Rayner was educated at the Church of England Grammar School, Brisbane, Queensland (now known as the Anglican Church Grammar School and popularly called "Churchie").

[4] His first post was as chaplain at St Francis' Theological College, Brisbane, followed by Queensland incumbencies in Sunnybank and Wynnum, during which time he completed his doctoral thesis on the history of Anglicanism within the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane.

[7] In 1975 he was translated to the see of Adelaide, South Australia as its archbishop.

During his time in Adelaide he was appointed to be an officer of the Order of Australia.

He was widely appreciated for his "masterly presidential style"[9] and as a preacher.