An ex-primary school teacher and keen clog dancer has officially become minister of North Teignmouth Community Church.

Ruth Ingrouille, 45, says feels it’s important to ‘keep a foot in both worlds’: the church and her love of folk music and dance.

Her ordination service on Saturday, October 31 included a dance to a Christian folk song, and was followed by a performance with her group, Aurora Appalachian, who‘ve often appeared at Teignmouth Folk Festival.

She said her role extends beyond the people and activities of the church itself: “You don’t need to be part of my Sunday congregation to be part of my community.”

Ruth said she was ‘called’ to church ministry while she was teaching at Tipton St John Primary School near Sidmouth.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it – I’m not one of the masses who’re leaving teaching,” she said.

“But ministry has always been part of my make-up, my DNA.

“I had a call from God, and I literally took a leap of faith, and handed in my notice.”

Ruth spent five years training at Bristol Baptist College, and was then appointed ‘minister in training’ at the Teignmouth church – a move she welcomed.

“Teignmouth is a town I love,” she said. “My family are from Guernsey, so any coastal town hits the spot.”

The placement worked out so well that she was asked to stay on and become the church’s minister, which means ‘ministering God’s grace and God’s presence in whatever form is required.”

That means not only leading her church congregation, but helping anyone who needs her support.

“You step alongside people for a few minutes, a few hours, a few days, weeks, months or years – whatever is needed,” she said.

“That varies from situation to situation, and part of the skill of the job is discerning what part my role is in that person’s journey.”