Keynote Speakers
Rev. Trevor Hudson is one of God's great gifts to the ecumenical church and a SOULfeast favorite. His leadership has been shaped in the crucible of the South African experience in recent years. Trevor, best-selling author of Questions God Asks Us, A Mile in My Shoes and The Way of Transforming Discipleship (Companions in Christ), is a pastor deeply committed to the spiritual care of the people of Northfield Methodist Church in Benoni, just outside Johannesburg. He travels widely preaching and teaching. Much of his ministry is shaped by two passions: to help ordinary Christ-followers discover a compassionate, down-to-earth and life-giving spirituality and to build missional faith communities where folk can link the inward and outward dimensions of their faith. Trevor is married to Debbie, and together they are the parents of Joni and Mark, now young adults.
Enuma Okoro was born in the United States and raised in Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and England. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Duke University Divinity School where she served as Director for the Center for Theological Writing. She has served as a Spiritual Formation Leader for seminarians and continues to lead workshops and retreats for both youth and adults. Enuma's writing, Reluctant Pilgrim, was published by Upper Room Books in 2010. She works as a full time writer, speaker, and workshop/retreat leader. Enuma lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, and her web site is www.enumaokoro.com.
Wil Hernandez, Ph.D is a trained counselor and a certified spiritual director in private practice in the Los Angeles area. Aside from teaching courses on the spirituality of Henri Nouwen in various Protestant and Catholic seminaries and universities, including Fuller Theological Seminary and Loyola Marymont University, he also conducts retreats and workshops all year round across the country. Wil is the author of two books on Nouwen (Henri Nouwen: A Spirituality of Imperfection and Henri Nouwen and Soul Care: A Ministry of Integration) and a third forthcoming one, all published by Paulist Press. His website is: www.nouwenlegacy.com.
Rev. Tom Albin is currently Dean of Upper Room Ministries and Director of Ecumenical Relations. He is an ordained Elder in the Oklahoma Conference of the UMC and has served in small rural churches, suburban churches, and in large downtown church settings. In 1987 he joined the faculty of Boston University School of Theology and taught courses in American Church History, Wesley Studies, Evangelism and Church Growth. The following year he accepted the invitation to return to the heartland and develop a program in Christian Spiritual Formation at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. Tom's academic interests lie in the areas of spiritual formation, Wesley studies, historical theology, mission and evangelism. Tom and his wife, Maryle, live in Nashville, Tennessee, and have three married daughters and four exceptional grandchildren.
Sarah Wilke has served as the Publisher of The Upper Room for two years and is our SOULfeast host. She leads this global ministry dedicated to supporting the spiritual formation of all Christians, at every age and stage of the Christian faith, through publications, programs, prayer support, and other resources. Previously, Sarah was the head of UMR Communications and before that she served as an urban strategist for the North Texas Annual Conference and Executive Director of Wesley Rankin Community Center. While in Dallas, she launched Project Transformation, an initiative that serves inner-city children. A native of Kansas, she graduated from the University of Kansas and earned an Executive MBA at Southern Methodist. Sarah is the daughter of retired United Methodist Bishop Richard Wilke and his wife, Julia, founders of the successful Disciple Bible Study series.