Church Profile

Building a Strong Future on a Strong Foundation

“And I Say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” -Matthew 16:18

11 Rev. G. Franklin Wiggins Plaza, Peekskill, NY 10566 ▪ 914-737-7567 ▪ www.mountolivetbc.org

Letter from the Pastoral Search Committee …...... 3

Pastoral Search Committee…………………………………………………………………………………3

Weekly Services…………………………………………………………………………………………….4

Annual Events ………………………………………………………………………………………………4

Mount Olivet Baptist Church History ………………………………….…………………………………...

Description of Church Property…………………….…………………………………………..…………...8

Pastoral History...………………………………………………………………………………...... 9

Ministerial Staff ………………………………………………………………………………...... 13

Church Officers……………………………………………….……………………………………………13

Sheepfold ……..……..……………………………………………………………………………..……...14

Who We Are

Vision, Mission and Core Values……………………………..……………………………..…...... 15

Affiliations.………………………………………………….……………………………………………..16

MOBC Membership By Towns 17

Ministries and Missions 18

Church Demographics 19

Our Community

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Letter from the Pastoral Search Committee

Effective October 2019, Rev. Dr. Robert E. Young resigned as Senior Pastor of Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Peekskill, New York.

On February 2020, the church held a special prayer service seeking God’s guidance as we began the process of identifying the person God has chosen to be our Senior Pastor. Toward that end, a Pastoral Search Committee was selected on February 2020. A church survey was launched on June 19, 2020 to seek membership ideas as to what knowledge, skills, and abilities are desired in our next Senior Pastor.

The Search Committee has developed this Church Profile to provide some insight into who we are.

In Service to God,

Pastoral Search Committee

PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE

Co-Chair: Bill Archer Co-Chair: Joe Johnson Secretary: Min. Marie Elena Grossett Assistant Secretary: Deacon Phyllis Washington

Members Judy Gibbs Mary Foster Cecelia Hankins Adrienne Lassic Harper, Trustee June McKenley, Trustee Samuel McCorvey, Deacon Ida Wiggins, Deacon

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WEEKLY SERVICES

Weekly Services Sunday Sunday School ...... 9:30 AM Worship Service ...... 10:45 AM

Wednesday Praise & Worship ...... 11:30 AM & 7 PM Bible Study ...... Noon & 7:30 PM Currently weekly worship services are being conducted virtually

ANNUAL EVENTS

January MLK Community Service March Church Anniversary May Women’s Convocation June Scholarship Sunday July Annual Church Picnic July Vacation Bible School August Season of Prayer & Rest September Revival September Youth Convocation October Men’s Convocation November Officers’ Day December 24 Candlelight Service December 31 Watch Night Service

MOUNT OLIVET BAPTIST CHURCH HISTORY

Mount Olivet Baptist Church is a movement under the sovereign hand of God. In our 127 year history, the church has been built and rebuilt four times under the leadership of 15 pastors. Like the prophet Nehemiah, each of these pastors was called to stay on the wall and lead in Mount Olivet’s physical and spiritual climb. We would like to present portions of this climb to you.

Our climb began in 1893 at 454 Main Street, the home of Mrs. Jane Clayborne—right about where the bridge passes over Route 9. Five Christians met and prayed, and prayed some more. The names of the founders of Mount Olivet Baptist Church are: Archer Clayborne, Mary Tinsley Fipps, Jane Clayborne, Liza Tinsley and N. Ward out of this group, came a vision. Sometime later that year, William Tinsley, the Chairman of a soon to be Board of Trustees, wrote letters to several churches seeking official recognition for this band of Christians. We don’t know if they all showed up, but we do know that Rev. Duers, pastor of the Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Ossining, led his officers and other ministers in officially recognizing and setting this newly created church apart.

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Continuing this climb, the founding members moved to the Greek Orthodox Church on Park St. As the membership grew Mount Olivet rented a hall at 7 Nelson Avenue. Then, on May 2, 1901, Mount Olivet Baptist Church was incorporated as a religious body. It was during Rev. Alexander Cook’s tenure that pastor and people decided to build. Land was purchased in 1907 and construction began. The first Mt. Olivet Baptist Church was erected in 1910. In 1964 the original church was demolished and rebuilt (at its current location).

