| About Jerry |
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Born in Ocoee, FL and reared in Mt.
Dora, FL, he is a 1956 graduate of
Mt. Dora Bible
School and was the first student to complete
grades 1-12 there. He received an AA degree in 1958 from Alabama
Christian College (now
Faulkner
University) and a BA from Harding College (now
Harding
University) in 1960 (Magna cum Laude, with majors
in Secondary Education and History). In 1976 he received an MA
degree in Biblical Studies (Major, New Testament) from
Cincinnati
Christian University. He also attended the
Sunset
International Bible Institute,
receiving a diploma in 1967.
He worked as a computer
programmer (1960-62) before entering full-time ministry. He was
in New Zealand working in church planting (1963-1971, except for
2 years while he was at the Sunset International Bible
Institute). Since returning to the United States, he served
churches in Florida (Holly Hill, 1992-1993 ), Ohio (Withamsville
1974-1979 and
Lancaster 1979-1983),
and Michigan (Utica
1984-1987 and Centerline 1993-1995) in suburban Detroit. From
1995 until his retirement at the end of 2005, he served as
Chaplain and Public Relations Director at the
Church of Christ
Care Center a nursing home, assisted living and senior
housing complex in suburban Detroit. He had a six-year interval
during his time in Detroit working as a route salesman.
On his retirement, he
moved to Plymouth at the end of 2005, a congregation he had
attended from 1952 - 1960, working as a fill-in preacher during
the summer of 1957. He previously served as an elder at the Metro
(Sterling Heights, MI) Church of Christ (1990
- 1993) and the
Northeast
(Eastpointe, MI) Church of Christ (1998
- 2005).
He also
served as an elder at Plymouth from 2006
-
2009. His
father, Philip Starling, also was an elder at the Plymouth
Church of Christ for many years - as were his uncles, L.B.
Chastain & Lester Starling, and grandfather, O.T. Starling.
While in New Zealand, he
married Marion Cole, an immigrant to New Zealand from England,
in 1964. They have three children: Mark (b. 1966), Gwenda (b.
1967, adopted 1968; d. 2000), and Lynda (b. 1970). They also
have 2 granddaughters: Melissa Clayton (b. 1991) and Megan
Starling (b. 1997).
In addition to his work
as a preaching minister, Jerry has written for several Christian
magazines. He published a small book he authored The
Simplified Story of the Bible. From 1994 - 1998 he was host
of Search the Scriptures, a Christian talk TV show
featuring interviews discussing various passages in the Bible.
This was broadcast in the Detroit market, and was cablecast on
the Inspiration Network for three years.
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