In the late 1800s, the people of the community of Elberta, in Sinking Valley, expressed a desire to form a congregation at the upper end of the valley. On Sunday, January 3, 1897, there was a meeting at the Bushman Schoolhouse (also know as the Mountain School) presided by Rev. H.M. Heilman. The new church was chartered with 11 members. Over the next 2 years, Rev. Heilman preached at the new congregation the 4th Sunday of every month.
A part of the Russel farm, about 3 miles from Altoona, was donated for the church site. In the spring of 1900 plans were drawn up for the church and the cornerstone was laid in August of that year. However, since the materials and labor were donated, construction was slow and the new church was not dedicated until November 16th, 1902. Prior to the dedication, services were held in the Bushman Schoolhouse and records show Sunday School attendance as early as January 3, 1897, the day of the organizational meeting.
During the Great Depression, there was little or no money for repairs or maintenance. The building deteriorated and eventually it was not safe to hold services there anymore. The church used the Bushman School during this time period. However in 1936, monies and labor were raised and renovations began on the church. Work continued for several years and the church building was rededicated on September 14, 1940. Reverend Allen Clay Lambert was the pastor and the rededication was done by Rev. Dr. Edmund Magee, the president of the Allegheny Conference.
Mt. Olivet partnered with St. John's Lutheran Church on the opposite side of the valley and the two churches and in 1962, a parsonage was built by the two churches and the pastor, Rev. Richard Marshal moved in. Sadly the partnership between the two churches ended around 2005 and they now worship independently.
Mt. Olivet continues to be a welcoming church, seeking to serve the needs of its members and the community at large. We welcome you to come visit us at 9:15 am on Sunday morning. We celebrate worship using the 3rd setting of the Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW, aka "the green book"). We hope to see you there