In 1917, Rev. John Robinson was serving as the fifth pastor of this growing congregation. Records indicate that the membership at that time was 98. This membership growth was large enough to support a Ladies’ Friendly Club and a Men’s Social Union. A fire, however, destroyed the barn next door as well as the fledgling church. Not deterred, and determined to stay on the wall, a second Mount Olivet was completed, this time with a basement for the church Sunday School. Pews, lighting fixtures and a communion set were purchased for the new church. After Rev. Robinson’s death, Rev. E. J. Matthews became Mount Olivet’s sixth pastor in 1920.

Under Rev. Matthews, the mortgage was burned and stained glass windows and a small organ were purchased. Then, in 1931, Rev. Matthews resigned. Seven months later, Rev. Walter L. King was called to join the climb as Mount Olivet’s seventh pastor. Rev. King was remembered for clutching his Bible as he led the choir up the aisle to commence worship services.

In 1935, Rev. Andrew Burns was called to serve as the church’s eighth pastor, and again, in 1945, as the 10th pastor. This Nehemiah was a pioneer. In the 1940s, Rev. Burns worked with local white churches and synagogues, and pulpit swapping became a regular occurrence. As a civil rights activist, Rev. Burns fought to open job opportunities for the members who lived in the city of Peekskill. Under his guidance, the Usher Board joined county and statewide usher assemblies. The fruit of this union made the Usher’s Annual Sermon Day, held the third Sunday in June, the most attended and financially prosperous event in the church’s calendar year. Rev. Burns was a walker; he did not drive. But that didn’t matter. Wherever his members were, Rev. Burns would appear.

From 1936 to 1944, the Rev. L. M. Foster served as MOBC’s ninth pastor. Some of our oldest current members accepted Christ as young people during his tenure. A new organ was purchased and an Intermediate Choir was organized. After six years of service, Rev. Foster answered a call to Ebenezer Baptist Church in Albany, NY. On the 6th of September 1953, Rev. Carl B. Taylor became our 11th pastor. Under his leadership, Mount Olivet gained in both community and statewide recognition. Religious associations and state conventions met at Mount Olivet on a regular basis. Our members became more active in local politics and served on commissions and boards in the City of Peekskill. Rev. Taylor himself served on the Board of Education. The membership grew to 263. Realizing that the existing building wasn’t large enough, Rev. Taylor and the congregation expanded the sanctuary out towards Park Street. Work began in May 1955 on our third church building. When it was completed the sanctuary had been expanded, the choir stand was moved behind the pulpit, and a pastor’s study and side entrance were added. In 1959 Rev. Taylor left the climb to answer the call of Union Baptist Church in New York City.

A search began for the church’s 12th pastor. In December 1959, coming from First Missionary Baptist Church Clayton, NC, Rev. G. Franklin Wiggins accepted the call and was installed in June 1960.

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The next sixteen months saw a flurry of activity in Mount Olivet—new auxiliaries and boards, a tithing program, and 40 new members. 1965 was a watermark year in our history. In June of that year the old church was razed, and on December 12, 1965, the existing edifice—our fourth church building—was dedicated. This prefab building quadrupled our size to include a sanctuary, a fellowship hall, a chapel with baptismal pool, a nursery, and storage space. Later, the exterior of the church building was covered with brick, and central air conditioning was added to cool the sanctuary.

Our membership grew to 450. PET groups (prayer, education, training) and still more auxiliaries were formed, including a hospitality committee, an academic-skilled tutoring program, a food distribution program, a scholarship committee, youth groups, a health committee, and more. Every summer, a church family picnic, and every fall, a homecoming service was held. Mount Olivet initiated, and later invited the community to participate in an annual Martin Luther King Jr. service.

