History of Mount Olive

"Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men." Psalm 107:8

1941First service on Easter Sunday, April 13, in the living room of private home on the corner of Holly Avenue and Mineral Point Road. Thirteen attend.
1942Harold Heuberger is installed at first pastor on July 12. Congregation formally organizes. Sunday School begins.
1943Congregation purchases land at Mineral Point Road and Westmoreland Boulevard.
1945First confirmation class meets in Calvary Student Chapel on State Street. Seven members attend.
1946Church begins offering two Sunday services to relieve crowding. Groundbreaking ceremony for new building is on July 6. A parsonage is purchased at 4125 Euclid Avenue.
1947First worship service in new building at 4018 Mineral Point Road is held in the unfinished basement.
1949Pastor Neuberger accepts a call to Milwaukee. William Rohlwing accepts a call to be Pastor at Mount Olive.
1954Adult bible study class meets for the first time.
1957Congregation meets in Hoyt Park for an outdoor worship service.
1960New parsonage is purchased at 4014 Mineral Point Road.
1962Groundbreaking ceremony for new, larger building. Last service held in original church is November 24. First service in new church is December 2 in the basement Fellowship Hall.
1963Church building is dedicated during two worship services, March 31 and April 7.
1964Midweek Christian Education program, Chapel School, starts.
1966Bernard H. Arkebauer is installed as Director of Christian Education and Music.
1968Moller pipe organ is installed and dedicated.
1970Communion schedule is changed to be either at early or late service on alternate Sundays.
1974Building added new offices upstairs and Luther Room on lower level. Horst William Jordan is installed as Associate Pastor.
1976Mount Olive celebrates 35th anniversary.
1977Phyllis Weiderhoeft is installed as Director of Education, Youth, and Music.
1978Pastor Jordan leaves Mount Olive to accept a call to Sheboygan.
1980Larry Thies is installed as Assistant Pastor.
1982Pastor Rohlwing retires. Pastor Thies is installed as Senior Pastor.
1984Phyllis Wiederhoeft resigns as Director of Education, Youth, and Music. Bernard H. Arekebauer dies and a garden is created in his memory. James Knuth is installed as Pastor.
1986The church sponsors missionaries John and Jeannette Eggert in Papua, New Guinea.
1987Mount Olive Christian Preschool opens under the direction of Janelle Tonsager.
1989Bonnie Broderick is installed as Christian Counselor and has office hours at Mount Olive. Robert Boehler is installed as Pastor, following the resignation of Pastor Knuth.
1991Mount Olive celebrates their 50th anniversary. The Voter’s Assembly initiates an expansion project to create new classrooms and an office wing.
1993Groundbreaking ceremony for education/office addition. House at 333 Westmoreland Boulevard is moved to prepare for construction. New building adds 11,400 square feet and is dedicated December 5, 1993.
1994Mount Olive begins practice of 5th grade communion.
1997First youth servant event to Mexico. Todd Clark begins a year of internship as Director of Christian Education.
1999Dan Freiburger is hired as Coordinator of Youth Ministry.
2003A call is extended to Janelle Tonsager to be Preschool Director.
2004Dan Frieburger resigns as Youth Coordinator. Tina Thompson is hired as Coordinator of Youth Ministry.
2005Jill Emmons begins the first Parish Nurse program at Mount Olive. Wheels to Worship, a member service that provides cab rides to worship, begins. Pastor Boehler accepts a call to Concordia University, Bronxville, New York.
2006Tina Thompson resigns as Youth Coordinator.
2007Jill Emmons resigns as Parish Nurse. Pastor Thies retires. Robert Degner accepts call to Intentional Interim Minister at Mount Olive.
2008After looking at many building options, Mount Olive congregation decides to make an offer to purchase the property at 110 North Whitney Way. Offer is accepted. Karen Marshall is hired and later resigns as Parish Nurse.
2009Jason Zobel is installed on August 16. Congregation has final worship service at 4018 Mineral Point Road on September 20. The following Sunday, led by the cross, members and friends walk together to their new church home at 110 North Whitney Way. Dedication service and celebration occurs throughout the day.
2011Ben Ahlersmeyer is installed as Vicar at Mount Olive.