ASBE Names Three Award Recipients!

The Atlantic Society for Biblical Equality (ASBE) is pleased to announce the recipients of its new Award for Female Seminary Students.

The three 2026 recipients, all students at Acadia Divinity College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, are Melissa Deelstra (Belfast, PEI), Jacqueline Ogwal (Centreville, NS), and Sarah Stevens (Greenwood, NS).

The three recipients of this year’s award bring a rich variety of ministry experience to their seminary studies.  We are delighted to support these women financially as they seek further growth and learning to use in service of their local churches and beyond.

Award recipients must demonstrate a strong personal commitment to the Christian faith and Christian service.  As well, recipients must be in alignment with ASBE’s mission  to promote the biblical message of full equality between women and men to advance the kingdom of God in Atlantic Canada and our vision of a future where all believers are free to fully exercise their gifts in the church and beyond, with the full support of their Christian communities.

The award, funded by donations and membership dues, is awarded to female seminary students with a personal or academic connection to Atlantic Canada.  The current amount offered is $1000 for full-time students and $500 for part-time students.

Donations to support this award are welcome. 

To donate: biblicalequality.org/donate

To become a member / partner: biblicalequality.org/membership

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About the 2026 Award Recipients

Melissa Deelstra

My name is Melissa Deelstra and I am a student at Acadia Divinity College in the Master of Divinity program, specializing in Pastoral Care and Counselling. I’m passionate about children’s ministry, family faith formation, and welcoming newcomers to Atlantic Canada.

With experience working as a Director of Children and Family Ministry in PEI, I hope to use my theological education to build an ecumenical community of support and shared resources for ministry leaders, volunteers, and families involved in children and family faith formation in churches across Atlantic Canada and, thanks to the generous support of the Atlantic Society for Biblical Equality, I hope to join in the work of promoting the biblical message of full equality between women and men to advance the kingdom of God in Atlantic Canada.

My husband Tom and I live in beautiful PEI with our four children, and we are members of St. John’s Presbyterian Church in Belfast, PEI. 

Jacqueline Rachel Ogwal

My name is Jacqueline Rachel Ogwal, and I am a Master of Divinity student in Pastoral Care and Counselling at Acadia Divinity College. I come from Uganda, a country in Eastern Africa known as the Pearl of Africa. Back home, I served for 30 years with Watoto as a worship leader and travelled around the world with the Watoto Children’s Choirs, telling the story of the plight of vulnerable children orphaned because of HIV/AIDS. After four tours, my husband and I were asked to pioneer a church plant, an extension of Watoto Church, then known as Kampala Pentecostal Church (KPC), in Gulu, Northern Uganda, a part of our country that had experienced 20 years of civil war by a rebel group that called itself the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), which specialized in abducting children to enroll as child soldiers and wives for the rebels.

In Gulu, my work with vulnerable women began. Without any pastoral training, I was part of a team that oversaw a project rehabilitating former child soldiers. Our goal as a church was holistic ministry to these traumatized young women who had returned from captivity with children fathered by rebels, whose families no longer wanted them because of the atrocities these innocent boys and girls had been forced to commit against their own communities.

I am glad that, together with my husband, the Lord enabled us to serve this community without any theological training. I am, however, grateful that at such a time as this, I get the opportunity to receive this theological training here at ADC to equip me for the work of ministry in a more meaningful way, as I will finally attain the skills to serve God’s people more effectively. Thank you, ASBE, for being part of my journey.

Sarah Stevens

Hello! My name is Sarah Stevens, and I am so grateful to be awarded this gift from ASBE. I am currently studying at Acadia Divinity College, working on my second master’s degree in counseling. I am serving at Harmony Baptist Church here in the Valley and have been with them for about three years. I hope to open my own practice and continue to pastor.

My husband and I have been married for 13 years and have four beautiful children together all under the ages of ten. ASBE is very close to my heart as the founder, Rev. Dr. Hugh McNally, is one of the influential people that encouraged me into church ministry.

When I first arrived at Acadia over ten years ago, I was taking my Master of Divinity hoping to enter prison chaplaincy work. When I did my mentored ministry position at Kentville Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. John McNally, Hugh said, “I think you should go into pastoral work”. I was hesitant but after hearing the Lord speak clearly to me, the affirmation of the church, Hugh and other mentors and leaders in my life, I fell in love with the church and served at Bethany Memorial Baptist for ten years.

Along with serving God in the local church, I also enjoy sharing my faith online. I have had some wonderful discussions of faith with Muslims, New Agers, Latter-Day Saints, Atheists and more. Some who have come to Christ over the years, others I am still in contact with. I also enjoy painting in my free time, camping, swimming and swinging in my hammock. I love to learn and am so grateful to be back at ADC. Thank you ASBE for your generous gift and faithful service to Kingdom truth.