Glen O’Dell was ordained in 1937 as a minister in the Evangelical United Brethren denomination. He later served on the commission that oversaw the merger of the Methodist and EUB churches in 1968. Until he retired in 1973, Glen served as a pastor of churches in Dayton and in Indianapolis, conference superintendent of the Southern District of Indiana, and President of the Indiana Council of Churches. He returned to ministry in 1978 to serve as minister of visitation at Greenwood United Methodist Church and later in the same capacity at Mount Auburn, where he remained a member until his death in 2004. Glen worked tirelessly to develop programs for senior citizens. He was a founder of an AARP Chapter in Bedford, former president of the Central Indiana United Senior Action, former president of the Johnson County on Aging, a charter member of Greenwood Senior Citizens Center, and a member of Southern Marion county and Johnson County Child and Adult Mental Health Board. He was named Sagamore of the Wabash by Gov. Frank O’Bannon in 1997.
In 2009, construction was completed on the part of Mount Auburn Church that now includes Trinity Hall, The Courts, Senior and Middle School Youth Rooms, Community Room, and kitchen. In commemoration of Reverend A. Glen O’Dell’s ministries, it was named The O’Dell Family Life Center. “Uncle Glen,” as he was affectionately known at Mount Auburn, also started the Christmas tradition of bell ringing for The Salvation Army, which still continues today.”
