Caldwell Church Welcomes New Head Pastor

CALDWELL, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of The First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell welcomes its new head pastor, the Rev. Christopher Houtz. He was previously the pastor at Oak Tree-Iselin Presbyterian Church.

Houtz was selected after a nationwide search by members of FPC’s Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) who received over 150 applications and interviewed 12 candidates, finally selecting him after a rigorous yearlong process. He comes to Caldwell with a youthful passion, excitement, and impressive pastoral experience, according to members of the PNC.

One member of the PNC said, “his knowledge of the Bible and his ability to make it relevant in his sermons to his congregation will make coming to his services a pleasure.”

Houtz grew up in Hershey, Pa., and was active in his home church of Derry Presbyterian. He attended Hofstra University and earned his Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2019. Shortly after, he began working at First Presbyterian Church of Iselin, where he met an immediate challenge of leading the congregation through a merger with another local church. The church is now named Oak Tree-Iselin Presbyterian Church.

"I am excited to begin my ministry at FPC Caldwell and bring a sense of joy to worship,” Houtz said. “As we look to the future, I see endless possibilities with such a dedicated group of church members. My hope is that the church that sits beautifully at the center of town will grow to be the center of so many lives of faith in this area.”

A resident of Woodbridge, Houtz and his wife Tanya have four dogs, including three labs and a German Shepherd. Before applying for the pastor opening in Caldwell, they began training one of their dogs at a location that happened to be across the street from the church - which he noted when he accepted his new role - leading to him surmising whether divine intervention had played a part in this call.

The First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell is located at the corner of Bloomfield and Westville Avenues in Caldwell. The church’s beginning predates the American Revolution. In addition to offering worship services, the church runs a popular, highly-rated nursery school and owns Prospect Hill Cemetery in Caldwell. Individuals and families are welcome to join the church and its popular adult and childrens’ choirs.

Visitors are welcome to meet Pastor Houtz and hear him preach on Sunday mornings. On Sundays, church services are held at 9:30 a.m. in the sanctuary (traditional worship) and at 11 a.m. in the chapel (contemporary worship). For more information, visit www.firstprescaldwell.org and for any questions, contact the main office at (973) 228-0310.

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