The Rev. Canon Gray Temple, Jr.

Denomination: The Episcopal Church (TEC)
Organization: Gray Temple Consulting, Inc.

The Rev. Canon Gray Temple Jr. is a retired Episcopal priest who currently serves an Episcopal parish in Munich, Germany as an interim rector. He also manages a church consulting firm.

Gray was a parish priest for 38 years, 31 spent as the rector of a suburban Atlanta parish, St. Patrick's. Fifteen people entered Holy Orders during Gray's ministry. During his service in two dioceses he did all the diocesan things--Standing Committees, summer camps, diocesan commissions and task forces, episcopal search committees, various chaplaincies, coordination of mission congregations etc.

Gray's parishes remain well-known for vibrant worship, robust outreach and mission projects, and widely-distributed lay-ministries.

Gray's pursuit of excellence led him in several fruitful directions:

-He was accredited in Human Relations Training in the 60's and 70's and was in wide demand as a trainer/consultant.

-He was trained in Polarity Management, Open Space Technology, and Appreciative Inquiry.

-He was a Stewardship consultant and keynoter at national Stewardship gatherings.

His interests in mission took him all over the world, conducting training missions, clergy conferences, and diocesan events on five continents.

Gray's Christian discipleship has led him to chair two urban projects devoted to public housing residents and to men dying of AIDS. It has led him into the thick of his denomination's wranglings about the sacramental status of gay and lesbian people, and led him to serve as coach/consultant to a controversial non-profit organization caring for homeless people. Those passions infuse Gray's writings.

His spiritual hunger led him into spiritual direction, both as a recipient and as a provider. For the last number of years, Gray has served clergy of several denominations as spiritual director and mentor.

In addition to conferences and some widely publicized debates, Gray is the author of several books, articles, and chapters in the books of others. His books include The Molten Soul, When God Happens, Gay Unions, and 52 Ways to Help the Homeless.

His hobbies include listening to classical music, playing blues guitar, stone sculpture, reading (bad fiction and good poetry), writing (good prose and bad poetry), white-water kayaking, and travel. He is married to Jean, a psychotherapist in private practice. They have two grown sons and two grandsons.