The Rev. Austin McGehee, Rector
Austin began his ministry as rector of Church of the Messiah in September 2025. He came to this role after serving in parishes as an associate rector in the Diocese of Atlanta and as a rector in the Diocese of Mississippi.
In his leadership, Austin works closely with the vestry, staff, and lay leaders to keep the heart of the parish centered on what matters most: being a place where people can ask honest questions, experience healing through love, and find joy in worship and community.
Originally from northeast Georgia, Austin graduated from the University of Mississippi. Before earning his Master of Divinity from The General Theological Seminary in New York City, he served in AmeriCorps for two years at a psychiatric treatment center for at-risk youth.
Austin is married to Tiffany, and they have two sons, Alban and Wesley. As a family, they share a love of musical theatre, Mario, Legos, and Hot Wheels. Austin also enjoys hiking and walking their dogs with the boys leading the way.
Father Austin can be reached at [email protected].
Our Director of Music
Timothy Lewis has served as Director of Music at The Church of the Messiah since 2015. He has been heard in concert at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, the early music series at St. Peter’s Church, and at the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church where he performed the New York premiere of Ruth Schonthal’s The Temptation of St. Anthony. Lewis, whose articles on church music have been published by Yale University, is a member of the Liturgical Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. He holds a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music, where his teachers included Alec Wyton, Amy Kaiser and Dennis Keene.
Our Parish Administrator
Dawn Brownson earned a bachelor of business administration degree from Siena University and has worked as a financial officer in numerous positions in healthcare and nonprofit organizations. Prior to her arrival at the Church of the Messiah, Dawn served as the Director of Business and Operations for Hudson Valley Vicariate West, a network of eight Catholic parishes in Greene County.
A resident of nearby Clermont, Dawn has been a member of the Town Council since 2015 and has also served as the Clermont Town Historian for more than a decade. A member of Holy Trinity Parish in southern Columbia County, she served as the chair of the Finance Council for several years and is currently a Parish Trustee.
Dawn brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in accounting and organizational operations and understands firsthand the mission and workings of parish life.
