Sunday morning, I dropped in on our team at Elwood Central Wesleyan Church. It was good to catch up with Amanda and Noah Capshaw. Amanda is pressing forward and continues to express her appreciation for the prayers and generosity of the Crossroads District team.
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It was also helpful to connect with the treasurer, head trustee, and the LBA vice-chair. They are encouraged by how well the church is doing as they’ve pulled together in this crisis. Rev. Marc Watkins is graciously serving as the supply/interim pastor for Central Wesleyan through the remainder of the conference year. Pastor Watkins preached about the freedom that we can find in Christ and in community with other disciples. I’m grateful for his willingness to bless the church in this difficult time.
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Last Monday morning, I checked in with Pastor Matthew Trexler and members of his Region 1 pastors cohort as they worked through a leadership book and encouraged one another in prayer. Each of our three assistant district superintendents commits to a monthly mentoring session with pastors in their region. If you’d like to be included in a mentoring cohort, please reach out to your region’s ADS.
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Monday evening, the fall group for our district course on Wesleyan Church History and Discipline met via Zoom. It has been fun sharing this learning journey with this group of pastors in our district who are preparing for ordination. They come from a variety of backgrounds and are asking good questions. We have our final wrap-up session of this course this Saturday at Lakeview Wesleyan Church.

Tuesday morning, I met with Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck in Noblesville for our annual coaching conversation. Rich and Carol lead the growing Circle of Hope network of churches with congregations in Anderson, Noblesville, Beech Grove, and Bangladesh. Carol also serves as District Secretary. They reported good progress across the network and are excited for the future as they continue to co-pastor.

Tuesday evening, I was in Clinton, Tennessee for a special session of the KY-TN DBA. DS Aaron Sherman is on a well-earned sabbatical leave and had asked me to serve as a resource person for their DBA while he is away. Aaron was able to join us for this meeting via Zoom. They have a great group serving on their DBA and it is a blessing to partner with them in the Heartland Region.
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Wednesday morning, Dr. Anita Eastlack and her team at CMAD welcomed me (via Zoom) for a leadership development lesson followed by Q&A on ways their team can best serve our district.

Thursday and Friday, I joined with President David Wright and his team for the annual fall meeting of the IWU Board of Trustees. We were blessed to have Dr. Chris Bounds open the fall session with a challenging devotional. These are difficult days in Christian higher education. Dr. Wright is a valued brother in Christ who has a daunting task of navigating the perilous waters while maintaining the core values and mission of our denomination’s leading university. This weekend also marked the formal gathered celebration of last year’s 100th anniversary. Please keep Dr. Wright and IWU in your prayers.
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Friday evening, October 15, Sherry and I were blessed to host another “Friday Fellowship” with pastors and spouses from across our district. Rev. Mark and Ronda Atkinson joined us from Gas City Eastview, Rev. Tony Bye joined us from Marion Brookhaven, Rev. Martin and Misty Furrow joined us from Rochester The Cross, and Pastor David and Suzanne Cox joined us from Laketon Wesleyan Church. Rather than assigning nights to each zone, as in previous years, we’ve opened up the dates for pastors and their spouses to select an evening that works best for them. It has been fun seeing team members making new connections from different parts of our state. We’ll look forward to welcoming our next group on Friday evening, November 19.
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Saturday morning, I joined with Dr. Bob Hallett and the congregation at Lone Oak Wesleyan Church for their Vision Defining Retreat. Dr. Hallett is serving as the interim pastor this year at Lone Oak and is drawing from his years of fundraising and consulting experience to help this church envision God’s best for their future. I am grateful for the way that Dr. Bob and Carol, his wife, invest in our churches!
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Nothing is more exciting to our district team than stories of changed lives. Pastor Gary Bingham and the team at Marion Hillside Wesleyan Church celebrated four baptisms on Sunday. We join them in praising God for these lives that are being #MadeNew! (If you’ve had a baptism service in your church, please share the stories and photos that we can pass along to our team.)
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October is Pastor Appreciation Month! Information was sent to our lay leaders in each church but anyone can take the initiative to affirm your pastor. Here’s the link for some excellent resources to help you make this a special opportunity for your congregation to bless your pastoral staff members: https://resources.wesleyan.org/pam

Calling all Crossroads District retired ministers. We would love to have you join us for the Retired Ministers and Spouses Fellowship on Friday, November 12, at College Wesleyan Church in Marion. You may register by emailing: office@crossroadsdistrict.org or by leaving a voicemail message at our office: 765-674-8593
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Special Invitation: Rev. Carla Working, Vice-Chair of the Crossroads DBMD will be leading a Q&A session on Sunday afternoon, 3:30 pm, at Restoration Church, 1217 Meridian Street in Anderson for present or potential ministerial students who would like to learn more about the ordination preparation process. Rev. Mike Weller has emerging leaders at Restoration Church who are exploring their call to ministry. They invited Carla to meet with them and are glad to open it up for others in the Anderson area who would like to participate.

​Make plans to join us for The Heartland Gathering on March 22-24, 2022 in Pigeon Forge, TN. Each church received a scholarship for one pastoral couple to register that can also be applied toward the THRIVE initiative. We’re excited for this opportunity for our pastoral families to rest and renew together. For the speaker lineup and more detailed information, please visit:
​https://gathering.heartlandregion.org
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​Thank you for partnering together in the Harvest. There are still 3 million people to reach in Indiana!

