A Felixstowe musician-turned-reverend has been appointed the new priest in charge at a church in Ipswich.  

Rev Emma Haggar took up the position at All Hallows Church after acting as Assistant Curate at Old Felixstowe Parish since 2021.   

A licensing ceremony was held at All Hallows on October 30. 

The 37-year-old said: "I'm very proud to become part of the All Hallows community to share the love of God with the parish I was born in. 

"I look forward to getting to know the church, understanding its needs and supporting the community." 

While faith has always been important to Emma, her childhood dream was to become a customs officer, after seeing a display about animal importing at Colchester Zoo.  

"I've always had a strong sense of justice, so I wanted to do all I could to protect animals being illegally imported," she said.  

However, at the age of 10, Emma became seriously ill with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Due to the seriousness of her symptoms, Emma attended school part-time and was only well enough to take two GCSEs.  

Throughout her illness, she continued to play the piano at home where she developed a deeper love for music. Emma joined a community choir and began rehearsing with the lead pianist to build her skills. 

That love for music blossomed into a career when she left school, but Emma admits it wasn't her original plan.  

"Becoming a musician was accidental," she said. "I had planned to go to university and follow my childhood dream, but life didn't work out that way. 

"Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing, I thoroughly enjoyed my musical career. It just shows you don't have to do things conventionally - life isn't conventional."  

Rev Haggar's career as a pianist spanned 17 years and saw her perform in choirs, musical theatre and shows including a jazz event at Snape Maltings.  

In 2016, she volunteered on the Isle of Iona, described as the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. It was there she felt God calling to her. 

Three years later, Emma began training at Trinity College Bristol and was ordained in 2021, when she joined Old Felixstowe Parish, which she described as a "lovely" community.  

In addition to being priest in charge at All Hallows, Rev Haggar is also studying Theology, Ministry and Mission part-time with Queen's College Birmingham. 

For more information on the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, visit www.cofesuffolk.org.