Spiritual Practices for Young Adult Leaders

Shari Oosting | Subject Matter Expert on Discernment

Brooke Foster | Subject Matter Expert on Sabbath

Brooke (she/her) is the Formational Ministries Project Manager at The Upper Room, an ecumenical ministry of The United Methodist Church, and a certified candidate for ordained ministry as a deacon in the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference. A spiritual formation leader, program developer, and writer, she previously helped shape and launch Polaris programming as project coordinator, fostering opportunities for connection, reflection, and practical theological learning. Passionate about cultivating communities rooted in hospitality, curiosity, and grace, Brooke also serves as a congregational youth director in Princeton, NJ, accompanying young people in their spiritual growth. She holds a BA from Lipscomb University and an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, with certificates in Theology, Ecology, and Faith Formation and Women, Theology, and Gender. Outside of work and ministry, you’ll find her quilting, crafting, or reading on her porch with a hot cup of coffee and her corgi, Friday.

Brenda Bertrand | Subject Matter Expert on Prayer

Brenda learned to pray from her first theologians and spiritual directors: her mother and grandmother, Black women whose lives of prayer, justice, and love taught her that contemplation is never separate from love of neighbor. She has spent more than thirty years as an ordained minister, spiritual director, retreat leader, and university chaplain, walking with people as they learn to pray honestly, hear God clearly, discern what is next, and live more freely. Her work is spiritual liberation: helping people, especially people of color and communities the church has overlooked, release images of God that bind and reclaim a living conversation with the God who sees them. Brenda has led retreats and sacred pilgrimages around the world, and her own journey has carried her through more than forty countries. She hosts the podcast Guided: Hearing God’s Voice in a Noisy World and holds graduate degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary and the University of Texas. Raised in the Virgin Islands and rooted in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Brenda is proof that God plants deep roots in unexpected soil. When she is not teaching or walking with others, you will find her laughing with friends, hunting down the perfect matcha, or planning her next pilgrimage.

Brady Banks | Subject Matter Expert on Pilgrimage

Brady is the founder and director of Seeker Follower Human (SFH), a newly-formed incubator for imagination and experimentation with ritual and spiritual practices. Prior to SFH, he led Turnaround Collective where he created adventurous spaces where young adults could experience pilgrimage, explore meaning-making and vocation, and discover a practical Christian spirituality. He’s led many groups through the ancient pilgrimage process and spiritual practices as they discover new spiritual territory. Brady has served for over 20 years as a nonprofit executive management and development professional. He is a graduate of Mercer University, Harvard Divinity School, and a current doctoral student at Pacific School of Religion, part of the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley. Brady is an avid backcountry hiker, recovering addict, reader, and music aficionado. He enjoys life with his wife, Rev. Kristin Clark-Banks, their son Thaddeus, and dog Henri.