Surrounded by a Sea of Faces: 

Rev. Sonja van de Hoef-Fraser Reflects on Her Ordination Day


Over the past few weeks, the Atlantic School of Theology (AST) community has celebrated several Celebration of Ministry services that saw the ordination of our graduates into the United Church of Canada. Among those ordained were Brian Botten, Donna Kelly, Ron Shaw, and Sonja van de Hoef-Fraser.


Reflecting on her special day, Master of Divinity graduate Rev. Sonja shared, “There is no way to capture the depth of gratitude I have for the people who surrounded me in person and online (including AST classmates) from afar on ordination day. From Ontario, to Maine, and all the way to the Netherlands!” 



Rev. Sonja was ordained at the Celebration of Ministry service in Port Elgin (Western Ontario Waterways Region).

The Uncontrollable Spirit:

A Q&A with Rev. Dr. Rob Fennell on His New Book 


What if the Holy Spirit is much more surprising—and much less controllable—than we think? In his latest book, Passion, Power, and Promise: Introducing the Holy Spirit, AST faculty member (Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology) Rev. Dr. Rob Fennell takes readers on a sweeping journey through ancient Christian history, global church perspectives, and the need for ecological healing.

In this Q&A, Dr. Fennell discusses ancient battles, global insights, and why the Spirit is calling us to fundamentally change how we relate to the Earth.

Your book explores the Holy Spirit from a global perspective. What is one insight about the Spirit from the global Church that you think “northern” readers most need to hear right now?



The Holy Spirit is much more uncontrollable than we think. There are so many stories of surprise and blessing that emerge in contexts where people don’t try to tell the Spirit whom to be or what to do!

Doing “Church Together”:

A Conversation with Rev. Dr. David Csinos 

We recently sat down with AST’s own Rev. Dr. David Csinos (Associate Professor of Practical Theology) to discuss his new release, Church Together: An Essential Guide to All-Age Ministry, co-authored with Traci Smith. 

Dr. Csinos shares how this new guide is designed to help local churches break down generational silos and reimagine ministry—together. 

You included field-tested ideas from ministry leaders around the world in this guide. What is one specific, favourite example from the book that you think perfectly captures the spirit of Church Together?

There are so many ideas that I love within the book, some by Traci, some by me, and some by other gracious contributors, including a few AST students and alumni. 

One of my favourite ideas is Snack Bar Feast. Traci and I spend way too much time talking about snacks, and whenever we know we’ll be at the same event, we bring each other some snacks from our parts of the world. I already have a bag of donair potato chips ready to go (don’t tell her!). The Snack Bar Feast encourages members of a congregation to share their favourite snacks with each other and get to know one another better through the foods we love. It captures the spirit of the book in its simplicity, in the way it easily invites participation from all people, and in how it helps people in the church build relationships with one another. 

Living, Practiced, and Embodied: Student Spotlight on Fallen Matthews 

“My experience at AST has been welcoming, reflective, and intellectually enriching,” shares Master of Divinity student Fallen Matthews.

“What stands out to me is the sense that theological education here isn’t just about acquiring knowledge but about formation. The classroom becomes a place to think seriously about faith, community, worship, and responsibility.”

We sat down with Fallen to discuss her unique academic background, her upcoming book, and how these experiences shape her theological journey. 

What drew you to the Master of Divinity program at Atlantic School of Theology (AST), and how has your experience been since enrolling this past March?

I was drawn to the Master of Divinity program at AST because I was seeking a space where theological formation could be intellectually serious and spiritually attentive.

The 2026 Aitken Lecture

On Tuesday evening, June 23, the AST community gathered at St. Columba Chapel for an evening of history, harmony, and reflection. We were pleased to host Dr. Kim R. Harris (Associate Professor of African American Thought and Practice at Loyola Marymount University) for this year’s Aitken Lecture: Historic Negro Spirituals in Culture, Activism, and Liturgy.

During the lecture, Dr. Harris illuminated how this rich heritage beautifully intersects with liturgy, particularly through the lens of being "Authentically Black and truly Catholic." She shared the history of Mass settings inspired by the Second Vatican Council that brought these musical idioms into Catholic worship, highlighting her own breakthrough composition, Welcome Table: A Mass of Spirituals. Composed during her doctoral studies at Union Theological Seminary and later celebrated at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Welcome Table stands out for its literal treatment of folk melodies, pairing the revised Roman Missal text with complete, recognizable spiritual tunes to bring an authentic historical rendering directly into the context of the liturgy.

This lecture is proudly supported by Pine Hill Divinity Hall. Inaugurated by Pine Hill in 1998, the series honours the memory, dignity, and distinction of the Rev. C.D. Edward Aitken (1939–1995), a dedicated Maritime pastor and former Professor of Homiletics and President of AST. The lectureship stands as a lasting tribute to further Ed Aitken’s exceptionally high standards of proclamation.

Coming Soon to St. Columba Chapel

To ensure the spirit of this evening continues to resonate in our community, we are pleased to share that AST has purchased the Gather IV Hymnal, featuring the arrangements of Dr. Harris. This hymnal has been intentionally designed to be GIA Publications’ most representative and relevant Catholic hymnal to date. The musical contents represent the contemporary Catholic Church, featuring a culturally diverse roster of composers and a wider breadth of musical styles.

Missed the Event? Watch the Recording!

Whether you want to experience the evening for the first time or simply relive it, we have you covered. A full video recording of the lecture and musical presentation is now available.

Summer Term is in Full Swing at AST!

There is a distinct, wonderful energy that rolls onto campus every summer. For six vibrant weeks, AST is bustling with life, learning, and connection.



See below a collection of moments featuring our students, staff, and faculty, both on campus and beyond.

From top to bottom, the highlights include Summer Term orientation at St. Columba Chapel, Summer Term Orientation BBQ at the President’s Lodge, AST Board of Governors' Summer Pizza Party, Matriculation at St. Columba Chapel, Campus History Tour with Rev. Dr. Rob Fennell, and students from Dr. Kim Harris’s class joining her on the "Daily Antidote of Song" to teach a couple of tracks to an online crowd.