A Calling to Serve: A Q+A with Richmond Ministry Leaders, Helen & Rog
At Richmond, our holidays are about far more than just sunshine, crystal-clear waters, and great company. At the heart of everything we do is the desire to create space – space to rest, space to reconnect with God, and space to simply be.
Our volunteer Ministry Leaders play a huge part in creating that atmosphere. Whether it’s sharing an encouraging thought at morning prayer, chatting over coffee on the sunny terrace, or lunch on the mountain tops, they help make our resorts a sanctuary for both body and soul.
This month, we sat down with two familiar and deeply cherished members of our ministry team, Helen and Rog Constantine, to talk about life, faith, and what makes ministering in Samos so special.
Hi Helen & Rog! To kick things off, could you share a little bit about yourselves and your journey into ministry?
Between the two of us, we’ve actually known each other for over thirty years, but we officially joined our lives and ministries together when we got married in 2025!
Helen: My journey of faith actually started in a slightly unconventional setting – in my early twenties while working out on Caribbean cruise liners! Since then, God has taken me on an incredible adventure through youth work, lecturing, and working alongside the wonderful charity Safe Families.
Rog: For me, ministry has looked like 29 years of pastoral leadership at Bournemouth Community Church – 17 of those as Senior Team Pastor. Life has brought immense joy, but also deep heartache; after losing my late wife, Sarah, to cancer in 2017, I came to know the profound depth of God’s comfort in a very real, personal way.
Bringing our journeys together, our shared heartbeat is simply to see people grow into confident disciples – resting deeply in the Father’s love and rediscovering real joy, whether they’re at home in the UK or halfway across the Aegean Sea!
You’ve ministered with Richmond in Samos for a while now. What makes the holiday environment so unique for spiritual life?
Ministering in Samos is always an absolute highlight of our year. In the relentless pace of everyday life, it’s so easy to run on empty.
A holiday creates a rare, holistic environment for total restoration. When people step away from their routines and to-do lists, they suddenly have both the physical and mental space for a genuine spiritual reset. It offers people room to process the year that’s been, heal where needed, and realign with whatever plans God has in store for the season ahead.
What does day-to-day ministry look like for you when you’re out in resort?
What we love most about being part of the Richmond family is that ministry isn’t forced or confined to a stage – it just weaves naturally into everyday community life.
It happens during quiet, early-morning prayer gatherings right on the beach as the sun comes up; it happens over long, relaxed meals together; and it happens in spontaneous chats by the pool or on the waterfront.
You’re simply doing life alongside the guests and the team, and that shared holiday environment opens doors for wonderfully authentic, gentle conversations about faith.
Are there any moments or memories from your time in Samos that stand out to you?
Our favourite moments are always those unexpected times where you see God move in someone’s heart.
Because Samos is such a restful setting, people’s guards come down. We’ve had the privilege of witnessing God bring both physical and spiritual healing to people who arrived feeling exhausted, worn down, or carrying very heavy loads. Seeing someone arrive weighed down and watching that burden lift throughout the week never gets old.
Finally, what is your hope and prayer for those heading out to Samos this season?
Our constant prayer for every guest – and for the wonderful Richmond resort team, too – is that anyone arriving with a heavy heart or an overloaded mind finds the freedom to lay those burdens down in God’s presence.
We pray that each person leaves Samos feeling lighter, spiritually refreshed, deeply loved, and ready for whatever adventure life holds next.
See you on the beach!
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing beach getaway, a chance to join in with water sports, take part in ski season or simply need space to be spiritually refreshed, there’s a seat at the table waiting for you!