Gray, Henry David, 1908-

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1908

Biographical notes:

Congregational clergyman, author, and civic leader, of Hartford, Conn.

From the description of Henry D. Gray papers, 1953-1970. (University of Connecticut). WorldCat record id: 28415191

Following his retirement from the ministry Gray served as dean of the American Congregational Center in Ventura, California. He has published numerous works in the fields of church polity, worship and youth work and has edited Congregational periodicals.

Gray was active in youth work, leading eight "odysseys" overseas and coordinating youth assemblies. He was one of the founders of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, the group of continuing Congregationalists formed following the merger of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church to form the United Church of Christ in 1957.

He was National Secretary for High School and Student Work of the Congregational Christian fellowship from 1939 to 1942. From 1942 to 1955 he was minister of Oneonta Congregational Church, South Pasadena, California. From 1955 to 1971 he was minister of South Congregational Church, Hartford, Connecticut.

Henry David Gray was born in Northern Ireland and emigrated first to Canada in 1919 and then to the Los Angeles area in 1923. He received degrees from Pomona College, Hartford Theological Seminary and the University of Edinburgh. Gray was minister of First Congregational Church in South Hadley, Massachusetts from 1935 to 1939.

From the description of Henry David Gray papers, 1910-1985 (inclusive). (Yale University). WorldCat record id: 702130625

1908 Jan 18 Henry David Gray born in Antrim, Northern Ireland, son of Nathaniel and Margaret Lawther Gray. 1919 Emigrated first to Canada, then in 1923 to the Los Angeles area 1928 1929 Director of Youth, Bethel Congregational Church, Ontario, California 1929 1930 Assistant minister, First Methodist Church, Pomona, California 1930 B.A., Pomona College, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa 1930 1931 Director of youth work, Center Congregational Church, Hartford, CT 1931 Boston University School of Theology, religious education courses (summer) 1931 1933 Religious education director, Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford 1933 B.D., Hartford Theological Seminary, awarded William Thompson Fellowship 1933 1935 Minister, Hope Park and Buccleuch Congregational Church, Edinburgh, Scotland 1935 Ph.D., University of Edinburgh 1935 Study at Tubingen University, Germany 1935 1939 Minister, First Congregational Church, South Hadley, Massachusetts 1939 1942 National Secretary for High School and Student Work of the Congregational Christian fellowship 1942 1955 Minister, Oneonta Congregational Church, South Pasadena, California 1945 Member of team to investigate war damage in British Congregational Churches 1948 First of eight "Youth Odysseys" led by HDG 1949 Convened First International Congregational Youth Assembly 1954 Honorary Doctorate of Divinity, Pomona College 1955 1970 Minister, South Congregational Church, Hartford, Connecticut 1955 One of the founders of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches 1962 1966 Editor, The Congregationalist 1971 Interim minister, Hollywood Congregational Church 1971 1972 Interim minister, Congregational Church of the Valley 1972 Established, served as dean of Hollywood Congregational Center for Study and Service/ now known as American Congregational Center; Editor, Congregational Journal 1985 1989 Coordinated C-Way: Congregational World Youth Assembly (re-establishment of 1949 Congregational Youth Assembly)

Partial list of organizations served:

General Council of Congregational Christian Churches National Association of Congregational Christian Churches Board of Home Missions, Congregational Christian Churches American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions Connecticut Congregational Fellowship Hartford City Planning Commission McCall Mission Corporation for Lady Doak College of Madurai, India Rural Resources Development Project in Jordan Ventura County Historical Association Santa Monica Mountains Commission

Moderator:

Hampshire Association, MA Los Angeles Association, CA Connecticut Fellowship National Association (CCC/NA)

Founding member:

National Council of Churches (Nov. 1950) Pasadena Council of Churches

Board of Directors:

Greater Hartford Council of Churches South Pasadena Council of Churches Church Federation of Los Angeles

From the guide to the Henry David Gray Papers, 1924-1981, (Yale University Divinity School Library)

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Subjects:

  • Congregational churches
  • Congregational churches
  • Church work with youth
  • Church year
  • City planning
  • Congregationalism
  • Sermons, American
  • Urban renewal

Occupations:

  • Civic leaders
  • Clergy

Places:

  • Hartford (Conn.) (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Connecticut (as recorded)

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