SGM Workgroup farewells Jane Wilkinson as Convenor and welcomes Bruce Maden at Te Maungarongo Marae
Governance of the Spiritual Growth Ministries (SGM) Charitable Trust is provided by the SGM Workgroup, a group of seasoned contemplatives who support the vision of SGM to nurture contemplative Christian spirituality in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Bruce Maden, new Workgroup Convenor, offers the following reflections on important changes that have occurred this year.
In September 2022, the Spiritual Growth Ministries (SGM) Workgroup gathered for a two-day hui at Te Maungarongo Ohope Marae, nestled amidst a beautiful backdrop of hills and native bush with ocean views.
Te Maungarongo Marae, Ohope
With some trepidation, I accepted an invitation to tread in the gifted footsteps of Jane Wilkinson who resigned as Workgroup Convenor at our hui along with Trish O’Donnell. Both Trish and Jane have made huge contributions to SGM with a combined tenure on Workgroup of 34 years!
After two days of mahi, Workgroup gathered in a circle in the heart of this beautiful marae to honour and farewell them both.
Jane had already been part of workgroup for 12 years when she courageously stepped into the Convenor role after the sudden death of Workgroup Convenor, Mike Wright in 2017. Jane ably led workgroup through important terrain with great aroha and warm and wise leadership.
Trish O’Donnell has been the pastoral heartbeat of Workgroup for 16 years and her steady presence, contemplative wisdom and famous hugs will be greatly missed.
Jane Wilkinson, Trish O’Donnell
But as with all transitions, as well as acknowledging our sense of loss, we also had a sense of new hope and direction as we welcomed to Workgroup two new members, Kathryn Overall and Donald Scott.
Kathryn was responsible for re-creating the SGM website this year, building on David Crawley’s foundation, and continues to amaze us with her imaginative ideas of how to further develop our website and our online digital presence. We look forward to content creations of blog interviews and highlighted excerpts from some of our Special Interest Projects.
Donald was thrown in the deep end at our September Workgroup as he ably conducted the whaikōrero on our behalf as manuhiri at Te Maungarongo Marae at Ohope. Workgroup being held at Te Maungarongo Marae (Te Aka Puaho - the Marae of the Māori Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand) is a further step on our journey towards becoming a Te Tiriti-informed organisation and in our ongoing desire to build greater connection between our kaupapa of Christian contemplative spirituality and Te Ao Māori.
Back Row: Jane Wilkinson, Vicki Roberts, Fran Francis, Bruce Maden, David Crawley
Front Row: Trish O’Donnell, Jo Anastasiadis, Adrienne Bruce, Diane Gilliam-Weeks, Kathryn Overall, Donald Scott
We deeply acknowledge with gratitude Vicki Roberts’ (Ngā Ruahine, Te Atiawa) ongoing guidance and sharing of Mātauranga Māori as we embrace this holy invitation.
We also acknowledge Diane Gilliam-Weeks’ deep relational connections with Te Maungarongo that allowed us to be so warmly welcomed and hosted. There was a special imaginative and hope-full energy infusing our kōrero and we sensed a holy presence blessing our endeavours within the Wharenui.
In this section, Kathryn Overall has a conversation with Jane Wilkinson and Bruce Maden about what meaning their involvement with SGM Workgroup holds for them, and what lies ahead.
A Conversation with Jane Wilkinson
Jane, what has being part of the SGM Workgroup meant to you?
Workgroup people and conversations have strengthened my belief that contemplative spirituality is good news and hope for the church and society. There have been some unexpectedly beautiful ‘Pentecostal’ expressions of faith and aha moments as we've prayed for God’s provision and direction. I’ve valued being amongst people who know about healthy group process, which respects relationships as well as rigorous discussion. And, I have made precious friendships.
What is on your heart to say as you step out of this role?
Spiritual Growth Ministries is in good heart and in a season of growth and deepening. I am fascinated to see where God will take this wonderful organisation.
What are you proudest of or most heartened by as you reflect on your tenure?
In my earlier time SGM was at Parachute Music festival. That was fun doing contemplative spirituality in a noisy hot tent!
The Spiritual Directors Formation Programme has gone from strength to strength and formed many capable and talented Spiritual Directors.
The regions picked up running events, which previously were often Workgroup led.
Refresh has been a diverse and creative publication, blessing many.
