October 8,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Saddle Brook NJ, its election year and the Ridgewod blog is once again looking at some of the more interesting stories of this election year . We found one in near by District 38 with a gentlemen named Christopher Wolf. Chris’s home town is Fairlawn ,he is the Pastor at First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook, and he is running State Assemblyman in District 38.For Glen Rock readers that’s you .
Chris is an author of With You Every Step of the Way (2011) and Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and he is the host of radio show ,Walk With Me, Wednesday nights, 7pm Est/6pm Cntrl on WYFN 94.9 FM – NY; yfnradio.com .
Chris has been a pastor for 15 years, 7 here in Saddle Brook. The congregation averages about 70 people on Sundays. Chris said , “As the NJ Legislature is part-time, my main priority is my congregation. There are set days for business in Trenton, Mondays and/or Thursdays so I will adjust my congregation hours around that but will remain at the same they are now. My main issues are making NJ more affordable, helping small businesses , creating a Main Street economy, Social Services reform, and bring the community partnership concept to the other towns in the District.”
Chris got the political bug while working at the state assembly many years ago and now feels that in order to practice what you preach in church you need to go out and engage the community .
We asked Chris has his Christian faith ever been an issue on the campaign trail and he said surprisingly ,”No” .
Christopher Wolf is running for assembly, with Kelly Langschultz for Senate, and Billy Leonard for assembly against long time Senator Bob Gordon, assemblymen Tim Eustace and Joe Lagana.
Chris has been spreading the message of affordability, leadership, and community , in in towns like Bergenfield, Fair Lawn, Glen Rock, Hasbrouck Heights, Hawthorne, Lodi, Maywood, New Milford, Oradell, Paramus, River Edge, Rochelle Park, and Saddle Brook . He love events , but he says ,”going door to door in the D38 towns is the best. I love the purity of it , just meeting and talking neighbor to neighbor. And it’s working. People are responding well to our team. Part of the purpose of New Jersey’s Second Chance is to inspire people to believe in leaders and in government again.”
That’s right Chris calls his platform New Jersey’s Second Chance , and says ” it’s because I believe in redemption for New Jersey (Trenton) and it’s a play on the title of my first book, Giving Faith a Second Chance “.
Chris described his life to us as , “Improbable. So many of my stories could be described as improbable. Where I am now, after growing up in a garden apartment in Fair Lawn. You know, I was the kid who played baseball in sneakers because there were times when we couldn’t afford cleats. Becoming a minister and much more. Now I’m on the brink of the most improbable chapter yet – two months from being elected to represent you in the New Jersey General Assembly. You know me, I’ll bring principled, passionate, honorable, game-changing leadership to District 38 towns and to Trenton. It’s a critical time for the campaign”
Chris summed it all up for us , “I want people to look back on November 2017, and know that they were a part of New Jersey’s Second Chance – the season in which we began to redeem our state from financial and social ruin – and started over with affordability, thriving small businesses, and connected communities.”
