ABOUT US
1973 — 2025
Over fifty years of God's faithfulness in Itasca.
A Look Back
This video walks through the history of Christian Fellowship Church from 1973 to today.
October, 1973
Pastor Dankfried Ortloff and his wife Ruth led a German congregation from Forest Park and a German Bible study from Bensenville to combine to plant Evangelical Fellowship Chapel in Itasca, under the oversight of the Fellowship Deaconry in Liberty Corner, NJ.
1975
The first English services are held at Evangelical Fellowship Chapel, in addition to services in German. By the early 1980's, the church moved to all English services.
1987
A massive flood struck the area around the church, filling the church basement with 8 feet of water. The first bible that came floating by as the church community gathered to help fix up the church was opened to Haggai 2:1-9:
"the latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace..."
1992
Evangelical Fellowship Chapel sends its first missionaries, Karl and Kathy Schulz, to Taiwan through Liberty Corner Mission, where they continue to serve today.
1995
The church decides to change its name from Evangelical Fellowship Chapel to Christian Fellowship Church. Pastor Dan had learned that many people at that time were confused about the meaning of the word Evangelical, so they chose a name to make it clear they were a Christian church.
2006
After serving as the founding Senior Pastor of Christian Fellowship Church for over 33 years, Pastor Dan Ortloff retires.
April 15, 2007
Christian Fellowship Church calls Lucas O'Neill to be the next Senior Pastor. Pastor Lucas and his family have been at CFC ever since.
2010
The churches belonging to the Fellowship Deaconry in Liberty Corner, NJ, vote to dissolve this arm of the Deaconry's ministry. CFC was now totally independent and would no longer report to the Deaconry.
October, 2023
Christian Fellowship Church celebrates its 50th anniversary!
November, 2025
The members of Christian Fellowship Church vote to adopt the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith as the new statement of faith for the church.
For over fifty years, God has been faithful to this church. From a bilingual chapel to an independent Reformed Baptist congregation, CFC's story is one of growth, faithfulness, and grace. We invite you to become part of the next chapter.
