Indianola Presbyterian, favorite of William Oxley Thompson, to celebrate 100 years

Ray Bruster
Fri, 16 Sep 2016 22:13:00 +0000
Area, Campus, indianola presbyterian church, ohio state, William Oxley Thompson

Indianola Presbyterian Church, which sits on Waldeck Avenue, was established in 1916. Credit: Nick Roll | Campus Editor

Indianola Presbyterian Church, once frequented by William Oxley Thompson, is set to celebrate its 100th anniversary with special events and services Saturday and Sunday.

Events, such as a historical presentation, choir concert, open house and a procession to the original site of the church, near the intersection of Indianola and West 15th avenues, are slated to be held Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m. and Sun from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thompson, who was the president of Ohio State from 1899 to 1925, and is the namesake of Thompson Library, frequently preached at the church during his tenure at OSU, said Skip Jackson, Indianola Presbyterian’s pastor.

The event is open to church members and the public, as a way to highlight Thompson’s role in bringing the OSU and church communities together, said Kathy Jackson, a church member involved with organizing the anniversary events.

“We want to celebrate the past as well as celebrate what’s going on currently,” Kathy Jackson said.

In an effort to maintain its relationship and historical ties with OSU, Indianola Presbyterian coordinates with UKirk, a campus ministry group, which meets at the church once a week, Jackson said. The church also coordinates service events with the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

“(Thompson) was very involved in education and saw this church as an experiment to improve the community,” Jackson said.

A full schedule of the church’s events is available on its website.