Newport’s Trinity Church, one of the oldest Episcopal parishes in the country, has named Reverend Meaghan Kelly Brower as its new rector. A Newport native with deep roots in the parish, Brower will officially begin her new role on August 1.
The announcement was made by Senior Warden Norris Commodore, who noted that Brower was selected following an 18-month search process. “After prayer, reflection, and discerning God’s will for us, we are pleased to welcome Reverend Meaghan Kelly Brower as our next rector,” he said.
Brower’s connection to Trinity is longstanding—she grew up in Newport, sang in the junior choir at the church, and attended the Episcopal Conference Center. She is a graduate of Rhode Island College and Virginia Theological Seminary.
She most recently served as Associate Rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth. Her previous roles include Executive Director of the Episcopal Conference Center in Pascoag, founding priest at Church of the Beloved in Pascoag, and Associate Rector at Emmanuel Church in Southern Pines, N.C.
“I came to know the love and presence of God at Trinity Church Newport, and I felt my earliest tugs to priesthood there,” Brower said. “I am excited and honored to return and do the work God has given us to do together.”
Brower lives in Newport with her husband Jonathan and their two children, Sam and Emily. Their eldest son, Johvaun, resides in Florida.
Trinity Church’s historic building will mark its 300th anniversary in 2026, making Brower’s appointment especially timely as the parish looks to the future.
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