Geoff Pearson

The Right Reverend Geoff Pearson
Bishop of Lancaster
Church	Church of England
Diocese	Diocese of Blackburn
In office	2006–2017
Predecessor	Stephen Pedley
Successor	Jill Duff
Orders
Ordination	1974 (deacon); 1975 (priest) by  Eric Treacy (priest)
Consecration	2 November 2006 [1]
Personal details
Born	(1951-07-18) 18 July 1951 (age 72)
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Residence	Forton, Lancashire [2]
Spouse	Jean ​ (m. 1973)​
Children	three
Alma mater	St John's College, Durham

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Geoffrey Seagrave Pearson ^{[3] [4]} (born 18 July 1951) is a British Anglican bishop, a retired Bishop of Lancaster in the Church of England Diocese of Blackburn. ^[5]

Early life and education

Pearson was educated at St John's College, Durham, gaining his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1972, and then trained for the ministry at Cranmer Hall, Durham (part of St John's). ^[2]

Ordained ministry

He was made a deacon in 1974 and ordained a priest at Petertide 1975 (29 June), by Eric Treacy, Bishop of Wakefield, at Wakefield Cathedral, ^[6] serving his title (curacy) at Kirkheaton, West Yorkshire (1974–1977). He then became curate-in-charge (1977–1982) and then incumbent (1982–1985) at the Church of the Redeemer, Blackburn, before taking up an appointment as Assistant Home Secretary for the General Board for Mission and Unity (1985–1989, during which time he was also licensed as an honorary curate at Forty Hill, London) and Executive Secretary for the British Council of Churches' Evangelism Committee (from 1986). Finally (before his appointment to the episcopate) he moved to Merseyside to be Vicar of Roby, during which time he was also Area Dean of Huyton (from 2002) and an honorary canon of Liverpool Cathedral (from 2003). ^{[2] [7]}

Episcopal ministry

Pearson was appointed Bishop of Lancaster — the sole suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Blackburn — in 2006, took up his see with his consecration as a bishop on 2 November 2006 ^[1] and was installed not long after at Blackburn Cathedral. He has dedicated much of his ministry to the prioritisation of gospel work amongst children and young people. A keen hillwalker, ^[8] Pearson married in 1973 and they now have three adult children. ^[5]

On 16 January 2017, it was announced that Pearson was to retire ^[9] at the end of July 2017. ^[10]

Personal life

In 1973, Pearson married Jean Richardson. ^[2] He has three children; one son and two daughters. ^{[2] [5]}

Styles

• The Reverend Geoff Pearson (1974–2003)
• The Reverend Canon Geoff Pearson (2003–2006)
• The Right Reverend Geoff Pearson (2006–present)

References

1. Episcopal World — Advent 2006 Archived November 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
2. "Pearson, Geoffrey Seagrave" . Who's Who . Vol. 2017 (November 2016 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 27 July 2017.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
3. "Anglican web-site". Archived from the original on 17 March 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
4. "Diocese of Blackburn — Bishop's Staff". Archived from the original on 26 August 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
5. "Official notification of appointment". Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
6. "Petertide ordinations" . Church Times . No. 5864. 4 July 1975. p. 15. ISSN   0009-658X . Retrieved 27 July 2017– via UK Press Online archives.
7. "Geoffrey Seagrave Pearson" . Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing . Retrieved 27 July 2017.
8. Debrett's People of Today London, 2008 Debrett's, ISBN   978-1-870520-95-9
9. Diocese of Blackburn — The Anglican Bishop of Lancaster announces his retirement Archived 2017-01-18 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 16 January 2017)
10. Diocese of Blackburn — Bishop Geoff's retirement reflections (Accessed 26 July 2017)

Church of England titles
Preceded by Stephen Pedley	Bishop of Lancaster 2006–2017	Succeeded by Jill Duff