Your servant in Christ,
​
Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, October 10, I had the privilege of preaching in the three morning worship services at Pathway Church in Warsaw. Rev. Jarod Osborne and his team are doing a great job regathering the congregation in this challenging season. They have launched a new third service simply called “116” in reference to Romans 1:16. This service makes use of creative video elements and concludes with people gathering in circles across the auditorium to discuss the message and pray for each other. They also celebrated a baptism in this service last weekend. Pray for Pastor Jarod and the Pathway team as they reach out to multiply disciples in Warsaw and beyond!
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It was a blessing again this week to connect one-on-one with pastors for coaching conversations. Pastor Sam Maddox (Albion Wesleyan) and I were able to sit down together on Tuesday morning for our coaching conversation and prayer. Pastor Alan Downing (Frankfort Connecting Point) and I met for our conversation and prayer in Kokomo on Wednesday morning, and then I connected with Pastor Allen Gross (United Family Church) in Cicero on Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday evening, I joined in with Pastor Matthew Trexler and more than 200 people for the “First Wednesday” Prayer and Praise service at The River Church in Marion. Several of our district churches have been following up their “21 Days of Prayer” with these monthly gatherings to continue building spiritual momentum for this season of harvest. Last month, I dropped in on Pastor Johnnie Blair and the team at Tipton Trinity who are holding their prayer gathering on the first Saturday morning of each month. It can look different in every church but I’m grateful every time I hear reports of our congregations ramping up their commitment to prayer.
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Thursday morning, Pastor Ryan Budde (Jonesboro Westview Wesleyan) and I met in his office for our coaching conversation. It was also good to walk through the remodeling that they’ve been doing in their facility. Later that morning, I was able to attend the family visitation and extend our sympathies to Mrs. Cheryl and Rev. Doug Sharrard before the funeral for her mother.
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Rev. Chris Williams, Chair, and Rev. Carla Working, Vice Chair and Secretary, did a great job in leading the district-wide DBMD this week in interviewing eleven pre-ordination candidates at College Wesleyan Church. Our meetings began at 5 pm on Thursday and continued on through Saturday noon. We have another seven candidates who may be ready for their pre-ordination interviews in January. The District Board of Ministerial Development (DBMD) may be the most important team in our district as they help prepare the next generation for a lifetime of leadership in our denomination. Thank you to every DBMD member, from the zone to the region to the district, who prayerfully and generously invests in our ministerial students.
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Thank you for to every pastor in our district who faithfully preaches the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ and invites people to become His disciples! We are rejoicing with with Pastor Jeff Luedtke and the team at Fairmount Wesleyan Church as they celebrated 2 baptisms last Sunday.
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We are also rejoicing with Pastor Eric George and the team at Muncie Memorial Drive as they baptized three new believers this Sunday. Praise the Lord for these lives being #MadeNew!
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October is Pastor Appreciation Month! Information was sent earlier by email to the lay leaders in each church. Here’s the link for some excellent resources to help you make this a special opportunity for your congregation to bless your pastoral staff members:
​https://resources.wesleyan.org/pam

There is still time to register for the Retired Pastors and Spouses Fellowship on Friday, November 12, at College Wesleyan Church in Marion. You may register by emailing: office@crossroadsdistrict.org or by leaving a voicemail message at our office: 765-674-8593
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Plan to join us for The Heartland Gathering on March 22-24, 2022 in Pigeon Forge, TN. Each church received a scholarship for one pastoral couple to register that can also be applied toward the THRIVE initiative. We’re excited for this opportunity for our pastoral families to rest and renew together. For the speaker lineup and more detailed information, please visit:
​https://gathering.heartlandregion.org
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​Thank you for partnering together in the Harvest for the 3 million people yet to be reached in Indiana!

Your servant in Christ,
​
Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday, October 3, I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Matthew Trexler and The River Church congregation in each of their three morning worship services. In addition to powerful worship in song and a compelling message from Pastor Matthew, the church family celebrated four baptisms! After the last service, Sherry and I hosted the Trexlers for lunch. Last conference year, River Church led our district team with 58 professions of faith and 32 baptisms. Rev. Trexler also serves as our Assistant DS for Region 1 and in that capacity he hosts a leadership development cohort each month.
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Pastor Matthew and their team have a heart for the least of these in Grant County, but they also have a vision for the world. This year, they are blessed to see one of their own members, who was saved through their ministry, answer the call to join the Global Partners team in the Czech Republic. Amanda Banter is stepping out in faith, supported by The River and several other district churches, for her first term of missionary service. Yesterday, Amanda was excited to share that her committed support is now over 93% and that her visa application has been approved. There is still time to join Amanda’s support team with your giving and prayers. https://www.globalpartnersonline.org/missionary/wm04-0433/

Last Monday, after sending off the Team Update, I was able to join Pastor Matthew and his leadership cohort in Marion over lunch. It was good to see how these pastors are encouraging and stretching each other to lead well in this challenging season of ministry.

Tuesday morning, Pastor Mike Colaw (Region 2 Assistant DS) and the team at Indianapolis Trinity welcomed Region 2 pastors for a leadership learning opportunity with Pastor Ken and Serena Murphy. Many of you will know Pastor Ken from his effective ministry leading Cypress Wesleyan Church in Columbus, Ohio. Ken and Serena shared helpful insights for ministry and marriage. Ken reminded us that the enemy of our souls often uses the tools of distraction and discouragement. He encouraged leaders to establish and protect healthy rhythms. They also stressed the importance of “…working together with one mind and purpose.” (Philippians 2:2 NLT)
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I enjoyed the coaching conversations last week which now include both pastors and their key pastoral staff. Rev. Cathy Howie serves with Pastor Mike Colaw at Trinity Church and we met together on Tuesday afternoon. In addition to a variety of responsibilities at the central campus, Pastor Cathy is the point person for their campus in Garfield Park. On Wednesday morning, I met with Rev. Mike Schultz, leader of the East Fishers campus and then shared lunch with Rev. Jorge Escalante, leader of Trinity’s growing Hispanic ministries. My last coaching conversation on Wednesday was with Rev. Neftali Lopez. In addition to pastoring Carmel Amistad Iglesia Wesleyana, Neftali serves as a chaplain for IWU in Indianapolis and manages a restaurant in Fishers.

