Staff & Vestry

The Rev. Adrian Dannhauser was raised as a Southern Baptist in Mississippi. It took the Episcopal Church in New York City, however, to bring out her passion for spreading the Gospel. She discovered the Episcopal Church in her mid-twenties and still marvels at its many gifts – ancient tradition, progressive theology, an invitation to question, an emphasis on social justice, liturgical space for contemplation, and Christian community grounded in the Eucharist. As Rector, Adrian gets to be involved in nearly every aspect of life at Incarnation, from preaching, teaching, pastoral care and leadership development, to budgets, administration and financial stewardship. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Incarnation Center. Adrian is particularly passionate about evangelism and mission, seeking to empower others to share God’s love through faith-filled conversation in daily life and service to those in need.

Prior to arriving at the Church of the Incarnation, Adrian served just up the street at St. James’ Church on Madison Ave. Outside of parish ministry, Adrian is a faculty member of the Episcopal Preaching Foundation’s Preaching Excellence Program, a volunteer online chaplain for persons incarcerated on Rikers Island, and a member of the Women’s Forum of New York. Adrian also chairs the Episcopal Diocese of New York Task Force Against Human Trafficking and serves on the Board of Directors of PACT, the leading anti-trafficking policy organization in the United States. In 2017, she was selected as a New York Nonprofit Media 40 Under 40 Rising Stars honoree for her efforts to combat human trafficking in hotels. Her work in this arena has also been featured by BBC World Service.

Before ordained ministry, Adrian practiced corporate bankruptcy law and financial restructuring at the Wall Street firm Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. She also has a history in dance ministry and a lifelong love of ballet. Adrian holds a B.A. from Duke University, a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. She is married to Jess Dannhauser, NYC Commissioner of the Administration for Children’s Services. They have a teenaged daughter, Callaway.

Browse Adrian’s Blog to learn about her ministry of offering blessings on the sidewalk in front of the church. Her book, Ask Me for a Blessing (You Know You Need One) was published in September 2022 and is featured in The Publishers Weekly 2022 Holiday Gift Guide.

Click here to watch a video of her book launch, with remarks from New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.

Ordained in 2011, Deacon Denise has served as parish deacon for St. John’s in the Village and St. Peter’s Chelsea. She began serving at Church of the Incarnation in October 2021.  In addition, she also serves at “Ecclesia in the Bowery”, a ministry where an outdoor Eucharist is celebrated at 2:00 p.m. on Sundays, making “church” available to homeless and needy individuals.

As Director of Deacon Formation and Transition for the Episcopal Diocese of New York, since 2013, Deacon Denise has been charged with shepherding Deacon Postulants through formation and supporting the deacons in the Diocese as their ministries unfold.  In January. 2025, she was named Archdeacon.

Deacon Denise is a 2013 graduate of General Theological Seminary (M.A. Christian Spirituality). Her secular career was in Human Resources, and she is a trained Life/Career Coach. Deacon Denise is a native New Yorker, having lived in Brooklyn and Queens, and in Manhattan on the East Side since 1992.

Fr. Greg has recently retired from his position as Priest-in-Charge at St. Alban’s on Staten Island so has been worshipping with us because his husband, Thomas Reefer, is our parish administrator and organist/choirmaster. He came to the priesthood after eight years of active involvement in many areas of ministry at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral in KC, MO following a long career in prep schools (1967-2000), both teaching history and French (University School of Milwaukee, etc.) and serving as Head of School for two decades (National Cathedral School in DC, The Harrisburg Academy, PA). He is the son of an American Baptist minister and as a result lived in many different locations around the country growing up. After completing his B.A. at the University of Washington in Seattle, he studied in France (Aix-en-Provence) for a year before enrolling at the U. of Michigan (M.A., 1967) after which he began teaching in Wisconsin. He holds a second Master’s degree in American Studies from Penn State (American Studies) and an M.Div. degree from The General Theological Seminary in Chelsea and was ordained to the transitional diaconate and priesthood in the Diocese of West Missouri in 2012. He has a grown daughter and two grandchildren on the coast of Maine. He has enjoyed getting to know our parishioners and is now involved in a number of ministries at Incarnation.

Canon Brandt received his BA from Franklin and Marshall College, his JD from Boston College, and his MDiv from Nashotah House Theological Seminary. He was a practicing attorney with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, US Attorney’s Office, SDNY, before going into private practice with Rogers and Wells.

Following completion of his MDiv degree, he was ordained by Bishops Paul Moore and James Montgomery. He has served in many different capacities in Chicago, Buffalo, Atlanta, NYC, and Central Africa. Canon Brandt has written extensively about Afro-Anglicanism (see especially Anglican Theological Review, vol. 89, No. 1 (Winter 2007)). Canon Brandt was Rector of St Michael’s Church in NYC from which he retired in 2013 after 17 years of service.