Our History

Three hundred and fifty years ago this area was inhabited by Indians with the little Pascack Brook nearby. In 1894, a dam was built to create a water supply for the growing population. The reservoir was called Woodcliff Lake. In 1895, the borough of Woodcliff Lake was incorporated. Woodcliff Lake was without a church for 60 years until Christ Lutheran Church was organized as a mission church in May, 1959.

During the past forty years, we have built our house based on our anniversary theme, Unless the Lord Builds the House, Those Who Build It Labor in Vain. (Psalm 127:1) Construction for our original sanctuary started in May, 1959. The Fellowship Hall (now the Opsal Wing) was completed in 1961. Construction of our new sanctuary was started on May 18, 1969 and dedicated on October 11, 1970.

We have been blessed with three outstanding pastors. The Reverend James I. Opsal accepted a call to establish this mission church on June 1, 1958. He was our pastor until 1969. In January 1970 the Reverend K. Roy Nilsen was installed as our second pastor until 1977. The Reverend Raymond Mitchell, our third pastor, was installed May 6, 1979 and served until May 23, 2004. Our current pastor is The Reverend Dr. Peter J. Naschke, who was installed June 7, 2006.

Christ Lutheran Church has helped the Word of God to take root, grow, and blossom in Woodcliff Lake, Bergen County, New Jersey, the United States, and the World in numerous ways during the past forty years.

 The original name of  Church Road, running over the Woodcliff Lake reservoir was Dam Road.  In September 1959, James Opsal, pastor of the newly formed Christ Lutheran Church petitioned the Woodcliff Lake council to change the name from Dam Road to Church Road because it was known as the "Dam Church Road".  The council agreed, and the headline in the local paper stated "Dam down, Church cheered." The Hillsdale portion of the road was renamed shortly thereafter.