Thursday morning, I met with Pastor Kalina Carlson Smith who serves on staff with Rev. Kyle Horton at Fort Wayne Three Rivers Church. Kalina is in the final stages of ordination preparation and is having an effective ministry with youth and discipleship at Three Rivers. Pastor Andy Jellison and I met in New Haven for our coaching conversation. Rev. Rick Fletcher is edging toward retirement and passing the baton to Andy in their planned succession journey. If you’re considering retirement in the next few years, Rick and Andy can share some good insights from their process.
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Friday, I was back in Indianapolis to attend the funeral of Mrs. Vicki Shepherd. I’ve had the privilege of working with Dr. Carl Shepherd, her husband, in his role as board chair at IWU and as a member of the General Board. Carl and Vicki have been a tremendous example of fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ in their local church, denominational, and global engagement. There were many beautiful tributes to Vicki but none was more meaningful than the video testimony of a young woman that Vicki had led to Jesus Christ while she and Carl served together in a Muslim country in Central Asia. Our prayers and sympathies are extended to Carl and his family as they carry on Vicki’s legacy of love and lay ministry.

Saturday morning, I joined Rev. Chris Williams and leaders in Region 3 at The Bridge Church in Logansport for a conversation around the book “Lead Like Wesley.” Pastor Chris serves as Assistant DS for Region 3 in addition to leading the ministry at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. It was good to connect with these pastors and to hear stories of the ways that God is moving in their ministries!
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Our Crossroads District team loves to celebrate redemption stories. In addition to the four baptisms on Sunday at The River yesterday, Pastor Eric Roemer and the team at Greentown Wesleyan Church shared the exciting report and photos from their celebration service with four baptisms on the previous Sunday. Praise the Lord!
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I also love hearing stories of how our churches are finding creative ways to share the love of Christ with their neighbors and friends. This past week, Pastor Mike Weller and the team at Restoration Church in downtown Anderson collected supplies, made up 200 care packages called “Blessing Bags” and passed them out to people in need. Mary, pictured here with Pastor Mike, had the vision for this outreach and their entire team rallied around to accomplish this practical expression of God’s love!
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October is Pastor Appreciation Month! Information was sent earlier by email to the lay leaders in each church. Here’s the link for some excellent resources to help you make this a special opportunity for your congregation to bless your pastoral staff members:
​https://resources.wesleyan.org/pam

There is still time to register for the Retired Pastors and Spouses Fellowship on Friday, November 12, at College Wesleyan Church in Marion. You may register by emailing: office@crossroadsdistrict.org or by leaving a voicemail message at our office: 765-674-8593

​Plan to join us for The Heartland Gathering on March 22-24, 2022 in Pigeon Forge, TN. Each church received a scholarship for one pastoral couple to register that can also be applied toward the THRIVE initiative. We’re excited for this opportunity for our pastoral families to rest and renew together. For the speaker lineup and more detailed information, please visit:
https://gathering.heartlandregion.org

Thank you for partnering in the harvest for the 3 million in Indiana!

Your servant in Christ,
​
Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, September 26, Dr. Oliver Dongell and the team at Plymouth Wesleyan Church celebrated their 50th anniversary of the faith-filled journey from a landlocked facility to their present spacious campus on the south end of the city. The first planting attempt in Plymouth happened in 1843 but the present congregation dates its root back to evangelistic meetings held there in 1893.
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It was a real privilege to celebrate with them in both the 9 a.m. service (Gaither style) and the 10:30 service (Third Day style). They had a hall of memories with pictures of members and ministers from years past, including familiar faces like Rev. Lyle and Pat Breeding, Rev. Geoff (Jeff) and Arianna Eckart, and Rev. Robert Kenworthy (deceased) long-time pastor and former DS of the Indiana North District. Pastor Ollie and his team hosted everyone for a chicken dinner after the second service and they also set up huge inflatables for the children in their gymnasium.
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​Under Dr. Dongell’s leadership, Plymouth Wesleyan is regaining in-person worship attendance and launching new ministries including a men’s hunting group and a new group for younger mothers. Pray that this next chapter of ministry will be blessed by God as Plymouth Wesleyan reaches out to their community with the Good News!

Sunday afternoon, I met with Pastor Ruben and Susana Santos in their home in Goshen. God has been blessing their outreach work with a South Bend extension of Elkhart’s Cielos Abiertos. They are also connecting with families in Goshen and now in Warsaw. Pray as they continue to make disciples, primarily among the growing Hispanic communities in these cities.

In addition to normal flow of telephone consultations and staff meetings, last week’s calendar included coaching conversations with Rev. Shane Wilson (Columbia City New Hope), Rev. Lane Sander (Bluffton Sonlight) and Pastor Thomas Beck (Larwill Wesleyan). We have a wonderful team of pastors!
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Sherry and I always appreciate the opportunity to host district pastors and spouses in our home. In previous years, we’ve hosted folks from one zone at a time. This year, to provide greater flexibility to our pastors and to increase the interactions from across the district, we opened up several dates from which pastors can select one that works best for them.

This past Friday night, we welcomed our first five couples for the new season, none of whom knew who else might be attending. This group represented churches in Monon, Anderson, Chesterfield, Bryant, and South Bend. We had Americans, Canadians, and Venezuelans. Between the 12 of us, we could speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, and even a little French. It was great to enjoy a meal, laugh together and pray for one another as brothers and sisters in the ministerial family of the Crossroads District!

