Pastor Elwood Gray
Born in Warsaw, Virginia, Dr. Elwood Gray, Jr. is the pastor of Peace in the Valley Baptist Church, president of the National Coalition of Prison Ministries and a member of the alumni at Howard University School of Divinity (HUSD) where he has served as an instructor in the Continuing Education Department. He is also the Editor of" The Messenger" a newsletter published by the National Coalition of Prison Ministries. The zenith of his credentials includes a Doctor of Divinity and a Masters of Divinity from Howard University School of Divinity along with a Bachelor of Arts in History from Shaw University. Dr. Gray is the president and founder of the National Coalition of Prison Ministries established in 1985. Prior to his tenure at Patuxent Institution as Administrative Chaplain, Dr. Gray was the chaplain for the District of Columbia Department of Corrections for Twenty years.
Dr. Gray is presently working on a book, entitled "Purple Rage: A Spiritual Confrontation within the African American Family", that focuses on the spiritual and physical health of the black family, the sociopolitical and socioeconomic factors within the institution of family from a historical context and their interpretive consequence for the church and community today. His most closely studied writings include his dissertation, entitled "The Impact of Religion at Patuxent Institution as Influenced by the National Coalition of Prison Ministries".
Each year Dr. Gray conducts study tours and seminars at jails; detention facilities and prisons across America and the resulting scholarship imparts qualities to his lectures and sermons resulting in fresh insight and hermeneutical extrapolations that keep him in high demand across the nation. He works with Project Director to manage, implement, and evaluate project activities of the National Coalition of Prison Ministries for offenders; former offenders and the children of incarcerated parents and other projects such as the tutorial program for the children of incarcerated parents. He provides staff support for the National Coalition of Prison Ministries to collaborative with groups comprised of leaders from various cultural; ethnic; racial and religious and social economical backgrounds in order to establish a safety net for the underserved population of individuals returning to the community.
He works with the Project Director to monitor public policies and prepare policy documents regarding access to resources for offenders; former offenders and their families especially the children of incarcerated parents.
Dr. Gray manages work groups, including the covering of key staff from the Hispanic and other minority groups that appear to be under represented in the criminal justice system service areas. He develops and manages collaborative relationships with external agencies and organizations involved in prison ministry, referral access, and health issues confronting this special group.
He provides presentations, trainings, and technical assistance to organizations involved in expanding their in-prison and re-entry programming and improving access to resources for this population and other underserved persons affected by criminal activities.
He works with the Directors of Prison Ministry from various organizations to develop new projects and new grant proposals for submission to private and governmental offices.
He serves as a liaison to religious; private and governmental faith-based organizations such as area churches; mosques and temples along with merchants and city; county and state agencies. He responds to their requests for inter action with offenders; former offenders and/or the children of incarcerated parents.
He prepares progress reports and other project documents relevant to the impact of the criminal justice system upon the community and its citizens in general.
He is an active member of the community this is shown by his various memberships; The Missionary Baptist Ministers' Conference of Washington D.C. and Vicinity; NAACP; American Correctional Association; The Black Ministers Conference of Montgomery County; Board member for the Church Association for Community Services. Dr. Gray is a member of the Montgomery County Workforce Investment Board. He is also founder of the Lean on Me Tutorial Program and is a Vietnam Veteran and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division.
Born in Warsaw, Virginia, Dr. Elwood Gray, Jr. is the pastor of Peace in the Valley Baptist Church, president of the National Coalition of Prison Ministries and a member of the alumni at Howard University School of Divinity (HUSD) where he has served as an instructor in the Continuing Education Department. He is also the Editor of" The Messenger" a newsletter published by the National Coalition of Prison Ministries. The zenith of his credentials includes a Doctor of Divinity and a Masters of Divinity from Howard University School of Divinity along with a Bachelor of Arts in History from Shaw University. Dr. Gray is the president and founder of the National Coalition of Prison Ministries established in 1985. Prior to his tenure at Patuxent Institution as Administrative Chaplain, Dr. Gray was the chaplain for the District of Columbia Department of Corrections for Twenty years.
Dr. Gray is presently working on a book, entitled "Purple Rage: A Spiritual Confrontation within the African American Family", that focuses on the spiritual and physical health of the black family, the sociopolitical and socioeconomic factors within the institution of family from a historical context and their interpretive consequence for the church and community today. His most closely studied writings include his dissertation, entitled "The Impact of Religion at Patuxent Institution as Influenced by the National Coalition of Prison Ministries".
Each year Dr. Gray conducts study tours and seminars at jails; detention facilities and prisons across America and the resulting scholarship imparts qualities to his lectures and sermons resulting in fresh insight and hermeneutical extrapolations that keep him in high demand across the nation. He works with Project Director to manage, implement, and evaluate project activities of the National Coalition of Prison Ministries for offenders; former offenders and the children of incarcerated parents and other projects such as the tutorial program for the children of incarcerated parents. He provides staff support for the National Coalition of Prison Ministries to collaborative with groups comprised of leaders from various cultural; ethnic; racial and religious and social economical backgrounds in order to establish a safety net for the underserved population of individuals returning to the community.
He works with the Project Director to monitor public policies and prepare policy documents regarding access to resources for offenders; former offenders and their families especially the children of incarcerated parents.
Dr. Gray manages work groups, including the covering of key staff from the Hispanic and other minority groups that appear to be under represented in the criminal justice system service areas. He develops and manages collaborative relationships with external agencies and organizations involved in prison ministry, referral access, and health issues confronting this special group.
He provides presentations, trainings, and technical assistance to organizations involved in expanding their in-prison and re-entry programming and improving access to resources for this population and other underserved persons affected by criminal activities.
He works with the Directors of Prison Ministry from various organizations to develop new projects and new grant proposals for submission to private and governmental offices.
He serves as a liaison to religious; private and governmental faith-based organizations such as area churches; mosques and temples along with merchants and city; county and state agencies. He responds to their requests for inter action with offenders; former offenders and/or the children of incarcerated parents.
He prepares progress reports and other project documents relevant to the impact of the criminal justice system upon the community and its citizens in general.
He is an active member of the community this is shown by his various memberships; The Missionary Baptist Ministers' Conference of Washington D.C. and Vicinity; NAACP; American Correctional Association; The Black Ministers Conference of Montgomery County; Board member for the Church Association for Community Services. Dr. Gray is a member of the Montgomery County Workforce Investment Board. He is also founder of the Lean on Me Tutorial Program and is a Vietnam Veteran and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division.
