Leadership
Rev. Dr. Jody Seymour
Jody Seymour is our senior advisor. He graduated from Duke Divinity School and completed his doctoral work in Spiritual Formation through the Graduate Theological Foundation. He is the author of six books, the most recent being The Christian Skeptic: Caught between Belief and Doubt. Jody is also a certified Enneagram instructor. The Enneagram is a personality system that is often used in spiritual direction. Jody has served seven churches in the Western North Carolina conference, retiring after thirteen years as senior pastor for Davidson United Methodist Church. Contact him at drjodyseymour@gmail.com.
W. DON CARROLL, JR.
Don Carroll is a spiritual director, Enneagram teacher and writer. He is a member of Davidson United Methodist Church. Don also attends the Davidson Friends Meeting (Quaker) in Davidson and the Inclusion Community. A graduate of Sursum Corda School of Spiritual Direction, Don provides individual spiritual direction and assists in the spiritual formation program at Davidson UMC. He has extensive background in counseling, coaching and the 12-steps from his work in the mental health and addiction field as Director of the North Carolina Lawyer Assistance Program. Don is a certified Enneagram teacher and leads retreats for individuals on using the Enneagram as a spiritual tool and for church staffs on team building and vision implementation.
Don is the author of the Consciousness Trilogy: Hacking Toward Consciousness, The End of Democracy, and The Armageddon Choice, as well as King Arthur and the Consciousness Gene and The Beguines and the Search for Visionary Consciousness, and the interactive CONNECT meditation journal and The 9 and 12 Workbook and other writings to help on the spiritual journey. Details at www.doncarroll.com. Contact him at carroll.williamdon@gmail.com.
NICOLE GREER
Nicole Greer is the Vibrant Coach. In 2007, Nicole, a spirited entrepreneur, developed Vibrant Coaching. Over the last 20 years, she has embraced her ‘wind’ to help individuals, corporations and churches become the people they were created to be through defining and fulfilling a mission, to work better in teams, understand how personality types interact, get motivated, chart a direction, uncover ambitions, blind spots, hidden strengths thorough 360 work and exemplify excellent leadership. Ultimately, she longs to see people fully alive, alert, and awake! She is on a mission to energize, impact, and influence people to live vibrant lives through engaging the possibilities. Nicole works to learn, is a life long student of business practices and she loves to travel. Her traveling companions are David, her “earthy” husband of 25+ years, and two adult children. Contact Nicole through her website or email nicole@vibrantcoaching.com.
ROXANNE MORGAN
Roxanne Morgan is a founding member and elder at Warehouse 242 (a Presbyterian congregation), where she leads contemplative spiritual formation classes. She has a God-given artistic bent that delights in fostering creativity and helping others discover and live out sacred rhythms in their lives. A practicing spiritual director, Roxanne has served as a facilitator for the Trust Circle for Discernment ministry at Davidson UMC, is a graduate of School of the Spirit, and now serves with The Lydia Group, LLC, for School of the Spirit and The Sacred Invitation retreats. She has also served as a professor with the Lórien Academy of the Arts, which provides art education and experiences for West Charlotte youth, and as a tutor with Augustine Literacy Project. Contact Roxanne at WayfaringAnamcara@gmail.com
ANN STARRETTE
From 2004 to 2021, Ann had the privilege of overseeing the Office of Spiritual Formation and Direction at Davidson United Methodist Church. Ann is the founding director of School of the Spirit, The Lydia Group LLC Christ-centered retreat ministry begun in 1998 and co-founder of The Sacred Invitation. She earned her business degree from UNC-Charlotte, is a graduate of Renovaré Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation (two-year curriculum for Christlikeness), with further graduate studies at Shalem Institute and Richmont Graduate University’s School of Ministry. As a spiritual director, teacher, and retreat leader, Ann views her role as quietly planting inner seeds of freedom, growth, and change toward wholeness. Her husband Tom (1938-2019) and Ann are founding stewards of Starrette Farm Retreat in Statesville. Contact Ann at Starrette@mindspring.com.
CRAIG SEFA
Craig Sefa serves as an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church and a Board Member of the Wesleyan Contemplative Order (WCO). He regularly assists with spiritual formation retreats, contemplative chapel services, and School of the Spirit. Craig earned his Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) from Duke Divinity School and holds a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Asbury Theological Seminary. He is the author of I Arise Today: A 40-Day Journey through St. Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer and When Every Space is Sacred: Cultivating an Awareness of God’s Presence in Everyday Life. With a passion for Spiritual Formation and Discipleship, Craig seeks to use his gifts to echo the still small voice of the Holy Spirit in our noisy world. Contact Craig through his website, “Echo,” at https://craigsefa.org or by email at sefacj@gmail.com.
Diane Browder-Boswell
Dr. Diane Browder-Boswell is Professor Emeritus from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she led the doctoral program in special education. In her retirement, she teaches online courses for East Carolina University. She is a member of Forest Hill United Methodist Church and a graduate of the Renovare Institute for Spiritual Formation. Diane is blessed to be part of both a Centering Prayer group and a Wesley Contemplative Order band. She completed The Sacred Invitation (Cohort #1) and School of the Spirit (Cohort # 10, #11). Her love of learning led her to develop the monthly book discussions for School of the Spirit. You can contact Diane at dianebrowbos@gmail.com.
Group Spiritual Direction (trust circles) facilitators: Don Carroll, Nicole Greer, Roxanne Morgan and Ann Starrette
The purpose of a trust circle for Group Spiritual Direction is to be companions and co-listeners for the voice of God in the story of each individual life. We help each other recognize and be more responsive to God’s movement and invitations. Our trust circles use the Group Spiritual Direction model (used internationally) created by Rose Mary Dougherty, S.S.N.D. through her work at Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation.