UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                         ------------------------------

         DATE OF REPORT (Date of earliest event reported): April 28, 2006

                         ------------------------------

                           FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                         -------------------------------

         INDIANA                     0-17071                     35-1544218
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission file number)        (IRS Employer
     of incorporation)                                       Identification No.)

                             200 East Jackson Street
                                  P.O. Box 792
                              Muncie, IN 47305-2814
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

                                 (765) 747-1500
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                  Not Applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
    230.425)

[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to  Rule 14a-12 under  the Exchange Act (17 CFR
    240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
    Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange
    Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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ITEM 5.02  DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR PRINCIPAL OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS;
APPOINTMENT OF PRINCIPAL OFFICERS.

           By  press release dated  April 28, 2006,  First Merchants Corporation
("Corporation")  announced  that Michael L. Cox,  President and Chief  Executive
Officer, is taking a temporary medical leave of absence. The Corporation's Board
of Directors has appointed Michael C. Rechin, Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating  Officer,  to perform the duties of the  Corporation's  President  and
Chief Executive Officer until such time as Mr. Cox returns to work.

ITEM 9.01  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(a)        Not applicable.

(b)        Not applicable.

(c)        Exhibits.

           Exhibit 99.1      Press Release, dated April 28, 2006, regarding the
                             matter referenced in Item 5.02.

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<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to  the requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                 First Merchants Corporation
                                        (Registrant)

                                 By:  /s/  Mark K. Hardwick
                                    --------------------------------------------
                                           Mark K. Hardwick
                                           Executive Vice President and
                                           Chief Financial Officer
                                           (Principal Financial and
                                           Principal Accounting Officer)


Dated:  April 28, 2006


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<PAGE>
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
                                 -------------

Exhibit No.
-----------
    99.1                Description
                        -----------
                        Press Release, dated April 28, 2006, regarding the
                        matter referenced in Item 5.02.


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                          First Merchants Corporation

                                 Exhibit No. 99.1

                       Press Release, dated April 28, 2006

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

April 28,2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Mark K. Hardwick, Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer, 765-751-1857
http://firstmerchants.com

SOURCE: First Merchants Corporation, Muncie, Indiana

FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION ANNOUNCES TEMPORARY MEDICAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE

First Merchants  Corporation  announced today that Michael L. Cox, President and
Chief Executive Officer, will be taking a temporary medical leave of absence. It
is  expected  that Mr. Cox will be on leave for  approximately  4 to 6 weeks and
will  resume his normal  duties upon his return.  In his  absence,  the Board of
Directors has appointed  Michael C. Rechin,  Executive  Vice President and Chief
Operating  Officer,  to perform  the  duties of  President  and Chief  Executive
Officer.

Mr.  Rechin  joined  the  Corporation  as  Executive  Vice  President  and Chief
Operating  Officer in November  2005. He most recently  served as Executive Vice
President of  Corporate  Banking for  National  City Bank,  managing its Indiana
operations.  During his tenure with National City, Rechin had responsibility for
all  commercial  banking  activities  involving  commercial  lending,   treasury
management, investment real estate, and international divisions.

Mr. Cox stated, "I am pleased that we have someone with Mike Rechin's competence
and experience to fulfill my responsibilities  during my absence. I look forward
to returning to work as soon as possible." The Corporation's Chairman, Robert M.
Smitson stated,  "The Board of Directors  express their full confidence that the
Corporation  will continue its progress towards meeting its 2006 goals under Mr.
Rechin's direction while Mr. Cox is absent."

Forward Looking Statement

In our press releases, we may make Forward Looking Statements about our relative
business  outlook.  These Forward Looking  Statements and all other  statements,
made in our communications  that do not concern historical facts, are subject to
risks and uncertainties that may materially affect actual results.

Specific  Forward  Looking  Statements  include  but  are  not  limited  to  any
indications  regarding the financial services  industry,  the economy and future
growth of the Corporation's balance sheet or income statement.

About First Merchants Corporation

First  Merchants  Corporation is a financial  holding company  headquartered  in
Muncie,  Indiana.  Subsidiaries of the Corporation include First Merchants Bank,
NA, Madison  Community Bank,  United  Communities  National Bank, First National
Bank, Decatur Bank & Trust Company,  Frances Slocum Bank, Lafayette Bank & Trust
Company,   Commerce  National  Bank  and  First  Merchants  Trust  Company.  The
Corporation  also operates First Merchants  Insurance  Services,  a full-service
property  casualty,  personal lines,  and healthcare  insurance  agency and is a
majority  member of Indiana  Title  Insurance  Company,  LLC, a title  insurance
agency.

First Merchants  Corporation's  common stock is traded  over-the-counter  on the
NASDAQ National  Market System under the symbol FRME.  Quotations are carried in
daily  newspapers  and  can  be  found  on  the  company's   Internet  web  page
(http:/www.firstmerchants.com).

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