Dictionary

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Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Episcopal

‘Episcopal’ refers to the role or ministry of a bishop. So an episcopal church is one in which oversight is entrusted to a bishop. Like many others, the Church in Wales is an episcopal church.

Home For clergy and members Diocesan Elections

Diocesan Elections

Diocesan Conference members are asked to make nominations for elected positions on provincial and diocesan boards and committees. We hope that this will lead to wider representation across the diocese and encourage new people to become involved in the life of our church.

Please follow the instructions on the Nomination Forms carefully. Please return Nomination Forms and Candidate Acceptance Forms by email to: elections.stdavids@churchinwales.org.uk by noon on Friday, 6 February 2026.

If you are unable to return the forms by email you may return them by post by noon on Friday, 6 February 2026 to:

Joint Secretaries, Diocesan Office, Abergwili, Carmarthen SA31 2JG

ONLY MEMBERS OF DIOCESAN CONFERENCE ARE ABLE TO NOMINATE OR SECOND A NOMINEE.

THE OFFICE WILL CONTACT ALL NOMINATORS AND SECONDERS TO CONFIRM NOMINATIONS.

Ballot papers will be issued accordingly.

COLLEGE OF EPISCOPAL ELECTORS

Third call

The purpose of the College of Episcopal Electors is to elect the Bishops and the Archbishop of the Church in Wales. The College operates in accordance with the Constitution of the Church in Wales. We require individuals to fill the existing vacancies and to create a supplemental list.

All those nominated will fill existing spaces on the Electors' lists and create a supplemental list of electors who will be called in order of votes received. Please note that those currently serving as electors will be called first in the order they appear on the lists.

In an election for the Bishop of another diocese or the Archbishop, the first three names (both clergy and lay) will be called as electors, meaning six electors in total are called. In a vacancy in our own diocese, six electors (both clergy and lay) will be called as electors, meaning twelve electors in total are called. Failure to elect electors and a supplemental list might mean that our diocese might not have the full quota of electors at an Electoral College.

Further details can be found by following the information link below and by reading the Nomination Forms.

Clerical Vacancies

1 from any archdeaconry

Lay Vacancies

2 from any archdeaconry

Supplemental List: Yes