Sunday morning, February 28, I had the privilege of worshiping at Columbia City New Hope Church with Pastor Shane and Jill Wilson. There was a wonderful spirit of worship in both the 9 and 10:30 gatherings and I enjoyed preaching to this responsive congregation. Their “in person” Sunday services are rebounding with 60 percent or more of their pre-pandemic attendance. Pastor Shane has done a remarkable job of leading the congregation, first through the leadership transition from Jason Tash and now through the pandemic. New Hope Church has a vibrant and community-impacting ministry.
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Elkhart Cielos Abiertos Iglesia Wesleyana had a beautiful service of commissioning on Sunday afternoon as Pastor Eliorgy and Zoriada Guerrero passed the mantle of leadership to Jose and Angiee Cardenas. I was blessed to be part of this commissioning service and to bring a message from God’s Word. Rev. and Mrs. Guerrero will be moving to Tennessee and are in contact with DS Aaron Sherman about planting a church in Chattanooga. The Guerrero’s planted this church in Elkhart three years ago and then commissioned Pastor Ruben and Susana Santos to plant a new church in South Bend just this past year before answering God’s call to Tennessee. They have another couple in the Elkhart congregation that is answering the call to church planting and prayerfully seeking God’s direction for open doors. This service was a beautiful demonstration of an Acts 13 moment in a multiplying church!
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Sunday evening, I enjoyed meeting with Rev. Don Bayne and the LBA at New Carlisle Wesleyan Church, on the west side of South Bend. Pastor Bayne has served effectively at New Carlisle for 26 years. He is both loved and respected by his leadership team. Their next baptism service is planned for this coming Sunday!
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Last week’s schedule included coaching conversations on Tuesday and Wednesday with Rev. Tony Bye (Marion Brookhaven Church), Rev. Steve Colter (Marion Chapel Pike), and Rev. Brad LeRoy (McCordsville Harvest Church). While I was at Brookhaven, I had a chance to speak with Rev. Michelle Henry who was celebrating 77 children present on Sunday morning, more than they were averaging pre-pandemic. Churches that regather well will be making youth and children’s ministry a high priority.

Monday morning, I joined Rev. Luis Martinez and the team at Impacto for an online staff retreat. It would certainly have been more enjoyable to spend time with them in Guatemala, but I was glad to be able to share a seminar with them from Galatians 6:9 on faithfulness in ministry. Adam and Stacy Griner, also from our Crossroads District, led music for worship.
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Monday evening, I was glad to meet with Rev. Jarod Osborne and the LBA at Warsaw Pathway Community Church. Pastor Jarod leads a strong team with a great heart for the community. I am grateful for the many outstanding lay leaders who invest in the life and ministry of our churches.
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I drove out to St. Louis on Wednesday evening for a series of sessions with district superintendent colleagues on Thursday and Friday. These are challenging days in our culture and the church is not immune to the conflict and controversies around us. We were blessed to have General Superintendent Dr. Wayne Schmidt join us for most of our Friday morning session. We concluded our time together with prayer for Dr. Schmidt and by participating in Holy Communion.

I came away encouraged by the unwavering commitment to our Articles of Religion and the other doctrinal statements of our church. There is no question that our resolve will be tested in the years ahead, but we stand on solid Biblical theology and orthodox moral principles. We are bound together in the vision of making disciples and multiplying gatherings to spread hope and holiness that transforms lives, churches, and communities.
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The memorial passed by our DBA last month was evidence of our desire to be proactive rather than reactive. There is no legislation proposed anywhere in the church to change our doctrinal positions. Our goal is simply to create maximum incentive for our beloved denomination to stay faithful in the face of enormous societal pressure to compromise in the future. Let’s work and pray to that end!
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In other news across the district family, Pastor Dan Clark received and accepted a four-year renewal of call from the unanimous vote of the members at Monon Wesleyan Church. We are grateful for Dan’s willingness to faithfully preach the Word and serve well even while undergoing cancer treatment.

Rev. Josh Bowlin was selected as the next senior pastor for Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church upon the retirement of Rev. Steve Colter at the end of the church conference year in 2022. This is part of a succession plan developed by Rev. Colter and the LBA last fall. Rev. Bowlin came to Christ through the ministry of Chapel Pike, was mentored by Rev. Colter, served with Global Partners, and currently serves on staff at East City Wesleyan Church in Auckland, New Zealand. Rev. Bowlin and his family will come on staff at Chapel Pike in January and then he will be installed as Senior Pastor on April 24, 2022. We are excited to welcome the Bowlins back home to the Crossroads District and congratulate Chapel Pike on this important step in the succession process.
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We’re rejoicing this week with Pastor Dan Fisher and the team at Delphi Wesleyan Church as they celebrated four baptisms on Sunday morning. Praise God for lives being #madenew!

