The Olive Roots (Church History)
Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church
650 Fairview Avenue | Bradley, Illinois 60915
CHURCH HISTORY
The MOUNT OLIVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH was established in December 1972, as the Mount Olive Mission in the home of the Rev. Richard Austin. The Mission started with the Austin, Hicks and Robinson families, and Rev. Austin was elected Pastor. In the beginning, Sunday services were rendered from home to home. Then, in April of 1973, the Mission moved to the basement of the home of Brother Edwin Robinson, 615 North Evergreen Avenue, Kankakee, Illinois. There, the Mission was officially established and our Charter was given by the Rev. James Smith, Pastor of the Second Baptist Church, Kankakee, Illinois. Brother Edwin Robinson was elected Deacon, Treasurer and Record-keeper. Corliss Austin was elected Sunday School Secretary. The Mission remained at the Robinson residence until the Lord blessed us with a building at 574 North Cottage Avenue, Kankakee, Illinois.
On June 22, 1975, we marched into our new building where Sunday School and morning worship services were conducted. An evening program was held at which the Mission was organized and established as the Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, again by the Rev. James Smith, Pastor of the Second Baptist Church, Kankakee, Illinois. The congregation at that time consisted of the Austin, Robinson, Hicks, Haskins, Radford, Rowe and Young families. During the evening program, there was also a Dedication Service unto God. Under Pastor Austin’s leadership many improvements and additions were made to the church building, several ministries were established, and many families were united with the congregation. Rev. Richard Austin remained pastor until he departed this life on May 29, 1994.
Rev. Louis Wells, a member of Mt. Olive and resident of Sun River Terrace, served as Interim Pastor until the election of the Rev. Tommy Brown as Pastor on November 5, 1994. Rev. Brown was a Kankakee, Illinois resident and member of the Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Kankakee, Illinois. Accomplishments under Pastor Brown’s leadership included establishment of a Pastor’s Aide Committee, Outreach Ministry for Nursing Homes, and a Street Evangelism Ministry. Rev. Tommy Brown resigned as Pastor on the first Sunday in October 1997 (October 5, 1997). With the pulpit again being vacant, Mount Olive’s associate ministers, the late Rev. Albert Alexander, Kankakee, Illinois; and the Rev. Tommie Ivy, Kankakee, Illinois, accompanied by pulpit guests and candidates, assisted with filling the pulpit vacancy until such time as a Pastor was elected.
At a Church meeting held on Sunday, March 29, 1998, by vote of the Church body, it was agreed upon that the Pastoral Position would be offered to the Rev. Vincent Edward Clark, Kankakee, Illinois, of the Zion Gate Missionary Baptist Church, Kankakee, Illinois. Rev. Clark accepted the position of Pastor and assumed responsibility of the position the first Sunday in April 1998 (April 5, 1998).
Under Pastor Clark’s leadership, Mt. Olive performed additional renovation to the sanctuary of its North Cottage facility, expanded the teaching ministry and strengthened the Youth and Children’s Ministries. The church has grown numerically in attendance in the teaching ministries and corporate worship services. The church has also experienced significant financial growth. Mount Olive has participated in feeding the hungry through the Kankakee Baptist District Association and in partnership with Ted Washington, all-pro linebacker with the Chicago Bears, provided medical assistance to those who were sick, and other acts of kindness during times of need. From an administrative perspective, the Church records and finances are now retained on electronic media; a formal Church constitution for the corporate church body and music ministry have been established; and Mt. Olive is now recognized as a member of the Baptist General State Convention of Illinois and the National Baptist Convention, Inc. U.S.A.
Mount Olive has also risen to a position of community leadership recognition with the First Lady of Mt. Olive, Sis. Alisha Clark, being appointed Director of the historical United Vacation Bible School (UVBS) in 1999. This was the first time the Black Baptist Churches of Kankakee County studied together on this level. September 2000 marked the month in which the Kankakee County Baptist District Association Congress held its first Mini-Congress of Christian Education, now known as the James M. Smith Institute of Christian Education. During the establishment of this Institute, Pastor Clark was elected the first President of the Baptist District Association Congress of Christian Education. In 2009, Sis. Alisha Clark was appointed the first female Dean of the James M. Smith Institute of Christian Education (Kankakee County Baptist District Association).
Due to growth in needs of the Church’s teaching ministry, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in May 2003 Pastor Clark informed the Mount Olive congregation of the need and vision to further expand ministry by relocating to another worship facility. Pastor Clark’s vision of ministry expansion and relocation was well-received by the congregation. On Tuesday, September 9, 2003 the Mount Olive ministry closed the purchase of a 10,000 square foot edifice located at 650 Fairview Avenue, Bradley. With the new edifice acquisition, the ministry is now equipped to better minister to the needs of its people and others.
The Mount Olive church family is grateful to God for the abundance of blessings He has bestowed upon our church family, and look with great anticipation to see how God continues to reveal Himself to us in the future.