AST News
Festival of Learning: Graduate Project and MA Capstone Presentations 2026
Published on: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Location: St. Columba Chapel at AST or online via Zoom.
What does faith look like in the modern world? Through MDiv Graduate Projects and MA Capstone research, our students dive into the heart of theology and ministry. This event is a window into their original research, offering a unique opportunity to explore critical questions about the church and the lived experience of faith.
Join us as students present their research and explore its implications for faith and pastoral practice today.
When: Wednesday, March 11 to Friday, March 13, 2026
Where: This is a hybrid event. Please join us in person at the St. Columba Chapel at AST or online via Zoom. Please complete our RSVP form to attend. For those attending online, the Zoom link will be sent directly to your email upon registration.
Format: A series of engaging presentations showcasing research into theology, ministry, and the lived realities of faith.
Full schedule
| Wednesday, 11 March | ||
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 a.m. | MDiv Graduate Project Presentation | Jacqui Moraal — Seeking the Spirit: Experiencing the Holy Spirit in Congregational Worship |
| 10:30 a.m. |
Break |
|
| 10:45 a.m. | MDiv Graduate Project Presentation |
Brian Botten — A Touch of Care: The Perception of Physical Touch in Moments of Pastoral Care |
| 11:45 a.m. | Break | |
| 1:00 p.m. | MDiv Graduate Project Presentation | Ron Shaw — Dissonant Stories: The Collision of Faith and Policy in the Lives of Politicians |
| 2:00 p.m. | MA Capstone Project Presentation | Barbara Blois-McNaughton — Wounded Grace: Sin, Trauma, and Divine Presence After Canada’s Residential Schools |
| 2:30 p.m. | Break | |
| 3:00 p.m. | MDiv Graduate Project Presentation |
Sonja van de Hoef-Fraser — "Well, That Didn't Go as Planned!": Factors that Contribute to Resilience in Pastoral Ministry |
|
Thursday, 12 March |
||
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 a.m. | MDiv Graduate Project Presentation | Samuel Landry — In the Breaking of Bread: The Spirituality of a Meal Program |
| 10:30 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:45 a.m. | MDiv Graduate Project Presentation |
Nicholas Lucciola — "Of the Traditions of the Church": The Experience of Anglican Priests Leading Liturgical Change |
| 11:45 a.m. | Break | |
| 12:00 p.m. | AST Chapel Service |
Preaching by Di Tait (MDiv, 2024) |
| 2:00 p.m. | MA Capstone Project Presentation |
Lynda Airriess — Can We Baptise Robots?: Considering the Impact of AI on Christian Ministry and Theology |
| 2:30 p.m. | Break | |
| 3:00 p.m. | MDiv Graduate Project Presentation |
Donna Kelly — No Longer Beside Us: Faith When One's Adult Children No Longer Practice Theirs |
|
Friday, 13 March |
||
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 a.m. | MDiv Graduate Project Presentation | Benjamin Kinsey — All are Welcome?: Experiences of Physical Accessibility in United Church of Canada Buildings |
| 10:30 a.m. | MA Capstone Project Presentation | Paul Nwosu — The Therapeutic Impact of Psychospiritual Care to Patients: Victoria General, 9a Floor as a Case Study |
| 11:00 a.m. | Break | |
| 11:15 a.m. | MacKinnon Pollock Lecture | Dr. Wing Yi Wong — Trauma-Informed Preaching in a Haunted World? Explore how trauma-informed preaching can name what haunts our communities and cultivate hope, healing, and ethical agency in a wounded world. |