ACSD Executive Members
- Susannah Connolly lives on land where we run various animals, it is my place of slowing down and being able to go with the rhythm of nature. I work in the Men and Family centre doing Spiritual Direction and Creative counselling, also exploring Equine assisted therapy. Lecturing at the Auckland Bible College of NZ in Spiritual Formation, and creative therapies is also one of my favourite extras. I am president of the local pony club. Living with the poor in slums in the Philippines was a big part of my spiritual growth, which I live with daily. Andrew, Josh and Hana are my favourite people on earth and they teach me and inspire me constantly. Andrew coordinates the family centre, and Josh and Hana work at school, in the gym and rugby field and on horse back.
- Carol Grant is the parish minister of the Otaki Waikanae Presbyterian Parish on the Kapiti Coast. She is also a Police Chaplain. She is married to Neil. Carol has been involved in spiritual direction since 1992 and began the SGM training programme in 1996 while she was a parish minister in Christchurch. Since then Carol has assisted in various programmes and training, facilitated seminars and retreats, and created worship opportunities and devotional times at conferences and church assemblies. Spiritual direction has been an ongoing dimension of ministry with, and for others in the church and from the wider community. Carol enjoys networking ecumenically. Spiritual direction, professional supervision and mentoring also allows her to use skills and experience gained as a former secondary school teacher, paramedic, industrial and hospital chaplain. Spiritual direction has deepened her faith, enriched her life and ministry, and provided many opportunities for creative engagement with contemporary issues. Carol enjoys the privilege of accompanying others as they journey with God. She values ongoing education, peer support, and believes in the enrichment gained by contributing fully to a professional group where accountability is valued and high professional standards are maintained.
- For most of her life Nola Myles found herself companioning people on their search for more meaning in life and so in order to do this more effectively she trained as a Spiritual Director in 1994. She had been a primary teacher, an office manager, a secretary/PA, as well as holding various leadership positions both within her denomination and ecumenically. She is currently the area co-ordinator for Spiritual Growth Ministries. Nola lives in Dunedin where she offers spiritual direction, supervision and retreat leading. She regards the accompanying of folk on their journeys of faith and life as an immense privilege. Acapella gospel singing, embroidery and time in Central Otago add further colour to her life while adult children and grandchildren bring constant delight and challenge.
- In October 2010 Molly King's husband of 44 years died very suddenly. However, this difficult experience has brought an opportunity to explore new avenues, this position being one of them. David was an Anglican Clergyman so that a great deal of my life has been lived in Vicarages, with a close connection to parish life. They have 4 married sons and 8 grandchildren. Molly's academic background is in teaching music at the secondary level. Six years as Head of Music at Sacred Heart Girls' College, New Plymouth has been a highlight. Music took me into close contact with religious education and colleagues who were in the area of spiritual formation. An education appointment within the Anglican Church followed this teaching and brought wide contact with the Church in NZ and overseas. Curriculum writing for parish education, within an international team, was part of the brief; and a meeting at Oxford University looking at religious education in England, Scotland and Ireland was enabled by a lay scholarship she received. State School Chaplaincy has given Molly involvement with a diverse ecumenical body; the Churches Education Commission; in the initiation, training and placement of chaplains. Now living in Waikanae, Molly has been practising as a Spiritual Director for around 15 years and feels humbled by all that this Executive engagement offers. "Facilitating quiet days, workshops and weeks of guided prayer has offered yet another level of significance to a rich tapestry of spirituality for me", she writes.
- Glenda Prosser is a Spiritual Director and Pastoral Supervisor based in Rangiora in North Canterbury. A former secondary school science teacher, payroll administrator, accountant's assistant, and adult educator, she trained as a spiritual director with SGM in 2000 & 2001. Glenda trained in the CAIRA method of pastoral supervision in 2003 & 2004 and am now one of the local CAIRA trainers. She also completed the SGM supervision training in 2004. She worships in the Anglican Church in Rangiora where she is a Licensed Lay Minister. Glenda is the “Keeper of the List” for the Christchurch Spirituality Network (CSN). She has facilitated retreat days and presented courses on prayer. Married to David, Glenda has 2 adult children and one delightful grandson. For the last 8 years she has been an Oblate of St Benedict (a lay member of the Order of St Benedict). Glenda has appreciated receiving spiritual direction in her own faith journey and counts it a privilege to be able to offer similar support to others. She sees spiritual direction as a ministry that helps people grow into interdependence in the Body of Christ.
- Ricky Waters has lived in Auckland with his wife, Gill, and two boys since 1995, when they returned from 6 years of working with Pacific Students for Christ in Fiji. Ricky has been in a range of leadership roles in Presbyterian, Baptist, Independent Pentecostal churches over the years since his conversion experience in 1978. Ricky currently attends Somervell Presbyterian Church. Ricky has been the Co-ordinating Chaplain overseeing teams of volunteer Chaplains at Massey University (Albany), Unitec Institute of Technology, and Manukau Institute of Technology since 2001. He has served as the Northern Regional Co-ordinator for the Aotearoa New Zealand Tertiary Chaplains Association (ANZTCA) and served on its Executive for the past 9 years. He has been the NZ representative on the Executive of the International Association of Chaplains in Higher Education (IACHE) for the past 7 years. Ricky completed the SGM Spiritual Director Training Course in 2001, become an Associate member of ACSD in 2002 and a full member in 2003. He has attended 3 ACSD Training Events. A number of Ricky’s Directees have come through his Chaplaincy work. Many of these seeking Spiritual Direction have been from faiths other than Christian. In order to access resources to support these directees, Ricky joined Spiritual Directors International (SDI) in 2005. Ricky has had a variety of Spiritual Directors since attending an SGM Retreat in 1985 and is keen to promote the benefits of Spiritual Direction amongst those in Christian ministry – particularly with those he supervises. He is also keen to ensure that Spiritual Directors continue in their professional and personal development. Ricky has a BEd and a BD and has been a JP for the past 3 years.