Saturday, I was blessed to spend the day with 17 of our district ministers in training. The Crossroads District received approval from Education and Clergy Development to offer a Wesleyan Church History and Discipline course as a noncredit opportunity to complete this ordination requirement.
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The class was a beautiful expression of Kingdom diversity in age, gender, ethnicity, and ministry contexts, from established multiple-staff congregations to new church plants. We’ll be doing our next five sessions via Zoom and then concluding with another full day on October 23. Special thanks to Rev. Chris Williams and Lakeview Church for graciously hosting our students and to Rev. Carla Working for her exceptional assistance as course registrar.
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Nothing brings more joy than hearing reports of lives being changed by the Gospel and people making public professions of faith through baptism celebrations. This week, we have already received word from Rev. Tim Becker, pastor of Elwood Main Street Wesleyan Church, that they baptized 5 new believers on Sunday. Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew!
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Dr. Mark Schnell, who has been serving with me in interim ministry at Hartford City Wesleyan Church, had the joy of baptizing one young man yesterday morning. Two other ladies were scheduled to take this step of faith but Covid-19 guidelines resulted in postponement. I want to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Schnell for coming alongside me as we’ve served HCWC together for the past six months. Mark successfully defended his dissertation and completed his Ph.D in homiletics from the University of Toronto this summer while serving with us. Dr. Schnell also continues to teach preaching as an adjunct for Indiana Wesleyan University and Wesley Seminary.
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I have been serving Hartford City Wesleyan as "very part-time" interim pastor for the past year since the unexpected transition of their senior pastor last summer. With Covid restrictions lasting longer than anticipated, I encouraged the board to consider a full-time interim pastor and directed them to TIPS (Transitional Interim Pastor Services), a group of Nazarene and Wesleyan pastors who do this well. We have signed an agreement with TIPS that will officially begin on October 1. Dr. Schnell had joined the team as my assistant for preaching and congregational care, so when I stepped away from my service to HCWC effective September 30, Mark’s position also concluded. Mark is an exceptional teacher and preacher. If you have supply preaching opportunities, please reach out to me and I can pass along Mark’s contact information.
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Plan on joining us for The Heartland Gathering on March 22-24, 2022 in Pigeon Forge, TN. We’re excited for this opportunity for our pastoral families to rest and renew together. For the speaker lineup and more detailed information, please visit: gathering.heartlandregion.org

​Retired pastors and their spouses are reminded that they have been invited to join us for our Fall Fellowship to be held 10:30 to noon on Friday, November 12, at College Wesleyan Church in Marion. You may register by emailing: office@crossroadsdistrict.org or by leaving a voicemail message at our office: 765-674-8593

Let’s keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,
​
Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck at Circle of Hope’s Noblesville campus yesterday morning. Many of you will know that the Circle of Hope network includes campuses in Anderson, Beech Grove, and Bangladesh. One of the special guests in this service was Carol’s brother, Ron, who was prayed for during 45 days of being intubated and battling Covid. Annette Spencer, one of the Circle of Hope team members, shared the morning message on praying for God’s will in healing.
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In addition to their leadership in the local church, Carol and Rich both serve in leadership roles for the Crossroads District. Rev. Carol Schenck is District Secretary and Rich, who continues to serve in the Region 2 DBMD, has accepted an appointment leading our multi-ethnic ministry task force. Dr. Schenck is also an adjunct faculty member with IWU and works with Global Partners to provide pastor training in Bangladesh. I am grateful for their leadership and thankful for this opportunity to worship with their team at Circle of Hope.

Following the service in Noblesville, I checked in on Pastor Joe Jackson and the team at Anderson United Wesleyan at their “Sunday Funday” community outreach. The United team has been prayer walking in their community and passing out invitations to this special event. They held a combined English/Spanish worship service outdoors under a tent and then shared a cookout together. Pastor Joe was encouraged that eight new guest families accepted their invitation to join them for the meal and activities. Pray with their team as they follow up with these new friends!
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Sunday evening, I had the privilege of joining with Pastor Mike and Elizabeth Weller at Restoration Church, the missional community that they are leading in downtown Anderson. Pastor Mike and his team host a supper every Sunday evening. People gather around the tables for the evening’s teaching and then are hosted in guided conversations at the table as they share supper.
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Restoration Church also hosts an outdoor worship service on one Sunday evening each month. Last month, they had 54 in attendance for the outdoor service and averaged 25 for their supper church gatherings. They also offer weekly Celebrate Recovery groups, one evening for men and another for women. I’m grateful for the Weller’s and this team with a compelling vision for bringing God’s love and healing to the inner city.

Last week was full with coaching conversations, staff meetings, being a guest on a podcast, and preparation for our quarterly meeting of the Crossroads District Board of Administration. The DBA met at the Branch coffee shop in Fairmount on Thursday. We began in the morning with an orientation for newer members and the regular meeting commenced after lunch with a full agenda. It was exciting to see the steps that churches are taking to make progress in spite of the pandemic. Dr. David Smith, professor at IWU and a shepherd to district pastors, brought an encouraging update and shared copies of his newest book.

The DBA was saddened to receive written communication from Lee Miller that he was withdrawing his church planting project (Muncie Crossover Church) from our denomination and turning in his ministerial credentials. Dr. Ed Love, his coach, and I have made repeated attempts but Lee is not open to meeting with us yet. We do pray that God will bless Lee and his team as they obey what they sense to be God’s leading. We want every Gospel-preaching church in Indiana to be blessed of God as we work together to reach the 3 million Hoosiers still without Christ.

I was in Richmond on Friday morning to meet with Rev. Claudia Silva for our annual coaching conversation. While I was in Richmond, I was also able to catch up with Dr. Steve Bray who is halfway through his sabbatical. He’s doing well and learning a lot but Steve can’t wait to get back to leading the team at LifeSpring Church in November. For those of you pastors who are considering sabbaticals, I learned this week that the Lilly Endowment Fund has updated their funding approval requirements. The application deadline is November 1. Here’s the link for your planning and application.

