The next team member we meet in our two-minute interview is Sam Pratley.
Sam has been the Diocesan Secretary since the summer of 2016. Before that, he was the Managing Director of West Mercia Homes (now part of the Citizen Housing Association). He lives with his wife Carrie, who is the wheelchair occupational therapist for the Wye Valley Trust and his three children (Naomi 13, Noah 12 and Jacob 10). Sam is the Chairman of the local Herefordshire charity Vennture, a trustee at Close House, a coach at Westfields Football Club, a very keen cricketer and a member of Hereford Baptist Church.
Here is what he told us about himself:
I: Hello. Thanks for taking part in the 2-min interview. Our first question is a good one. What is your favourite food?
SP: This is an impossible question to answer! One of my favourite things to do is to get an Indian takeaway at the end of a busy week (Lamb Pathia by choice) however, I often find myself craving some sticky BBQ ribs, and I am always looking for excuses to go for a burger at the Beefy Boys. The ‘official’ answer to this question is a Beef Wellington but I would just like to add (based on that list of food) that we aim to have a majority of meals each week that have no meat in them at all.
I: Everything sounds delicious, Sam. I am feeling quite hungry! Another question: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
SP: Another tough question. Pre-lockdown we did a massive tour of Europe in a hastily converted minibus, taking in 26 different countries in three and a bit weeks. I’d love to do a similar tour of any other continent, with South America and Asia being the highest on the list. I am (COVID permitting) about to set off in February half term for an eight-day conference at Yad Vashem (the Holocaust centre) in Israel. This is another place I have always wanted to visit. It is a train-the-trainer experience meaning that I will be educated to enable me to talk to Christian communities about the Holocaust and the role of Christians within it. You might want to avoid me when I come back as I am anticipating having a lot to share.
I: I can’t wait to hear more about your travels, Sam. I wish I could go to Yad Vashem too. What do you enjoy about working at Hereford Diocese?
SP: Finally, an easier question! I love hearing stories about things that are going well in our churches. There is so much doom and gloom and misinformation at the moment that it is easy to get a bit weighed down with problems, so I take great delight when I take a call from someone wanting to celebrate something that has happened, however small, that has excited them. I will look forward to hearing more (do get in touch).
I: Brilliant. Thank you, and the last but not least question. What is your favourite book in the Bible?
SP: I grew up in a Christian home and so have been asked this a lot over the years. My answer has never changed from my first child-like response. My favourite book is the first book of Samuel (for obvious reasons when I was younger). In particular, the bit in Chapter 3 (v9) where Samuel responds to the voice of God with the words ‘speak Lord for your servant is listening.’ This has been a helpful text to me throughout my life in making sure that I am listening to and serving God at all times.
I: So good, Sam. Thank you for sharing with us and being part of the 2-min interview.