MOUNT KISCO (NY)
The Journal News
By SEAN GORMAN
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: May 21, 2006)
MOUNT KISCO — When the Rev. Molly Blythe Teichert speaks about becoming pastor of the Mount Kisco Presbyterian Church, she says the congregation is in a period of "resurrection" following the turmoil three years ago when sexual misconduct allegations engulfed former minister Jack Miller.
"Everything is new here now," said Teichert, 41. "This church, while it is in a period of resurrection and rebirth, has not forgotten the past ... There is not an ignoring or sweeping the past under the rug."
Teichert, who has served as pastor since December, will be formally installed in a ceremony today. For 11 years, she was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Port Jefferson on Long Island, where a previous pastor also faced sex-abuse allegations.
"Churches can recover. Churches do recover," Teichert said. "To have walked that path with one church, I think, enables me to have the confidence to hold one hand on God and one hand on them (the congregation) and just say 'We're going to walk through this.' "