Mt. Olive Church of Christ
MT. OLIVE CHURCH HISTORY
THE ORIGIN OF THE MT. OLIVE CHURCH BEGAN IN 1833 WITH FORMATION OF THE TURTLE CREEK CHURCH. THE PRIMARY ORGANIZERS WERE MILLIGAN CLARK, NATHANIEL WALTON, ROBERT MCDONALD, THOMAS ROGERS, JACOB ACHOR, HIRAM HODSON, DAVID FOX AND JOHN MILLER. FOR THE FIRST TWELVE YEARS, THE CHURCH MET IN HOMES AND IN SCHOOLHOUSES. IN 1845 THE CONGREGATION WAS ABLE TO CONSTRUCT ITS FIRST BUILDING. IT WAS A RATHER CRUDE STRUCTURE AND WAS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE MAD RIVER ROAD BETWEEN THE SIGHT OF THE PRESENT BUILDING AND THE JUNCTION OF MAD RIVER ROAD AND PANHANDLE ROAD. ON DECEMBER 20, 1858 THE CONGREGATION MET AND THEY RENDERED THE FOLLOWING DECISION, "ON THIS DAY THE CONGREGATION RESOLVED TO BUILD A NEW HOUSE OF WORSHIP AND ELECTED THE FOLLOWING BRETHREN AS A BUILDING COMMITTEE TO PROCURE SUBSCRIPTIONS AND TAKE ALL THE NECESSARY STEPS FOR COMPLETING THE SAME." THOSE APPOINTED TO THE COMMITTEE WERE: WRIGHT KENWORTHY, GEORGE FOREMAN, A.J. BRITTON, WILLIAM FOX, AND J.J. ACHOR. THE LAND FOR THE NEW STRUCTURE WAS PURCHASED FROM JACOB JACKSON.
ON AUGUST 14, 1859 THE CONGREGATION MET AND RESOLVED TO HAVE THEIR NEW MEETING HOUSE CALLED "MT. OLIVET" AND ONE WEEK LATER, ON AUGUST 21, 1859 THE NEW MEETING HOUSE, LOCATED ON THE PRESENT SIGHT, WAS FORMALLY DEDICATED AND THE SERMON WAS DELIVERED BY BROTHER B.M. BLOUNT.
LATER THAT YEAR, ON OCTOBER 10th, THE CONGREGATION AGAIN MET AND RESOLVED THEMSELVES INTO A BODY CORPORATE POLITICS IN OBEDIENCE TO STATE LAWS FOR THE INCORPORATION OF RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. AT THIS TIME GEORGE FOREMAN, WRIGHT KENWORTHY AND JACOB JACKSON WERE ELECTED TRUSTEES AND A.L. THOMAS WAS ELECTED CLERK.
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF PREACHERS WHO PREACHED AT MT. OLIVE AND THE VICINITY SINCE THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY:
SAMUEL ROGERS
MARTIN HESLER PETER SHICK
MARTIN HESLER PETER SHICKARON MOORE ELDER JEMISON DAVID THOMPSON
ELDER JEMISON DAVID THOMPSONJOHN MILLER B. WATKINS WILLIAM CLARK
B. WATKINS WILLIAM CLARKWILLIAM B. PATTERSON B.M. BLOUNT DAVID HATHAWAY
B.M. BLOUNT DAVID HATHAWAYBROTHER AXLINE ROBERT McCOY WALTER SCOTT
ROBERT McCOY WALTER SCOTTWILLIAM PINKERTON WILLIAM THOMPSON JACOB ACHOR
WILLIAM THOMPSON JACOB ACHORJOHN EASTER DAVID HODSON JACOB VAIL
DAVID HODSON JACOB VAILB.M. BLOUNT W.D. MOORE
W.D. MOORE SINCE THE EARLY BEGINNINGS AND THROUGH THE EARLY 1900's THE MT. OLIVE CONGREGATION WAS A STRUGGLING COUNTRY CHURCH. OFTEN JUST A HANDFUL OF LOCAL PEOPLE MET EACH SUNDAY AND THE COLLECTIONS USUALLY TOTALED ONLY ONE TO TWO DOLLARS. MINISTERS WERE HIRED ON A PART TIME BASIS AND WERE OFTEN SHARED WITH NEIGHBORING CONGREGATIONS. ONE LEDGER RECORDS ON MAY 3, 1908 THE MT. OLIVE SUNDAY SCHOOL WAS REORGANIZED AND THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS WERE ELECTED: LENNIE BRITTON, SUPERINTENDENT: MARION BRITTON, ASSISTANT: MAGGIE PIERSON, SECRETARY: AND CHLOE BRITTON, TREASURER. CHLOE WAS TO FAITHFULLY SERVE AS TREASURER UNTIL 1981. DURING THE TIME CLEM ACHOR CONSTRUCTED THE PULPIT FROM LUMBER TAKEN FROM A CORN CRIB ON A FARM ONCE OWNED BY LLOYD VANZANT.
