After prayerful discernment, we are delighted to share the news that The Reverend Sebastian Way will become our Priest-in-Charge starting in August 2026.
We are very pleased to welcome him and his family to our worshipping community at St. Helen's. It is such a blessing to us to have him join us, and we hope it will be a blessing to him and his family as well.
Please read a short introduction from The Reverend Sebastian below:
Hello! I am Sebastian Way and I am delighted to join St Helen’s as priest in charge in August. I look forward to getting to know all of you and this wonderful part of Vancouver. In the meantime, here is a bit about me.
I come from England, so like a true Vancouverite I know approximately one hundred different words for rain. I spent my childhood in a tiny village in the Huntingdonshire countryside near Cambridge and next door to Little Gidding, of TS Eliot fame. I studied at Oxford and then worked in London, Ottawa (for a year) and Reading, where I currently serve a busy town centre parish.
An Anglican since infancy, I am nourished in my spiritual life by the Anglican liturgical tradition and its sacred music. As a priest, I try to live out the distinctive Anglican ideal of the “cure of souls” – in other words, the priest being alongside and witnessing to God’s love for every person, no matter who they are or where they are on a faith journey. So, I hope that I will fit in well at St Helen’s.
Before ordination, I practised as a corporate lawyer for a decade in two large international firms. During that time, I gradually felt called to explore a vocation to priestly ministry, and this fuller expression of who I am has been a gift and a source of great joy. I look forward to working with you all to discern where the Spirit may be leading this parish next.
I am married to Heloise, who was born in Quebec and grew up on Vancouver Island, and we have been frequent visitors to coastal BC. Heloise is taking up a post as Assistant Professor in Law at UBC. We are blessed by two brave and clever daughters, Aurora (13) and Clotilda (9).
The sublime scenery of this part of the world affects me deeply, and I hope to spend some free time exploring and rekindling my interest in outdoor pursuits, especially skiing. At home, I enjoy reading theology and poetry and am subject to arbitrary domination by two cats, Hilda and Cosmo.
Many congratulations and welcome, The Revd. Sebastian Way!