Father Keith A. Gentry


Our Amazing Priest

The Shepard of our Congregation

Meet the Reverend Canon Keith A Gentry, who became the Priest-in-Charge of St Paul and St Andrew Episcopal Church in March 2019. Father Keith and his wife, Carlene, recently retired from the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, New Jersey and relocated to Chester, Virginia. He is now a clergy member of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia.

Father Keith was ordained a deacon 40 years ago in the Diocese of Maryland and was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Long Island.  He holds an M.Div. degree from the General Theological Seminary in New York as well as an AB degree from Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore.  He has served in New York, Ohio, California, Arkansas, New Jersey and now Virginia.  In addition, he has served on numerous Boards and organizations and has been trained as a Church Consultant with emphasis in Conflict Management and Mediation. Furthermore, Father Keith has trained, worked and taught in Radiology for 10 years at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland,  bringing with him a wealth of experience and knowledge to our parish and Vestry.

He is married to Carlene who is from Little Rock, Arkansas.  She holds a BA degree in History from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Carlene was an Office Manager for a dental firm in North Little Rock before their move to New Jersey. We feel so fortunate to have Carlene join us in our church home. She is so warm-hearted and congenial. It has been a very special privilege to know her … so approachable and very forth-coming. They have six grown children and nine grandchildren.

Since Father Keith has been with us, we leave church each Sunday feeling uplifted and spiritually energized by his sermons, feeling a certain closeness because of his warm and enthusiastic personality. He challenges us to go forward and become good Christians as we leave him and move into the community, helping others.

We look forward to traveling with him as he guides us on our spiritual journey. He is definitely our shepherd whom we will follow.

 

Father Keith