West Milford He believes that being approachable is important, so if you like, you can just call him Ken. But officially he is Reverend Ken Kondratowski, the pastor of Calvary Bible Church on Union Valley Road in West Milford. Kondratowski, age 55, was born and raised in East Orange. He and Shirley, his wife of 34 years, currently reside in the church parsonage in the Greenbrook section of town. They have two married sons, Walter and Joshua, a granddaughter and a second grandchild on the way. Calvary Bible Church, home to Kondratowski and his congregation, is a former private residence, dating back 150 years. It became a house of worship in 1959 and since that time a sanctuary and auditorium have been added to the structure. Kondratowski began his mission in West Milford in 2002 but he has been in the ministry for 34 years. “I felt called to the ministry in junior high school. I really felt called by God and I’ve pursued it since then,” he said. He attended Northeastern Bible College in Essex Fells, attaining a bachelor’s degree in biblical literature. Graduating in 1976, he spent the next 10 years doing independent study before being ordained at the Grace Bible Church in Pompton Plains. His pastoral training included working with teens in Ohio and in New Jersey. He was an associate pastor in Pompton Plains and a youth pastor in Springfield, gaining 20 years of pastoral experience before coming to West Milford. Kondratowski said he has one of the greatest jobs in the world. His personal relationship with God, his desire to minister the truth of the gospel and to be able to counsel people along life’s often difficult road has been a great blessing. “There’s a lot of need. There’s need for counseling and encouragement and when you serve you feel most complete,” Kondratowski said. Calvary Bible Church is an independent church, not associated with any particular denomination. They are bible-centered evangelical Christians who value the word of God. “It’s part of our DNA. We want to come to worship but also to minister to the people in our world,” he said. As a congregation they strive to put into practice the philosophy of the Bible. “We love God enough that we want to put our money where our mouths are,” he said. Kondratowski spoke of how his whole life is impacted by his belief system, how his moral example affects his relationship with his sons. Being a good father, he said, also means being a good husband and a good member of the community. For him being a pastor is not just a day job. He is available to his congregants 24/7, 365 days a year. Sometimes you need someone to talk to at 3 a.m., he said, when you are in trouble or despondent or perhaps in the hospital. He is as close as his cell phone and always answers. “First I have to put my glasses on, even in the dark, but when you are really discouraged, that’s where the passion is. If you are going to be real you’ve got to be real,” he said. While being the pastor to his flock is a time-consuming occupation, Kondratowski is also a part-time teacher. Both he and Shirley, who works as a first grade teacher, are part of the staff at Hawthorne Christian Academy. He teaches bible, psychology and home economics. In their spare time Ken and Shirley enjoy golf and vacationing on Cape Cod. He plays guitar, she plays piano - but their favorite activity is spending time with their children. When it comes to cooking, Shirley does the lion’s share but Ken will occasionally barbecue or whip up a stir fry. He submitted a recipe that is supposed to be identical to the famous Junior’s cheesecake.
Cheesecake
3 (8oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, not low fat or fat free, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
2 extra large eggs
2/3 cup heavy or whipping cream
Early in day preheat oven to 350 degrees
Generously butter bottom and sides of 9 in. spring form pan - preferably non stick Wrap outside with aluminum foil, covering bottom, extending all the way up the sides Put 1 pkg. of cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and cornstarch in large bowl Beat with electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 min., scraping down the bowl a few times Blend in the remaining cheese, one pkg. at a time, scraping down bowl after each Set mixer speed to medium and beat in remaining sugar, add vanilla Blend in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each Beat the cream just until it’s completely blended - don’t over mix Gently spoon batter into pan and place in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes 1 in. up sides of pan Bake at 350 degrees until edges are light golden brown and top is slightly golden tan - about 1 1/4 hours Remove cake from water bath, transfer to wire rack, cool in pan 2 hours.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, while still in pan, until cold, about 4 hours.