THRALL – A church in Thrall has new leadership from up north.
On Jan. 15, Rev. Jeffrey Geske was installed at St. John Lutheran Church in Thrall during the 4 p.m. worship service.
Geske and his son Jacob moved from Ottawa Lake, Michigan to Thrall.
Geske is the son of the late Arnold and Linda Geske. He was born July 13, 1970, in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. He was baptized Aug. 23, 1970, at St. John Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls. He confirmed his faith June 16, 1985.
Geske was raised in Thief River Falls and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1989. He served in the United States Army Reserve. He served as a medic and a chaplain’s assistant and was in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 2002.
In 1994, he graduated from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. He completed his studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1999. He was ordained into the holy ministry Feb. 28, 1999, at St. John Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls.
Following his ordination, Geske was pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in McFarland, Kansas. In his seven years in McFarland, he served on a variety of boards and served on the city council in McFarland. He also served three years as mayor of the city.
Before coming to St. John Lutheran Church in Thrall, Geske has served Zion Lutheran Church in Ottawa Lake, Peace Lutheran Church in Andover, Kansas, Immanuel Lutheran Church in Netawaka, and Christ the King Lutheran Church in Salina, Kansas.
Prior to his service in Salina, Geske was pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Amarillo. While in Texas, he served in the Amarillo community as a member and president of the Interfaith Campaign for the Homeless and as the president of the Amarillo Ministerial Association. He also served as the pastoral advisor for the Lone Star District of the Lutheran Laymen’s League and as zone pastoral advisor for the Good Samaritan ~ Bethesda Ministries.
Geske was married to Laura Genter June 3, 1995. The couple had three children Joshua, Jacob and Joy. Laura, Joshua and Joy were taken to heaven as a result of an automobile accident Jan. 28, 2012. Geske was married to Patricia Kelm March 14, 2015, in Georgetow.
Geske and his son look forward to many wonderful years of ministry here at St. John Lutheran Church.
