American Baptist Churches

Rev. Lawrence Hargrave is serving as the interim Pastor of Mt. Olivet since March 2006.  He has been affiliated with the church for awhile and has served as Associated Pastor from December 2004 until he assumed his current role as Pastor.

He was licensed in April 1997 and ordained as a minister in May of 2000 by Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.  He has served in various capacities throughout the American Baptist Churches of Rochester / Genesee Regions, i.e., Staff Assistant, Minister of Mission Support, co-Interim Executive Minister of ABC.  He was Pastor of Church on the Hill at South Avenue Baptist Church for approximately three (3) years and Director of Church & Community Relations at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School from October 2003 to April 2006.

He is the 2003 recipient of the American Baptist Churches National Luke Mowbray Award for Ecumenical & Interfaith work and the Theodore Louis Trost Memorial Prize.  He is a published author, Co-authored Pathways to Peace with Judge Michael Miller.  He is known throughout  the Rochester as an avid Community Service Leader with a proven track record of successes  serving on several  boards and participating in various organizations.

Rev. Hargrave holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a Master of Divinity degree from Colgate Rochester Divinity School.  He and his wife, Brenda D. Lee, call Rochester and Mt. Olivet, home.

Our Pastor has charge over the spiritual welfare of the congregation, preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ, provides spiritual counseling, teaching and supervises the church staff.