Saturday morning, I dropped in on the Region 2 District Board of Ministerial Development as they prepared to interview ministerial candidates. Rev. Clifton Ashlock chairs this regional team and Rev. Joyce Dixon is their secretary. It was so good to see Pastor Randy Yaryan who is recovering after a very difficult battle with Covid. We also gathered around Rev. Logan Westrick to pray for his granddaughter in Dayton, Ohio that needs a medical miracle.
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Pastor Andy Riemersma and the launch team as Westfield ONE Church hosted another community gathering on Sunday evening. They welcomed around 60 people for this vision-casting session with at least 15 of those being first-time guests. Pray for Pastor Andy and Leanza as they continue to build the team and move toward their January launch!
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Heaven joins us in rejoicing over lives being #MadeNew by the Gospel of Jesus Christ! I’ve received reports from baptisms from Pastor Dan Van Cise and the team at Marion West 8th Street Wesleyan Church, from Pastor Neftali Lopez and the team at Carmel Amistad Iglesia Wesleyana (6 baptisms and three children dedicated), Pastor Oliver Dongell and the team at Plymouth Wesleyan (4 baptisms), and Pastor Theo Griffin and the team at Greenfield Browns Chapel Wesleyan (3 baptisms). Praise God for these wonderful reports of Kingdom advance!
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Thank you to every church in our Crossroads District who has stepped up to bless Rev. Ben Capshaw’s family. With the matching gifts from ECD and the district’s Thrive Fund, the total has now surpassed $75,000. I am grateful to each pastor who led their church in responding to this heartbreaking tragedy. God is honored by your compassionate generosity and is answering your continued prayers!

Plan on joining us for The Heartland Gathering on March 22-24, 2022 in Pigeon Forge, TN. We're excited for this opportunity for our pastoral families to rest and renew together. For speaker lineup and more info, visit: gathering.heartlandregion.org
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​Let’s keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday evening, I joined with Pastor Jerome Bell and his team at Autumn Hills Church on the north side of Pendleton as they launched into weekly worship services. They’ve decided to meet on Sunday evenings (5:30 p.m.) for now after listening to the input of their unchurched friends and neighbors. Pastor Jerome and Lenita Bell, his wife, live in Pendleton where Lenita teaches in the public school system.
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I appreciated Pastor Jerome’s message on the impact of tables in Jesus’ ministry. It was encouraging to see several first-time guests and I was thankful for the area pastors who came out to show their support. Rev. Joe and Jennifer Jackson, who were themselves church planters before coming back home to serve at Anderson United Wesleyan, have been a special encouragement to the Bell’s in this startup season. Join me in praying that God will bless the efforts of the Autumn Hills team to reach many in the 70% of Madison County who are unchurched.
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Sunday morning, College Wesleyan Church celebrated the 20th anniversary of Dr. Steve and Lori DeNeff’s ministry at College Wesleyan and in the Marion community. I was glad to be there to represent our district team. In addition to a video with powerful testimonies and commendations, General Superintendent Dr. Wayne Schmidt came to personally express his appreciation for Dr. DeNeff’s leadership influence across and beyond The Wesleyan Church. The congregation also hosted a reception on Sunday evening for the DeNeffs. We are grateful for Steve and Lori’s Kingdom impact as part of our Crossroads District team and pray that God grants them many more years of anointed ministry!
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Fairmount Camp hosted their 49th annual Married Couples Retreat (MRC) this past weekend. I slipped in for their closing service as Rev. Brian and Cara Burke shared insights for healthy marriages from their ministry with Wellsprings of Freedom. I heard good reports from the weekend with 62 couples registered, many of them from our district churches including several pastoral couples. The leadership team is looking forward to next year’s 50th anniversary MRC (September 9-11) and encourages couples to reserve their tickets as early as possible.

It was good to be on the road again last week for coaching conversations with Pastor Trevor O’Dell (Lancaster Wesleyan Church), Rev. Michael Colaw (Indianapolis Trinity Wesleyan Church), Rev. Aaron Lee (LaOtto Cultivate Church), and Rev. Zack Working (Huntington Hope Rising Church). God is on the move in each of these churches in unique ways. Every week, I am reminded that it takes all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people.

On Wednesday morning, I was able to check in on Pastor Allen Laws (Warren Wesleyan Church). Last week marked six months since Cheryl, his wife, passed away. It was good to catch up with Pastor Allen and to spend time together in prayer.

Many of our churches took special offerings in the past few weeks to bless and support the Capshaw family after the tragic death of Rev. Ben Capshaw. I will have a full report for the DBA meeting on Thursday but I can provide a preliminary report that we have now surpassed the $10,000 match from the district’s Thrive Fund that was also being matched with $10,000 from the denomination’s Thrive Fund. Together, with your help and God’s blessing, we have pushed past $50,000! I was with Amanda Capshaw on Wednesday afternoon. These are hard days but she is grateful for God’s faithfulness and thankful for the many ways that she and the boys have felt support from the body of Christ. Please continue to pray for Amanda, Isaac, and Noah.

Nothing brings greater joy than to share the reports of lives being changed by the Gospel! Rev. Michelle Henry passed along the good news that Brookhaven Wesleyan Church (Pastor Tony Bye) has baptized 11 new believers in the past 4 weeks. And then I received word from Pastor Paul Van Cise that Bryant Wesleyan Church was celebrating with four new believers who publicly professed their faith in Jesus Christ through baptism. Praise God for lives #madenew!
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There’s still time to take advantage of the early registration rate for our Heartland Gathering in Pigeon Forge, TN, on March 22-24. Every church in the district received one scholarship to cover that early registration fee and we're excited for this opportunity for our pastoral families to rest and renew together. For more info, visit: https://www.crossroadsdistrict.org/rwi2
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Thank you for all you do to advance God’s Kingdom in your community this week!

​Your servant in Christ,
​
Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. - The 2021 Crossroads District Journal is now available. CLICK HERE to download.
(Prior District Journals are available from the District Office upon request.)

