| Since 1912, The Church Federation has given birth to many ministerial expressions as a visible sign of the Christian unity called for in John 17:21.
Founded by downtown Indianapolis congregations, the Federation has grown with a membership of both suburban and urban churches. It continues to serve as a partner in the Christian unity movement locally, nationally and internationally.
Trace nearly 100 years of Church Federation history below...
During the...
DURING THE TEENS
Worked to enact laws against gambling, liquor trafficking and prostitution (1912); investigated the proposed “automobile speed contest” to occur on Memorial Day (1912); pushed Mayor Bell to carry out his campaign promises for law enforcement in the city (1913); performed monthly vice surveys of spots where morals violations were suspected (1915); promoted high-school Bible study (1917); began worship at Ft. Harrison (1917); and employed a social worker to relate to families appearing before the court (1916).
DURING THE 1920s
Set standards for interracial justice and brotherly opportunity (1927); advocated for housing, education, business, medical care, restaurant and theater and employment equality (1920); opposed Mayor Duvall’s intent to accept only candidates endorsed by the KKK for positions in Board of Public Works (1925); received first United Way annual grant of $5,000 to relate social agencies to churches and perform probation work in courts (1923); directed local activity to approve or deny location of churches and assured church availability in every area of the city (1921); established a Committee in International Goodwill to support the Disarmament Conference (1921); and began weekday radio broadcasting (1926).
DURING THE 1930s
Worked to open up the IHSAA to black high schools (1939); urged Mayor Boetcher to establish a city Housing Authority (1936); developed Family Welfare Society and Indianapolis Employment Bureau directions for churches to create employment committees (1933); monitored legislation and administration of marriage licenses (1935); helped establish the Council of Church Women (1938); and prepared sermons for the Indiana AFL publication (1932).
DURING THE 1940s
Introduced ways for churches to respond to war-endangered community needs (1942); opposed universal compulsory military training (1945); helped establish the Indiana Council of Churches (1942); urged authorities to continue a drive to eliminate Indiana’s cultivation of marijuana (1941); advocated a Fair Employment Practices Committee and training facilities for unskilled workers (1942); established Round Table of National Conference of Christians and Jews (1943); and established religion relationships with Mental Hygiene Association to foster community understanding (1945).
DURING THE 1950s
Began weekly television programming locally (1951); hosted Billy Graham Crusade (1959); implemented chaplaincy service in police and sheriff’s departments (1958); redoubled efforts toward Sunday closings of local merchants (1954); fought three-year residency requirements for public assistance recipients (1958); accepted 1,242 juvenile referrals from local courts for service (1952); presented survey results on “Racial Practices of Individual Churches in Marion County” (1953) and moved from the Downtown YMCA to 1622 N. Meridian St. (1959).
DURING THE 1960s
Founded the city’s Christian Youth Council of 1,000+ (1961); established Committee on Exceptional Children (1961); initiated Social Worker-Clergy monthly dialogues (1966); supplied chaplains to Boy Scout Camps (1966); locally produced 13 television shows and seven radio shows (1966); developed city-wide plan for “Church Involvement In Civil Disorder” and trained 200 chaplains (1968); formed Indianapolis Pastoral Care and Counseling Centers (1964); developed and staffed Domestic Relations Counseling Service in Superior Court (1966); helped found Indiana Interreligious Commission on Human Equality (1968); and moved to the Indiana Interchurch Center near Crown Hill Cemetery and Butler University.
DURING THE 1970s
Formed HOME, Inc., later Interfaith Housing, Inc. (1973); enabled Township Trustees to provide food-stamp centers at public housing units (1970); formedDraft-GI Counseling Center (1971); served as catalyst to establish three united neighborhood service organizations (1970); developed Indianapolis Campus Ministry programs (1971); opposed Anita Bryant’s Rally for Decency and defended civil rights of homosexuals (1977); openly favored bussing for integration and met with principals to promote integration (1973); negotiated I.P.S. teacher strike (1979); developed Emergency Food Project city-wide (1975); developed Coalition for Adequate Transportation (1974); began Project on Aging and Programs on Independent Living (1979); began Institution Development Corporation and Juvenile Halfway House (1974); began Regional Ministerial Associations and Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (1975); and represented Speedway churches to Police and Sheriff concerning race-day
traffic (1976).
DURING THE 1980s
Promoted access to cable television and began monthly programs on local public issues (1982); publicly promoted prison reform and services to handicapped persons (1981); identified need for intercity school improvement and equitable tax structure (1983); addressed problems of homelessness and substandard housing (1982); established Task Force on Employment and Poverty (1982); granted start-up funds to Gleaners Food Bank (1980); provided seed funding for the state Coalition for Human Services (1980); and published a church/clergy directory of greater Indianapolis (1985).
DURING THE 1990s
Began local institution-wide clergy ID badge system (1990); pressed for resolution for police-action shootings within the city (1991); developed Family and Congregation Mentoring Program to target Center Township’s fragile families (1991); called church and community to dialogue and cooperation following events in the Tyson Trial (1991); began Interfaith Airport Chaplaincy program (1991); celebrated 80 years of service to church and community (1992); historic files of The Church Federation moved to the Indiana Historical Society for archiving (1994); developed strategic plan identifying the priorities of crime, education and race relations for the future (1993-94); The Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith elected Executive Director (1995); Capital Punishment Task Force and Forum established (1995); identified Covenanting Churches (1995); called church and community to a unified faith response to a Northside disturbance, and created the Sanctuary Church Movement involving prayer vigils at sites of violent homi 85th Anniversary Directory of Congregations and Ministers (1999).
DURING THE 2000s
Conducted annual spring Pastors/Christian Leaders Assembly (2000-05); focused on youth and violence in a public forum (2000); provided opportunity to meet and question gubernatorial candidates at Greater Indianapolis Urban Forum (2000); explored issues in the Sudan (2000); introduced annual "FaithFest! ' event (2000-04); Mayor Bart Peterson addressed Board of Directors (2000); conducted town hall meeting with Indiana Secretary of State and Governor’s Office (2001); adopted 2002-04 business plan (2001); hosted Hispanic-Latino Public Forum event with USA Mexican and USA Honduras Consulates; celebrated the Federation’s 90th Anniversary (2002); Pastors & Christian Leaders Summit examined church and community responses to violence and disaster; adopted a 2005-07 business plan (2004); introduced Annual Golf Tournament (2004-05); held Annual Convocations at East 91st Street Christian (2005) and Tabernacle Presbyterian (2006); call for back-to-school prayer for IPS students and faculty (2005-06); c2006 Directory of Congregations & Ministers.
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