OUR STAFF
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Reverend Dustin G. Longmire (he/ they)
Pastor & Executive Director Born and raised in Connecticut, Rev. Longmire joined Messiah Lutheran Church as Pastor in August of 2014 after graduating from United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia. During his time at seminary he participated in clinical pastoral education at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, engaged in a year of local faith-based advocacy with Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania, interned with the Lutheran Office for World Community at the United Nations and served as Vicar of Saint Peter's Church in Midtown Manhattan. He also received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Religion (with a focus on Islam) from the George Washington University in the spring of 2008.
Dustin has served his community through a variety of local and statewide ecumenical, interfaith and nonprofit organizations, including as Chair of Schenectady Community Ministries Interfaith Task Force, Chair of the Schenectady County Food Council Advocacy Working Group, Chair of the Schenectady Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and President of the New York State Council of Churches. His proudest professional achievements include leading Schenectady Community Ministries to become an interfaith organization in January 2020 and the Grand Opening of the Rotterdam Community Center in September 2023. Dustin is a spouse, mystic, pastor, mountaineer and urban homesteader in that order. He and his beloved Rae have two lovely little fur babies, Willard Excelsior Bear and Ellowyn Frieda Little. Pastor Dustin can be reached at 518.253.9978 or pastor@messiahschenectady.org.
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Heather Zimmer (she/ her)
Faith Center Coordinator & Business Administrator Heather Zimmer has been a lifelong member of Messiah Lutheran Church and is a fourth generation of the Hallett family here in our congregation. In recent years she has started bringing her growing family into the church as well. She has been married to her husband, Yancey since 2018, she is a mom to her 3-year-old son, Pryor and has three amazing “fur” babies. Mac, a 8-year-old Border Collie, Millie, a 8 year old cat and Merlin, a young kitten. She currently has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood and volunteers as Sunday School Teacher. In her free time, she loves to loves to do crafts, enjoy family time and be outdoors as much as possible. She is looking forward to having an important role at this already amazing place.
Heather can be reached at 518.355.2311 or office@messiahschenectady.org.
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Rachel DeTeso-Mathis (she/ her)
Community Center Coordinator Rachel DeTeso-Mathis has been a member of Messiah for several years. A full-time teacher for over twenty years, Rachel earned her BA in English from the State University of NY at Albany, and her MSEd in Secondary Ed from the College of Saint Rose. Prior to becoming a teacher, Rachel worked for several years in human services and nonprofit agencies. In her free time, Rachel loves to read, talk about books, watch reality TV, and grow vegetables in her garden- especially tomatoes!
She and her husband David are the extremely proud parents of two children. Their household also includes Zionn the Rottweiler, Gus the Sheepadoodle, and a pretty awesome cat named Lily. Rachel can be reached at 518.364.3216 or communitycenter@messiahschenectady.org.
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Douglas J. Chilton (he/ him)
Parish Musician Douglas J. Chilton has been the Minister of Music at Messiah Lutheran church since 1991. He received his music Bachelors from the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, and a Masters Degree from The College of St. Rose in Special Education. Doug has taught music in public and private schools since graduating in 1978. He plays piano on the side and has composed music. To Mr. Doug, the happiest part of his role at Messiah is the warm and family-feeling genuineness of the people. He has two fabulous sons, Daniel and Jeffrey, both of whom have degrees in music. His life-partner-wife-mother-of-sons is Cecile Stewart who Doug refers to as St. Cecile.
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Suzanne Smedes, CPA (she/ her)
Bookkeeper |