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Living the faith is key
200-year-old Mount Olivet welcomes all
By LINDA M. LINONIS
BEAVER Township
Mount Olivet United Church of Christ welcomes everyone. In fact, a message on the newsletter reads “no matter who you are or where you go in life’s journey, you are welcome here.”
It’s not simply a nice slogan. “We want to live it,” said the Rev. Melinda Q. Lacefield, pastor since 1999. “Living it is part of our faith.”
She explained the UCC was born out of the evangelical, reformed, congregational and Christian movements. Each church is autonomous. In 1957, Mount Olivet voted to become a member of the Eastern Ohio Association and General Synod, which is headquartered in Cleveland.
The Rev. Mrs. Lacefield said basic tenants of the faith are that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour, belief in the Trinity and that everyone is created equal. But she pointed out, though basic principles of faith are set forth, “everyone gets to them in a different way.”
“This is the way it should be,” said Bob Watson, a 60-year member. “There is freedom to disagree,” said his wife, Jean, a member for 79 years.
The pastor said that freedom in faith seems to prompt people “to grow in their faith.”
Maybe that is why Mount Olivet has been successful in attracting younger families and youths. “They’ve told us that ‘we walk the walk not just talk the talk,’” said the pastor.
Mount Olivet will celebrate its faith, past, present and future next weekend during activities marking its 200th anniversary.
The church was founded Oct. 13, 1810, in a log cabin shared with Good Hope Lutheran Church. The cabin wasn’t far from its current location at 410 W. South Range Road. The church relocated to its current site on a hill in 1861. “It was woods at the time,” said 79-year-old Edgar Guterba, a member since birth. “The church is built on huge stumps.”
Though the church has undergone multiple additions in 1912, 1928, 1961, 1965, 1986, 1987 and the most recent, an elevator in 2003, the heart of the congregation has remained constant. “It’s a great congregation,” said Jean Watson.
The church belongs to South Range Council for Church and Community ( 3C’s), which involves churches in Beaver and Green townships. Mount Olivet is host to the food pantry, which distributes groceries at 10 a.m. on the fourth Monday of every month and has a bread distribution at 4 p.m. every Wednesday. From 60 to 100 families are served monthly with food from donations and Second Harvest. “The 3C’s also help people with rent and utilities,” said Jean Watson.
The Women’s Guild sponsors rummage sales twice a year with funds going to missions. The sale will be Nov. 4-6.
The church also donates to Back Bay Mission, Biloxi, Miss., a community outreach ministry serving the poor; Crossroads, a juvenile center in Indiana; Habitat for Humanity, UCC global disaster relief and Sojourner House.
Mount Olivet also is among churches that participate in Family Promise, which houses and feeds homeless families. Its next hosting will be the week of Nov. 21-27.
The church is a busy place, with church and community groups gathering there. Among organizations are Girl Scouts, 4-H and AA. “There isn’t a day or night when something isn’t going on,” Guterba said. “It’s a busy church.”
He added that the church always seems to have money for projects, but members aren’t pestered for funds. “Money comes in the front door,” Guterba said, referring to church members who give to the church, “and we give it away” in charitable projects. He said the church is doing its job and members repay it by supporting it financially.
“We don’t know how we do it,” Jean Watson added.
There also is a quilting circle, which made a quilt to mark the 200th anniversary. Mrs. Lacefield said the music ministry is quite active because “music is important in worship.” There are bells and chimes groups and a choir. The church had a folk group, Olive Pits, in the 1960s and ’70s, that toured and made some records. The Watsons were chaperones.
The church has about 340 members with about 140 worshipping on Sundays. The pastor described it as a midsize church. “Bigger isn’t always better,” said Guterba, adding it was important for members to “know one another.” He noted he found out firsthand about the caring nature of the congregation when he was ill. “The fellowship here is wonderful,” Bob Watson said. “Help is there from members and the minister.”
Guterba, who also organizes work “parties” at the church said he never lacks for help. “No one can say no to Edgar,” Bob Watson said. A recent session “prettied up” the church for the anniversary, he said.