For Pastor James Corgee, the leader of St. Luke's Church in Farmingdale, the forty years since he was ordained in the Lutheran Church have been not only fulfilling, but also a lesson in human nature.

"You become more accustomed to understanding people and their problems," he said, describing the effect of the experience on him during an interview this week. "You see that human nature doesn't change. It's basically the same from one generation to another. We all make the same mistakes."

To mark his 40th anniversary, the members of St. Luke's Lutheran Church on May 1 threw him a surprise party attended by approximately 375 people. Friends and relatives traveled from as far as upstate New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania to attend, according to Karen Wyking, who with fellow church member Lisa Twomey planned the celebration.

"He's touched the hearts of so many people in 40 years, that he deserved to have his heart touched," said Wyking, who has known the pastor for the past 5 years. She added, "There's nothing that you could ever say or do that you'd ever have to be embarrassed about going to him about."

Several local politicians were present and spoke about the pastor, as did members of the church. "He actually cried when some of the people from the church spoke," Wyking said of the pastor.

Raised in Philadelphia, Reverend Corgee, 65, spent 10 years serving parishes in New York City before coming to Farmingdale. Three of those years were spent as associate pastor at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Flatbush, while the other seven were as pastor of Grace and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Manhattan.

His next venture was Farmingdale, where he has been for the past 30 years. "When I moved out here, it was really a culture shock, because it was very quiet," he said. However, he added that he soon adjusted, and found excitement amid the more tranquil suburban setting. In fact, when asked what he's most proud of about St. Luke's, he responded, "There's always something going on here," noting that the parish has 13 basketball teams, a cheerleading team and several youth groups. "This becomes a place not only where they worship, but where their friends are," he said of the youth. Among other programs, he noted the church also has activities for adults, such as trips for senior citizens.

Being a member of the clergy for 30 years in Farmingdale has given Pastor Corgee a unique perspective of the town. Membership at St. Luke's, which has risen steadily since it was established in 1911, has also risen steadily since Pastor Corgee arrived there. Over the years, he has not only seen membership grow, he has seen Farmingdale change and grow. He noted that although there are more older people here now than 30 years ago, there are also many young families moving in. "I think it's a very stable town," he said, describing a cross section of age groups who have lived here throughout the past 30 years.

Wyking indicated the personal impact the pastor has had on many of those people when she said, "The people of the church are truly his family, and he treats everyone like that."