Announced Friday 3 March 2023, 10 am

Hereford Cathedral is delighted to announce the appointment of The Reverend James Pacey as its new Canon Chancellor.

James currently ministers as part of the Chaplaincy team for the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham and prior to ordination worked as a theatre practitioner and director. James will be collated and installed as Chancellor in June and he and his wife Rachael, along with their two cats, look forward to joining the cathedral community.

The Reverend James Pacey says: "I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the team at Hereford Cathedral and am looking forward to getting to know the people of the town, diocese and counties. With its rich history, treasures and place in the Diocese, I am hugely excited about working with the Dean, Chapter and the community of the Cathedral as we seek to hear the surrounding stories and tell our story of the love and salvation given us in Jesus Christ. I know I follow a wonderful legacy left by Chris Pullin and am immensely excited to be sharing this next chapter in the Cathedral's story.”

The Very Revd Sarah Brown, Dean of Hereford, says: “James is a rare combination of pastor and missioner, with a liturgical eye and a gift for translating the theology of the church and church buildings into compelling stories which move hearts and minds towards God. I’m looking forward to seeing what he and our Library and Education teams can do to develop our understanding of the wonderful artefacts and resources that we have to offer here.  Both Canon Andrew Piper and I are very much looking forward to working with James, as together with the whole Chapter and our amazing staff team we work out what a cathedral is called to be and do.”

The Rt Revd Richard Jackson, Bishop of Hereford, says: “I am delighted that James has agreed to join the Cathedral team as Chancellor. His combination of liberal catholic, inclusive theology, great communication and interpersonal skills, and enthusiasm for the life of our cathedral church was evident both in his interview and in commendations from colleagues. We look forward to welcoming him and Rachael to the diocesan family.”

The Rt Revd Paul Williams, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, says: ‘‘With his gifts of creativity, affinity for liturgy and experience of missional storytelling and engagement with both adults and children, James’ ministry will bring many blessings to the life and mission of Hereford Cathedral.’’

As well as ministry work, the cathedral’s Chancellor is responsible for the Education department, which leads work with schools and families, and the cathedral’s Library and Archives team. The Chancellor also takes care of the cathedral’s historic artefacts, including the world-famous Mappa Mundi world map, the Chained Library and a copy of the 1217 Magna Carta, as well as the modern day lending library which is open to the public.