We have engaged in a Te Ao Māori journey.
We have brought talented new people into our paid roles and also onto Workgroup.
And we grieved deeply and honoured with much love, our friends who passed away too soon.
What holy invitations are there for you as you step away?
I’m enjoying satisfying Chaplaincy work (Wellington City Mission) and Supervision/Spiritual Direction.
Sabbatical! In 2023, Digby and I are off to Israel and Europe for two months.
I have been rubbish at hobbies. I’m open to suggestions though (not handcrafts!).
What would you like us to know about Bruce Maden who stepping into the Convenor role?
Bruce is a talented leader and experienced in governance. He is strategic and loves possibility thinking. He has broad arms and holds diverse people with generosity and love. I really rate Bruce and have and continue to thank him for picking up the reigns.
A Conversation with Bruce Maden
Bruce, can you share some of your background with us?
I have a strong background in standing in solidarity with the marginalised and this has led me to a professional career initially in youth (rangatahi) development and then in community led development. I have recently completed a lengthy tenure of 30 years of leadership of a faith infused community development organisation, Te Aroha Noa Community Services, based in the suburb of Highbury in Palmerston North. It provides an integrated range of services to support the growth of whanau and community. I continue to provide training, supervision, mentoring and spiritual direction services to a diverse range of people, which brings me a great deal of fulfilment.
What led you to joining SGM Workgroup in 2018?
The simple answer is that Jane invited me to join! However I responded affirmatively to this invitation because Spiritual Growth Ministries (SGM) has played such an important role in my own spiritual formation. I have had the privilege of being mentored, directed and taught by people with a deep connection to SGM including Andrew and Margaret Dunn, John Franklin, Andrew Pritchard and Sue Pickering (and my wife with Marg Schraeder). It felt right to give back to this group in some small way in recognition of the contribution these people have made into my spiritual life.
What is like to farewell Jane from Workgroup and step into her shoes as Convenor?
It has been a wonderful experience to serve in a group facilitated by Jane and she leaves big shoes to fill. She has ensured that Workgroup always feels an orderly and safe space and has ensured that the ngākau (heart) of relationship with Atua and each other is kept at the core. I have deeply appreciated her own vibrant personality, her aroha to others, her life that demonstrates that the contemplative stance leads to just action and the depth of her discernment and wisdom. I will greatly miss her presence in Workgroup.
What is on your heart to say as you step into the role of convenor?
I step into the role with considerable trepidation and with a sense of wanting to honour the Kaitiaki of SGM that have gone before me. However Workgroup has demonstrated over the time I have been part of it, a wonderful commitment to robust relational and contemplative processes, which leads to wise collective decision making so this reduces my anxiety.
I believe that the contemplative tradition may be growing in its influence in Aotearoa over the near future and this correspondingly requires Workgroup to strengthen its governance processes of SGM. I also continue to hope that SGM continues to deepen its journey in understanding and being responsive to Te Ao Māori and to outworking Te Tiriti o Waitangi kaupapa in its practice.
I also would continue to hope that we would be outworking the inclusivity of Jesus and that this would be reflected ultimately in the diversity of tauira (students) entering the formation programme and becoming spiritual directors. I also continue to hope that SGM can play and important part in continuing to nourish and speak into the contemplative tradition in Aotearoa through providing ongoing professional development and through Refresh (which is currently undergoing a refresh!).
What convictions do you hold about the value of contemplative spirituality and SGM’s vision to nurture and foster that in Aotearoa, New Zealand?
I observe that social movements reveal an increasing distrust in institutions (including religious institutions) and institutional responses to various issues. A question I am sitting deeply with is: “are we nearing the end of the institutional era?”
I think that the contemplative stream offers a wisdom tradition of encountering the Real, the loving energy at the ngākau (heart) of all that is. My hope is that the contemplative tradition can breathe fresh life and ground us into deeper ways of being that will transform existing institutional structures. I hope contemplative spirituality might offer new entry pathways for those who have never engaged with those structures, or with those who have disengaged with those structures.
I think we are on a threshold of growth and deepening receptivity to the contemplative stream and this presents us with both dangers and opportunities. I hope that Workgroup can be a continuing kōhanga (nest/cradle) guiding the development of ‘anam cara’ (soul friends) who can be spiritual guides in this time of transition.