Mt. Olivet
Baptist of Rochester, New York was established on October 14, 1910. It is
recognized for its leadership, its ministry and programs that enhance the
quality of life within the community.
Mt. Olivet holds the distinction of being the first Baptist
church established in Rochester for people of color. It
was established to meet the need of
a small group of Southern Baptist African Americans that desired to have an
African American Baptist Church. At that time, there was no African
American Baptist church in Rochester.
Mt. Olivet has a diverse membership of approximately 700 persons
that live in Rochester and surrounding suburbs. Its members include people from
all professions, races and culture.
Mt. Olivet is a member of the American Baptist Churches of Rochester /
Genesee Region; the Greater Rochester Community of Churches; the
United Church Ministries; the National Baptist Convention, Inc.; and
the American Baptist Churches of the USA.
Reverend Sedley Lee, Mt. Olivet's first minister,
established a solid foundation for the church aided by the founding members,
Deacons, Ushers and those who lift their voices in song. Throughout the
years, Mt. Olivet has continued to prosper through its spiritual vision while
becoming widely known for its work in social justice, diverse cultures and human
betterment.
Mt. Olivet's congregation that was established in
1910 continues to stand as a place of God's "shelter from storms of life". Mt. Olivet has a rich history of leadership, love
and commitment to doing God's will. We thank God for all of the Pastors
who served our congregation. Without them, we would not have experienced
spiritual, congregational and community growth! Mt. Olivet has had nine
Pastors, Rev. Sedley Lee,
Rev. Charles D. Hubert, Rev. L. B. Brown,
Singleton M. Batchalar, Rev. James E. Rose, Rev. Charles Boddie,
Rev. Arthur L. Whitaker, Leardrew Johnson
and Rev.
Dwight E. Cook. In 2003, under Rev. Cook's
leadership, Mt. Olivet hired its first Youth Minister, Rev. James McCarroll who
greatly
