History

History of Mt. Olive Ministries

Celebrating God’s Faithfulness

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The Apostle of Faith, Pastor A.A. Hall & Mother Riste Belle Hall, Founders

 

In the Spring of 1952, Apostle Atlas Augusta Hall, Mother Riste Belle Hall, and a few saints ventured out to start a house of worship. The saints who started out with Apostle Atlas Augusta Hall were Deacon Clinton L. Scott, Sis. Bernice Scott, & children, Elder Willie H. Stephenson, Mother Sallie P. Stephenson, Sis. Sarah Lamb, & children, Sis. Pearl Hayes, Sis. Elnora Blount, Sis. Daisy Murphy, & children, Bro Webster Person, Sis. Chetta Person & children, Bro. William Cauthern, Sis. Laura Cauthern, Sis. Arlise White, Bro. Walter White, & children, Elder Charlie Collins, Sr., Sis. Betty Collins & children, Bro. Eddie Joyner, Sis. Novella Joyner & children, Sis. Sallie Brown Stephens & her daughter, Bro. Charles Hatch, Sis. Blanch Hatch & children, Sis. Pernell Thorpe (Jones), Sis. Ellsworth, & many others.

 

Apostle Atlas Augusta Hall being led by the Holy Spirit had a vision to build God a house of worship. Services were initially held in his living room several times a week until a building was secured. Membership grew greatly during this time. As Moses led the children of Israel, so did Apostle Atlas Augusta Hall. He lead God’s people to a promised land of Faith, Healing and Health. The members prospered in whatever their hands touched. God in the flesh manifested himself in a mighty way. The initial location was 406 Roosevelt Street on the first and third Sundays. God provided Apostle Atlas Augusta Hall members to help establish his covenant in the earth. God added to the church musicians, great scholars of the Word, and members eager to learn more of the Word of faith.

 

Years later a building was secured in Suffolk, VA, and services were held on the second and fourth Sundays. Services also continued in Apostle Atlas Augusta Hall's home during the week, unless he was in revival. This continued until he was led to Hwy 258 S, where he stopped in a wooded area of the Riverdale community outside of Franklin, VA. The Holy Spirit spoke to him audibly and said, "This is the spot for the church." In obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he immediately sought to find out who owned the property. He persevered although the property owners did not want to sell initially.

The late Bishop Clinton L. Scott, the founder of Scott's Revival Center & Christ the Only Hope Ministries, in Franklin, VA, was a deacon at the time under Apostle Atlas Augusta Hall's ministry. Deacon Scott and his wife, Sister Bernice Scott had recently purchased a new home, they used their home as collateral to purchase the property for the new church. Volunteers from the Camp Town area and Camp Manufacturing Co. willingly helped Apostle Atlas Augusta Hall clear the wooded area to get the land ready to build a new edifice. Those men provided their help willingly for the preparation of the new edifice. The ministry was established 1952, and on the first Sunday in July 1955, MOHC had its first dedicatory service.

Apostle Atlas Augusta Hall was the Pastor from 1952 to 1995 when God called him from labor to reward. During Apostle Atlas Augusta Hall’s tenure the church purchased three buses, the first one was a school bus which the children named, M T. Ole Yellow Baby, and two diesel buses. A church sign was also installed. A man of Faith and belief that God would do nothing less than he promised in his word. Standing on the word of God he encouraged the saints to start raising money for a new edifice. He strongly believed that God would give the church a debt free edifice. He believed that if the members could build the church in the bank, then it was time to start building. On the Fourth Sunday in Oct. 1984, MOHC marched from the old edifice to the new edifice. It was a great dedicatory service. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held in front of the church with Southampton County officials, business men from the county and Franklin along with MOHC Ministries.

He passed the mantle to his son, Pastor Samuel A. Hall. Under his leadership the church has replaced the chandeliers, installed a sound system, re-upholstered the pews and laid new carpet in the sanctuary. The church has also paved the parking lot and had dusk to dawn lights installed, laying natural stones in the vestibule, developed a church logo and built rails around the altar. In Oct. 2007, the late Co-Pastor Margie D. Hall wanted to help feed the community and Mt. Olive started the Church’s Food Pantry. The volunteers were ready, willing and excited to be a part of such a great project.  Since her passing, Bishop Samuel Hall continued her legacy. Families in the tri-county area are being blessed through the Food Pantry. We are humble and very thankful for God’s goodness to us. MOHC members are glad to be a congregation that loves everybody and thankful to be under the Shepherd’s Care according to Psalm 23:1-6.

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A Legacy of Faith 

 

After the transition of the late Bishop Samuel Hall in December, 2021, the honorable Dr. Andrea Hall Leonard was selected as his successor and became the pastor designate. Upon the recommendation of her pastor, Bishop Samuel Hall, Dr. Leonard was licensed to preach the gospel by the presiding prelate and chief apostle, Bishop Richard H. Cross, Sr. February, 1999. She began serving as the acting executive administrator of Mount Olive September, 2010, after the passing of her grace, the late Co-Pastor Margie D. Hall. In June, 2015, Dr. Leonard was consecrated to the sacred office of pastor by Bishop Samuel A. Hall.  She was officially installed as the pastor of Mount Olive Holiness Church to oversee the local fellowship and move forward with the vision of  Mount Olive Ministries on March 12, 2022.

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Dr. Leonard is the daughter of the late Anna Ruth Hall Claude. She was reared by her grandparents the late Apostle of Faith, Apostle Atlas Augusta Hall, and Mother Riste Belle Bullock Hall. She is the wife of United States Navy Veteran Elder Richard D. Leonard of Marshall, Texas who was appointed as the executive administrator of Mount Olive March, 2022. The Leonards are the proud parents of six children.They have been involved in ministry at Mount Olive since 1995 and have served in various capacities. Mount Olive is pleased to welcome them as the new executive leaders.