Marshall announced the appointment January 27 during the 25th anniversary celebration at Trinity Church of Gerns’ ordination to priesthood.

Gerns succeeds the Rev. Canon Bryan Williams who served in this capacity from 1996 until his death in 2006. "His duties were to provide the pastoral care which any Christian would expect to receive, but which our church oddly neglects to provide for bishops, with particular attention to the maintenance of the spiritual health of the bishop through stated retreats and repeated checking in, even when such checking might be unwelcome," Marshall said during his announcement. "Alone among the clergy, the canon pastor to the bishop has the right and duty to nag the bishop."

Marshall noted that, along with the Rev. Laura Howell, "who created, asked for, and functions well in the office of Foole to the Bishop," the canon pastor has the task of "assisting the bishop in maintaining perspective, hope, and a sense that God always works the divine purpose out, despite or through our best planned efforts."

"I note that Mother Howell prefers the Title of Foole to that of Canon," he added. "She is, oddly, no fool."

Marshall said that among the reasons he chose Gerns are "his outstanding record as a chaplain, his intuitive pastoral sense, and his utter inability to lie to his superiors -- as far as we can tell. He is a capable communicator, a clear thinker, and is possessed by a
zeal for Christ’s kingdom."

The bishop predicted that Gerns is "someone I cannot easily deceive about the state of my soul" and that he will have to use "all of his cunning as I avoid taking care of myself through the ruse of the complexity of my calendar and my many ghostly preoccupations, he will need your prayers."

Gerns is member of Diocesan Council (since 2003) and the diocesan Standing Committee. He has been a member of the Commission on Ministry, served as a Deputy to the 75th General Convention in Columbus in 2006 and was elected as an alternate to the 76th General Convention.

Ordained in 1982, he has served parishes and hospitals in the Dioceses of Connecticut and West Virginia, and became a board-certified chaplain of the Association of Professional Chaplains in 1996. He and his wife, Peg, a realtor, have two grown children.