IN JULY 1927, J.F. VANPELT WAS HIRED TO CONSTRUCT NEW CHIMNEYS ON THE OUTSIDE WALLS OF THE SANCTUARY. THESE WOULD REMAIN IN USE UNTIL THE PRESENT GAS FURNACES WERE INSTALLED AND THEY WERE REMOVED IN 1971.
ON OCTOBER 6, 1929 THE CONGREGATION CELEBRATED ITS 70th YEAR AS THE MT. OLIVE CONGREGATION. PICTURES SHOW THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WERE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THE FESTIVITIES.
THE 1930's SAW ECONOMIC DEPRESSION GRIPPING THE COUNTRY BUT THE MT. OLIVE CONGREGATION CONTINUED. A FEW FAMILIES STILL MET EACH SUNDAY AND THE LORD'S WORK IN THE AREA WAS SEEN. THE DECADE WAS CHARACTERIZED BY THE REVIVALS WHICH WERE MOSTLY TWO WEEKS IN DURATION. FROM JUNE 12 TO JUNE 26, 1938 SUCH A REVIVAL WAS HELD AT MT. OLIVE WITH R.L. MARTIN SERVING AS THE EVANGELIST AND H.W. DABNEY SERVING AS THE SONG LEADER. RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE ATTENDANCE FOR THE REVIVAL WAS 3,343, AVERAGING 221 EACH NIGHT. THERE WERE 34 BAPTISMS.
THE 1940's CAN BE REMEMBERED FOR THE CHURCH SOCIALS WHEN THE MEN WOULD MEET IN THE AFTERNOON AND STRING LIGHTS AMONG THE TREES IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH AND THE WCMEN WOULD COOK ALL DAY. THEN ALL WOULD PRAY THAT IT WOULDN'T RAIN UNTIL THE EVENT WAS OVER. OUR COUNTRY WAS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN WAR AND MANY MEMBERS SERVED VALIANTLY IN OUR ARMED SERVICES.
THE ORIGINAL CHURCH STRUCTURE HAS UNDERGONE NUMEROUS CHANGES DURING THE PAST THIRTY YEARS. SOME WERE MINOR AND SOME WERE MAJOR WHICH GREATLY INCREASED THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING. IN 1950 CHARLES SELPH WAS HIRED TO CHANGE THE ENTRANCE ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING. THE TWO DOORS WERE CLOSED AND THE PRESENT ENTRYWAY WAS CONSTRUCTED.
DURING THE 1950's MANY OF THE PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION MOVED INTO THE COMMUNITY AND JOINED THE MT. OLIVE FAMILY. THE ATTENDANCE AVERAGED IN THE 50's AND OFTEN 70 PEOPLE ATTENDED WORSHIP SERVICE.
IN 1951 NEW HARDWOOD FLOORING WAS PLACED IN THE SANCTUARY AND IN AUGUST, 1952 MR. AND MRS. GLEASON TOLLE, MR. AND MRS. HARVEY BREWER, AND MR. AND MRS. HARVEY FLEMING WERE SELECTED TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF CONSTRUCTING ANOTHER BUILDING NEAR THE CHURCH TO BE USED FOR CHURCH FUNCTIONS AND SOCIAL GATHERINGS. CHARLES SWEARINGEN WAS HIRED FOR THE JOB AND IN 1954 THE BUILDING WAS COMPLETED AT THE COST OF $2,400.00. BECAUSE OF THE CODES DURING THAT TIME THE BUILDING COULD NOT BE CONNECTED TO THE SANCTUARY CONSEQUENTLY IT WAS USED PRIMARILY DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. IN 1955 THE PRESENT SHINGLE SIDING WAS PLACED ON THE BUILDING.
