Current Office Bearers
Who we are
Let us introduce ourselves.
Rev Brett Thomas
President
Like many who find themselves drawn to spiritualism, I felt the closeness of departed loved ones coming very near. In 1998, while searching for understanding, it was recommended by a medium and close friend that I attend the local spiritualist church. I took myself to the Wollongong Spiritualist Church, and it felt like a homecoming. I quickly found myself attending their development circles and Sunday services and was soon thereafter welcomed onto the committee.
In the development circles, my connection with Spirit flourished, and with the support of the congregation, it wasn’t long before I began running their Sunday services. I also started taking bookings for other churches in the surrounding areas before training with Rev Sue Edmonds, the minister at Wollongong Spiritualist Church. I was ordained a minister in 2013.
After moving to Sydney’s Inner West and finding no spiritualist gatherings to attend, I established the Inner West Spiritualist Centre in August 2014 with encouragement from like-minded friends. We continue to hold regular services to this day. In 2018, Rev Sue Edmonds and I, with the support of our church members, brought our respective organisations under the umbrella of the International Council of Spiritualists.
Having served as the ICS Administration Officer for the past four years, I was honored to be appointed President in November 2024. Other than spiritualism, one of my long-standing hobbies has been tennis, and I have been actively involved in tennis administration since 1983.
I look forward to continuing my work for Spirit in this new role and supporting the growth and vision of the International Council of Spiritualists.
Rev Margaret Moore
First Nominating Authority
Many years ago I crossed paths with Reverend Mandy Stone of the Aquarian Spiritualist Centre, Boronia. I was searching for direction for my spiritual growth. Having come out of a 10 year marriage two years previously, I set up a career to sustain a lifestyle for myself and my two sons, Ashley and Nathan. I was now ready to resume my personal spiritual growth. So off I went for a psychic reading from Mandy.
Feeling an instant soul connection of rightness, I attended Mandy’s church and development circle to reopen my psychic faith and intuitive directive. Needless to say, with Mandy recognising my natural abilities, she had me up on platform and involved in her church activities in next to no time.
Through Mandy’s connection, I became one of the National Council of Spiritualists’ (later to become the International Council of Spiritualists Inc) first certified Healer/Medium members. A Pocket Full of Rainbows was born from those beginnings. Psychic readings had been a source of supplementing my income for quite a few years to survive, but it wasn’t until my commitment to a spiritualist religious body did I teach others to develop their core strength of spirit. Through the grace of the ICS Inc I became a minister of religion and marriage celebrant.
Through the alignment with a spiritualist religious body I began my healing journey of trust that had been shattered through main stream churches I had sought out to connect to the God Source and my personal life choices.
Today, many years later, my spiritual centre offers people through my higher guidance, a healing path of their past emotional choices to survive, through meditation and development classes, individual spiritual counselling, spiritual readings and spiritual healings.
In August 2011, I left the Lysterfield address and moved A Pocket Full of Rainbows to my home address in Hampton Park where spiritual counselling, readings and healings are now conducted. A meditation/development class is held on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and this move has assured my continued contribution to sharing the light of spiritualism.
I have served on the executive committee of the ICS Inc, and for many years held the position of treasurer which I surrendered to accept the position of Vice President. Even as we have stumbled along the way, both the ICS Inc and I have refined ourselves to best serve the Masters of the Light in the advancement of pure spiritualism.
I look forward to many more years of service, and will endeavour to support the ICS Inc in maintaining its growth and love integrity.
Laura Kennedy
Admin Officer
My name is Laura Kennedy. I am originally from Maryland on the East Coast of the United States. I came to Australia in 1993 for a visit with my then partner who lived in Cronulla. Sydney quickly became my home, and I have been happily settled here since.
In 2012 my father passed away from cancer. I was in the US visiting him at the time and little did I know he was waiting to see me so he could let go after fighting the illness for a few years. The funeral went as planned (he had done most of that) and it was all a bit of a blur.
I returned to Australia and found myself questioning my belief systems as I was stricken with the despair of losing my dearest father. I was never a religious person yet always believed there was something more, just not quite sure what it was. I was driving to work one morning only weeks after my father’s passing, and I noticed a book advertised on the back of a Sydney public transport bus. It was Allison Dubois’s book Talk to Me: What the Dead Whisper in Your Ear. Straight away it was as if light sparked inside me. I bought and read the book, then read all her books. I searched the internet for everything I could find on the afterlife, mediums, past lives, NDEs.. you name it!
Eventually this insatiable desire for knowledge would lead me to workshops and development, Spiritual Churches and meeting many like-minded people that I am happy to say are now lifelong friends. Throughout this journey, which is always continuing, I have found peace in my heart and a home in Spiritualism..
Rev Val Hood
Chief Minister
Based in Sydney Australia, Val has worked as a professional medium for over 30 years. Her compassionate and loving approach has helped many people overcome any fears they may have surrounding mediumship, as well as coping with the loss of a loved one.
Originally from the UK, Val trained mainly at the Arthur Findlay College, and has since worked in the UK, Ireland, USA, Israel, Greece, Turkey, New Zealand and Australia.
Val has a passion for teaching and as a qualified teacher/assessor, she continues to work internationally with accurate results both in person and online.
Val has also been a Spiritualist Minister for over 10 years.
Gail Clark
Treasurer
When I was in my 30s, I was drawn to the Hills Spiritualist Centre at Seven Hills. From that moment I walked in the front door, I knew this was exactly where I was meant to be…. without knowing how Spiritualism would shape my life. Within the Seven Principles of Spiritualism, I found a roadmap for my life, and I continue to this day.
At the Hills Spiritualist Centre, I sat in development groups for many years with the then Minister Norman Ivory and his wife Lynette. I have studied meditation, mediumship, spiritual healing, and many other modalities and with continuation of personal self-development. In particular I have a love of the journey though the Tarot Deck.
I am a trainer and assessor, a teacher, facilitator, and mentor and have worked with many people over the past 40 years, teaching Tarot, Numerology, Mediumship, Spiritual Healing, and love helping people with their spiritual unfoldment.
I served on the committee at the Hills Spiritualist Centre for about 12 years. As treasurer for nine years, and the remaining years as secretary and/or public officer. I am still teaching at HSC.
I am honoured to accept the role of Treasurer on the ICS committee and look forward to being part of the team as we move forward to the next chapter of The International Council of Spiritualists.
My personal hobbies and interest include: my family, socializing, travel, walking, and theosophy.
Past office bearers
The following list details all those who have held office in the International Council of Spiritualists since incorporation.
Presidents
Vice-Presidents
Treasurers
Secretaries (formerly Public Officers)
Administration Officers (formerly Secretaries)
12th Rev Brett Thomas