200 Years of First Presbyterian Church Columbus, Indiana: Honoring Our Past - Building Our Legacy

First Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Indiana, has fashioned a long and rich history since it was chartered on July 3, 1824, by circuit rider John M. Dickey, with 17 members in attendance.

But what really makes this congregation special is the good its done, and continues to do, in the community.

First Presbyterian Church, or its members of their own volition, have started many programs for the community’s common good.

In 1913, the Rev. Alexander Sharp Sr. helped organize the first Boy Scout troop in Columbus.Harold W. Turpin, pastor here in the 1940s, organized the first chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous in Columbus, The church opened the first preschool in town in 1954.In the 1960s, a childcare center was opened in the church that eventually became Children Inc.In 1972, the church helped start Y-Med, a program that allowed young mothers and mothers-to-be finish their education, giving both meeting space and financial assistance. The Rev. Warner Bailey was the guiding force in the establishment of a shelter for battered and abused women. Organized in June 1979, it is now known as Turning Point.Presbyterians were instrumental in starting the first homeless shelter in Columbus. A group from First Presbyterian that had renovated a home for an elderly widow sparked the formation of Housing Partnerships Inc. in 1990 with other churches. HPI is now doing business as Thrive Alliance.Hot Meals, offering food and fellowship for anyone in the community, has been conducted here each Friday evening since 1993.First Presbyterian member Juana Watson was the first director of Su Casa, a Hispanic resource center that opened in 1999. First Presbyterian covered much of startup costs.

There are more.

The how and why these events came about, as well as what impact they’ve had on the community, are detailed in this book.

But we don’t only want to look back; we also want this book to inspire efforts we are still undertaking to build our legacy. With that in mind we hope you get a sense of not only where we’ve been, but also where we are now and where we plan to go from here. Those plans include continuing to advocate for and serve the same people Jesus spent so much of his ministry serving ... those on the fringes of society.

＂The son of man did not come to be served but to serve.＂ - Mark 10:45.