Somerset Hills Lutheran Church: A Six-Decade Congregation on Lake Road in Basking Ridge
Set on a quiet stretch of Lake Road just south of the center of Basking Ridge, Somerset Hills Lutheran Church (SHLC) has been a steady Lutheran presence in the Somerset Hills for more than six decades. The congregation was founded in 1958 and first gathered for worship at Cedar Hill Elementary School in the heart of the village; four years later, in 1962, the members moved into the building they still call home at 350 Lake Road. SHLC is a member congregation of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), a liturgical and sacramental church whose worship is built around the proclamation of the Gospel, the reading of Scripture, and the celebration of Holy Communion.
Sunday Morning Worship at 9:30 am
Worship is the center of life at SHLC. The whole congregation gathers every Sunday at 9:30 am in the Sanctuary, and the service is also livestreamed on YouTube, Zoom and Facebook Live so that members who are traveling, ill or otherwise unable to attend can still take part. Services follow the LCMS liturgy and typically include songs and hymns, Bible readings, prayers, a sermon, and the celebration of Holy Communion. The musical menu is intentionally broad: a combination of contemporary praise music and traditional organ-led hymns is used throughout the year, with the praise band leading worship on the second Sunday of each month and choirs, organ and instrumentalists carrying the other Sundays. Baptisms are also performed during Sunday worship when requested.
Anyone is welcome to attend. The congregation's standing invitation, repeated on the church's own pages and in its FAQs, is to "come as you are." There is no dress code; jeans and t-shirts sit comfortably alongside business casual, and the only requirement is a willingness to worship alongside neighbors from every walk of life.
What to Expect on a First Visit
Visitors are greeted warmly at the door and welcomed into the Sanctuary. The service is easy to follow even for those with no church background, and a worship bulletin walks through each portion of the liturgy. Prayer requests can be submitted in person using the green cards in the pew, online through a prayer request form, or to a pastor after the service.
For children, Sunday School meets at 9:15 am in Fellowship Hall for children ages four through grade five on two to three Sundays each month from September through early June. After singing, a Bible story and a craft, the children join the rest of the congregation in the Sanctuary in time for the Children's Lesson and then sit with their parents for the remainder of the service. A nursery room is available throughout worship for restless little ones and nursing mothers, and busy bags are provided for various ages. All children are welcome to stay with their families for the full service.
Holy Communion and Lutheran Teaching
Holy Communion is celebrated every Sunday at SHLC, in keeping with Lutheran practice. The congregation's teaching is that in the Lord's Supper the body and blood of Jesus Christ are truly present, "not merely receiving bread and wine, but the true, real body and blood of Jesus Christ," in the words of the church's own explanation. Baptized adult Christians who are sorry for their sins and seek God's forgiveness are invited to share in this gift. Children typically experience Communion Preparation classes in fifth and sixth grade before communing, and anyone with questions is encouraged to speak with the pastor.
Sunday School for Children
SHLC's Sunday School ministry is designed for children from age four through fifth grade and is led by a dedicated team of teachers and parents. Sessions open with singing and praise songs in Fellowship Hall, then move into a Bible story and craft, finishing in time for children to be part of the worship service and the Children's Message. The program is paused during the summer. Registration for the September through June session is handled through the church office, and the team welcomes new families at any point during the school year.
Confirmation and Youth Ministry
Confirmation at SHLC (sometimes called Wednesday Night Out) is for students in grades six through eight, while the High School Youth Group is for grades nine through twelve. The aim of both is to connect young people to Christ in a caring community through learning events, fellowship opportunities, discipleship activities and service. Youth also develop lasting Christian friendships with peers and adult mentors, and both groups participate in service projects and lend a hand around the church. Confirmation Sunday is a milestone each spring, when eighth graders publicly affirm the faith into which they were baptized.
Music: Bells, Choir, Praise Band and Organ
Music is woven into nearly every aspect of life at SHLC. The Music Director, Harmony, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Montclair State University and leads the program with a mix of organ, choir, bells, and contemporary instrumentation. The Adult Choir rehearses every Sunday morning from 9:00 to 9:30 am and sings during worship; the Children's Choir practices after church on Sundays; and the Bell Choir rings during services throughout the year, with rehearsals on Sundays after worship leading up to each scheduled performance. The Praise Band, made up of guitars, bass, drums, keys and vocalists, leads worship on the second Sunday of every month and is always looking for new musicians. The Sanctuary is also available to outside groups, and SHLC has hosted the Ridge High School A Cappella Choir's holiday showcase and other community recitals.
Bible Study, Women's Group, Men's Group
The Wednesday morning Women's Bible Study meets weekly at 10:00 am and is a long-standing way for women in the congregation to connect, dig into Scripture and pray together. A Men's Group also meets regularly, and additional small-group Bible studies are organized as interest arises. For those new to the faith or new to Lutheranism, SHLC offers "The ABC (About Being Christian) class," which walks through the basics of the Christian faith from a Lutheran perspective. The class is required for anyone who has not been confirmed in the Lutheran Church as a teen or adult; members transferring from another Lutheran church are also encouraged to take it.