This week’s team update is one day later than usual as our office was closed. I hope you were able to enjoy the beautiful Labor Day!
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Sunday, September 5, Sherry and I worshipped with the wonderful folks at Hartford City Wesleyan Church. I’ve been helping them out for the past year, preaching about once every six weeks, since the unexpected pastoral transition last summer. I’ve enjoyed working closely with their leaders and staff as we navigated the challenges of the pandemic and regathering the congregation. The church has been blessed with the gifted preaching ministry of Rev. Dr. Mark Schnell who has been a great help in assisting me. We’re now moving into the next phase with an intentional interim pastor scheduled to arrive in October. The search process for their permanent pastor will begin early in the new year. Please pray for God’s will to be done in this search process!
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Last Monday, Dr. Ed Love and I met with Rev. Lee Miller in Muncie to look at a potential new meeting location for Crossover Church. The launch team for this new church is growing and they’re counting down to the first Sunday gathering on September 26. Later that day I met for a coaching conversation with one of our emerging leaders. My last meeting of the day was with Dr. David Smith. In addition to his teaching ministry at IWU, David has agreed to represent the district and preach in 20 of our churches this year. After serving together for 5 years at Kingswood University, it’s an honor to serve with him again on our district team.

Tuesday morning, I met with Dr. Jim Lo who blesses our district team by leading us in prayer. Dr. Lo has also agreed to represent the district and preach in 20 of our churches this conference year. It’s a joy to serve with Dr. Lo in this capacity! My next meeting was with our Crossroads District staff who meets next to Abbey Coffee on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and then I concluded the afternoon meeting with the staff team at Hartford City.

Wednesday was a day off so that Sherry and I could celebrate her birthday with a quick road trip to Nashville. (Yes, it’s a long drive and there’s a long story.)

Thursday, I was back on the road for coaching conversations with Rev. Paul Van Cise (Bryant Wesleyan), Rev. David Dignal (Edgerton Wesleyan), and closed out the day in South Bend with Pastor Ben Jones (Beaver Creek Wesleyan). Once again I came away from these conversations encouraged by the faithful leaders who serve across our district family.

Friday included two conversations with pastors working through challenging situations in their respective churches. Pastoring is never easy but the pandemic has added stress and complexity to almost every situation. Please pray for our pastors!
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The final meeting of Friday was with Rev. Rick Carder and the greater Grant County DBMD zone team as they conducted interviews with ministerial students. Helping women and men discern God’s call and prepare themselves for the equipping ministry of Word and sacrament is one of the highest callings for our district. Thank you to every pastor and lay member who contributes to the work of our District Board of Ministerial Development.

Saturday morning, I had the privilege of joining with Pastor Johnnie Blair and a good number of people who turned out for their Pray First – First Saturday prayer gathering. It was refreshing to spend an hour in prayer and worship with this congregation. I am thankful for the commitment to prayer that God is stirring across our district.
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On my way back from this prayer service, I stopped by to check on Rev. Logan and Nancy Westrick. Sister Nancy is home now recovering from a recent hospitalization. I was glad to see her progress and to join with them in prayer as they continue to serve the Tipton Ash Street Wesleyan Church.

​I was glad to receive word that Rev. Bob Van Cise was released from his hospitalization and was able to worship with his church family at Brookhaven Wesleyan on Sunday! (Thank you to Dr. Jim Lo for sharing this photo with us.)
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Please continue to pray for the Capshaw family and the congregation at Elwood Central Wesleyan Church. I also invite you to join me in praying for Pastor Randy Yaryan who has been battling a difficult case of Covid with multiple trips to the hospital.

I can’t wait for this Sunday evening as Pastor Jerome Bell and the team at Pendleton Autumn Hills Church launch into holding weekly services. They’ve been praying, loving and serving their neighbors, relatives, and friends who need Jesus Christ. Thank you for supporting this new team with your prayers!
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Let’s keep praying and working together to reach the 3 million Hoosiers who have yet to receive Christ as Lord!

​Your servant in Christ,
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Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with the Elwood Central Wesleyan Church family. It was encouraging to see how the congregation has rallied to support the Capshaw family and each other in this time of sorrow. Before the service, Sherry and I were able to spend time with Amanda, Isaac, and Noah Capshaw. After the worship service, I met with the Local Board of Administration (LBA) to work on next steps. Please pray for God’s blessing on the outreach ministries the church has planned for this fall.
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Sunday evening, I was blessed to connect with two of our newest churches. At 4:00 p.m., I met with Pastor Andy Riemersma and the launch team at ONE Church in Westfield for their first “Foundations” gathering. Andy and Leanza are building a strong team as they move toward their January 23, 2022 launching service.
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I was also able to join Pastor Jerome Bell and his team at Autumn Hills Church in Pendleton for their concert of prayer as they move toward their September 12 launch. Pastor Jerome and his team hosted a funeral service on Saturday for a relative of one of their launch team members with more than 100 present. Several unchurched family members expressed interest in connecting with this new church. Please pray for our church planters!
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Last week’s schedule included Zoom meetings, staff meetings, coaching conversations, and a chance to connect with Assistant DS Mike Colaw as he gathered Region 2 Pastors for a time of worship and prayer on Tuesday morning. Mike and Leslie do a great job networking and resourcing Region 2 pastors. They have a terrific lineup of speakers for this fall.
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The 21 Days of Prayer collaboration between Brookhaven Wesleyan, Lakeview Wesleyan, and The River Church wrapped up with a combined prayer service on Saturday morning at The River. It was good to be together in united prayer and worship with Rev. Tony Bye, Rev. Chris Williams, and Rev. Matthew Trexler. We’re taking next steps to invite more churches across our district to join in with this focused prayer initiative in January 2022.
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Thank you to the many Crossroads District pastors and their spouses who joined us at the Elwood High School auditorium on Saturday afternoon as the church and community gathered to celebrate Pastor Ben Capshaw’s life and ministry. Thank you also to every Crossroads District church that is participating in our matching grant initiative. While funds are still being received, we are well on our way to exceeding the $10,000 mark in giving that will be matched by $10,000 from the Crossroads District Thrive Fund with another $10,000 committed from the denomination’s Thrive Fund. Thank you for your generosity and for your continued prayers for the Capshaw family.
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Our sincere condolences and continued prayers are extended to Mrs. Rachel (Light) Budde on the passing of her father, Rev. Verl Light, an ordained Wesleyan minister. Rev. Light passed away on Wednesday in Indianapolis. The funeral was held on Sunday in Tipp City, Ohio, where Rev. Light had pastored three of the area Wesleyan churches. Rachel’s husband Ryan pastors our Westview Wesleyan Church in Jonesboro. Click here to view the obituary.
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Please join us in prayer for Rev. Bob Van Cise who was hospitalized two weeks ago and continues to make progress in the rehabilitation unit at Marion General Hospital. Prayers are also requested for Rev. Randy Yaryan (Winchester Wesleyan Church) and several family members who are battling through Covid.

