OSUKirk is the Presbyterian wing under the umbrella of Jacob’s Porch. The partnership officially started in 2021. Jacob’s Porch, an ecumenical campus ministry started by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, is a registered student organization at The Ohio State University and has been serving the community since 1926. While it began as a Lutheran campus ministry, Jacob’s Porch has since partnered with other like-minded, mainline Protestant denominations, including the United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, and, through OSUKirk, the PCUSA.

OSUKirk employs a full-time Presbyterian campus minister to work alongside the other ministers at Jacob’s Porch. Currently, Reverend Taylor Barner serves as our campus minister as of 2023.

It is an independent 501c3 non-profit organization, supported by the Presbytery of Scioto Valley.

OSUKirk is maintained by a Committee Board comprised of clergy and lay members from a variety of Presbytery of Scioto Valley congregations. This Board maintains an autonomous financial structure, while supporting and working alongside the umbrella organization, Jacob’s Porch.

OSUKirk is aligned with the doctrines, confessions, and values of the Presbyterian Church (USA). While there are numerous options for campus ministry (especially at Ohio State), only OSUKirk is endorsed by the PCUSA. We present a natural next-step for students coming from Presbyterian congregations to continue their spiritual journeys during their college years.

OSUKirk, together with Jacob’s Porch, is dedicated to ecumenical collaboration, interfaith dialogue, and the creation of spaces and programming that allow students the freedom to explore faith and their relationship with Jesus Christ without bias or fear of judgment. OSUKirk is proud to be an open and affirming ministry for all people regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or faith or creed.