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Graham Cray

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Graham Cray
Archbishops' Missioner and Team Leader of Fresh Expressions
ChurchChurch of England
In office2009–2014
Other post(s)Bishop of Maidstone (2001–2009)
Principal, Ridley Hall (1992–2001)
Orders
Ordination1971 (deacon); 1972 (priest)
ConsecrationMarch 2001
by George Carey
Personal details
Born (1947-04-21) 21 April 1947 (age 77)
DenominationAnglican
ParentsAlan & Doris
SpouseJacqueline Webster (m. 1973)
ChildrenTwo daughters
Alma materUniversity of Leeds
St John's College, Nottingham

Graham Alan Cray (born 21 April 1947) is a retired British Anglican bishop. He was the Bishop of Maidstone in the Diocese of Canterbury from 2001 to 2009, and was the Archbishops' Missioner and Team Leader of Fresh Expressions from 2009 to 2014.[1]

Early life and education

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Cray grew up without his mother Doris, who killed herself when he was 8 years old. Cray was educated (gaining a Bachelor of Arts), at Leeds University[2] and St John's College, Nottingham.

Ordained ministry

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He began his ministry as a curate at St Mark's Church, Gillingham.[3] Cray later spent 14 years at St Michael-le-Belfry in York (at first working with, and later succeeding, David Watson[4]) before becoming Principal of Ridley Hall theological college in Cambridge.[5]

Cray was consecrated a bishop in March 2001. He served as the Bishop of Maidstone, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Canterbury, between 2001 and 2009.[6] In 2009, he was appointed to lead the Archbishops' (of Canterbury and of York) Fresh Expressions team.[7] He retired from full-time ministry in 2014.[6]

He is the Chairman of Soul Survivor. In 2024 Cray was subject to disciplinary action for failing to pass on information regarding allegations against Mike Pilavachi.

References

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  1. ^ Crockford's On-line Accessed 8 June 2008.
  2. ^ "Cray, Graham Alan", Who's Who 2012, A & C Black, 2012; online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2011 [1], accessed 9 July 2012
  3. ^ Church website
  4. ^ "EssentialChristian.com : Four Gifts from God: Foundations for the Future". Archived from the original on 31 October 2006. Retrieved 25 March 2008.
  5. ^ Debrett's People of Today London, Debrett's, 2008 ISBN 978-1-870520-95-9
  6. ^ a b 'CRAY, Rt Rev. Graham Alan', Who's Who 2017, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 26 July 2017
  7. ^ Daily Telegraph, p. 30, 17 November 2008.