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The Mt. Olive Baptist Church was started in the year of 1923 with Rev. Jordan as our first pastor. Rev. Jordan who left us and then moved South and we moved from the first Building which was in his home to the present location.
Rev. Hampton stayed although he was never officially called. We loved him and got along lovely together. He served Mt. Olive for almost Thirty Years until his death in February of 1973. Rev. Hampton also found the membership to be few in number but those few had great faith and were trusting in a Mighty God.
On Palm Sunday, March 26, 1956, we arrived to find our building in flames. (Much love went into the building of that first dwelling, we might say it was a labor of love.) As many stood around crying, Rev. J. H. Hampton almost in tears himself said, “We’ll build again.” He was determined that his flock would not remain without shelter for a year and that December we moved into our present edifice. Donations came from all over the country, from our Sister Churches and from the great and small. Mt. Olive continued to prosper. The church remained debt-free and all improvements or large items were paid for in cash.
From February 1973 until June 1974 the leadership of Mt. Olive lay in the hands of the Chairman of the Board Deacon Teavon Williams. We would dare to say you would probably have to travel a million miles before you would have the privilege of meeting another Deacon such as Teavon Williams. Under his direction Mt. Olive continued to grow and move on.
On Tuesday, June 4, 1974, in a move that is very seldom heard of in Baptist Circles, Rev. Ralph D. Graves Sr., Rev. Hampton’s beloved son in the ministry was called to the pasturage of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. He was installed as pastor on Sunday, July 28, 1974, by the Rev. J. B. Dicks, Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, Haddonfield, New Jersey following a week of evening services. Rev. Graves participated in the church prior to his preschool days and accepted Christ at an early age. He continued to grow and prosper spiritually. He was baptized, licensed and ordained by Rev. J. H. Hampton.
Rev. Graves was a young man who had a great vision for spiritual growth and the Missionary outreach of Mt. Olive. He believed with all of his heart that Mt. Olive could be a great shining light on the corner of King Street and Evesham Avenue.
Over the last 41 years, Rev. Graves has been the pastor of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. We have seen his dream for Mt. Olive become a living reality. He has set the course for Mt. Olive Baptist Church to continue its growth in service to the Lord. Mt. Olive Baptist Church has become a Christ-centered church and a Beacon of Light to the world. God has blessed Pastor Graves with four sons in the ministry in the persons of Rev. Ralph D. Graves, Jr., Rev. Dr. André E. Brown, Sr. Rev. Darryl K. Still, and Minister Lester C. Duffy.
On October 31, 2015, our devoted leader of 41 years, Pastor Ralph D. Graves, Sr. and our supportive loving First lady Saundra Graves, retired as pastor and first lady of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. We will forever hold a place for them in our hearts.
On February 7, 2017, we elected Rev. Dr. André E. Brown, Sr. as the new pastor of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. From the first Sunday, when he delivered his first message as Pastor, the church has been on an upward course, prospering, growing, and striving to do the will of the Master. We are “Christians In-Christ Leaning On & Loving Each Other.” John 3:16-18.
