Pastor Emeritus

Reverend Comithier was born in Catskill, New York to the late Deacon Leonard Comithier, Sr., and Mrs. Lucinda Brewer Comithier of Coeymans, New York. Coeymans is the town of his childhood where he was educated in the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School System. Reverend Comithier was reared in the strong Christian environment of the Riverview Baptist Church which taught him a manner that is unapologetically Black and unashamedly Christian.

 

Reverend Comithier entered undergraduate studies at the West Virginia State College; graduate studies at the college of Saint Rose, Albany, New York; the New York Theological Seminary, and post-graduate studies at the University at Albany, Albany, New York. Additionally, he holds New York State Certification in Special and Elementary Education and Permanent Certification in School Administration and Supervision.

 

He is fully qualified as a pastor (emeritus), preacher, teacher, counselor and friend. He came to the Macedonia Baptist Church, following a very effective and successful pastorate at the Second Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The fruits of his labor are evident in the Pittsfield community by the presence of the Berkshire Community Choir as well as the community of believers within the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ. Reverend Comithier received the prestigious “Martin Luther King Drum Major of Life” Award in 2007 from the Pittsfield Area Council of Churches.

 

Pastor Emeritus Comithier has taught and lectured on the History and Relevance of the Black Church in the Empire State Congress of Christian Education of the Empire Baptist Missionary Convention and in many local churches, schools and colleges. He developed a Rites of Passage program which is a faith-based, cultural/social enrichment program designed for youth.

 

He retired as Coordinator of Ministerial Services for the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. He has served as a board member of the Whitney M. Young Health Center, Area Vice President of the Empire Baptist Missionary Convention, President of the Baptist Ministers Alliance (Capital Area), President of the Baptist Ministers Conference, Past Moderator of the Hudson River Frontier Missionary Baptist Association, Past Coordinator of the Voices of Wellness (VOW), and coordinator of the Albany African–American Clergy United for Empowerment (AAACUE) and the Albany Area Council of Churches.

 

Reverend Comithier was appointed by Reverend Robert W. Dixon as his successor to coordinate the Capital District TriCities Revival. He was elected in October 2011 and re-elected in October 2017 as the Third Vice President of the Empire Baptist State Congress of Christian Education of the Empire Baptist Missionary Convention, and appointed in November 2011 as chair of the Commission on Education and Theological Studies, in the Empire Baptist Missionary Convention.  In January 2015, Rev. Comithier was appointed by Revered Dr. Jerry Young, President of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., as the New York State Representative to the National Baptist Convention Board of Directors. In 2015 Reverend Comithier was the recipient of the Stellar Award for Pastor of the Year presented at The Grand Assembly of 120th Annual Session of the Empire Baptist Missionary Convention of New York, Inc. In August 2015, at the 52nd Annual Session of Hudson River Frontier Missionary Baptist Association Reverend Comithier was appointed Dean of Preachers by Moderator Reverend Dr. Elgin Joseph Taylor, Sr., and in May 2016 at the Annual Recognition Banquet of the Semi-Annual Session of the Empire Baptist Missionary Convention, Reverend Comithier and the Macedonia Church family and the Reverend Dr. Damone Paul Johnson and the Metropolitan NTM Baptist Church family were honored as “Church of the Year” for their continued support of the State Convention.

 

Having led the Macedonia Baptist Church of Albany for thirty-five years, Pastor Emeritus Comithier has well-demonstrated his pastoral leadership through discipleship, mentorship, personal community involvement and consistent encouragement to his members as well as to other pastors and churches. His influence has opened great opportunities to others to follow his model Vacation Bible School (VBS) structure, including the usage of the Siena College campus facility.

 

Pastor Emeritus Comithier implemented a community-wide mentoring program for students who need academic support and the Scholarship Fund programs that provide monetary awards and scholarships for the continuation of academic excellence. Macedonia’s commitment to academic excellence was the impetus for the establishment of the Macedonia Scholarship Fund. The fund provides financial assistance to Macedonia’s aspiring college students as well as students of the Greater Capital District.

 

Pastor Emeritus Comithier retired in November 2021 after having served as the proud pastor of Macedonia for thirty-five years. In January 2022, his successor, Reverend Michael-Aaron Poindexter introduced a motion and the congregation unanimously agreed to bestow the distinguished title of Pastor Emeritus to Rev. Comithier after his years of faithful service and remarkable leadership.