Reverend Stephen Laskey – Interim Priest-In-Charge

Steve is originally from Montreal where he began university but the call of the sea was pretty strong and he decided to spend a few years in the Canadian navy.  Most of that time was as a  submariner.  Following the navy Steve trained for ordination at St. John’s College at the University of Manitoba.  Following a BA in Religious Studies and a Master of Divinity, he began his ministry on the Labrador coast followed by a move to St. John’s Newfoundland.  A sabbatical year lengthened to eight years spent in parishes in London England.  He and his wife, Jos, returned to Canada to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2009 and in the summer of 2014 to St. Helen’s in Surrey.

His twitter account says it all: Pray, Play, Sing, Cycle, Run and look at all with eyes of joyful expectation. Follow Jesus with St. Francis of Assisi.  Steve may be followed on Twitter at @Hyfrydol.

We welcome Rev Stephen and Jos to St Mark Ocean Park as our Interim Priest-In-Charge, as of September 1st 2022.

Sheila Johnston was raised in Stratford, Ontario. She earned a B.A. in English in 1980 from the University of Western Ontario, London.  During a 20-year career in arts marketing, Sheila worked at The Stratford Festival, The Globe Theatre in Regina, The Nuffield Theatre in Southampton England, The Lighthouse Festival Theatre in Port Dover Ontario, The Grand Theatre in London Ontario, and the Gateway Theatre in Richmond B.C.

Sheila has written several books, including “Buckskin & Broadcloth: A Celebration of E. Pauline Johnson-Tekahionwake, 1861-1913”, and “Let’s Go To The Grand! 100 Years of Entertainment at London’s Grand Theatre”.

Sheila is also the Founding Director of The Canadian Friends of Calcutta Cathedral Relief Service (Cdn. Friends/CCRS) and is a recipient of the Order of the Diocese of New Westminster. She lives in Surrey with her husband, the novelist Simon Choa Johnston, and their cat named Dash.

Elizabeth has played, taught music, and directed community and church choirs, since she was a teenager.

She earned her Bachelor’s of Music degree from UBC and now, as a Registered Music Teacher, Elizabeth inspires her students to develop a lifelong passion for music as they prepare for exams, festivals and recitals. Discipline, coordination, the joy of striving for perfection, and the ability to perform and express oneself, are all life skills that Elizabeth teaches. In festivals, recitals and concerts, Elizabeth has been a performer, teacher, accompanist, conductor and director.

Specializing in Classical and Christian music, Elizabeth was previously choir director at the Church of Epiphany in North Surrey, and has been Music Director at St Mark since August 2019.

Heather was born in Morris Minnesota, attended North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota and in 1993 graduated with a Bachelor of Science in veterinary technology. She worked in this field for over 13 years before pursuing massage therapy training.

Heather is currently the custodian at St Mark’s and is self-employed as a house cleaner. Heather moved to BC and married her husband Geoff in 2006. They have 2 children.  She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church and joined St Mark’s Ocean Park in 2013. She was a member of the Canonical Committee which chose our rector, Rev Billy Isenor and is also active in St Mark’s Childrens’ Ministry.