IN 1956 THE CONGREGATION AGREED TO PURCHASE NEW PEWS FOR THE SANCTUARY AND FINALLY THE DREAM WAS REALIZED WHEN THEY WERE INSTALLED BY THE RUGEL COMPANY. THESE ARE THE PEWS THAT ARE PRESENTLY USED TODAY. MANY OF THE ORIGINAL PEWS WERE DONATED TO A CHURCH NEAR RICHMONDALE, OHIO, WHICH HAD SUFFERED A TRAGEDY WHEN THE BUILDING WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTENING.
IN 1961 A CEMENT FLOOR WAS POURED TO SERVE AS A WALKWAY BETWEEN THE SANCTUARY AND THE ANNEX. ONE WINDOW WAS REMOVED AND A DOOR ADDED SO THAT THE BUILDING COULD BE USED FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES. IN AUGUST OF THE SAME YEAR RON AND DON SAMS HELD A REVIVAL WITH AN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE FOR THE WEEK OF 157 FOR EACH NIGHT. THERE WERE SEVEN ADDITONS. IN THE FALL OF THAT YEAR THE CEMENT FLOOR BETWEEN THE TWO BUILDINGS WAS ENCLOSED AND AN ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM WAS THUS ADDED TO THE FACILITY. IT ALSO ALLOWED THE FELLOWSHIP HALL TO BE UTILIZED ALL YEAR FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES. FEBRUARY, 1962, SAW THE INTERIOR OF THE SANCTUARY DRASTICALLY CHANGED WHEN THE TWO WINDOWS WERE CLOSED AND WALLS PLASTERED.
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE SANCTUARY WAS DISCOVERED IN 1971 AND BUD VANCE WAS HIRED TO REPAIR THE BUILDING AND THE SUSPENDED CEILING AND THE NEW BELFRY WERE INSTALLED AT THAT TIME.
IN 1974 THE CONGREGATION REALIZED THE NEED TO EXPAND THE PHYSICAL FACILITIES AND DECIDED TO BUILD AN ADDITION TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE FELLOWSHIP HALL. THIS CONSTRUCTION BROUGHT A NEW CONCEPT TO THE MT. OLIVE CONGREGATION BECAUSE FUNDS HAD TO BE BORROWED TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS. WITH CONGREGATIONAL APPROVAL CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN APRIL AND RESTROOMS, KITCHEN AND TWO NEW CLASSROOMS WERE ADDED TO THE FACILITY. THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND GENEROUS DONATIONS THE CHURCH WAS ABLE TO RETIRE THIS DEBT ON JULY 9, 1979. DURING THE 1970's THE MT. OLIVE CONGREGATION BEGAN TO INCREASE IN NUMBERS AND THE NEED FOR A FULL TIME MINISTER WAS BECOMING MORE AND MORE APPARENT. SID CLAY HAD BEEN SERVING AS A WEEKEND MINISTER WHILE COMPLETING HIS STUDIES AT THE CINCINNATI BIBLE SEMINARY. IN JULY, 1977, SID ACCEPTED THE POSITION AS THE FIRST FULL TIME MINISTER OF THE MT. OLIVE CHURCH.
THE CONGREGATION CONTINUED TO GROW AND AGAIN MORE SPACE WAS REQUIRED FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES AND FOR THE EXPANDING CHURCH PROGRAMS. IN THE SPRING OF 1979 THE CONGREGATION APPROVED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THREE NEW CLASSROOMS, A BAPTISTRY, AND THE EXTENSION OF THE SANCTURARY OF ITS PRESENT SIZE. TO FINANCE THE PROGRAM $30,000.00 WAS BORROWED BUT THROUGH DONATED LABOR BY MANY MEMBERS THE COST WAS REDUCED BY HALF THE ORIGINAL COST. IN DECEMBER THE PRESENT CARPET WAS INSTALLED IN THE SANCTUARY AND WITH THE NEW YEAR THE ADDITIONAL FACILITIES WERE UTILIZED BY THE MEMBERS.
ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1983 THE MT. OLIVE CHURCH BOARD MET IN SPECIAL SESSION TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF RETIRING THE DEBT ON THE BUILDING PROJECT. WITH UNANIMOUS APPROVAL THE BOARD AGREED TO TOTALLY ELIMINATE THE REMAINING DEBT AND TO HAVE A SPECIAL CEREMONY DURING THE HOMECOMING ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM.
ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1983, THE MT. OLIVE CHURCH CELEBRATED ITS 150th YEAR ANNIVERSARY. THE EVENTFUL DAY BEGAN WITH SID CLAY DELIVERING THE MORNING MESSAGE. AFTER THE NOON MEAL, THE AFTEROON PROGRAM WAS HIGHLIGHTED WITH SPECIAL MUSIC AND WITH COMMENTS FROM VARIOUS PAST MINISTERS WHO SERVED THE MT. OLIVE CONGREGATION.
Improvements continued to be made over the years. More pews were ordered in 1985 for the new sanctuary that was being erected next to the existing building It was a Morton building that was completed in 1986. Eight years later, it was decided to blacktop the parking lot. In 1997 the kitchen was enlarged and remodeled. A brick parson_ located on the corner of Mad River Road and Wolfe Road, was built in 1999. New offices, classrooms and a large fellowship hall were added from 2007 through 2008. A shelter house was begun in 2009 with a concrete floor to be added at a later date. In August of 2003, a lighted Mt. Olive Church of Christ sign was put in front of the church building
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF MINISTERS WHO HAVE SERVED THE MT. OLIVE CONGREGATION. MANY OF THE DATES ARE APPROXIMATE DATES AND MANY HAVE THE SAME YEAR BECAUSE SOME MAY HAVE MINISTERED TO DIFFERENT CONGREGATIONS AT THE SAME TIME, CONSEQUENTLY TWO MAY HAVE SERVED AT THE SAME TIME.
1850 to 1993 (approximate dates)
1867 Pinkerton 1946 F.H. Smith
Pinkerton 1946 F.H. Smith 1883-1888 T.J.Giddens 1947-1948 Loren Dace
T.J.Giddens 1947-1948 Loren Dace 1890 McDermit 1949-1950 Don Nickerson
McDermit 1949-1950 Don Nickerson 1890 J.C. Crawford 1952-1953 Dale Cluxton
J.C. Crawford 1952-1953 Dale Cluxton 1891 W.D. Moore 1953-1954Bill Mead
W.D. Moore 1953-1954Bill Mead 1893 Washington Ruble 1954-1957 Randall Griffith
Washington Ruble 1954-1957 Randall Griffith 1896-1900 Miles J. Hodson 1958-1959Dewey Thackston
Miles J. Hodson 1958-1959Dewey Thackston 1901 Randels 1959-1962Ron sams
Randels 1959-1962Ron sams 1903 VanWinkle1962 Gene Williams
VanWinkle1962 Gene Williams 1903 Hayse Sims 1962-1963Larry Bennett
Hayse Sims 1962-1963Larry Bennett1905 O.G. Blackwell 1964-1965Fred Sciance
O.G. Blackwell 1964-1965Fred Sciance 1909-1912 D.E. Barr 1965-1967Tom Archibald
D.E. Barr 1965-1967Tom Archibald 1914-1919 Frank Foust 1967-1973Larry Bennett
Frank Foust 1967-1973Larry Bennett1921-1923 Hubert Snyder 1973-1974Frank Moore
Hubert Snyder 1973-1974Frank Moore 1924 Otto Stroup 1974-1981Sid Clay
Otto Stroup 1974-1981Sid Clay 1926-1927 Floyd Foust 1981-1987Mike Wood
Floyd Foust 1981-1987Mike Wood 1930-1931 Burris Butler 1987 Rick Schibi
Burris Butler 1987 Rick Schibi 1931 Scott 1988-1989Billy Parry
Scott 1988-1989Billy Parry 1932-1935 F.H. Smith 1990-1994Bob Terry
F.H. Smith 1990-1994Bob Terry1934-1935 Kendricks 1995-1997Dwight Gillespie
Kendricks 1995-1997Dwight Gillespie1935 Myles Overton 1997-2001 Cullen Istre
Myles Overton 1997-2001 Cullen Istre1938-1944J.P. Morgan 2003- Russell Lieb
J.P. Morgan 2003- Russell Lieb1943-1944Forrest Martin
Forrest Martin 
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Mt. Olive's Dining Shelter: is the result of Sam Rumschlag's project to earn his EAGLE SCOUT, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America program. awarded july 31, 2010