The climb reached beyond church borders. The Arlo property (a house and land located in Cortlandt Manor) was purchased. A private corporation, The Mt. Olivet Housing Corporation, was set up to build and provide housing for homeless or low-income people in Peekskill. The church supported a digging of wells project in the Sudan, and closer to home, provided financial support for Shaw Divinity School.

And under Rev. Wiggins’s tenure, a major milestone was reached. To commemorate our 100th Anniversary, in 1993 the church added bathrooms off the sanctuary, new tables and chairs in the fellowship hall, and a church van. But everything must change. After a long illness, Rev. Dr. Wiggins passed away in 1996. His tenure, his time on the wall, was 36 years.

What does the song “This morning when I rose, I didn’t have no doubts!” and the scripture “Where there is no vision, the people perish” have in common? They were favorites of Rev. Mark S. Churn, our 13th pastor.

Hailing from Sharon Baptist Church in New Brunswick, NJ, implementation of Rev. Churn’s vision meant creating a plethora of programs, including new member’s classes, a Praise Dance Ministry, a Discipleship Ministry, Children’s Church, Youth Challenge Ministry, Youth Quake Night, Senior Delight, Youth Bible Study, Single Mom’s Ministry, Couple’s Ministry, Brother-to-Brother, Sister-to-Sister, a Kitchen Condolence Ministry and a Judah Praise Team.

Under Rev. Churn’s leadership, the church was updated and a second van was added. The space under the chapel became a conference room and a computer lab. The men and women bathrooms were remodeled. The church was rearranged so that there would be a center aisle. To assure expansion beyond our boundaries, another property, at 1560 Park Street, was purchased.

A computerized system further strengthened the church’s financial structure. Tribes of Israel and Women of the Bible strengthened ties with the congregants. Bible study became a mainstay. Stewardship in this climb meant no straying from the wall; church officers were expected to be in Bible study and Sunday school and offer financial support through their tithes. Rev. Churn’s vision did not go unnoticed. In 2003 he accepted the call to the Messiah Baptist Church in Norfolk, VA.

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Our climb continued. The Rev. Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey, formerly of Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, NY, answered the call to become Mount Olivet’s 14th pastor on June 12, 2005. His vision and purpose became clear: To lead Mount Olivet to greater levels of service and sacrifice. Guided by Acts 2:47, Rev. Lacey’s mission statement for Mount Olivet was this: “We are a first Century church in the 21st Century. Our mission is reaching the lost, discipling believers, fellowshipping saints through worship and outreach, with a spirit of excellence.”

At a leadership conference held in Dec. 2005, Vision 2010 was formed. The book, Forty Days of Purpose served as our catalyst. As God began to enlarge Mount Olivet, an additional Sunday service and a noonday Bible Study class supplemented the existing Sunday service and evening Bible study offerings. With an open membership, the church’s roll soared to over 600 and the face of Mount Olivet became more diverse and multicultural. Believing in the universality of faith—that both men and women receive the call of the Gospel— for the first time women were ordained to serve as Deacons. Under Rev. Lacey, financial support for Mount Olivet would no longer be through auxiliary fundraisers. Recognizing that all of our gifts come from God, financial support for ministry activities and programs would come from the church’s budget. To support this budget, the congregation accepted a financial program based on individual member contributions through tithes and offerings. By the year 2009, the church’s annual budget approached one million dollars.

Several ministries were revamped. The Liturgical Dance Ministry grew to include women, men and young people. Street Reach, Security and Altar ministries were created. Annual weekend convocations were held for the Sister-to-Sister Ministry, Youth Ministry and Brother-to-Brother Ministry. A Minister’s class was also established.

Like his predecessors, this Nehemiah realized that a growing church needed more space. The nearby Park Street School and Adam Winters Building were purchased, respectively providing a place for ministries to meet as well as additional storage space. Yet Rev. Lacey strongly believed that God would enlarge Mount Olivet’s territory by reaching out to individuals beyond the walls of Peekskill. Towards that end, Rev. Lacey took our growth into cyberspace as Mount Olivet stepped boldly into the digital age. Past sermons could be downloaded and live streaming of services became available to anyone with a computer. After nearly nine years, Rev. Lacey resigned in April 2014 to accept the call to Brooklyn’s historic Bethany Baptist Church.

