An SGM Interview with
Andrea Sergeant
SDFP Scholarship Recipient 2026
“I am just in awe of what God has done through your generosity! It’s amazing to pause and consider people’s faithful giving in the years since God planted this seed within me. My family and I are so grateful for every contribution you have made that has allowed me to be fully present at this holy moment in time.”
Thanks to the generosity of the contemplative community, and in particular the Alumni Partnership Fund, we are able to offer a fully funded Year One scholarship each year to someone called to spiritual direction formation for whom finances would otherwise be a barrier. In this blog post, Kathryn Overall-Cass talks with 2026 scholarship recipient Andrea Sergeant about her journey so far and what receiving the scholarship has meant for her and her family.
Andrea, can you share something of your journey towards the ministry of spiritual direction?
I first heard about spiritual direction in 2017 when I was working at Carey Baptist College supporting pastors with their annual registration requirements. I had completed diplomas in life coaching and counselling but found it frustrating that I was unable to always speak openly about God’s presence in those fields of practice.
When I learnt about spiritual direction it felt like a very clear ‘yes’ moment for me, and my heart leapt in anticipation! I got in contact with Fran Francis from the Spiritual Directors Formation Programme and began a year of preparation and discernment on The Foundation Pathway.
As I began spiritual direction, worked through the courses, and completed my silent retreat, I experienced a tremendous amount of personal growth, and fell in love with spiritual direction.
However, I discerned that I was not to apply to the formation programme for 2018 and I just hoped that I would be called to the ministry at some point.
What happened next? What did being offered the scholarship mean to you?
Eighteen months later, in 2019, our then 5-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder. We found out she was in end stage kidney failure, and seven months later I was able to donate a kidney to her.
During this time God asked me to home educate our three neurodiverse children. Between their needs, medical care, and home education, I had to stop working to create a better balance of life. That limited our family to a single income and felt like a limitation whenever I considered applying for the formation programme.
In August last year I attended a day retreat and a spiritual director I met offered me free spiritual direction if I decided to go ahead with the formation programme. This removed one of my perceived barriers and led me to pray into the idea with my husband and friends. There were many words of encouragement to apply for the SDFP Year One Scholarship, and the next day I realised it was the final day for scholarship applications, so I quickly sent off my application!
We discerned that I could only say yes to an offer of placement if the scholarship was awarded, and one day later I received the email offering me the scholarship! It was so exciting to be blessed in this way, and such a beautiful confirmation of God’s timing.
God then blessed us with other financial support which is enabling us to save towards Year Two of the course.
SGM offers a two-year, part-time Spiritual Directors Formation Programme. Learn more HERE.
You are just finishing your first year of the programme. How has it been for you?
The first year of this course has been so life-giving and feels like a full circle moment having spent the previous six years at home with the kids focused on home education and medical crises. Our lives changed so swiftly back in 2019, and with that came a lot of grief over lost expectations, hopes, and dreams.
This year, the formation programme (including spiritual direction and supervision) has been such a beautiful reminder of who God has called me to be despite all the difficulties. The programme has given me so many opportunities for silence, stillness, solitude, community, knowledge, and reflection, and the nurturing environment has filled my cup to overflowing, ready to pour out to others.
What would you like to say to the SGM community whose generosity makes these scholarships possible?
I am just in awe of what God has done through your generosity. It’s amazing to pause and consider that people have been faithfully giving over the nine years and more since God planted this seed within me, and to know that your responses to God allowed this dream to come to fruition now.
My family and I are so grateful for every contribution you have made that has allowed me to be fully present at this holy moment in time.
Thank you!