​We love to hear how God is on the move in our churches and changing lives! Here are just a few of the stories of lives #MadeNew that are coming in from around the Crossroads District:

Earlier this month, Rev. Martin Furrow and The Cross Church in Rochester had the joy of baptizing four new believers who were reached through their Celebrate Recovery ministry!
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Pastor Dave Leitzel and his team at Hamilton Wesleyan Church celebrated 11 baptisms last Sunday in a wonderful outdoor service!
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Pastors Amanda and Johnnie Blair also celebrated baptisms at Tipton Trinity Wesleyan Church!
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Pastor Scott McDermid and the Sheridan Six Points Church family are rejoicing with three more baptisms last week!
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Pastor David Cox reported in that Laketon Wesleyan Church celebrated another baptism yesterday. This was a young lady who gave her life to Christ at summer camp and wanted to publicly profess her faith in Christ for her family and friends.
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Pastor Allen Gross had the joy of baptizing a married couple at Cicero United Wesleyan Church yesterday morning.
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Pastor Aldean Pablo and the team at SEND Church (soon to be Arise Church) celebrated another baptism yesterday in their outdoor worship service.
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Thank you for being part of a great team working together in God’s strength to reach the more than 3 million people in our state who do not yet have a relationship with Christ and His Church. What you are doing matters for eternity!

​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Our Crossroads District family is grieving with the family and friends of Rev. Ben Capshaw, age 41, who was tragically killed in a car accident on Thursday morning, August 19. Pastor Ben not only served Elwood Central Wesleyan Church faithfully for nine years, but he was a pastor to the whole community. We extend our deepest sympathy and continued prayers to Mrs. Amanda Capshaw, his wife, and two sons, Isaac (age 13) and Noah (age 10). The district, the local church, and the entire Elwood community have stepped up to surround this family with love and support. Here’s the link to one newspaper report:
https://www.heraldbulletin.com/news/beloved-community-chaplain-killed-in-crash/article_9de03250-0133-11ec-b733-0f50d3d4c13b.html
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Dr. Jim Lo preached at Elwood Central Wesleyan Church yesterday morning and ministered graciously to this grieving family and congregation. At the close of the service the congregation gathered around the Capshaw family for prayer and Dr. Lo led in a time of anointing with oil for those who longed to experience a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit.

The Crossroads District Board of Administration met in emergency session on Saturday morning and approved a challenge grant to match the first $10,000 donated by our local churches to meet the immediate needs of the Capshaw family. To participate in the match, churches are receiving love offerings through this coming Sunday. (Pastors received emails with additional information.)
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The Celebration of Life service will take place at 1:00 pm on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at the Elwood High School Auditorium. Rev. Roger Gardner, his mentor, and I will be officiating. Visitation with the family will follow the service from 2 to 5 pm in the auditorium. I am grateful in advance that our pastoral team members will make every effort to be present to support Ben’s family. https://www.copherfeslermay.com/obituary/rev-benjamin-capshaw
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We’re also praying for Mrs. Breanne Merrill, wife of Assistant Pastor Seth Merrill (New Carlisle Wesleyan Church) with news of the unexpected death of her father, Mr. Butch Faulkner. The funeral will be held today, August 23, at the First Church of the Nazarene in Chattanooga. Please remember Breanne and her family in your prayers.
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LifeSpring Church in Richmond graciously invited me to speak on Saturday evening and for both Sunday morning services at their North campus while Dr. Steve and Susan Bray are on their 10-week sabbatical. After the Saturday evening service, I enjoyed connecting with the Brays at our favorite ice-cream stop. Pastor David & Jill Anderson and Marcia and Darrell Shepherd graciously hosted me for lunch on Sunday. Both Darrell and David were on the DBA when I was first called to serve here in Indiana. The LifeSpring worship arts and technical team did a great job, even when I threw them a curveball. Attendance has been rebounding at both campuses and we’re praying with them for a great season of harvest.

Sunday afternoon, I stopped back in Elwood to visit and pray with Amanda Capshaw and her parents, Rev. Matt and Cheryl Miller, before heading on to the closing service of “Old Time Camp Meeting” at Fairmount Camp. Dr. Bud Bence was used of God throughout the services this past week. He closed the camp with a challenge for believers to be fruitful vines (Genesis 49:22) like Joseph. Congratulations to Executive Director Angela Spangler and her team for this encouraging week of ministry. Dr. Bence continues to be a fruitful vine in the Kingdom and I was grateful to learn of his willingness to make some dates available to preach in nearby churches. You can reach out to Dr. Bence directly or through our office.
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Last week included General Board Zoom meetings, staff meetings in Marion and Hartford City, coaching conversations with pastors, meeting with the Elwood Central LBA, and signing legal documents for district churches. It was a real joy to meet over lunch on Friday with Dr. Chris Bounds, the new Dean of the School of Theology and Ministry at Indiana Wesleyan University. Dr. Bounds will be transferring to become a member of our Crossroads team next year but he’s already excited to share in ministry with our pastors and congregations so please reach out and welcome him!