In July 2015 Rev. Dr. Robert E. Young was installed as the fifteenth pastor of Mount Olivet Baptist Church in historic Peekskill, New York. He is the founder of the Healthy Preacher Movement, a network that promotes wholeness amongst clergy. He is a committed member of several Christian and social organizations. Rev. Young is the proud husband of the former Misha Renee Turner and they have two beautiful children, Robyn and Preston.

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DESCRIPTION OF CHURCH PROPERTY

Mount Olivet owns and manages a number of properties in Peekskill.

11 G. Franklin Wiggins Plaza – Mount Olivet Baptist Church This is our church building, built in 1910. It is listed as Block 9, Lot 13, 1&2. It has a sanctuary and balcony, a chapel, a fellowship hall, and an upper room. There are several office spaces and a nursery. The sanctuary sits 300 people and the balcony can sit 65.

13 Wiggins Plaza – Residence for the Sexton of Mount Olivet Baptist Church This property is a two-level house right next to the church. It has 2 bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and a bathroom.

15 Wiggins Plaza – Mount Olivet Storage (known as ‘The Annex’) This property is a two-level warehouse building, which was purchased in 2006. This property is mainly used for storage.

1432 Park Street – Mount Olivet Rental Multi-Purpose Building (known as ‘The Summit’) This is a three-level school building, purchased in 2007. It is used for meetings and conferences, and contains a dance studio, workout room, game room and kitchen. On the top floor are seven rooms and a bathroom. On the main floor are five rooms and three bathrooms, a cleaning room with a sink, and a foyer. The lower level is the kitchen with dining space, two bathrooms, an exercise room with equipment, and a pantry. The land adjacent to this property also serves as our main parking facility.

1560 Park Street – Mount Olivet Rental Property This property is a three-level residential building next door to the church. On the top floor are three bedrooms and a bathroom. On the main level are a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen. There is also a sun porch and a basement.

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PASTORAL HISTORY

Rev. Henry M. Limas 1893 – 1897

▪ The first minister called and ordained Photo ▪ Mount Olivet outgrows Main Street, and then the Greek Orthodox Church on Park Street, making it necessary to rent a hall at 7 Nelson Avenue not ▪ Served four years, resigning to organize another church

available

Rev. E. W. Tapley 1897 – 1904

Photo ▪ Second Pastor ▪ Mount Olivet is incorporated as a religious body not ▪ Served seven years before passing away

available

Rev. Alexander A. Cook 1904 – 1916

Photo ▪ Third Pastor ▪ In 1907 land is purchased to build a church ▪ In 1910, the new Church is erected not ▪ The Ladies Friendly Club is organized and runs for 20 years, disbanding in 1930 ▪ Serves 12 years before accepting the call to Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church available in Ossining

Rev. George E. Hughes 1916 – 1917

Photo ▪ Fourth Pastor ▪ Serves one year before resigning not

available

Rev. John H. Robinson 1917 – 1920

▪ Fifth Pastor ▪ The church advances materially under his leadership and membership doubles ▪ The church is destroyed by fire ▪ A new building is erected with a basement for Sunday School ▪ Pews, lighting fixtures and a communion set are purchased ▪ Rev. Robinson passes away, leaving many cherished memories

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Rev. E. J. Matthews 1920 – 1931

Photo ▪ Sixth Pastor ▪ On the first Sunday in June 1921, the mortgage is burned ▪ The stained glass windows we have today are purchased not ▪ A small organ is purchased ▪ The Young People’s Helping Hand Club is organized available ▪ Resigns in 1931 after serving 11 years

Rev. Walter L. King 1931 – 1935

▪ Seventh Pastor ▪ Organizes the Tapley-Robinson Club ▪ Brings a new vigor to the church and an interest in the young people ▪ After a very successful growth of five years, resigns to accept another pulpit

