Pastor Jerry Gernander has been the pastor of Hope Lutheran Church since June 19, 2022. He and his wife, Susan, are blessed with two daughters, Sophia and Caroline.
Pastor is a native Texan, born and raised in San Antonio; he attended the University of Texas at Austin, graduated from its College of Communication with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, and worked as a sports reporter at the San Antonio Light newspaper before being led by the Holy Spirit to study for the ministry. He graduated from Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary (the seminary of our Evangelical Lutheran Synod) in its 50th graduating class in 1996. He is the grandson of an ELS pastor, Wilbert Werling, who was a missionary to China in the 1930s.
Pastor Gernander previously served ELS congregations in Thornton, Iowa (Richland Lutheran Church, 1996-2005), and in Princeton, Minnesota (Bethany Lutheran Church, 2005-22). He has served on the ELS Board for Education and Youth and the Doctrine Committee. He is an editor for the theological journal Logia. He helped as an editor in the publication of the Book of Family Prayer by N.J. Laache, a chief devotional resource among our synod’s churches.
In his free time, he especially enjoys reading Elmer Kelton westerns, learning about Texas and American history, taking walks, listening to classic country music, and watching baseball.
Pastor Gernander would love to visit with you over a cup of coffee or tea.