Membership

Join us at ACSD

The Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors provides a team of vetted directors who provide visibility and advocacy for the practice of spiritual direction, support and resource for our members, and coordinate shared ministries with regional conference networks.

We invite all Covenant spiritual directors, including students, to become a member of ACSD. Membership dues are on a sliding scale of $40-$100 per year for full / associate members and $30-$100 per year for student members.

For existing members, click here to renew your membership.

Membership Benefits

  • Opportunities for individual growth for spiritual directors through supportive fellowship, continuing education, and individual encouragement
  • Opportunities for broader connection between Covenant-affiliated spiritual directors
  • Participation in forums for the sharing of ideas and resources related to spiritual direction
  • ACSD annual meeting and spiritual directors’ retreat in conjunction with the Covenant Midwinter Conference 
  • Inclusion in a master listing of members (access for members only)
  • Members-only resources
  • A public profile on our Finding a Spiritual Director page. (not available for student membership)

Becoming a Member

Below you will find the steps to complete the full application process:

  1. Fill out and submit your membership application
  2. Invite your church leader to fill out a local church reference form
  3. Invite someone in your life to fill out the personal reference form
  4. Invite a member of your regional Covenant conference Network to fill out a network reference form
    1. If you are not part of a regional Covenant conference network, please find a second person to submit a personal reference.
  5. After your application and references are approved, you will receive directions on how to complete and pay

ACSD New Membership Application Form

    If you prefer to mail in your application, download this zip file and mail the filled-out forms to:

    Attn: ACSD Membership
    c/o River Life Covenant Church
    4401 A St.
    Sacramento, CA 95819
    USA

    Or email filled-out PDFs to admin@eccacsd.org

    Personal Information






    Church



    Spiritual Direction Background



    YesNoI would like to learn more about becoming a member of an ECC regional Network of Spiritual Directors





    Levels of Membership


    Full MembershipStudent MembershipAssociate Membership

    Membership Agreement of the Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors


    YesNo


    YesNo


    YesNo


    YesNo


    YesNo


    YesI agree to complete this in a timely manner



    IndividualGroup


    YesNo


    References

    Please contact your references to complete the application process. They will need to complete the forms listed beneath the application submission button.

    I acknowledge that an annual fee must be paid to complete the application. The sliding scale is $30 - $100 for student members, and for full and associate members, it is $40 - $100. Any amount above the minimum is based on my ability to pay and/or a commitment to fund ACSD's scholarship goals.

    Membership contributions go to support our association's operation and a scholarship fund to support those who want to attend our pre-Midwinter retreat, for contemplative or trauma-healing retreats for marginalized groups, and for training spiritual directors from marginalized communities.

    Pay Electronically:
    Venmo: @acsdspiritualdirectors
    Zelle: admin@eccacsd.org
    PayPal: see detailed payment instructions below

    Make Checks Payable to "Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors":
    ACSD
    c/o Bruce MacMahon
    2741 S. Goshen Way
    Boise, ID 83709

    Detailed Payment Instructions

    How to remit annual dues to the Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors:

    Zelle

    This platform has moved from an on-line processor (such as PayPal or Venmo), to a bank-to-bank transfer agent. If your home bank has partnered with Zelle by joining the Zelle network, you should be able to send money to the Association from your home account using Zelle.

    1. Initiate your home banking app on your phone or computer

    2. Choose the ‘transfer and pay’ option on your home banking site or app

    3. Select the option ‘send Money with Zelle’ (you should be transferred from your bank’s site to the Zelle site)

    4. Select the ‘send’ option

    5. Search for the Association using these prompts:

      1. Association of Covenant Spiritual (the association’s enrolled name)

      2. admin@eccacsd.org (the association’s enrolled email address)

      3. If these prompts work as intended, the application should load up a payment page with the Association named as the recipient

    6. On the ‘Payment’ screen, you input the desired amount to transfer (underneath the amount, you should see the source as your personal bank account)

    7. Entering the amount will take you to a ‘Review’ screen

      1. Use the Memo dropdown box, so you can add a note:
        Short description: ‘2025 dues from [put your name here]’

    8. Hit the ‘Send’ button and you are done

    Venmo

    This platform supports your-bank-to-association transfers, but does not support credit card payment methods (such as PayPal). If you have set up a Venmo account using your home bank account as the source of transfers, then you can send money to the Association from your home account using Venmo.

