Ophelia Hu Kinney (she/her) is the child of immigrants. She lives in Scarborough, Maine, with her wife and daughter.

Although she grew up in an agnostic household, Ophelia became a Christian as a young adult. She currently serves as Director of Communications for Reconciling Ministries Network, a nonprofit committed to intersectional justice across and beyond The United Methodist Church, working for the full participation of all LGBTQ+ people throughout the life and leadership of the Church.

Ophelia is also a writer occupied with the delightful task of curating spiritual imagination about the divine. She has spoken at churches, schools and colleges, conferences, and with government agencies about LGBTQ issues, queer Christianity, and queer Asian intersections. At HopeGateWay in Portland, Maine, Ophelia helps to create imaginative worship series.

Ophelia has been a participant in The BTS Center’s MLK Day events, Convocations, and the first Spiritual Ecology for Spiritual Leaders gathering for emerging multifaith leaders. She has also created resources for the Leadership Commons and regularly enjoys The BTS Center’s programming.

Previously, Ophelia worked for United Way of Greater Portland as Grants Manager. She has served on the boards of the Equality Community Center and the Chinese and American Friendship Association of Maine. She is a graduate of Amherst College (2012) with a BA in Environmental Studies and of the Yale School of Management (MBA 2016).

Immersion Session Topic: Common Creation: DIY Liturgy & Prayer

Grace Pugh Hubbard serves as Climate Care Coordinator for the United Methodist New England Conference. Her first vocation was Music Ministry in local churches in Tennessee and New Jersey. Since 2006 she has directed music for large gatherings across the country for United Women in Faith teaching Global Music workshops and has worked with groups internationally at the Church Center for the United Nations. As a teacher and composer, she has taught music composition and theory and brings a heart for Peace with Justice to help others delve into creating poetry, prose and music for Artist Advocacy. Grace and her husband Joel live in Essex, Vermont and have four children, three grandchildren, and six grand fur-babies.

Immersion Session Topic: Artist Advocacy

The Rev. Stephen Blackmer is a forest activist and guardian turned spiritual teacher and holder of sacred space. In 2014, he founded Church of the Woods to love, heal, and bless the Earth and one another, and was a co-founder of the Wild Church Network. Before being ordained in the Episcopal Church, Steve served as organizer, coalition-builder, and advocate with the Northern Forest Center, Northern Forest Alliance, Appalachian Mountain Club, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and Five Rivers Conservation Trust. His work (shared with hundreds of others) has led to permanent conservation of nearly 4 million acres in the northeastern United States, and a growing movement for vibrant human communities. Steve holds master’s degrees in forest ecology and in religion and ecology from Yale University, and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Dartmouth College. He lives in a simple, off-grid chapel/monk’s cell on 106 acres of sacred woods and wetlands in Canterbury, NH, where he welcomes visitors and serves as chaplain to all creatures small and great (including humans). Steve’s emerging writing can be followed on Substack at Becoming Sacred Space.

Immersion Session Topic: Listening to the Earth with the Ears of our Heart

Maya Williams (ey/they/she) is a religious Black multiracial nonbinary suicide survivor who was selected as Portland, ME's seventh poet laureate for a July 2021 to July 2024 term. Maya received a MFA in Creative Writing with a Focus in Poetry from Randolph College in June 2022. Eir debut poetry collection Judas & Suicide (Game Over Books, 2023) was selected as a finalist for a New England Book Award. Their second poetry collection Refused a Second Date (Harbor Editions, 2023) was selected as a finalist for a Maine Literary Award. Her third poetry collection, the chapbook What's So Wrong with a Pity Party Anyway?, is forthcoming from Garden Party Collective in 2024. Maya was listed as one of The Advocate’s Champions of Pride in 2022 and one of Maine Humanities Council's recipients of the Constance Carlson Public Humanities Prize in 2024. Follow more of eir work, and invite em to read or facilitate a workshop, at mayawilliamspoet.com.

Immersion Session Topic: Writing for (and from) the Spirit

Daniel Wolpert, a healer and student of the spiritual life, worked as a research scientist, psychologist, farmer, and teacher, before earning his Masters of Divinity degree at San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS). Co-founder and former Executive Director of the Minnesota Institute of Contemplation and Healing (MICAH, micahprays.org), he has taught in the fields of psychology and spiritual formation in numerous settings around the world. A writer and a spiritual director, he has also played key roles in developing environments for contemplation and spiritual leadership, helping to build or restore monasteries, theological schools, and retreat centers across North America. Author of multiple books on the spiritual life, his most recent work is Looking Inward, Living Outward: The Spiritual Practice of Social Transformation (Upper Room 2024). When not on the road, he divides his time between Seattle and Minnesota.

Immersion Session Topic: Hope in the eternal present: A contemplative encounter with the natural world

Rabbi Ora Nitkin-Kaner is the founder of Exploring Apocalypse, a non-denominational climate change chaplaincy practice. She holds space for her clients to explore the truths of this moment, and helps folks experiencing climate anxiety and despair access deeper ease and purpose as they engage with the climate crisis. Rabbi Nitkin-Kaner lectures nationally on climate chaplaincy and leads trauma-informed workshops and support groups on the spiritual and emotional challenges and invitations of climate change. Prior to her work as a climate change chaplain, Rabbi Nitkin-Kaner served as a congregational rabbi and hospital, hospice, and prison chaplain. A published liturgist and poet, she lives in New Haven CT with her partner Asa and their dog Tuna.

Immersion Session Topic: We Are More Than This Moment: Learning from Our Ancestors