Leah Vasey-Saunders became vicar of Lancaster Priory in 2021 and is the first female Vicar of Lancaster. Lancaster Priory is part of the major churches network and in this season of God’s mission and ministry in Lancaster, amongst other things, Leah has supported a significant growth in lay ministry, and in exploration of vocation to ordained ministry. The highlight of the last four years was chairing the ‘Facing the Past’ project – a city-wide project addressing Lancaster’s historic legacy of transatlantic slavery. This project ended with a sculpture exhibition, co-created with children in West Africa, addressing the Priory’s own legacy in this area.
Leah came to Lancaster from Wakefield Cathedral in the Diocese of Leeds, where she served as Canon Precentor from 2016. Previously she had served in the parish of Harworth and Bircotes in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham – being vicar at the time of the demolition of the pit tower. Leah served her first incumbency in the Diocese of Lichfield, as Team Vicar (and later Vicar) of St John’s, Heath Hayes and, prior to that, served in curacies at St John’s, Whorlton and St George’s, Jesmond in the Diocese of Newcastle.
Leah is married to Rev Dr Mark Vasey-Saunders, Centre Head for the Sheffield Teaching Centre of St Hild Theological College. Together they have four children: Reuben, aged 21, a music student at Manchester University; Jude,18; who is a commissioned Royal Air Force Air Cadet Officer and School Support Instructor, Elias, 17; and Miriam, 14, both of whom attend Chetham’s School of Music.
Music was Leah’s first love as a child born in Grimsby where she joined the Grimsby and Cleethorpes District Youth Orchestra. Leah was invited by a friend to join a church choir in Huddersfield, where she studied music at the University. It was there that she became a committed Christian – bellringing, teaching in the Sunday School and playing flute in the worship band. Her journey to faith and calling into ministry were simultaneous.
Following University Leah undertook two gap years in the Diocese of St Alban’s. One in a parish and another at the Cathedral. Three years of training and studying at Cranmer Hall, Durham followed until she was ordained Deacon in 2003, aged 25.
Leah is passionate about renewal in the Church of England and since 2015 has been a trustee of On Fire Mission, a charity promoting Charismatic renewal blended with the riches of Catholic spirituality. She became chair in 2021, steering it through its Covid 19 recovery, the move to a more central venue (in Staffordshire) and through a season of increased diversity and growth in capacity, governance and community.
Leah is a singer with an eclectic taste in music from Bach to Kate Rusby to Florence and the Machine, she especially enjoys singing choral music with her children. She is growing a significant collection of collaborative board games for her competitive family (!) and enjoys fibre crafts (Sewing, spinning, weaving). The family have two cats – a hairless Sphynx called Dora and a hairy Tortie called Ebbe.
Photo credit: Ginny Koppenhol