Mike Keirle currently serves as Vice Dean of Guernsey and Rector of St. Martin’s Church on the island, where he has been for the last 14 years.
“I am delighted and honoured to be appointed as the next Dean of Jersey,” said Mike, “Jesus came to offer us life in all its fullness and I look forward to working with colleagues and the wider Island Community as we look to the flourishing of both individuals and communities on the Island.”
“This is an exciting time for Jersey and I’m thrilled at Mike’s appointment,” added the Rt Revd Trevor Willmott, Bishop of Dover. “Mike is a wise and deeply pastoral priest. He will bring much skill and experience in support of the work and witness of our Church in Jersey."
The Revd Mike Keirle was born and brought up in St. Albans, Hertfordshire and attended St. Albans Grammar School for Boys. He worked in Agricultural Research at Rothamsted Experimental Station in Harpenden for four years and St. George’s Crypt for one year prior to Ordination Training at Trinity Theological College, Bristol.
In 1989, he served his title at Christ Church, Orpington in the Diocese of Rochester and then travelled to Rochester’s Link Diocese of Harare, Zimbabwe, where he was Rector of St. Paul’s Marlborough and Chaplain to Bishopslea School for three years.
On his return he served as Rector of Keston Parish Church and Overseas Link Officer in the Diocese of Rochester before moving to the Channel Islands in 2003 as Rector of St. Martin’s Parish Church. He is Vice Dean of Guernsey, having served as Acting Dean during the vacancy in 2015. Mike continues to enjoy links with Africa and is a Trustee of a UK Charity based in Kenya.
Mike has been married to Emma for 27 years and they have two children, James, 23 and Sarah 21, who are both musicians. Mike is a member of the Channel Island Air Search crew and, in his spare time, enjoys playing golf, bird watching and photography.