Saturday morning, I joined with three of our churches for the second weekly gathering as they partner for “21 Days of Prayer.” This Saturday’s gathering was hosted by Pastor Tony Bye at Brookhaven. Last week was hosted by Rev. Chris Williams at Lakeview, and the final Saturday gathering will be hosted by Rev. Matthew Trexler on August 28, 8 a.m., at The River Church. Something special happens when pastors and churches share together in ministry!
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We continue to celebrate the way that God is changing lives across our district. If you have baptism reports, please email or text me so we can share the good news with our team. This week, I am excited to report that Pastor Matthew Trexler and The River Church baptized two new believers and that Rev. Gary Bingham and the Hillside Wesleyan Church also baptized two new believers. Praise God for these four who publicly professed their faith in Christ on Sunday. We are rejoicing with Heaven for these lives #MadeNew!
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In weeks like this, I am reminded of Richard Baxter’s personal sense of urgency and this challenge to we who serve as pastors. Baxter was a Puritan pastor (1615-1691) who was effectively used of God in his generation. He wrote:
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Please, God, stir us with urgency and anoint us with power of your Holy Spirit so that we make this week count for your Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent​

Sunday morning, August 15, I had the privilege of connecting with Pastor Michael Colaw and the multi-site congregations of Trinity Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis. I joined the team for prayer and then brought greetings in the first of three services.
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Currently, Trinity hosts services at 9:00 and 11:00 on their Allisonville Road campus, and a 10:00 service at their Olio Road campus. Pastor Mike was on the schedule to preach at all three campuses so I enjoyed being his shuttle driver. Attendance has been rebounding and the Olio Road campus had to bring in additional seats this month.
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The youth ministry has been making progress through the summer as evidenced by two more baptisms yesterday of teenagers. Trinity Church continues their vibrant inner city ministry in Garfield Park with their Burmese congregation and the Hispanic congregation is now holding regular 1:00 pm Sunday services at the Allisonville location.
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Pastor Mike and Trinity are also playing a key role as the sending church for Pastor Andy Riemersma and the team who are planting ONE Church in Westfield this year. In addition to leading his growing family, Pastor Mike serves as Assistant DS for Region 2 and is completing his DMin through Wesley Seminary. Pray that God will continue to bless this ministry and the Colaw family!
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Last week included staff meetings, leading the board meeting at Hartford City Wesleyan Church, and more coaching conversations. It was great to connect over coffee with Pastor Steve Colter on Tuesday. I was encouraged to learn more about how God is helping them through this year of transition as they prepare to welcome Rev. Josh Bowlin in January as the incoming senior pastor at Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church.

Wednesday, I was in Fort Wayne to meet with Pastor Kyle Horton (Fort Wayne Three Rivers) and then with Pastor Rick Fletcher and Associate Pastor Andy Jellison (Fort Wayne Lifeway Church). My last stop was with Pastor Aldean Pablo at our newest church in greater Fort Wayne. Attendance has been growing with four new guests on Sunday, one of whom prayed with Pastor Aldean to receive Christ on Sunday. Pray as they continue to build momentum with a new name to be announced this coming Sunday.
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Thursday, I made a quick trip to Indy to check on Rev. Craig Thurmon’s recovery from surgery. It was good to catch up with Pastor Craig and Tiffany for fellowship and a time of prayer for their ministry at The Encounter Assembly. (Craig also serves as District Treasurer)

Friday morning, I was in Fairmount at The Branch to host a debriefing with senior pastors who brought their teams to the GROW Conference. One consistent theme across all the churches represented was that they appreciated the way that Church of the Highlands places the priority on prayer. Three of our Marion area churches (Brookhaven, Lakeview, and The River) are sharing together in the 21 Days of Prayer initiative prompted by Church of the Highlands. Other learnings included the simplicity and intentionality of the ministry systems at Highlands, the high value of small groups for pastoral care (ask about ESPN), and the investment in their Dream Team.
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Friday evening, I was back in Indianapolis to support Pastor Andy and Leanza Riemersma as they held their first public connection opportunity for people interested in learning more about ONE Church. They welcomed 50 people for food and fellowship. Pastor Andy did a great job casting the vision for this new church. Pray that God will continue to grant His favor and open the hearts of people to join the launch team for ONE Church.
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Saturday morning, I enjoyed the opportunity to meet with ViceChair Darrell Shepherd and the Local Board of Administration at LifeSpring Church in Richmond. Dr. Steve Bray, their senior pastor, is away for a well-deserved sabbatical. I appreciated connecting with this team in their new LifeSpring South campus and I am looking forward to being with them this weekend to preach at LifeSpring North.
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Two of our lead pastors completed graduate degrees this past week. Rev. Dr. Matthew Stewart (Sweetser Wesleyan Church) successfully defended his dissertation and was awarded the PhD from Columbia International University and Rev. Lee Miller (planting Crossover Church in Muncie) graduated with his MDiv from Wesley Seminary on Saturday. Congratulations on these significant accomplishments!
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Nothing brings us greater joy than celebrating lives being transformed by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! In addition to the two baptisms at Indianapolis Trinity, we are rejoicing with Pastor Lyle Breeding and the team at Bluffton Sonlight as they baptized another young woman this weekend. #MadeNew
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We also praising the Lord with Pastor Scott McDermid and the team at Sheridan Six Points Church as they dedicated four children and baptized two new believers yesterday! #MadeNew
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I’m looking forward to “Old Time Camp” coming up this week at Fairmount Camp with Dr. Bud Bence as the camp evangelist. Services will be held each evening at 6 beginning on Wednesday and concluding on Sunday night. Executive Director Angela Spangler and her team extend a warm welcome to all!
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Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent