The pursuit of a permanent pastor was long and hard. It was a process that took about 12 months to complete, but in the end the Cornwall Presbyterian Church pastor nominating committee selected an unusual albeit familiar face - Rev. Jeffrey Geary. Geary will be installed during an hour-long ceremony at 3 p.m. on Jan. 12.

“I’m thrilled,” Geary said. “When I got the call from the nominating committee, it was not a hard decision.”

Geary attended Millikin University where he majored in religion and sociology and minored in philosophy and psychology. He then graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary and served as associate pastor at Setauket Presbyterian Church for 16 years. He then made the transition to White Plains Presbyterian Church, where he worked 12 years as senior pastor.

When Rev. Patricia Calahan gave her last sermon in the summer of 2022, Geary was happy to step in for his friend on an interim basis after a search committee asked him to step in to help during the church’s period of transition. At the time, Geary expected to stay on for a limited time while the Session, the governing body of the church, organized volunteers to begin the search process for a permanent pastor.

“I spent most of my career working with high conflict congregations as associate or senior pastor and wanted to try something new,” Geary said of entering interim ministry. “I wanted to serve a congregation that was ready to try some new things. I thought I could help the church make that transition. I was going through a transition as well, becoming an empty nester and sending my son to college. I did everything with the intention of being here for only 18 to 24 months.”

Unfortunately, the search process didn’t go exactly as anticipated.
Mike Mattausch and five other volunteers of the search committee, a diverse group in age, gender, and longevity with the church, began meeting in Sept. 2023 to develop a list of qualities it would be looking for in a prospective pastor. Once that list was finalized, the committee reached out to Hudson River Presbytery, the regional governing body of the Hudson Valley.

Using a nationwide database, the Presbytery handed over a list of 70 candidates. Mattausch said that list was quickly narrowed down to a dozen candidates because the others didn’t match what the congregation wanted in terms of educational experience and past pastorship. After a first round of Zoom interviews, the list was halved and the remainder were interviewed a second time, each being asked the same two questions. At the end of the interview process, one candidate remained, but the committee agreed the individual was just “okay.”

Not willing to settle for less, the committee returned to the Presbytery. Aware that Geary could not be involved in the search process, the volunteers asked the governing body for permission to interview the interim pastor in the same manner as the other candidates in order to keep things fair.

When Geary received the call to become the permanent pastor, he was in the midst of planning a two-week pilgrimage to Camino de Santiago in Spain where he intended to reflect on what would be next for him. The choice was easy, and his family agreed. They had never seen him happier than when he began serving the Cornwall Presbyterian Church.

There was one final hurdle the committee had to overcome, however. It’s not often that an interim is appointed to a permanent position and it’s a practice that was once prohibited. The committee asked the Presbytery for an exception, and it just so happened another congregation in Rockland was making the same request. The Committee of Ministry, made up of a couple hundred clergy and elected leaders from each congregation in eight counties, met and a month ago unanimously approved the appointment.

Mauttasch explained the committee was looking for somebody who could provide the church with a Christian education for all age groups and help with the continued development of the children’s and youth group programs. The congregants were looking for somebody they could trust to come to with problems and keep them confidential. They also wanted someone who could give a meaningful sermon. Something which Callahan did and was continued by Geary was picking a topic and relating it to biblical history and what’s happening currently in the community or the world.

Finally, the church was looking for a pastor who could establish a positive relationship in the community, which Geary did in his capacity as interim, as well as someone who could commit long-term. Geary said he’s eligible for retirement in 10 years and alluded to the fact this could be his last calling.
Geary wouldn’t say what his plans are going forward, but added that’s a conversation that needs to take place between himself and the elected leadership of the church. He did add the surgeon general has declared an epidemic on loneliness, so Geary will continue to be mindful of that and seek opportunities, like the recent Appletime Fair, for congregants to participate in meaningful activities.

The community is invited to the Jan. 12 installation service and the celebration that will follow.