Sara Oust

Sara Oust (15 March 1778 – 25 October 1822) was a Norwegian lay minister and follower of Hans Nielsen Hauge. She has been described as the country's first female Christian minister and was a leader within the Haugean movement.

Biography Sara Oust was born at the village of Vingelen in the parish of Tolga in Hedmark county, Norway. She was the daughter of farmer Engebret Engebretsen Vingelen and Mari Persdatter Røe. Being fatherless at the age of seven, Oust helped her mother carry coal at the Røros Copper Works .

She first became aware of the teachings of Hans Nielsen Hauge in 1799 after having met members of the movement working at the copper works.

A play about her life, entitled ('Someone has to lead the way. A play about Sara Oust') premiered in 2011. The performance took place in the yard of the Ousta farm where she grew up. The scriptwriter and director was Rolf Norsen; others included composer Tone Hulbækmo, and actress Ingunn Løvold. Singers Kjersti Tingelstad, Rønnaug Tingelstad, Lars Tingelstad and Andreas Moen performed the play.