OSUKirk is a presbyterian campus ministry
to students, faculty, and staff of the Ohio State University
and young adults in Central Ohio.

We are in the midst of a campaign to raise $3 million to build a sustainability fund which will fund our campus indefinitely.

Learn more about our campaign
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Our Vision Statement

OSUKirk, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), offers an open and inclusive environment to young adults of Central Ohio in their understanding Jesus and His call on their lives

Sign for Jacob's Porch at 45 E 13th Ave, with a church building, lush green lawn, trees, and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
Three women standing behind a table decorated with rainbow-colored pride items, outdoors in a park with green grass and trees, on a sunny day. One woman wears a sash with butterflies, the table has a rainbow banner reading "YOU ARE LOVED".
Logo of UKIRK Collegiate Ministries with a dark blue background and white text
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OSUKirk is a proud member of UKIRK, a national network of Presbyterian Church (USA) campus ministries.

UKirk stands for “University Kirk”, Kirk being the Scottish word for Church. Directed by efforts of the PC(USA) General Assembly, UKirk was created in 2012 as a result of a collegiate ministries strategy team. The national organization supports the Presbyterian Church’s philosophical and theological mission.

Learn More

Our Story

A man with glasses and a beard, wearing a brown jacket and a baseball cap, standing with arms crossed indoors.
A man with a beard playing an acoustic guitar in a music studio.
A smiling woman with curly silver hair and glasses stands in front of a bookshelf filled with colorful books.
Young man smiling outdoors, wearing sunglasses on his head, with a pine tree and scenic landscape of hills and forest in the background.
A woman smiling, wearing glasses with a colorful frame, a lavender tank top, and a butterfly necklace, standing against a background of newspaper pages.

In 2021, The Presbytery of Scioto Valley decided to partner with Jacob’s Porch in shared ministry to Ohio State University.

Jacob’s Porch is a collaborative ministry between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church(USA), the Mennonite Church (USA), and the United Methodist Church. JP draws from each of these faith traditions to make space for all people to wrestle with questions and grow in faith regardless of their tradition.

In 2023, the OSUkirk Board, which oversees the Presbyterian Ministry at Jacob’s Porch, received a three year grant from the Presbytery to call the Rev. Taylor Barner to serve as the full time Presbyterian Campus minister at Jacob’s Porch.

The purpose of the Sustainability Fund Campaign is to be able to keep gifted pastors like Taylor in full time ministry with our students, without having to spend a significant portion of their time fundraising.

OSUKirk meets weekly @ Jacob’s Porch
dinner + WORSHIP SUNDAYS @ 6:06 PM

“the thing” Small Group Discussions WEDNESDAYS @ 6:06 PM

at 45 E 13th Ave. Columbus, OH 43201

All Students, Faculty, and Staff of OSU, Capital, Columbus State, Otterbein, etc. and college-age young adults are welcome.

Following Jesus calls OSUKirk to stand in solidarity with voices of oppressed and marginalized communities

including but not limited to: folks who are LGBTQIA+, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Women and Individuals impacted by reproductive rights, and any voice silenced by oppressive systems.

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What our students are saying:

Gem Resendes - Active Student

“A space like Jacob’s Porch is important because there are a lot of students, especially queer students, that don’t feel like they have a safe place to explore faith. It is vital to show people that they are welcomed and loved and that happens here.”

A person with curly dark hair, wearing large glasses, a black hoodie with orange text, and a pendant necklace, sitting outdoors with greenery and a stone stack in the background.

Andru Pettit - JP Alumnus

“What kept me coming back to Jacob’s Porch was a feeling of family and familiarity. I had a connection to the community and a desire to gain a better understanding of God and build a better relationship with Jesus Christ.”