IT WASN’T exactly childhood sweethearts, but Sarah and George Hemmings confess they did meet at school.
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Sitting beside each other for their first class at Ridley’s College.
A place, Sarah laughed, that is perhaps better known in the divinity domain as Ridley’s Bridal College instead of Ridley’s Bible College.
For many partners of the parish, the duties of a spouse might be a little unclear in the early days but Sarah went into her marriage with her eyes wide open.
“When George and I met, I knew he would be ordained as an Anglican minister; there wasn’t any surprise there,” Sarah said.
Classmates on the first day, they started dating six weeks later.
Ten years down the track they are married, have four sons aged between four and eight (there are twins in there) and George is both minister at Christ Church Anglican and chairman of the Moama Anglican Grammar School board.
“At the time we met I was working as a youth minister at an Anglican church, doing some training and George was there studying to become a minister.”
“I knew from the beginning that if I continued to see him, I would be a minister’s wife,” she said.
Expectations and reality seldom go hand in hand, and Sarah doesn’t pretend it’s always a Garden of Eden.
“George works hard and long hours, but it’s a vocation more than just an occupation, which has its challenges,” she said.
“You are part of people’s lives; you experience the exciting times and the hard ones too.”
Death, sickness, and financial concerns are just some of the things Sarah helps her husband navigate.
“You journey with people, and it can be challenging, but more than anything, it is a privilege to be there and do it,” she said.
“We try to provide support community, friendship, care, and sometimes that support is spiritual and other times it is practical.
“It can be helping people make meals, supporting them financially, or even as simple as babysitting.”
Being the minister’s wife does have its perks.
“I did get a discount the other day from the church op-shop when I bought a dress,” she said.
“And sometimes there are leftovers from an event, or people bring produce from their garden, and the kids love that. Sarah said the biggest perk is helping George lead people and guide them.
“That is a real privilege, and that’s why we came to Echuca,” she said.
The Hemmings moved here from Blackburn, Melbourne in 2016, where George was working as an assistant minister at St Thomas’.
Moving to the country wasn’t a big change for George, he grew up in regional Queensland.
Sarah, on the other hand, was a city girl. But it didn’t take her long to learn the lie of the land.
“I knew very early on that George’s work may call him back to a regional community,” she said.
“We got here, unpacked, and six weeks later, our fourth son was born.
“So, we settled in and got to know a few things around here pretty quickly, like the hospital.”
Many people struggle with the transition from city to country, but Sarah took it in her stride.
Discovering a new place and rekindling old passions, Sarah embraced Echuca’s lifestyle in a very colourful way.
“I’m a bit of a creative, when I have the time, I love painting Australian wildlife, birds, or just trying to capture God’s creation,” she said.
In July, Sarah contributed to the Foundry Art Spaces Artistic Exhibition.
“This is something that I have been able to explore while being here,” she said.
So expectations may not always match reality, but in between them is opportunity, and Sarah is grateful for the life she leads in Echuca.
“I feel that this is where God has called me, and this is where I can serve him at this time,” she said.
“Unless God has some other plan for us, I don’t see us leaving any time soon.”
Meet the other powers behind the pulpit Robert Lees: Echuca Moama Uniting Church
Yvonne Schroder: New Life Baptist Church
Sage Wiltshire: Epicentre Church