RPCNA | Great Lakes/Gulf Presbytery | West Lafayette (Indiana, USA)
- Organized: 2007
- Elders: Pastor Jared Olivetti, Keith Magill, David Carr, Benjamin Larson, Nate Pfeiffer
- Deacons: Jon Held, Sergei Spirydovich, Ben Brame, Cos Gardner, David Allgaier
- Members: 84 Communicant, 77 Baptized
History
I was born in Ohio and grew up in a Christian home, mostly in Indiana. While attending Purdue University, I became involved with the Navigators, whom God used to give me an interest in making disciples for Jesus. I also met my wife Lisa at Purdue and subsequently married into the RPC of Lafayette. There I found a church and mentors able to continue my training in ministry.
After graduating from Purdue, I taught students with behavior disorders for two years. After Lisa’s graduation from pharmacy school, we headed to Pittsburgh, PA to attend Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS). Then, the RPC of Lafayette called me back to serve as their associate pastor with the intention of church planting. Two years later, in 2007, Immanuel RPC began meeting in West Lafayette. From the beginning, the Lord has truly blessed our congregation with joyful unity and Spirit-given growth.
Fellowship and Outreach
Over the years, our congregation has been marked by creativity in fellowship and outreach. In addition to yearly Vacation Bible School, we’ve had several rummage sales, a bi-weekly outreach to the local Veterans’ home, and a yearly Thanksgiving Eve service. Through the influence of several of our younger members, we have been involved in the pro-life movement on many levels, including the adoption of children into many homes in our congregation. Other ministries include active small groups, a youth group, and increasing outreach to the many foreign students studying at Purdue University.
When people visit our worship services, they often remark on the number of covenant children (who outnumber the adults!) and the genuine joy God has given us in each other. Following a pattern we adopted when we shared our building with the former owners, we worship in the morning and have Sunday school classes in the evening after a time of singing and prayer.
A “Sending” Congregation
God has often stretched us by making us a “sending” congregation. We have sent many loved ones into other RPCNA congregations and reformed churches. Through them and many other connections, God has given us encouraging relationships with Christians around the world. I serve on a committee to oversee churches in Asia and our congregation regularly welcome missionaries to our Sunday evening services. IRPC supports and participates in local outreach to Chinese students at Purdue University. And we pray often for God to raise up our children up for similar missionary service in Jesus’ kingdom.
We benefit from the ministry of active deacons and caring elders. 2020 was a year of significant challenge but also significant growth, as God brought to us many new members. We are joyfully anticipating moving to a new building in West Lafayette, a former masonic temple, where we should have more space and opportunity to reach new neighbors.
Pastor Jared Olivetti and his wife, Lisa, have six children. Jared is continuing his education at Reformed Theological Seminary (Charlotte, North Carolina) and also maintains an interest in music and woodworking. He is a contributing author to the Gentle Reformation blog.
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