for 12 lay persons and 2 clergy persons to be members of the 2025 - 2027 Diocesan Vacancy in See committee.
Every Church of England diocese has a permanent Vacancy in See committee which meets when the role of diocesan bishop becomes vacant.
Members are elected for a three years’ term so they’re ready to serve if the Committee needs to meet.
The committee has to be elected every three years and the current committee’s term ends on Tuesday, December 31, 2024.
The Vacancy in See Committee is involved in consultations which take place when a new Diocesan Bishop is to be appointed.
In brief, if this happens, the Committee meets and elects from amongst its members persons to join the permanent members of the Crown Nominations Commission to consider a vacancy and candidates for appointment and also to discuss the needs of the diocese and prepare a statement setting out those needs to be sent to the Crown Nominations Commission of the General Synod.
To qualify for election:
- Clergy - need to be beneficed or licensed under seal by the bishop of the diocese but not an archdeacon or person in episcopal orders.
- Laity – need to be over 16 years of age, actual communicants (within the meaning of the Church Representation Rules) and whose names are on the electoral roll of a parish in the diocese. They may also be on the community roll of a cathedral in the diocese, which is not a parish church, or have been declared by the leader of a mission initiative in the diocese to be part of that worshipping community.
Nominations
- All clergy and lay candidates are to be proposed and seconded by members of the House of Clergy and/or House of Laity of the Diocesan Synod.
- The deadline for nominations is 12 noon on Monday, November 25, 2024.
- The electorate are the members of the House of Clergy and House of Laity of the Diocesan Synod acting jointly.
For more information please email elections@leeds.anglican.org.