Next week, General Synod will debate Mental Health and the Church (GS 2420), a timely and welcome conversation. It is heartening to see the Church engaging so openly with questions of mental health, recognising both the need within our communities and the responsibility we share to respond with wisdom, compassion and practical support.
As part of preparing for this debate, St Luke’s has shared with Synod members our recent report, St Luke’s Counselling Provision for Clergy Report 2025
This short audit maps what dioceses publicly state about the counselling and wellbeing support available for clergy and their families. It highlights good practice across the Church, while also surfacing opportunities to improve clarity, accessibility and consistency of provision.
While the report does not claim to be comprehensive, it raises important questions for dioceses – and for St Luke’s own practices. How easy is it for clergy to find out what support is available? How independent and confidential do services feel? And how can dioceses and national bodies work together to enable timely access to help before pressures become crises?
Above all, the report invites us to pay attention to the care of those who care. St Luke's for Clergy Wellbeing
At St Luke’s, we continue to listen closely to our beneficiaries. Their experiences are shaping our plans to develop a faster, simpler and more responsive talking therapy offer in 2026, alongside continued partnership with dioceses and other providers. We believe that when the Church invests in the health of its ministers, it strengthens the whole Body of Christ.
As Synod reflects on the wider mental health landscape, we hope our report offers a helpful snapshot of one part of that picture. And we welcome the broader commitment it represents: a Church striving not only to speak about wellbeing, but to embody it: for clergy, for congregations, and for the communities we serve.