Pastor of the Week

Reverend Richard Harkness

Olive Branch A.M.E Church

Originally born in Abbeville, he and his family moved in his early childhood and became members of an AME church in Columbia. This is when Harkness found his calling as a pastor. Since being assigned to pastorate Olive Branch, Harkness said he’s never been part of such a congregation that has such an active commitment from 70-years-old and older.

Harkness established various ministries within Olive Branch.

Those ministries are as follows:

10 Most Wanted Ministry

Golden Heirs Ministry

Media Ministry

Singles Ministry

Young Adult Ministry

Noon Day Bible Study

Youth Ministry

Afternoon Tutorial Program

Fourth Sunday

Harkness is a strong believer in bringing all Christians together despite race, in the wake of the mass shooting that claimed the lives of nine African- Americans during an evening Bible study at Mother Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015. He had been pastor at Olive Branch for only seven months when the tragedy struck. Long time friends with the late Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney, senior pastor at Mother Emanuel and representative of S.C. Senate’s 45th District, Olive Branch hung a permanent banner in their fellowship hall to honor and memorialize the “Emanuel Nine.”