Chaplain on staying with royals and plans for the future The rollerblading rev who married Madonna, dines with the Queen and saved a blazing bride
The irony is not lost on Rev Susan Brown as she talks about her close relationship with the Queen but stops short talking about her brush with pop royalty.
Long before US preacher Michael Curry, Rev Brown – the newly installed moderator of the Church of Scotland – was for a short period the most famous cleric in Britain. She officiated at the wedding of music royalty when she agreed to marry Madonna and film producer Guy Ritchie. Yet, despite their divorce, the 59-year- old still can’t talk about the most famous ceremony she’s ever carried out. Almost 18 years on, Rev Brown, the Queen’s chaplain, is continuing to break down barriers. She said: “As the Queen’s chaplain, when you are conducting the Sunday service at Crathie Kirk, you get invited to spend the whole weekend with the Royal Family at Balmoral. “I remember the first time I stayed at the castle. I was shown into one of the drawing rooms to be introduced to the Queen. She was sitting at a table playing patience. “I felt like I had wandered on to a film set of some big movie. It was such a surreal experience but Her Majesty made me feel instantly at ease. She is so kind, warm and open to conversation. She’s wonderful. “When you are at Balmoral, you are treated like one of the family. You eat all your meals bar breakfast with the Queen and the other house g uest s , who could be anyone from the Prime Minister to the younger royals.
“I’ve also had the pleasure of walking the grounds of the castle with the Queen and her corgis and dorgis – another unbelievable experience for someone who grew up in a wee council house in Penicuik.
“I was appointed the Queen’s chaplain in 2011 and will hold this position until my 70th birthday or until the Queen is no longer on the throne – whichever comes first.
“I’ve stayed at Balmoral twice and am due to go again in September. I don’t know which royals will be there until nearer the time but it would be lovely to meet Prince Harry and Meghan.”
Rev Brown, who was the first female minister of a cathedral in the UK, said: “I had no idea just how big an impact Madonna’s wedding was going to have. The village of Dornoch was under siege for weeks. It was a crazy time, an experience I’m never likely to see again.
“I had to sign a confidentiality contract so I still can’t talk about the day, even though it was nearly 20 years ago and they are divorced.”
The first female minister in the Highlands, Rev Brown is honoured to be appointed Scotland’s fourth female moderator.
She said: “It’s an incredibly special year for me to assume the position, 50 years after women were first ordained in the church. One of my main roles was chairing last week’s general assembly, where ministers from all over Scotland came together to discuss important issues facing society and the church.
“During my year as moderator, I will travel
The Queen was just sitting at a table playing patience. I felt like I had wandered on to a film set
round the parishes, meet with the First Minister and Prime Minister, and visit partner churches in Uruguay, Argentina, India and Pakistan.”
Last week, the church moved a step closer to al lowing ministers to conduct same-sex marriages. The Kirk’s general assembly backed a motion which tasked a committee with drafting church law on the issue.
Under the plans outlined in the motion, ministers and deacons would be allowed to conduct same- sex weddings “if they wish”.
Rev Brown’s weekly sermons attract a congregation of about 300 to Dornoch cathedral and she has a reputation for her unorthodox approach.
She once wrapped 600 pupils in toilet rolls to show that God’s love was “soft, strong and gentle”, and overturned a table and scattered coins during a sermon about moneylenders in the temple.
She’s even been known to rollerblade up and down the aisle during a sermon.
She has big plans for a church facing a challenging future.
Rev Brown said: “I will be encouraging the use of social media. Communication has changed so much. I now spend the same amount of time talking to people via private messages on social media as I do doing traditional visiting.
“The power of the internet is so strong, the Church of Scotland now have a virtual digital minister, who people can engage with and listen to online.” Rev Brown, married to fellow minister Derek, 58, was 16 when she felt the call of the church. She said: “My family were not heavily involved in the church at all but I loved going to Sunday school and being part of the Scripture Union.
“I studied divinity at Edinburgh University. I started in 1977 when I was just 17. There were only two girls in the class.
“I did a four-year masters and a two- year post- grad followed by two years’ probation at St Gi le s ’ Cathedral in Edinburgh. Talk about a baptism of fire.
“My first par ish as a fully fledged minister was at Killearnan on the Black Isle, near Inverness. I was the first female minister in the Highlands, a role it took some folk a while to get used to.
“The day we moved in, a parishioner came knocking. I proudly went to the door and the man standing there took one look at me and asked if my dad was in.
“I started out withith a congregation off 30 and, by the time I lefteft 13 years later, thereere were 180 comingng to church everyry Sunday. After 13 years on the Blackck Isle, I moved to Dornoch Cathedralal and I’ve been there for 20 years.”
Rev Brown admits one of herr toughest jobs is comforting familiess affected by suicide and mental health. The keen hillwalker, who is mum to Simon, 31, and Hannah, 28, said: “Suicide is a national crisis but the Highlands are particularly affected.
“I’ve dealt with 20 suicides in my 20 years in Dornoch. The youngest was a 16-year-old lassie and the oldest was a man in his mid-70s.
“I even buried a mother and daughter four years apart. They had both taken their own lives. It’s hard as it seems so senseless.”
Susan has also officiated at more than 400 weddings and remembers the non-famous ones as much as the celebrity ones.
She said: “I once had to put out a bride who set herself on fire. She was swishing down the stairs when her veil trailed in the tealights and went up in flames.
“I also love what can come out of the mouths of babes. One Christmas, a little boy told me he was very excited because he had got a virgin. The congregation didn’t know where to look. After a while, we established he had got a Virgin train.”
But whatever her new job holds, she’s pretty confident she’ll cope.
She said: “I think the most important quality in my job is having a great sense of humour. If I took everything that was thrown at me seriously, I would end up in a shivering wee pile on the floor.
“I know a lot of people say they have the best job in the world but my vocation is heavenly.”