The Reverend George Ward, Jr. became Deacon at All
Hallows Parish in September 2002, and retired from the active diaconate at the end of 2005. In retirement he is now our
Deacon Associate.
Deacon George is a cradle Episcopalian. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Thomas Church, Garrison Forest. In the
1970's, he was a member of the Vestry and Treasurer of Memorial Church, Bolton Hill, Baltimore. He served as Treasurer
of All Hallows Parish from 1992 to 1995, and was a member of the Interim Vestry and Audit Committee from 1996 to 1998.
During his diaconal formation process, he was a social ministry intern at St. Martin’s-in-the-Field (Severna Park)
from 1998 to 2000, and after his ordination as a Deacon in June 2000 served there as Deacon. Deacon George was Vice
President and a Director of Baltimore International Seafarers Center, Inc., and a volunteer staff member and chaplain
until the end of 2004.
Deacon George is a graduate of McDonogh School, Johns Hopkins University (A.B.), and the University of Maryland Law
School (L.L.B.). He is a member of the Maryland Bar. Deacon George retired from Maryland National Bank (now part of
Bank of America) in 1991. During his 34 years with the Bank, he served in various managerial capacities, including
the administration of estates and trusts, work in the corporate secretary’s office, the practice of corporate law,
and the administration of the Bank’s charitable foundation. During the eight years he managed the corporate
contributions program for the Bank, more than $24 million was invested in a wide variety of community based
enterprises in the Maryland-D.C. area.
A deacon is an icon of the servant ministry (diakonia) to which we are all called in baptism. The diaconate is a
separate and equal order of ordained ministry. A vocational deacon, like Deacon George, is to be distinguished from a
transitional deacon – those called to the priesthood, whose brief transitional tenure as a deacon is usually devoted
to training them for their responsibilities as a priest. Deacons are called to represent the world and its needs to
the Church, and to represent the Church to the world. They are to be servants of those in need. The ministry of
deacons is pastoral, charitable and liturgical.
The pastoral dimension of his ministry with us as Deacon Associate continues to involve him in keeping track of the
sick and those in special need of our prayers and assistance, visiting, and, where appropriate, bringing Holy
Communion and the Sacrament of Christian healing (laying on of hands and anointing). Prayer requests are reviewed by
Deacon George, and he shares with the Interim Rector the responsibility for visiting parishioners who are ill or
hospitalized. Liturgically, the reading of the Gospel belongs to the deacon, as does the setting of the Table for the
Eucharist and the ablutions following the Communion. The elevation of the chalice at the invitation to Communion, as
well as the administration of the chalice, are usually the deacon’s responsibility, although the administration of
the chalice may be shared with lay eucharistic ministers. Traditionally the deacon also leads, or participates in,
the intercessions (Prayers of the People). Deacons are licensed to preach, and in the past Deacon George has preached
for us from time to time. Usually he alternates between the 8:00 AM and the 10:00 AM Services from week to week.
You will notice that he wears his stole diagonally from his left shoulder descending across the body to his right side.
The stole and the dalmatic (a rectangular vestment similar to a chasuble), are the traditional vestments of a deacon.
Deacon George is married to Janice M. Wheeler, a psychotherapist in private practice in Annapolis. He has three
children, Margaret Ward Stephenson, George B. P. Ward III, and Nancy C. Wheeler, M.D., as well as two grandsons,
Jack and James Stephenson. In addition to his family, George is particularly fond of dogs (Gordon Setters, in
particular), cats, fire engines, German motorcars and model trains, computers, and classical music.
