Rick’s Story

Being contemplative by nature, as well as gifted and experienced in pastoral leadership, Rick McDaniel was drawn to the idea of spiritual direction. After 30 years serving as a full time senior pastor as well as a church planter and the regional church planting coordinator for the NW Vineyard church movement, Rick was compelled to shift from large group leadership to one on one  through spiritual direction. As he planned for retirement, he enrolled in a 2 year certified training cohort through The School of Sustainable Faith, and opened his own private practice, Calm Waters Spiritual Direction. 

Rick believes that spiritual direction is one of the most effective ways to move through the transitions of life from where we are to where we want to be in our spiritual growth and connection with the Trinity. Widowed in 2020 after 50 years of marriage, Rick has recently had the opportunity to put in place some of the treasured practices of spiritual direction and contemplation in his own life. Currently, Rick has dived into a major transition of his own and has moved to Indianapolis and remarried. Rick has 2 daughters and 5 grandchildren which continually give him great measures of joy. In Rick’s leisure time, he enjoys photography and continues to practice his lifelong love of sailing.