The Reverend Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey is a proud native of Kansas City, KS. Considered an old soul, Adolphus was raised by his grandparents, James and Gurthie Winston. At an early age, they introduced him to the values he still holds dear: faith, punctuality, sacrifice, commitment, integrity, and achievement. Embracing these values compelled Adolphus to be the first college entrant and graduate of his family. His college journey would not be easy because his high school guidance counselor discouraged him from even thinking of college and consequently suggested that he attend the area vocation-training institute. This conselor based her suggestion on what Adolphus had done, not on what he could do. With dogged determination, faith in God, and the assisatance of a surrogate white family Adolphus studied and successfully graduated in the top 10% of his class. Although a Kansas Scholar, entitling him to attend in public university in the state of Kansas for free, Adolphus attended Morehouse College.

Due to financial constraints, he was unable to pursues the dream of graduating from the alma matter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He returned to Kansas and enrolled in Ottawa University. He worked and attended summer school in order to finish in four years. While he did not graduate at the valedictorion, he exerted great influence on his class. He founded the Black Student Union. He led a successful campaign that caused Ottawa University to divest from companies that supported South Africa’s apartied regime. He even mobilized neighboring Kansas University students to participate in an Anti-Columbus Day Parade.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in World History from Ottawa University, he attended Union Theological Seminary in New York. At Union, Adolphus led the Student Caucus, sang in the gospel choir, and participated in the National Capitol Semester for Seminarians (NCSS). While in NCSS, Adolphus attended Wesley Theological Seminary and interned in Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole’s office.

Upon receiving his Master of Divinity, he enrolled in Northwestern University doctoral program in Religious Studies. While at Northwestern, Adolphus taught introductory classes in Bhuddism and Judiams and served as a consultantant to the National Council of Churches. He earned a certificate as Community Developer from the Harvard Divinity School's Institute for Church-based Community and Economic Development and subsequently wrote his disseration on “Congregation as Community Developer: A Social History of the Abyssinian Baptist Church.” While at Northwersern he married Cheryl Matthews, from this union came two children Adolphus Matthew and Cameryn Alexandra.

During Adolphus’ tenure at Union and Northwestern, he served in a varity of capavcites at Grace Baptist Church culminating as Associate Pastor of Christian Education and Discipleship at Pastoral leader of Grace Baptist Church, Port St. Lucie, FL. Adolphus’ Christian nutriment coupled with his extensive community development experience aided in managing Grace Community Development Corporation, a not-for-profit interfaith social service agency. Under his leadership, the Grace Corporation launched seven Technology and Learning Centers in African-American churches; completed the construction of Richard Dixon Towers; activated a tri-county HIV/AIDS advocacy and training initiative in Black and Latino congregations, and instituted Westchester County’s first Freedom school.

In June of 2005, Adolphus was called to the Mount Olivet Baptist Church. He entered Mount Olivet with a vision to grow the church warmer through fellowship, deeper through discipleship, stronger through worship, broader through outreach, and larger through evangelism. Dr. Lacey is shepherding Mount Olivet into a five year journey: Vision 2010. Vision 2010 is a faithful and bold glimpse of what God has called Mount Olivet to be: A preeminent worshipping community that reaches throughout Westchester County, touching the rich and poor; old and young; black and white; male and female in an effort to create a beloved community. In February 2008 Pastor Lacey privileged to offer the opening prayer for a day of the 2nd session of the 110th Congress at the U. S. House of Representatives. He also was afforded the rare privilege of participating in an ecumenical prayer service with His Holiness Pope Benedict the 16th.

In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, Adolphus is an advocate for economic and racial equality and his counsel and advice are widely sought in the community. He is the immediate past president of the Peekskill Area Pastors Association and a founding member of the Cortlandt Taskforce on Diversity. He has served as an adjunct professor in the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY.