Revd Canon David Gerrard, currently Area Dean of Wakefield and vicar of St Catherine’s Wakefield, will be the next Archdeacon of Sheffield and Rotherham.
Speaking on his appointment, Revd David said: “I feel truly honoured to be called to serve the Diocese of Sheffield as the next
Archdeacon of Sheffield and Rotherham. “My time in Wakefield, and the Diocese of Leeds has been truly wonderful. I am so grateful to all those I have served with and, particularly, the marvellous people of St Catherine’s.
“It truly is a special church and to see what God has done over my 9 years here has been incredible. We serve a big God and He has grown his church. My task has always been to be faithful to God and as he calls me to my new role I know that I will carry the lessons I have learned and the people I have journeyed with into the future. God will be faithful, because that is his nature, and will continue to grow his church.
“I am excited to be joining Sheffield Diocese and am looking forward to serving the churches, clergy and laity of the Sheffield and Rotherham Archdeaconry and seeing the Kingdom of God grow. Perhaps most importantly of all, I get to stay in God’s own county of Yorkshire!”
Revd David is currently the Area Dean of Wakefield and Vicar of St Catherine’s Church in the Parish of East Wakefield. Ordained in 2012, he trained for ministry at Trinity College, Bristol, following an earlier career in education. He has served in Wakefield since 2016 and was appointed Area Dean in 2019. In recognition of his leadership and service, he was made an Honorary Canon of Ripon Cathedral in 2023.
Deeply committed to community engagement, David leads a range of outreach initiatives through the parishes’ community centres (St Catherine’s and St Swithun’s) and founded the Every Good Work youth and social action project. He is also the author of a Lent devotional book exploring stories from Genesis, ‘Creation to New Creation'. David is married to Carole, and they have two daughters.
The Rt Revd Nick Baines said: “David has served faithfully and well in the Diocese of Leeds and I am sorry to lose him. I wish him well in his new role in Sheffield.”
Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Revd Pete Wilcox commented: “I am delighted that David has accepted my invitation to be the next Archdeacon of Sheffield and Rotherham. David has an impressive track record of parish ministry in Wakefield, in particular of combining fruitful evangelism with a passion for justice in communities of considerable deprivation and of work with young leaders, and he has long experience as an area dean. I know he will receive a warm welcome to our diocese when he arrives in the early autumn.
Revd David will be installed as the new Archdeacon of Sheffield and Rotherham in a service at Sheffield Cathedral in the Autumn. His predecessor, the Rt Revd Malcolm Chamberlain moved on to be the Bishop of Wakefield in our diocese in April 2025.