EXHIBIT 99(d)


N / E / W / S    R / E / L / E / A / S / E


November 27, 2001


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
James J. Thrash, Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer
765-747-1390, http://firstmerchants.com

SOURCE: First Merchants Corporation

EAST CENTRAL INDIANA FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FORM TITLE INSURANCE JOINT VENTURE

Michael  L.  Cox,  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer  of First  Merchants
Corporation, announced today that First Merchants has structured an agreement to
enter the title  service  business.  First  Merchants  will acquire the stock of
Delaware County Abstract Company and Beebe & Smith Title Company,  Inc., the two
largest title companies in Delaware County.

Upon  completion  of  these  transactions,  it is  intended  that  Mutual  First
Financial,  Inc.  in Muncie,  Indiana,  and  Americana  Bancorp  in New  Castle,
Indiana,  will join First  Merchants  and become  members of the  Indiana  Title
Insurance Company, LLC that will operate the title business.

R.  Donn  Roberts,  CEO of  Mutual  First  Financial,  Harry J.  Bailey,  CEO of
Americana  Bancorp,  and Michael Cox began  exploring this business  opportunity
several months ago. As major financial  institutions in the central and northern
Indiana markets generating both residential and commercial mortgages,  the title
service business will be a strategic adjunct to their lending activities.

James W. Trulock,  owner of Delaware County Abstract,  and James W. Smith, owner
of Beebe & Smith Title  Company,  Inc.,  will be the  principal  managers of the
ongoing  business.  Both of these individuals are attorneys and have been in the
title  business for many years.  Both companies have been fixtures in Muncie for
nearly 100 years and have the only full Indiana Land Title Association certified
title plants in Delaware  County.  As the business  develops,  it is expected to
expand throughout  central Indiana.  The closing of this transaction is expected
on or about December 15, 2001, with an effective date of January 1, 2002.

First  Merchants  Corporation  is an  East  Central  Indiana  Financial  Holding
Company.  Its  subsidiaries  include First Merchants Bank in Delaware County and
Hamilton Counties, the

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Madison  Community  Bank in Madison  County,  First United Bank in Henry County,
Union County National Bank, The Randolph County Bank, the First National Bank of
Portland  in Jay  County,  Decatur  Bank & Trust  Company in Adams  County,  and
Frances Slocum Bank in Wabash. The corporation  previously announced the pending
acquisition of Lafayette  Bancorporation.  The  Corporation  also operates First
Merchants Insurance Services, a full-service  property casualty,  personal lines
and healthcare insurer, headquartered in Muncie, Indiana.

Mutual  Federal  Savings  Bank is a wholly  owned  subsidiary  of  Mutual  First
Financial, Inc. and primarily services Delaware,  Randolph,  Kosciusko and Grant
Counties in Indiana.  The company stock is traded on the NASDAQ  National Market
under the symbol "MFSF".

Americana  Bancorp  is  a  bank  holding  company.   Through  its  wholly  owned
subsidiary,  Americana  Bank and Trust,  the company offers an extensive line of
banking  services and provides a range of investments  and  securities  products
through branches in central Indiana and in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area. As
its name  implies,  Americana  Bank and Trust also offers  trust and  investment
management services, has an interest in Family Financial Life Insurance Company,
and owns Americana Insurance Agency, a full-service insurance agency.