    1. Initiate your Venmo app on your phone or computer

    2. Search for the Association using these prompts:

      1. Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors (the association’s enrolled name)

      2. @acsdspiritualdirectors (the association’s enrolled Venmo username)

      3. If these prompts work as intended, the application should load up a payment page with the Association named as the recipient. You should see admin@eccacsd.org as the contact email address.

    3. On the ‘Payment’ screen, you input the desired amount to transfer

    4. On the ‘Payment’ screen, add a short description in the memo box:

      1. ‘2025 dues from [put your name here]’

    5. Hit the ‘Send’ button and you are done

    Check

    This ‘old-school’ method is available, and may be helpful for those members who are paying association dues directly from their Church or want to pay in another currency. The association is able to deposit foreign currency checks, with the bank converting funds to USD. Simply send the fx value that would ordinarily convert to the dues amount you are wanting to pay, given our 2025 sliding scale dues model.

    1. Make out a check to ‘Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors’

    2. Enclose a note or memo line on check:
      ‘2025 dues from [put your name here]’

    3. Mail check to this address:
      ACSD c/o Bruce MacMahon
      2741 S. Goshen Way
      Boise, ID 83709

    PayPal

    This platform is more of a ‘last resort’ option. It supports on-line payments, including payments via credit cards and accommodates foreign currency transactions. The reason this is a last resort though, is that the receiving bank will be my own personal account that I use for travel, and it has very little operating funds in it, so as to reduce risk. I use it when I travel overseas and only load it with very short-term travel funds. I will watch for association activity on the PayPal platform, and remit those funds monthly to my travel account, and then send the lump sum on to the Chase ACSD account. If you have a PayPal account, simply follow these steps:

    1. Initiate your PayPal app on your phone or computer

    2. Select the ‘Send Money’ option

    3. Search for the Association using this prompt:

      1. admin@eccacsd.org Spiritual Directors (the association’s enrolled email address)

    4. On the ‘Payment’ screen, input the amount you are paying, and add a short description in the memo box:

      1. ‘2025 dues from [put your name here]’

    5. Hit the ‘Next’ button and you are done

    ACSD Membership Renewal Form

      If you prefer to mail in your renewal form, download this PDF and mail to:

      Attn: ACSD Membership
      c/o River Life Covenant Church
      4401 A St.
      Sacramento, CA 95819
      USA

      Or email to admin@eccacsd.org

      Personal Information








      YesNo

      If you do not plan to continue as a member of the ACSD and would like to share why, please email the president of the ACSD, Rev. Christina Burrows at burrows.christina@gmail.com


      YesNo

      Please share more information:


      YesNo

      Please share more information:


      I acknowledge that an annual fee must be paid to complete the application. The sliding scale is $30 - $100 for student members, and for full and associate members, it is $40 - $100. Any amount above the minimum is based on my ability to pay and/or a commitment to fund ACSD's scholarship goals.

      Membership contributions go to support our association's operation and a scholarship fund to support those who want to attend our pre-Midwinter retreat, for contemplative or trauma-healing retreats for marginalized groups, and for training spiritual directors from marginalized communities.

      Pay Electronically:
      Venmo: @acsdspiritualdirectors
      Zelle: admin@eccacsd.org
      PayPal: see detailed payment instructions below

      Make Checks Payable to "Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors":
      ACSD
      c/o Bruce MacMahon
      2741 S. Goshen Way
      Boise, ID 83709

      Detailed Payment Instructions

      How to remit annual dues to the Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors:

      Zelle

      This platform has moved from an on-line processor (such as PayPal or Venmo), to a bank-to-bank transfer agent. If your home bank has partnered with Zelle by joining the Zelle network, you should be able to send money to the Association from your home account using Zelle.

      1. Initiate your home banking app on your phone or computer

      2. Choose the ‘transfer and pay’ option on your home banking site or app

      3. Select the option ‘send Money with Zelle’ (you should be transferred from your bank’s site to the Zelle site)

      4. Select the ‘send’ option

      5. Search for the Association using these prompts:

        1. Association of Covenant Spiritual (the association’s enrolled name)

        2. admin@eccacsd.org (the association’s enrolled email address)

        3. If these prompts work as intended, the application should load up a payment page with the Association named as the recipient

      6. On the ‘Payment’ screen, you input the desired amount to transfer (underneath the amount, you should see the source as your personal bank account)

      7. Entering the amount will take you to a ‘Review’ screen

        1. Use the Memo dropdown box, so you can add a note:
          Short description: ‘2025 dues from [put your name here]’

      8. Hit the ‘Send’ button and you are done

      Venmo

      This platform supports your-bank-to-association transfers, but does not support credit card payment methods (such as PayPal). If you have set up a Venmo account using your home bank account as the source of transfers, then you can send money to the Association from your home account using Venmo.

