A teacher from Bargoed has given up given up life in the classroom, switching from teaching to full-time ministry.
For the last two years Revd Sue Pratten, has been the assistant curate (NSM) of Caerphilly, which means that her work for the church has been carried out alongside her paid work as a primary school teacher.
But as her desire to work full-time as a priest grew, Sue decided to give up teaching and she has now been appointed assistant curate of Caerphilly.
She left the Gaer Junior School in Newport, where she taught Year 3 and 4 pupils, after a teaching career spanning 30 years, and took up her new full-time post on September 1.
“I realised that my heart was in ministry and I did not think that I could fulfil God’s call and continue teaching,” said Sue, who currently lives in Newport but will be moving to live in the parish of Caerphilly.
“I am really looking forward to my new role and want to embrace it fully and will take all my teaching experience of working with children with me into my ministry.”
Born and educated in Bargoed, Sue attended St Gwladys’ Church from a young age and it is was where her sense of vocation began. She read Theology at Birmingham University and studied for a PGCE at Swansea University.
Her first teaching post was at her former secondary school in Bargoed where she taught Religious Education before transferring to primary education, taking up a teaching post in Caerphilly before moving to Newport where she has taught for the last 20 years.
Despite having spells as acting deputy head and studying for a Post Graduate Diploma in Education Practice at University of Wales College, Newport, Sue’s sense of vocation would not go away and eventually she trained and was licensed as a Lay Reader in 2009.
This led to her training for ordained ministry and her ordination as a deacon in 2012 and a priest in 2013. She completed a B.Th in July this year – achieving a First Class honours.
“I am sure that the journey ahead will have many challenges but I am also confident that God will continue to lead me as I keep my eyes firmly fixed on Him. I have already been introduced to some of the diverse work of ministry from leading worship, preparing sermons, the occasional offices and pastoral work, to aspects of mission, CAT meetings, and church maintenance!” said Sue, who enjoys gardening, reading and listening to music in her spare time.
Assistant Bishop of Llandaff, David Wilbourne, said: “Over the last couple of years Sue Pratten has combined the role of primary school teacher with that of non-stipendiary priest at Caerphilly, and has proved a popular member of the clergy team there.
“She now moves on to work there full-time, a ministry to which she brings a warm pastoral heart combined with clear communication and education skills. Incredibly she managed to combine completing a Theology degree with teaching and non-stipendiary ministry, and we were all thrilled when she was awarded First Class honours.”