Meridian Street United Methodist Church celebrates their 200th anniversary this year. In 1821, the first church service was held in a brand new city, Indianapolis, and now they will celebrate with a year filled with events designed to honor the continued life of worship, service and community involvement for which Meridian Street has come to be known.

The centerpiece of the year of festivities is Celebration Terrace, a lasting legacy to future generations of Meridian Street Church in honor of its 200th anniversary. Envisioned as a space for peace, joy and celebration, it is to be built this summer on the front lawn between the two main buildings facing Meridian Street. This addition to the church property will add beauty to one of the most significant streets in Indianapolis. The community is invited to be part of Celebration Terrace by sponsoring a tribute brick, bench or tree. Order forms are available at the church; by e-mail at: 200years@meridianstreet.org or at www.meridianstreet.org/200years.

Nancy Hardin is the chair of the 200th Anniversary Planning Committee. Nancy's family joined Meridian Street when she was only 2 or 3 years old, so she has literally grown up at the church. "The constant of my life has been Meridian Street UMC and I now have the privilege of chairing the 200th anniversary of its great congregation." She went on to talk about the challenge of planning a year of festivities during a Pandemic. "Many of the events had to be reimagined in order to maintain the health and safety of those attending," she said. For example, a chili cook-off had been planned to highlight the mission work of Meridian Street and the many ministries supported through the years both here in Indianapolis and as far away as Zimbabwe, Africa. The event was reworked to become a cookbook filled with pictures, memories and facts about the mission work, as well as simmering with recipes compiled by members. The cookbook is currently available at the church.

Nancy described additional events including JuneFest that has been held annually for many years. "It began in 1976 as a bicentennial to the country. An outdoor large event has morphed into an annual picnic style gathering where we have events for kids and an outdoor service in a tent on the church property. We had hoped to have it again and highlight it as a Homecoming, but have had to scale back and move our Homecoming to the fall. However, we still hope past members will return and celebrate this bicentennial."

Many other fund events are planned through the year (COVID pending) including a historic tour that will visit former sites of the church, including Robert Park - Meridian Street's sister church located in downtown Indianapolis (401 N. Delaware Street), a family day trip to Camp Otto in western Indiana, scavengers' hunts and a dedication of the Celebration Terrace in September. Current events schedule can be found at the church website: www.meridianstreet.org/200years.

The Youth of the church are also selling coffee to fund their mission trip to Appalachia. Three blends are available and the coffee is sourced locally from Indianapolis and the neighborhood. The coffee is available at: meridianstreetgifts.org or through the church website.

Through the coming months, several former pastors will be returning to the pulpit to preach during Sunday worship services. On Celebration Sunday, March 14, the guest preacher was Rev. Anne Rosebrock, who served as church pastor at Meridian Street 2007 to 2016. Rev, John Wantz, who was senior pastor from 1998 to 2007, will preach in April 11th. Everyone is welcome to join the on-line service Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. at www.meridianstreet.org/live.

Current Meridian Street United Methodist Church senior pastor Steve Conger said, "One of the rewards of my work as pastor is the relationship that I have with people throughout their lives and their relationship with Christ from their birth to death." Pastor Conger came to Meridian Street in 2016 after serving at Ridge UMC in Munster and churches in Fort Wayne, Plymouth and Warsaw. He went on to say, "Our history is not perfect, but we have weathered the storms of the last 200 years and consistently shared the message of Jesus that we must love God and love our neighbors."

Andrea Neal, a former Indianapolis Star reporter and teacher of English and U.S. History at St. Richard's Episcopal School and Jason Lantzer, assistant director of the university honors program at Butler University, have co-authored a new book on the history of Meridian Street and Indianapolis. Great Is Thy Faithfulness: A Bicentennial History of Meridian Street Methodist Church is currently available through Meridian Street Church by calling the church office at (317) 253-3237 or on their website at www.meridianstreet.org/gifts or through the Indiana Historical Society's Basile History Market.

Meridian Street United Methodist Church's foundation traces back to the early days of the Hoosier State. Their journey continues at the crossroads of Indiana at 5500 N. Meridian Street [OO20 on map]. Join them to worship on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. on-line at: www.meridianstreet.org/live.