I'm Tanya Hockley-Still and I am the vicar of St. Mark’s Exeter, in Exeter diocese
Prior to this I served my curacy in Eastbourne, Chichester diocese. I specialise in mentoring BAME people, under 30s and people not from the traditional middle-class background. I can only mentor in English.
I see mentoring as being a really important role, in which building trust is important so that people can be open and honest. I am quite reflective and supportive in how I mentor people, and have a very pastoral nature. My strong desire is that all people from whatever background may be equally able to discern their vocations in life, and I want to help people do that. My time availability is quite flexible, and my day off is Mondays. My interests are all kinds of crafts where you learn how to make things yourself, like knitting and crocheting. I am currently experimenting with making my own bath salts and melts. In terms of theology I am particularly interested in how it interacts with science. I wrote my MA thesis on whether the robots in Battlestar Galactica would have souls or not. This is probably also related to my love of fantasy and science fiction, both in terms of reading and board games.
I am from an Anglo-Catholic tradition, and have spent the last 10 years prior to my current role worshipping in and latterly ministering in Anglo-Catholic churches. My parish now I would describe as middle of the road, and I have been here for a year. I was ordained deacon in 2014 and priested in 2015. Prior to going to university I worshipped in a charismatic evangelical church, so I have quite a broad experience of church traditions.