Rev. Andrew A. Burns 1935 – 1936; 1945 – 1952

▪ Eighth and Tenth Pastor ▪ Serves a year and a half before resigning ▪ Returns to the pulpit in 1945 as the 10th Pastor, serving the church well for seven years before resigning in 1952

Rev. L. M. Foster 1936 – 1944

▪ Ninth Pastor ▪ Many young people, some of whom are seniors of our current church, were accepted into membership ▪ In 1938, with assistance from the Helping Hand Club, purchased the organ currently in use today ▪ An Intermediate Choir is organized ▪ After six years of fine service, Rev. Foster accepts the call to a church in Albany, NY

Rev. Carl B. Taylor 1953 – 1959

▪ 11th Pastor ▪ Church grows to great recognition ▪ Membership increases to 263 ▪ A larger and more beautiful edifice is erected, expanding out towards Park Street, creating a side entrance ▪ After five and a half years of service, resigns in March 1959 to accept the call to the historic Union Baptist Church in New York City

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Rev. Garland Franklin Wiggins 1960 – 1996

▪ 12th Pastor ▪ Organizes several choirs: Tiny Tots, Youth, Gospel Chorus, Choral Ensemble and Male Chorus ▪ Starts a tithing program to strengthen the church finances ▪ Membership grows from 250 to 450 ▪ In June 1965 the old church is razed and in December1965 our existing pre- fabricated edifice is dedicated, quadrupling the church size ▪ In 1967 new by-laws are adopted and the church purchases a new parsonage at 1265 Maple Avenue

▪ New programs, auxiliaries, boards and clubs are added to meet the growing needs of the church: Hospitality Committee, Academic Skills Tutoring Program, Food Distribution Program, Men’s Fellowship, Scholarship Committee, Martin L. King Jr. Youth Group, The Scribe newspaper, Recreation Committee, Health Committee, and a drama group ▪ Annual Church Picnics and yearly Homecoming Service are held ▪ The Arlo property in Cortlandt Manor is purchased ▪ The Mount Olivet Housing Corporation is created to provide housing for the homeless ▪ Accommodations are provided in the Fellowship Hall for a rehabilitative program from abuse of drugs and alcohol ▪ A 45-passenger bus is purchased ▪ In December 1981, the church burns the mortgage on the new edifice ▪ In 1993, the church celebrates its 100th Anniversary with year-long activities and programs, and major renovations are made to the church ▪ After a lengthy illness, Rev. Wiggins dies in 1996

Rev. Mark S. Churn 1998 – 2003

▪ 13th Pastor ▪ His vision for the church manifests into a multitude of new ministries, including: Children’s Church, Senior Delight, Praise Dance, New Members’ Class, Brother-to-Brother, Sister-to-Sister, Sound Tech, Drama, and a Judah Praise worship choir ▪ New carpeting is installed with matching pews, renovations to the church office and Pastor’s Study are made, acrylic podiums are purchased, and a set of drums and a keyboard are added to the Music Ministry ▪ A lighted steeple is added to the edifice, a new furnace and modernized heating system is installed, and a second church van is purchased ▪ The space under the Chapel is renovated to create a computer lab ▪ The property adjacent to the rear of the building at 1560 Park Street is purchased ▪ Service and commitment is based on participation, tithing, attending Bible Study and attending Sunday School ▪ Ongoing workshops are held for the Diaconate, Trustees, Ushers and Missionary ministries ▪ Church membership grows to approximately 550 ▪ In 2003, Rev. Churn accepts the call to the Messiah Baptist Church in Norfolk, VA

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Rev. Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey 2005 – 2014

▪ 14th Pastor ▪ Believes he was sent by God to lead Mount Olivet to greater levels of service and sacrifice ▪ In December 2005, a weekend leadership conference is held in Pleasantville, NY to set goals and a roadmap for the future of the church, coined “Vision 2010” ▪ Forty Days of Purpose, a church-wide study program for members and outreach to the Peekskill/Cortlandt area is launched. Non -members become a part of the fellowship making Mount Olivet more diverse and multicultural, and membership soars to over 600 ▪ Embarks on a Lifestyle Stewardship Capital Campaign to expand the church ▪ The Adam Winters Building and the Park Street School are purchased to provide additional storage, meeting and parking space for the growing congregation as part of the church’s $1.3 million Capital Campaign. ▪ Led by the spirit, “visionary instruction” begins, following a liturgical and lexicological calendar on religious themes, seasons and order ▪ Worship service reflects our personal and corporate nature, while being scriptural, musical and physical ▪ A second Sunday worship service is added, along with a second mid-week Bible Study session ▪ The congregation accepts a financial program based solely on member contributions, which is spiritually based on the Five Principles of Giving, and fund raising efforts cease ▪ The Liturgical Dance Ministry grows to include women, men and young people, and the Street Reach, Security and Altar ministries are created ▪ A Minister’s Class is established ▪ Choirs are consolidated and a Director of Music is appointed ▪ Children’s Church is reorganized to follow the instructional calendar of the adult church ▪ After a year of study and walking, women are for the first time ordained as Deacons, thus eliminating the Deaconess ministry ▪ Other accomplishments include: Two new mini-buses replace the existing vans; New doors are installed on the main entrances to the church and chapel; A ceiling-mounted projector and screen are added to the chapel; A communication monitor is added to the main lobby; Pews are reupholstered and new conference room furniture is purchased; Old computers are replaced with Apple computers and moved to a computer lab in the Summit; The audio visual equipment and sound system are revamped; The church launches into cyber space with Sunday Worship service streaming live over the internet and sermons available for downloading; The Hall of Shepherds is established; New laminate flooring is placed in the Hall of Shepherds; The Arlo property is sold and the front parking lot of the Summit is repaved. ▪ After nearly nine years of service, Rev. Lacey resigns in April 2014 to accept the pulpit at Brooklyn’s historic Bethany Baptist Church

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Rev. Dr. Robert E. Young 2015 – 2019 ▪ 15th Pastor

▪ His mission was to make Mount Olivet Baptist Church an intergenerational and diverse church to ensure that the services were inclusive for all age groups. ▪ He was instrumental in three Ministers obtaining their licenses ▪ During his tenure, Rev. Young started a Marriage Enrichment Counseling Ministry (chaired by Rev. and Mrs. Young), Christian Café, Project Strength Fundraiser, reconstructed the New Disciples Ministry, Wednesday Morning Prayer, Soup and Bible Study and started the revisions to the by-laws. ▪ The Project Strength fundraiser allowed the Church to pay off the remaining mortgage on the Summit. ▪ Reverend Dr. Robert E. Young resigned as Senior Pastor of Mount Olivet Baptist Church where he served from April 2015 until October 2019.

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MINISTERIAL STAFF Minister Madeline Bass Minister Marie Elena Grossett Minister Tuesday Paige McDonald Minister Kendall McFarlane

CHURCH OFFICERS

Elizabeth Johnson – Chair of the Diaconate Ministry Kenneth Phillips – Assistant-Chair of the Diaconate Deborah Foster – Chair of the Trustee Ministry Joan Williams – Church Treasurer

CLERKS Cassandra Redd – Church Clerk Emma McKinney – Assistant Church Clerk

DEACONS

Henry Bass Emeline (Candy) Saxton Elizabeth Johnson – Chair Malcolm (Tim) Saxton Kenneth Phillips – Vice Chair Dorita Taylor Ramona Massenberg Willie Taylor Samuel McCorvey Phyllis Washington James Overby Ida Wiggins Cassandra Redd – Church Clerk

TRUSTEES

Troy Curry John Davis Deborah Foster – Chair Adrienne Lassic Harper – Financial Secretary Kenneth Phillips June McKenley – Assistant Chair Joan Williams – Treasurer

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SHEEPFOLD (Congregational Coverage)

A-C Deacon Ramona Massenberg P-S Deacon Henry Bass Deacon Dorita Taylor Deacon Elizabeth Johnson Deacon Tim Saxton

D-F Deacon Samuel McCorvey T- Z Deacon Emeline (Candy) Saxton Deacon Phyllis Washington Deacon Willie Taylor

G-J Deacon James Overby Deacon Ida Wiggins

K-O Deacon Kenneth Phillips Deacon Cassandra Redd

VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES

OUR VISION

• We seek to be a family of disciples serving and growing together in Christ.

• Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we minister hope and wholeness to all generations to the glory of God. OUR MISSION

• To empower Disciples (Matthew 28:18-20)

• To Evangelize the Unbeliever (Acts 1:8)

• To encourage Fellowship (Acts2:42)

• To Engage in Outreach (Matthew 25:40)

• To Exemplify Stewardship (Genesis 2:15)

• To Express Worship (1 Chronicles 16:23-31)

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OUR CORE VALUES

Excellence of Spirit

Preaching and Teaching

Service

Growth

Generosity

Family Wellness

Community Involvement

AFFILIATIONS

Central Hudson Baptist Association Lott Carey Mission American Baptist Association

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MOBC Membership by Town

Town County Count

Peekskill Westchester 189

Cortlandt Manor Westchester 34

Yorktown Westchester 11

Ossining Westchester 4

Other Westchester Westchester 44

Putnam County Putnam 15

Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Other NY Ulster 26

Other 4

327

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MINISTRIES & MISSIONS Mount Olivet has five ministry areas that are the pillars of our mission statement. Individual ministries are grouped under these areas.

Reaching the Lost Mission Ministry Chair: Dr. Valya Dessaure Vacation Bible School Chair: Nicole Joseph

Discipling Believers Archives Ministry Chair: Vera Smith Bible Study Co-Chairs: Ministers: Bass and Grossett Health Education Ministry Chair: Dorita Taylor Sunday School Ministry Superintendent: Ramona Massenberg

Fellowshipping Saints Brother to Brother Ministry Chair: Cleve Garvin Senior Delight Chair: Lorraine Harper Sister-to-Sister Ministry Co-Chairs: Min. Grossett and Gail Anderson Youth Ministry Chair: Tamara Willis

Through Worship Audio/Visual Ministry Chair: Cecelia Hankins Children’s Church Ministry Chair: Tamika Nelson H.U.G.S Ministry Chair: Melvin Cummings (Hospitality, Ushers, Greeters & Safety) Liturgical Dance Chair: Will be filled at a later Music Ministry Director: Minister Tuesday McDonald Nursery Ministry Chair: Yvonne Garvin

And Outreach Scholarship Ministry Chair: Celeste Hill Transportation Ministry Chair: James Overby

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CITY OF PEEKSKILL & SURROUNDING AREAS

PEEKSKILL Peekskill, officially the City of Peekskill, is a city in Westchester County, New York. It is situated on a bay along the east side of the Hudson River, across from Jones Point. This community was known to be an early American industrial center, primarily for its iron plow and stove products. The Binney & Smith Company, now makers of Crayola products, started as the Peekskill Chemical Company at Annsville in 1864.

The population is 23,583 according to the 2010 census.

Peekskill's manufacturing base operated well into the late 20th century, with the Fleischmann Company making yeast by-products under the Standard Brands corporate name.

The well-publicized Peekskill Riots of 1949, involving the Civil Rights Congress benefit concert of Paul Robeson, specifically occurred in the neighboring suburb Van Cortlandtville.

New Amsterdam resident Jan Peeck made the first recorded contact with the native tribal people of this area, identified at that time as the "Sachoes". The date is not certain (possibly early 1640s), but agreements and merchant transactions took place, which were formalized into the Ryck's Patent Deed of 1684. Peeck's Kil (meaning "stream" in Dutch) thus became the recognized name for this locale.

European-style settlement took place slowly in the early 1700s. By the time of the American Revolution, the tiny community was an important manufacturing center from its various mills along the several creeks and streams. These industrial activities were attractive to the Continental Army in establishing its headquarters here in 1776.

