Synod Moderator

 Eastern Synod Moderator - Revd Lythan Nevard

It is a delight and privilege to be Moderator of Eastern Synod. I have been a Minister in the URC for almost 29 years but my roots go back into FURY (now URC Youth) and the Ginger Group (1986-87 cohort). I’m married to Phil, also a URC Minister and we have had pastorates in Northern, Thames North and South Western Synods, but only worked together in a pastorate for three years. I have been part time and full time, in a single, a two church pastorate and a group of 5 churches. Most recently I have been a Pioneer Minister in an ecumenical project in a new town being built on the edge of Exeter.

So, apart from the parts of Essex that abut the Thames North and Cambridge where I studied for an MA, Eastern Synod is very new territory for me. I’m looking forward to meeting you and discovering the delights of East Anglia (whilst possibly getting lost along the way). More importantly I want to hear your stories of what it is to be a follower of Jesus and church in your community, the joys and delights and the challenges and frustrations, all in the hope that we can look at what you need going forward to be able to do mission and share Jesus where you are. As a Synod I know that we are blessed with amazing resources in terms of people, like Nicola Grieves our Children and Youth work Development Officer and Lindsey Brown our Mission and Training Officer and also in terms of grants that can help put some of your ideas into practice. We are here to help you do that – to support and encourage you in your discipleship and mission as we walk the way of Jesus together.

The roles of the Moderator are many and varied.  Together with the Synod Pastoral Committee, the Synod Moderator in a range of ways, offer support and care to ministers and churches and, though the diary is sometimes challenging, try to be available to respond to the needs of both.  

Together with colleagues who serve as Moderators in the other twelve Synods the Moderator has a particular role of introducing prospective ministers and prospective pastorates to each other.  At this point this time we are hosting the URC ministerial vacancies’ Profiles pages which can be accessed by the menu to the right of this page.

All contact details are in the Synod Yearbook or contact can be made via the Synod Office staff. Jane Langford-Horder remains the PA to the Moderator.