by Beth Crow, Chair of the Search Committee; and George Douglas, Senior Warden
George Douglas, Senior Warden, and Beth Crow, Chair of the Search Committee, announced that the Rev. Grey Maggiano has been called as Rector of the Church of the Nativity. Grey sends his greetings to Church of the Nativity, and excited about joining us in a few weeks. In addition to this video, you can also watch a past sermon that he preached at Memorial Church, Baltimore — the church from which he is coming.
In this article:
About the Search Process
The Search Committee would like to share some of the reasoning behind their unanimous decision to recommend Grey’s name to the Vestry for approval.
Over the past several months, our congregation has prayed for guidance and wisdom in our rector search, entrusting the Search Committee to craft Nativity’s narrative through our Parish Portfolio, conduct interviews of multiple candidates, and prayerfully discern its recommendation to the Vestry. The committee’s selection was based on priorities expressed during our February Congregational Meeting, which included Worship, Children and Youth, Outreach, Social Justice (including LGBTQIA+), Pastoral Care, and Environmental Stewardship.
From the start, Grey impressed the committee with his warmth and friendliness. One member noted that Grey is “the kind of person you meet and feel that you’ve known for years, and you feel a sense of trust almost immediately.” His excellent listening skills, significant leadership experience, and thorough research of Nativity, far beyond the provided materials, were highly valued by the committee.
Grey’s sermons, delivered extemporaneously, are both scholarly and contemporary, challenging listeners to address injustice through scripture and the teachings of Jesus. A reference described him as a visionary who will infuse our parish with new energy. The committee was impressed by his passion for revitalizing existing ministries and initiating new ones within our congregation, with one member particularly appreciating his vision to unite his church family with surrounding communities.
Reflecting Nativity’s mission of being a diverse and welcoming church, Grey’s compassion and thoughtfulness stand out. He has shown a strong commitment to inclusivity and social justice, including through his work with the LGBTQ+ community.
Grey is passionate about youth ministry, an area he has focused on throughout his career. He views youth as a vital part of the church community and is approachable. At his current parish, youth are comfortable coming to him with issues they face and, according to a reference, his ability to speak Spanish and connect with Hispanic youth has significantly enhanced his ministry.
In conversations with Grey, he clearly expressed his wish to walk alongside us on our spiritual journey and seek truth and love in scripture. Capturing the sentiment of the entire committee, a member shared that “there is an exuberance to Grey’s message that will echo in the halls of our church for many years to come.”
Please join us in welcoming the Rev. Grey Maggiano on his first day at Nativity, Sunday, September 8.
We appreciate your prayers and support throughout this process and ask for your continued support as we embark on Nativity’s exciting new chapter.
About Grey
Grey and his family will be moving to Raleigh from Baltimore, Maryland where he served for eight years (2016 to present) as Rector of Memorial Episcopal Church, an historic Civil War era church founded in 1860. Highlights of his time at Memorial Church included improving church attendance, community engagement and stewardship year over year; launching the Guy Hollyday Justice and Reparations Initiative and leading an evacuation and resettlement effort of more than 160 Afghan refugees.
Prior to that his first assignment as an Episcopal priest was to serve as Associate Rector of Trinity Cathedral in Miami, Florida from 2013 to 2016. Highlights of his achievements there included growing the Spanish language congregation from 8 to 65 people and leading social justice work on the environment and LGBTQ+ rights.
Grey was ordained in 2013 after earning his Master of Divinity Degree at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria. He is currently working on his Doctor of Ministry at St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute.
Before he was called to be an Episcopal priest, Grey began his first career after earning his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish Literature from Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts in 2003. As he was fluent in Spanish, he joined AmeriCorps and spent two years assigned to El Pueblo, Inc. here in Raleigh. This is an advocacy group dedicated to helping NC Latinos achieve positive local change.
In 2006, Grey earned his Master of Public Policy degree at Georgetown Public Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. and then joined the U.S. State Department as a foreign affairs officer. From 2006 to 2012 he spent most of his time in Afghanistan where he managed an overseas staff of 60 and led an effort to develop Anti-Corruption and National Security Courts in that country.
Grey and his wife Monica are excited about moving to Raleigh as both have relatives and friends in the area. Their children Isabella (age 12) and Nicholas (age 8) expect to attend Wake County schools this fall.