      1. Initiate your Venmo app on your phone or computer

      2. Search for the Association using these prompts:

        1. Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors (the association’s enrolled name)

        2. @acsdspiritualdirectors (the association’s enrolled Venmo username)

        3. If these prompts work as intended, the application should load up a payment page with the Association named as the recipient. You should see admin@eccacsd.org as the contact email address.

      3. On the ‘Payment’ screen, you input the desired amount to transfer

      4. On the ‘Payment’ screen, add a short description in the memo box:

        1. ‘2025 dues from [put your name here]’

      5. Hit the ‘Send’ button and you are done

      Check

      This ‘old-school’ method is available, and may be helpful for those members who are paying association dues directly from their Church or want to pay in another currency. The association is able to deposit foreign currency checks, with the bank converting funds to USD. Simply send the fx value that would ordinarily convert to the dues amount you are wanting to pay, given our 2025 sliding scale dues model.

      1. Make out a check to ‘Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors’

      2. Enclose a note or memo line on check:
        ‘2025 dues from [put your name here]’

      3. Mail check to this address:
        ACSD c/o Bruce MacMahon
        2741 S. Goshen Way
        Boise, ID 83709

      PayPal

      This platform is more of a ‘last resort’ option. It supports on-line payments, including payments via credit cards and accommodates foreign currency transactions. The reason this is a last resort though, is that the receiving bank will be my own personal account that I use for travel, and it has very little operating funds in it, so as to reduce risk. I use it when I travel overseas and only load it with very short-term travel funds. I will watch for association activity on the PayPal platform, and remit those funds monthly to my travel account, and then send the lump sum on to the Chase ACSD account. If you have a PayPal account, simply follow these steps:

      1. Initiate your PayPal app on your phone or computer

      2. Select the ‘Send Money’ option

      3. Search for the Association using this prompt:

        1. admin@eccacsd.org Spiritual Directors (the association’s enrolled email address)

      4. On the ‘Payment’ screen, input the amount you are paying, and add a short description in the memo box:

        1. ‘2025 dues from [put your name here]’

      5. Hit the ‘Next’ button and you are done

      Reference Forms

      Network Reference Form

      As a reminder, if you are not part of a regional Covenant conference network, please find a second person to submit a personal reference.

        If you prefer to mail in your reference form, download this PDF and mail to:

        Attn: ACSD Membership
        c/o River Life Covenant Church
        4401 A St.
        Sacramento, CA 95819
        USA

        Or email to admin@eccacsd.org

        Applicant Information




        Reference Information








        YesNo


        YesNo



        Local Church Reference Form

          If you prefer to mail in your reference form, download this PDF and mail to:

          Attn: ACSD Membership
          c/o River Life Covenant Church
          4401 A St.
          Sacramento, CA 95819
          USA

          Or email to admin@eccacsd.org

          Applicant Information



          Church or Recommending Body

          Note: Must be a Covenant church for those applying for Full Membership into the ACSD





          Questionnaire

          The applicant has been asked to provide you with this form and a brochure describing the ministry of Spiritual Direction. Please complete the questions below:






          The above applicant is a member of our congregation and has made a presentation of the ministry of spiritual direction, and of his/her interest in becoming a member of the Association of Covenant Spiritual Directors. On the basis of our discernment of call, giftedness and spiritual maturity, we recommend that the association accept this person as a member.



          Personal Reference Form

            If you prefer to mail in your reference form, download this PDF and mail to:

            Attn: ACSD Membership
            c/o River Life Covenant Church
            4401 A St.
            Sacramento, CA 95819
            USA

            Or email to admin@eccacsd.org

            Applicant Information



            Personal Reference Information







            Questionnaire

            The applicant has been asked to provide you with this form and a brochure describing the ministry of Spiritual Direction. Please complete the questions below: