FORT LAUDERDALE — A church that boasts more than 10,000 members and is the second oldest congregation in Broward County will celebrate its 93rd anniversary starting this weekend.
New Mount Olive Baptist Church, 400 NW Ninth Ave., was founded on Nov. 25, 1918, by eight congregants who left Piney Grove Baptist Church to establish a new place of worship.
The church has flourished under the leadership of noted pastors, including the Revs. G.T. Green, G.S. McClover, Walter Bryant, S.T. Sanford, Henry P. Bragdon, Charles H. Williams, O.W. Wells, Robert H. Lee, George E. Weaver and Dr. Mack King Carter.
The Rev. Dr. Marcus D. Davidson, the current senior pastor, became the first leader of New Mount Olive to be selected by a pastoral search committee. He was appointed in November 2009. Since then, he has instituted new ideas to continue the traditional worship experience through the church’s new slogan, “F.L.O.W. to Greatness,” with emphasis on
Fellowship, Leadership, Ownership and Worship.
New Mount Olive currently operates a wide range of ministries, including Music, Youth, Leadership Development, Christian Business Consortium, Christian Education, Counseling, Congregational Care, Mission, Children and Young Adults.
Davidson is expanding the way the church reaches its worshipers and community through social media such as Twitter and Facebook, along with an interactive Web site.
He started a Saturday “Wave” service for 19 to 30-year-olds who may not be churchgoers or are unable to attend a traditional Sunday service.
Davidson is also a musical artist, releasing his debut CD in 2007, I’ll Say Yes, and is a featured artist on the 2009 CD release of When Pastors Meet.
The senior pastor presided over the dedication of the Dr. Mack King Carter Enrichment Center, 1530 NW Sixth St., on Oct. 28. The facility had been a long time in the making, under the leadership of Dr. Rosalind Osgood, CEO of the Mount Olive Development Corporation.
New Mount Olive will begin its anniversary celebration on Saturday, with a Church Family Pic-Nic, followed by two worship services on Sunday and additional activities in coming weeks.
For more information on the church, visit mountolive.org
Photo: Rev. Dr. Marcus D. Davidson
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