Mount Olivet Presbyterian Church

Today we worshiped at Mount Olivet Presbyterian Church, 4128 Route 151, Aliquippa, PA 15001, 724.375.5630, www.mtolivetpresby.com, Rev. Kevin A. Neal, Pastor.


Bob’s thoughts:

Olivet impressed me as a very pleasant, comfortable church. We seem to visit some churches when the pastor is away; perhaps this is God’s way of having us visit more than once. This church seemed to again prove my theory that internally-focused churches lack signage.

There is a great stained glass panel at the Chancel, uniquely framed by vertical woodwork the top of which is curved outward towards the Sanctuary. It gives the effect of the ceiling being curved.

At first I thought the organ was too strong, that it was drowning out the congregation, but then realized the people were hardly making any sound whether singing or reciting from the bulletin. There was zero passion and almost no volume. An exception was the worship of a small choir that came forward for the anthem.

The sermon was based on the Acts 16 account of Paul being freed of his bonds in prison by an earthquake and the effect on the jailer. I thought this was an interesting perspective on this story, however the speaker’s voice trailed in and out and I lost a lot of the message.

Often think there should be someone designated to signal the person doing the children’s sermon when they have gone too long. Don’t know anything about the speaker and look forward to meeting the pastor.


Jan’s thoughts:

This is a very attractive rural church that sits across the street from what looks to be a sprawling cemetery. The interior is nicely decorated and obviously well cared for.

The Sanctuary has lovely, bold stained glass windows with a matching designed window on the rear Chancel wall. I noticed no signage except on the front of the restrooms.

One of the Deacons spoke with us at length prior to worship and another woman greeted us afterward, but that was it.

We’ll have to go back sometime, as the installed pastor was away this week. The name was the only information given about the young man who filled the pulpit, so I can only suppose he was already known by the congregation. I was able to hear him just fine, but had difficulty understanding him due to the speed with which he spoke.

The message was based on Acts 16:16-40 and was entitled “The Prison Keeper’s Dilemma.” It’s an exciting portion of Scripture which “includes conversions, miracles, and earthquakes.” However the point was that none of these brought the prison keeper to faith in Christ…that only occurred as the result of an act of grace on the part of Paul and the other prisoners – that of staying in the prison and not taking advantage of the opportunity to escape, which would have cost the prison keeper his life. Of course, like the prison keeper, we are all saved strictly by grace.

It was a point that was worthy of note.