New minister is welcomed by Aberdeenshire congregations
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Reverend Suzanne Brumwell has officially joined four Episcopal churches in the Aberdeenshire area as the new Rector.
The minister, who has moved to the north-east from Wales, will lead the congregations of St Mary’s Church, Inverurie; St Anne’s Church, Kemnay; St Mary’s Church, Auchindoir; and All Saints’ Church, Whiterashes.
The installation service was held on Thursday evening in St Mary’s Church, Inverurie.
It was led by The Right Reverend Anne Dyer, Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney.
Reverend Suzanne Brumwell said of her new role: "I'm delighted to have been installed as Rector of the Donside Episcopal Churches.
"I love the diversity of these four churches and I'm looking forward not only to getting to know and work with the four congregations but also to getting immersed in the communities around them."
Introducing herself she added: "Born with congenital heart disease I was briefly an international child celebrity, known as the Little Welsh Heart Girl, undergoing major surgery by Professor Christiaan Barnard in Cape Town at the age of five.
"I became a Christian in a school assembly and began attending Sunday School in a local chapel, eventually teaching in the Sunday School. I went on to read Biblical Studies at the University of Sheffield where I met my husband Phil and later began work in the publicity department at Sheffield Newspapers.
"I first sensed a calling to ministry when I was attending a conference on behalf of the chapel, but it seemed so unlikely I decided to continue with my plans and leave it in God’s hands should it be genuine.
"The return to Wales saw the birth of our children and so began a new chapter for us. I spent a few years at home with the children before going to work for a NHS organisation as a conference and events administrator.
"I soon moved up within the organisation to coordinate multi-disciplinary events throughout Wales whilst also taking on editorship of their newsletter and eventually became the communications manager until I gave up due to family reasons.
"Over the course of this time, I had discovered Anglicanism and so without the constraints of a job, I got more and more involved in the work of the church as a member of the PCC (vestry), newsletter editor and did some voluntary work both as part of the church and alone with a homeless charity.
"I became involved in ecumenical children’s work, teaching the meaning of Christmas and Easter which led on to my love of amateur puppeteering. I led a fortnightly house-group and a weekly Bible study in a local coffee shop.
"My sense of calling had returned and this time, I knew I would have to explore it and test it out. It was a lengthy process and eventually I surrendered.
"I trained at St Michael’s College, Cardiff. I was made a deacon in 2016 and ordained a priest 12 months later. I served my curacy in the Rectorial Benefice of Cowbridge where I had immediate oversight of three of our churches and took joint lead in children’s work and pastoral care.
"In 2019, I was appointed Vicar of the Parish of Llansantffraid, Bettws and Aberkenfig. In spite of the difficulties of dealing with a global pandemic, opportunities have arisen to work with different sectors of the communities in which I serve in ways that are very different than before, including being a trustee of a charity shop that seeks to help alleviate poverty within those communities."
Suzanne visited the north-east earlier this year to see all four churches and to meet a number of members of the congregations.
As part of the discernment process she led a seminar on Mission in Contemporary Scotland and was interviewed by the Search and Appointment Group. She also met with Bishop Anne Dyer.
She was then chosen as the successor to Reverend Canon John Walker, who retired in autumn 2021.
