Margaret realised a long-held dream in front of family and friends at a service in St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Bendigo, on June 11.

Now Reverend Dr Margaret Wesley, she will be serving the parish of St Mark’s, Golden Square, Bendigo, and working part time with the Ministry Development Office.

The youngest of six children, Margaret came to Gunnedah with her parents Cecily and Dave, and older sister Debbie, when her father was transferred from the Inverell branch of Farmers and Graziers in 1977.

Margaret spent six months at Gunnedah South School before completing Years 7-10 at Gunnedah High, where she made some very close friends.

“Although I was only in Gunnedah for four-and-a half-years, those were very significant years,” Margaret said.

“In that time I grew out of spiritual childhood through a number of very important influences - wonderful school-friends at Gunnedah High; lots of reading, praying, thinking and discussing.”

Margaret’s world came crashing down in 1981 when her father died suddenly from a heart attack and her mother’s grief became overwhelming.

“The suffering caused by Dad’s death and Mum’s complicated and prolonged grieving had a big influence on me but the love of our wonderful neighbours also helped me become more ecumenical and less rigid in some of my beliefs,” she said.

“We returned to Inverell at the end of 1982 because we owned a house there and Mum felt that we could live more economically.

“She had not been well enough to return to work after Dad’s death and his life insurance didn’t go very far - we stayed in Gunnedah long enough for Debbie to finish her HSC and I did Years 11 and 12 in Inverell.”

Still committed to her Christian beliefs, Margaret moved to the city to study at the University of Sydney.

Her understanding of theology and ministry developed beside many creative, passionately Christian people at St Barnabas, Broadway and Sydney University Evangelical Union.

“My early years in Sydney deepened my earlier conviction that God was calling me to a life of Christian ministry,” Margaret said.

After completing her BSc degree, Margaret married Peter Wesley and worked in the city for five years. She then moved into student residential and lay pastoral ministries with her church for four exciting but challenging years.

Towards the end of this time the couple’s son Thomas was born and after a year in Singapore, their daughter Hannah joined the family and Margaret enjoyed every moment of their pre-school years.

With both children at school, Margaret returned to theological study and completed her MDiv part time. For the last two years of her study she worked as a student minister at St John’s, Ashfield, helping bring new life to the parish.

For six years, Margaret had the privilege of teaching Bible, church history and ministry subjects at Mary Andrews College (MAC).

Margaret said the MAC faculty and students were among the wisest, kindest, strongest people she has known.

Through MAC she ran a conference on grief and edited the resulting book, Loss and Discovery. During her years at MAC, Margaret gained her ThD in the Gospel of John and also completed qualifications in spiritual direction and Bowen Family Systems Therapy.

Her doctorate has been published by Wipf & Stock and the Australian College of Theology under the title, Son of Mary: the family of Jesus and the community of faith in the Fourth Gospel.

When her husband suggested that the family move to China, Margaret agreed that it was time for a new adventure. She said the hardest part was leaving her work, her church and her students behind, but the two-and-a-half years in China gifted her with wonderful friends and valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities of cross-cultural living.

After returning to Australia, Margaret’s life took another turn as her children settled into university life, and a new door on her spiritual journey opened in Bendigo, where her sister Ann was living.

“I had been working in Christian ministry in various capacities for most of my adult life but ordination had never been possible in Sydney,” Margaret said.

“This was clearly God’s time and place for me to take that step.”

Margaret’s older siblings have also made their mark in life, with her eldest brother Ken working in the entertainment industry in Sydney. He now has a successful business selling entertainment industry insurance. 

Now living in Bendigo, Ann is a social worker with significant experience and expertise in child protection.

Another sister Teen has always loved children and although she has seven of her own she has offered a better chance at life for countless foster children. She now lives in Campbelltown and works for Legal Aid in Sydney

Bernie is the only family member left in Inverell, where he teaches guitar and helps his wife Mandy with family day care. He has helped launch a number of country music careers. He is also a scripture teacher and is very involved with his church

Debbie lives near Canberra and works for immigration, which has taken her overseas on a number of postings. She was working in Sri Lanka at the time of the tragic tsunami and it took several hours for the family to make contact and be assured that she was safe.

Margaret’s mother Cecily recovered her health enough to complete a university degree before her death on Christmas Eve 1993.

She never lived to see her family grow to include 15 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren but her love and influence in their early formative years has continued to sustain them in their lives.