The Very Rev. Karl Burns
Church of Our Saviour, Johns Island
4416 Betsy Kerrison Parkway Johns Island, SC 29455
(843) 768-2046 Business
In January 2021 Bishop Mark Lawrence appointed the Rev. Karl Burns, Rector of The Church of Our Saviour, Johns Island, as Dean of the West Charleston Deanery. Fr. Karl Burns has been ordained and served as a priest in The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina for 14 years. He is currently the rector of the Church of Our Saviour on Johns Island, where he has served for four years. Before answering the call to Our Saviour, Fr. Karl was the rector at All Saints Church in Florence, and he also served as an assistant at Good Shepherd and Old St. Andrews in the West Charleston Deanery. He has also served as middle school chaplain at Porter Gaud for three years. Before graduating from Nashotah House Seminary in 2007 and ordination, Fr. Karl was a full-time youth pastor and Director of Christian Education at All Saints for seven years. During his time in the diocese, Fr. Karl has served on the Standing Committee and as president and the St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center Board, serving as board chair for four years. He has also served on the Diocesan Council and currently is a member of the Commission on the Ministry. Fr. Karl is married to Susan and has two daughters, both of whom are married, and the only thing they enjoy more than being “empty nesters” is spending time with their four grandchildren. When asked what it means to be selected to be the next dean of the West Ashley Deanery, Fr. Karl replied, “I am humbled and honored at the Bishop’s appointment. We have such a wonderful deanery made up of a wide variety of churches, each with great clergy. I look forward to deepening my individual relationships with them, continuing to strengthen our corporate fellowship, and to serve as a resource for our Bishop.”