The Reverend Gilbert Pickett Sr. preached the last sermon of his pastorate at Mount Olive Baptist Church on Palm Sunday, April 5. He has been called to preach at Mt. Horeb in Corona, Queens. He is going back to preach in the church he grew up in.

"Leaving is bittersweet," he said. "I fell in love with Oyster Bay and Mt. Olive." He has been here four years and six months. Rev. Pickett is a salvation centered pastor. "I try to bring people to the Lord," he said.

"We are just heartbroken in a way and happy for another reason because he's stepping up to a higher level - to a very large church," said Deacon Jesse Harmon. "He will be able to do far more ministering. He would be hampered at our church because it is small. His new church is three or four times larger. He was born and raised there. His mother goes there. He was ordained to preach there. He is sort of a favorite son - going back home."

While Rev. Pickett is looking forward to his new position, he is still very concerned about Mount Olive as he leaves. "It's very important to be committed, consistent and concerned. When the entire membership follows that, it will flourish," he said. "That's what I tried to be - about God and about this community."

He is planning for the transition for the church as it seeks a new pastor. "Personally I think the church is in good shape," he said. He is setting up various classes for the transition to keep morale up, he said, "so they don't take this as a mourning period. God will provide a good under shepherd so the church will keep going," he said.

He sees Mount Olive as going through a difficult period ahead, but he too faces an unknown future. "I have challenges ahead. The pastor was there for 64 years. I have my hands full. It's not glamorous - a paradise that I am going to," he said.

"I feel my separation from Mount Olive. We are separating while still in love with one another," he said. "There is no bitterness or animosity in this leaving. The pastor and people are still very much in love - but I'm still being submissive to the will of God.

"It will be a tearful time. It has been every time I talk about it," said Rev. Pickett.

He talked about the job of being a pastor, how he started at Mount Olive and how he will work in his new church. "You have to make disciples. You get your disciples - people who join under you in the ministry, in line with your philosophy. You have to take it one day at a time. You have to get to know people."

He is a very young man to have learned so much. "It's a gift the Lord has given me - a people passion - the spirit of the sermon," he said.

"I can't say I didn't make mistakes. I did but I learned from them. I thank God for my mistakes.

"Not to the death," he added smiling. "The people of Mount Olive didn't point a finger at me and say 'I told you so!'

"This is my first church, my first community, my first love - so you go all out for that," he said. "Not money, nor time, there wasn't no-thing I wasn't willing to sacrifice. We thank God for the opportunity."

The Rev. Pickett sees Mount Olive as being in a good position for the transitional period. There are six to seven ministers in the congregation, including two licensed ministers and one being ordained by him. Doretha Custis and Johnnie Jones have been licensed to preach. "I'm still in the process of ordaining Lewis Marquart," he said.

The process of licensing begins when they are called upon by the Lord to preach and take direction from the pastor as they prepare themselves for the gospel ministry. Being ordained means they are able to perform weddings, funerals and serve communion.

The church will now start its process of finding a new pastor. Deacon Harmon is the chairman of the search committee. "After a month, I will select other members to be on the committee as required by the by-laws and constitution of the church."

"In the absence of the pastor, the chairman of the board of deacons is in charge of the congregation and the search for the new pastor.

"We were about 19 months, searching for a pastor when the former reverend left and the Rev. Pickett was found. There were 79 candidates from all over the county. We expect about 150 candidates for this search. It is done by process of elimination. We will make up a profile of the type of pastor we are looking for," he said.

Mr. Harmon has been on search committees before. He was on the one that brought Clifford McLean to be the Oyster Bay School District Superintendent of Schools.

During the duration of the search, or until he relocates, the Rev. Pickett will stay at the church parsonage. The house was bought after a fund raising done in Oyster Bay Cove by the Roosevelts and Derbys, said Mr. Harmon.

"He's like a son to me, and I have mixed emotions, but I am happy for him. He is such a talented, educated and spirit-filled person. I'm really going to miss him."