core group

The Core Group consists of former participants on the Essex Course in Spiritual Direction. All members are actively involved in the ministry of Spiritual Direction and some also offer supervision to Spiritual Directors in the Essex and East London network. The current Core Group is made up of lay and ordained people from different Christian denominations - currently Anglican, Baptist and Catholic - with various experience and backgrounds including teaching, counselling, coaching, engineering, business ownership, traditional church ministry, pioneer ministry and chaplaincy. Members of the Core Group regularly connect with the National Forum for Spiritual Direction, keeping up with any new developments. They also attend courses and gatherings for those involved in training Spiritual Directors, which are run by the Retreat Association, and have completed other short courses run by organisations such as the London Centre for Spiritual Direction and St Beuno’s. The Chair of the Core Group sits on the co-ordinators group for the Essex and East London ecumenical network for Spiritual Direction. The Core Group members are: Lynsey Heslegrave, Valerie Thompson, Maggie Williams, Peter Fitzgerald, Paul Mann and Maddy Edwards.

ADVISORY GROUP

A wider Advisory Group supports the Core Group and is made up of previous members of the Core Group. Members of the Advisory Group will sometimes join course days and online sessions to deliver material and share from their wide experience. They may also be involved in interviews and observations throughout the duration of the course. Our Advisory Group members are: Hilary Davey, Fran McEvoy and Clive Russell.

COURSE VISITOR

The Course Visitor is Revd Ann Coleman, Chair of the Essex and East London ecumenical network for Spiritual Direction and Spirituality Advisor to the Bishop of Chelmsford.