Who We Are          

Our Christian Faith

First Lutheran is one of 172 Lutheran congregations in the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Lutherans make up one of the largest protestant denominations in the world. Founded on the basic principles of theology and practice of Martin Luther, a 15th century German theologian.

We believe that…

  • We are saved by the grace of God alone – not by anything we do.

  • Our salvation is through faith alone – we only need to believe that our sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, who died to redeem us.

  • The Bible is the only norm of doctrine and life – the only true standard by which teachings and doctrine are to be judged.

Sunday Worship

Worship is a dynamic expression of our faith. Holy Communion is celebrated at all worship services. 

Our Lord's Table is for all desiring to receive the sacrament in Christ's Name. If you commune in your home church, we invite you to commune with us. Young children are welcome to come forward for a blessing.

Children's sermons are an occasional part of services.

Our nursery room is a welcoming child-friendly space for little ones who may need more room to roam during worship. Worship is televised in the Nursery Room so that parents and caregivers are able to follow the service and return to the sanctuary when they are ready.

​Fellowship time with coffee and refreshments follows each service.  Stay a while and chat!

Music

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.                                                                                           ~ Psalm 100:1-2

Music is an important part of worship at First Lutheran! The First Lutheran Choir enhances Worship through anthems and other sacred selections. Hymn-singing is accompanied by our pipe organ, built in 1983 by the Schantz Organ Company in Orville, Ohio and designed to accompany choir music and a wide variety of organ repertoire as well. The organ has two 61-note manuals and a 32-note pedalboard. There are a total of 1,058 pipes in the organ, some made of wood and others made of metal.

Our brass ensemble plays for special celebrations during the year, and is made up of volunteer members and friends who vary in age from teenagers to adults.

A Message from Our Pastor

Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength…  and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”  ~Mark 12:30-31

I am blessed to be alive and to be loved by God through our Lord Jesus Christ! And so are you. I believe that God has created each one of us uniquely in God’s image with different gifts and skills, likes and dislikes, challenges and celebrations. When we worship, pray, and serve our neighbor, we draw closer to who God created us to be. This brings us peace and makes the world God loves a better place, one person and one moment at a time. 

I have been an ordained pastor for over 30 years now and am proud to say that I have served First Lutheran Church  in Clifton since 2002. For our family, Clifton is home. My wife, Kim, teaches in a public elementary school in Clifton. And our boys, Josh and Aaron, have grown up in the public schools and on the athletic fields of Clifton. Wherever I go, I find ways to share my gifts of kindness and encouragement to help others experience the good that is inside each one of us. Over the years, I have done this through coaching baseball, basketball, and soccer, and of course, simply being a dad on the sidelines or a friend with a listening ear. I also serve as a volunteer chaplain for the Clifton Fire Department.

I would love to see you at worship or around town and learn how I can help you grow in your faith. My friends, we are blessed by God in so many ways, and we are blessed for a reason.  May God continue to show us how to be a blessing to our neighbor.

In Christian love,

Pastor Jeff

Master of Divinity, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg, PA
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Lenoir Rhyne College, Hickory, NC

We are ...

  • a place where all people are welcomed and encouraged to share their gifts.

  • a caring community seeking to teach, share, and live God's Word as found in Jesus Christ.

  • a place where children and teenagers are loved and valued.

  • always seeking opportunities to respond to others in need within the church and our larger community.