Gearing honored for service as deacon

7/6/2010

Deacon Charles E. Gearing of Stone Mountain was honored June 27 in Chicago by the North American Association for the Diaconate for his outstanding service “in the tradition of St. Stephen.” He is the first deacon from the Diocese of Atlanta to receive the honor.

Gearing, a member of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, in the 1980s helped establish in Nicholas House, a transitional housing facility for families. He recruited members to form the Toco Hills Community Ministry, which provides emergency assistance to those in need. And he provided pastoral care and worship services for the residents of The Gatchell Home, a facility for persons with neuromuscular disorders and severe developmental disabilities. He was ordained deacon in 1993.

He led his parish in establishing a mission relationship with St. Marc’s parish in Bois Blanc, Haiti, and has participated in several mission trips there. Since 2005 he has served as president of Kids4Peace USA, an interfaith, non-political, non-partisan organization that brings together Israeli, Palestinian and American children to promote peace and understanding. He was instrumental in having his parish, St. Bartholomew’s designated as a Jubilee Center by The Episcopal Church. From 2004 to 2009 he served as one of two archdeacons for the Diocese of Atlanta.

Additionally, he worked as a stewardship and planned giving advisor for the Episcopal Church on the national, diocesan and parish levels.

“Over many years, Charles Gearing has carried out the charge given to him at ordination of a special ministry of servanthood to the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely,” Archdeacon John Titus writes. “His ministries have been many and varied. He has carried them out with exceptional competence, unceasing effort, and great humility. In doing so he has been a shining example to all who know him, and especially to his sister and brother deacons in the Diocese of Atlanta.”

Gearing, who is 81, retired from diocesan and parish ministry last year and remains active with Kids4Peace.

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