The Rt. Rev. Duncan Montgomery Gray, III
Biography
Duncan Montgomery Gray, III was elected bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of
Mississippi
in February of 2000 and was consecrated in June of that same year. Gray is a
native of Canton and son and grandson of former Bishops of Mississippi. Gray graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree (magna cum laude) from the University of Mississippi in 1971; received the Master of Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1975, and Doctor of Ministry from the University of the South. In the Spring of 2001, during separate ceremonies, Gray received honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from both the University of the South and Virginia Theological Seminary. Gray was ordained to the diaconate in 1975 and to the priesthood in 1976. Gray was rector of St. Peter's, Oxford, from 1985 until the time of his consecration. Prior to this post, he was associate rector at Church of the Holy Communion, Memphis (1982-85); chaplain/assistant headmaster at Trinity Episcopal School, New Orleans (1978-82); curate at St. James', Greenville, Mississippi (1975-78); and legislative aide to U. S. Senator Mark Hatfield (R-Ore.) (1973-74). Gray was a seminarian-in-training at Trinity, Hattiesburg, and did field education and work as youth director at Church of the Ascension, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Gray's work on the diocesan, provincial and national levels has been varied. Gray has served as two-time deputy to the triennial General Convention for the Episcopal Church, USA and served on the National Task Force for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation. He was 
a member of the Joint Committee for the Nomination of the Presiding Bishop and is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the College of Bishops. Gray was a four-time Synod deputy and serves on the Episcopal Church's Court of Review. Before being elected bishop, Gray chaired the diocese's deputation to General Convention as well as the diocesan Commission on Ministry. He served for many years as director of summer camping sessions at Camp Bratton-Green. Gray also chaired the diocesan Task Force on Small Church Development, served two terms on the Executive Committee and served on the Finance Committee. Gray was a participant in and served on the board for the diocesan Honduras Medical Mission and added a Medical Mission to Panama during his episcopate. Gray has chaired the diocesan Clergy and Wellness Committee, the Division of Youth and the Commission on Peace and Justice.
As Bishop, Gray has led the diocese into an ever deepening understanding of a vision of "One Church in Mission: Inviting, Transforming, Reconciling." He has challenged the diocese to a deeper faithfulness with a series of teachings and program initiatives that encourage "out of the box thinking." To effect the mission imperatives of the church of Jesus Christ. He has a particular interest in development of different models of leadership to address the challenges of the church in a post modern era.
Bishop Gray and his wife, Kathy, reside in Jackson. The Grays have two sons, Duncan IV (wife, Amber) and Peter, a foster daughter, Tabitha, and a new granddaughter, Harper Elizabeth Gray.
