Meet deacon intern Suzanne Cousins
My name is Suzanne. I grew up near Comber, and I am soon to begin work as Intern Deacon in St Mark’s, Newtownards. My home parish is St John’s, Newcastle, and I also pray with the Community of Prayer at Saul. I am married to Alan, who works as Irish Mobiliser for Africa Inland Mission. We have three wonderful adult children and a great son–in–law. Alan and I live in scenic seaside Newcastle and have also lived in Dublin and Pretoria.
My background is in primary teaching. I trained at Stranmillis College then taught near Ballygowan. After having our son I combined being an at–home mum with working as a part–time teacher, until we moved to Dublin. There I also taught part–time while studying Theology with the Irish Bible Institute and simultaneously by distance learning. Alan’s previous job took us to South Africa, where I was a volunteer teacher in a Children’s Village for AIDS–affected children. Following our return home I enjoyed three years working as a Special Needs classroom assistant. It was during this period that my sense of call to serve God in ordained ministry became clear and that I completed the Bishop’s Bible Certificate and Church of Ireland Foundation Course.
Reaching this point – of serving in ordained ministry – is in ways surprising, as I am a late–comer to Anglicanism. It is also unsurprising, as I have consciously been a disciple and follower of Jesus since childhood. This is thanks especially to the influence of loving family. Friendship with God through Jesus Christ has been important to me right through life’s ups and downs. To me, walking with Jesus, sharing the Good News, loving God and loving others, is what life and church are all about.
I have now completed two of three years of full–time training and formation for priesthood. While the process is demanding, I have had a deep and happy sense of God’s help and of the love and support of family and friends. I have enjoyed three training placements and am now truly excited about serving as a deacon, and about writing a dissertation on Christian–Muslim engagement in Ireland. For the year ahead, for the Church in Ards and everywhere, and for this diocese in its ongoing mission, I am praying daily, ‘Come Holy Spirit.’