Gentle Shepherd Christian Preschool
Tucked into the back of the SHLC property, with its own entrance from the back parking lot, Gentle Shepherd Christian Preschool (GSCP) is a daily ministry of the church and a mission in its own right. Founded by SHLC in January 1993, GSCP is a New Jersey state-licensed facility serving children from six weeks through six years of age. Programs include infant and toddler care, two-year-old, three-year-old, and four/four-plus classrooms, with half-day and full-day options and two-, three-, four- and five-day-a-week schedules. The school year runs from September through June, with optional summer camps, and a two-week half-day Adventure Camp is a favorite during the summer months.
GSCP uses The Creative Curriculum and The New Jersey Preschool Teaching and Learning Standards. Spiritual growth is integrated through Bible stories, chapel time, prayer and the modeling of Christian values by teachers and staff. The fenced-in playground sits right on the property, and SHLC members volunteer to read to the children weekly and host an annual Parent's Night Out babysitting evening for preschool families. GSCP is led by Preschool Director Krissy Hosler, with Ashley Bogle as Preschool Administrator. Tours can be scheduled through the school office at (908) 766-1430 or gscp@shlc.net.
Missions in the Wider Community
Service is part of SHLC's stated identity, and the Missions ministry directs the congregation's partnerships with several local and global efforts. Members support the Food Bank Network of Somerset County year-round through bins in the gathering area for non-perishable food, with special drives for frozen turkeys around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Volunteers also travel to the Lyons VA Hospital on the third Monday of each month to help unload supplies at the VA Pantry and distribute items to veterans, and several times a year they prepare and serve a meal at the hospital, sitting down to thank veterans for their service.
Through the Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML), the official women's auxiliary of the LCMS, members support global missions with regular Mite Box offerings that fund district and national mission grants. SHLC also provides an Adopt-A-Student scholarship for a Seminarian at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, helping a future church worker afford theological education. The Pastoral Leadership Institute (PLI) is another partner; both Pastor Dan and his wife have participated in the PLI experience.
Step Out and Serve
Several times a year, the whole congregation is mobilized for a single day of service called "Step Out and Serve." On these days, SHLC goes outside its walls into the surrounding community, partnering with Camino De Fe Church and Pastor Dan, and with St. Paul Baptist Church and its pastor and congregation, to feed the hungry, connect kids to school supplies and clean a neighborhood block. The day has become a signature outreach event and a visible expression of the congregation's call to love its neighbors.
Family Conversations on Racial Justice
Beginning in mid-2020, SHLC hosted a series of Family Conversations on Racial Justice designed to bring down barriers and build bridges of understanding around issues of racism in America. The conversations used curated resources from the LCMS NJ District, the LCMS Council on Theology and Church Relations, Lutherans for Racial Justice, and other Lutheran and ecumenical sources. A full library of articles, documentaries and panel discussions remains available under the church's Resources on Racism page for ongoing personal study.
Giving and Stewardship
SHLC offers several ways to give. Online giving is handled through Vanco, which allows donations to the general fund, missions, Gentle Shepherd Christian Preschool, Camino De Fe and other funds. The church encourages ACH transfers rather than credit or debit cards so that more of each gift supports ministry rather than processing fees. Members can also mail checks to 350 Lake Road, give through their employer by matching gifts or volunteering hours, contribute from an IRA, donate stock or mutual funds, remember SHLC in estate planning, or place a tithe in the envelopes distributed to members and drop them in the offering plate or mail them in.
Staff and Leadership
The pastoral team is led by Pastor Daniel Fenco, who serves as Pastor and Church Planter. The staff team includes Susan as Church Administrator, Cheryl as Treasurer and Social Media Manager, and Harmony as Music Director. Gentle Shepherd Christian Preschool is led by Director Krissy Hosler and Administrator Ashley Bogle. The Church Council is led by President Ray G., Vice President Don R. and Secretary Amanda Y., with Brad H. serving as Head Elder alongside Elders Lynn C. and Eric R., Michelle H. leading Sunday School, and Don R. serving as Trustee.
How to Connect with SHLC
Somerset Hills Lutheran Church is located at 350 Lake Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. The church office can be reached at (908) 766-2858 or shlc@shlc.net, and office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and Sunday from 9:30 am to noon. Newcomers can fill out the "I'm New" form online, request a baptism or funeral through the "Make a Request" form, or submit a prayer request at any time. Worship takes place every Sunday at 9:30 am in person and online; Sunday School for children ages four through grade five meets at 9:15 am on selected Sundays during the school year; and the Women's Bible Study gathers on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 am. Detailed driving directions from I-287 and I-78 are listed on the church's contact page.