Though Peekskill's terrain and mills were beneficial to the Patriot cause, they also made tempting targets for British raids. The most damaging attack took place in early spring of 1777, when an invasion force of a dozen vessels led by a warship and supported by infantry overwhelmed the American defenders. Another British operation in October 1777 led to further destruction of industrial apparatus. As a result, the Hudson Valley command for the Continental Army moved from Peekskill to West Point, where it stayed for remainder of that war.

Hawley Green, a resident of Peekskill during the Civil War era, was an African American citizen who voted, ran a downtown barber business, and owned several properties with his wife Harriet. Mr. Green was credited before and during the war with "helping many a slave brother on his way to Canada." Active assistance given by AME Zion Church members, Reverend Beecher, local Quakers and the Greens was part of the famous "underground railroad" of freedom in Peekskill during the 1800s.

Peekskill's first legal incorporation of 1816 was reactivated in 1826 when Village elections took place. The Village was further incorporated within the Town of Cortlandt in 1849 and remained so until separating as a city in 1940. http://www.city-data.com/city/Peekskill-New-York.html www.peekskillcsd.org www.cityofpeekskill.com

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CORTLANDT MANOR Cortlandt Manor is a hamlet located in the Town of Cortlandt in Northern Westchester County, New York. Cortlandt Manor is situated directly east, north and south of Peekskill, and east of three sections of the Town of Cortlandt, Croton-on-Hudson, Crugers, and Montrose. Most of the area is made up of residential homes.Cortlandt Manor also encompasses Cortlandt Estates, called "The Estates", a wealthy residential neighborhood. Cortlandt Manor is often referred to in short as "The Manor".

Until 1991, this area shared a mailing address and ZIP Code (10566) with the city of Peekskill. Although it now has its own ZIP code, 10567, many directories and censuses still do not include Cortlandt Manor, because it is unincorporated. The term "Cortlandt Manor" was created by the US Postal Service differentiate this part of Corlandt town from Cortland, New York, which is located hours away. Many longtime residents of the Town of Cortlandt consider the new name to be a vanity invention to protect the home values of Cortlandt residents who resented a Peekskill mailing address, though this motivation is not expressed in any official record of the decision.

The name Cortlandt Manor is derived from the "Van Cortlandt Upper Manor House" off Oregon Road in Cortlandt just outside the Peekskill city limits. The Upper Manor House was part of the estate of Stephanus Van Cortlandt, the colonial aristocrat and patroon who owned nearly all of northern Westchester County in the late 17th century. The more familiar centerpiece of the old estate, Van Cortlandt Manor, is located in the nearby village of Croton-on-Hudson. Cortlandt Manor is known for being the birth place of Damien Budds.

Cortlandt Manor residents are served by Hendrick Hudson Central School District, Lakeland Central School District, and Putnam Valley Central School District. Two schools in Hendrick Hudson Central School District are located in Cortlandt Manor: Furnace Woods Elementary School and Blue Mountain Middle School, which are separated by several soccer fields. Two of the Lakeland Central School District schools are located in Cortlandt Manor: Van Cortlandtville Elementary School and Walter Panas High School.

The Aaron Copland House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark in 1973.[1] http://www.city-data.com/city/Cortlandt-New-York.html www.townofcortlandt.com

PUTNAM Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 99,710. The county seat is Carmel. Putnam County formed in 1812 from Dutchess County and is named for Israel Putnam, a hero in the French and Indian War and a general in the American Revolutionary War.

Putnam County is included in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Times Square is around a forty-five to fifty minute drive and Grand Central Terminal is a one hour train ride from Putnam County.

It is one of the most affluent counties in America, ranked 7th by median household income, and 47th by per- capita income, according to the 2012 American Community Survey and 2000 United States Census, respectively. http://www.city-data.com/county/Putnam_County-NY.html www.putnamcountyny.com

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YORKTOWN Yorktown is a town in Westchester County, New York, in the suburbs of New York about 38 miles (61km) north of midtown Manhattan. The town lies on the north border of Westchester County. The population was 36,081 at the 2010 census. http://www.city-data.com/city/Yorktown-Heights-New-York.html www.yorktownny.org

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