We are also rejoicing with Richmond LifeSpring Church as they celebrated 11 baptisms last weekend. Six of those were at the South Campus and five were at the North Campus. I’m glad that Covid-19 cannot stop the forward progress of God’s Kingdom!
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Congratulations to Rev. Calimerio and Maria Rodriguez (Frankfort Templo de Poder) on the arrival of their first granddaughter, Linora, born to Mikayla and Ezequiel (their son) Rodriguez this weekend!
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Congratulations to Rev. Shawnda Dykhoff Bilbee (pastor of Brinker Heights Wesleyan Church) on her wedding this past Saturday to Mr. Kyle Bilbee with Rev. Mark Atkinson (Eastview Wesleyan) officiating. Shawnda is also the daughter of another Crossroads District pastor, Rev. Ken Dykhoff (on staff with Mark at Eastview Wesleyan).
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​Please continue to pray for Pastor Allen Laws as he cares for Cheryl, his wife, at home. Her medical condition is not improving and we are joining them seeking God for His grace and strength.

Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, February 21, I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Barry and Joyce Dixon and the wonderful congregation at Indianapolis Calvary Family Church. Pastor Barry has served the church for more than a decade and also serves on our District Board of Administration. The church has been challenged this year with the loss of senior members to Covid-19.
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After their 9 a.m. worship service, Pastor Dixon and I met with the Local Board of Administration. Pastor Dixon’s gifted children, Barry Jr. and Dee, join him in the inspiring worship ministry of the church. We look forward to having them lead us in worship at our 2021 District Conference, June 26.

The early service at Calvary Family Church made it possible for me to arrive at Fishers Waterline Church in time to hear Assistant Pastor Elizabeth Rhyno preach the lead-off sermon in their new series on the Apostles’ Creed and to participate in the Lord’s Supper. Dr. Wayne Schmidt, General Superintendent, will lead the special ordination service for Elizabeth Rhyno on Sunday evening, March 14, 6 p.m., at Waterline Church. We look forward to having as many of our district pastors as possible join us for this sacred occasion.
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Sunday afternoon, I chaired the Local Church Conference for Muncie Memorial Drive Wesleyan Church. This is an important time of transition for Memorial as they send out several members to be part of the new Crossover Community Church planting team and also begin their pastoral search process.

Sunday evening, I was able to drop in on two of our newest churches. Rev. Mike Weller and his team are launching Restoration Church on Meridian Street in downtown Anderson. They are using a dinner church model, meeting around tables to share a meal and conversations before the message.
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My last stop of the day was to check in with Rev. Jerome Bell and members of his launch team who are gathering on Sunday evenings to pray and plan for the launching of Autumn Hills Church in Pendleton. It was a joy to pray with them and hear some of the stories of how God is at work through their team.
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Last week’s schedule included LBA meetings with Greenfield Browns Chapel Wesleyan on Monday, Chesterfield Parkview Wesleyan on Wednesday, and Hartford City Wesleyan on Thursday. I come away from these meetings with a deep appreciation for our many lay leaders who generously invest their time, talents and treasure in the ministry of our churches. These valued volunteers are so often the unsung heroes of our ministry. I also enjoyed my coaching conversations last week with Rev. Duane Seitz (Silver Lake Wesleyan) and Rev. Dan Clark (Monon Wesleyan).

Our District Board of Administration met in Pendleton on Thursday. We had a broad ranging discussion on matters from the strong participation in our “Rest Well Initiative” to a new memorial for General Conference that would allow churches a path to withdraw from the denomination if changes were made to affirm homosexual relations or to approve same-sex marriage. The DBA also reviewed the 360 degree DS evaluation. I am grateful for this feedback and appreciate the willingness of so many of our pastors to participate in this year’s anonymous feedback survey.
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The highlight of our DBA meeting was the opportunity to hear from Pastor Andy and Leanza Riemersma who are answering the call to plant a new church in Westfield. Rev. Mike Colaw, Assistant DS for Region 2, presented the couple and the project proposal. The DBA unanimously approved “One Church” as the new project and appointed Pastor Riemersma to lead this new ministry as a launch from Trinity Wesleyan Church. Pastors will receive additional information from the DBA meeting including an exciting opportunity for us to be part of the GROW conference at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, July 27-29.

Friday evening, Sherry and I had the pleasure of hosting pastors and spouses for the Fort Wayne Zone fellowship supper. We shared delightful conversations and a delicious meal at Ziano’s. The highlight of our time together is hearing how God is at work in our families and ministries. We were also blessed to be able to pray for one another. Special thanks to Pastor Andy Jellison for making our arrangements!
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Special thanks to Jessica Folz, Crossroads District Youth President, and her team for hosting this year’s FUEL event at Lakeview Wesleyan Church on Saturday. It was good to stop by and see the cross section of youth and children’s ministry leaders who gathered from across our district family.
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We’re rejoicing with Lapel Daybreak Church as they celebrated three baptisms this morning! This is Lead Pastor Andy Cole with Amber, a young lady that he led to the Lord last month. Praise God for lives being #madenew! There is still time for your church to plan a baptism service as we move into the Easter season.
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Dr. Wilbur Williams, beloved professor and mentor, passed away on Tuesday, February 16, after serving the IWU community for more than 50 years, teaching over 17,000 students and completing almost 200 tours of Israel. Our sympathy and prayers are extended to Mrs. Ardelia Williams, her family and their many friends. Funeral arrangements will be announced.
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We also extend our prayers and sympathies to Mrs. Eula May (Metz) Carr and the family of Rev. Richard Carr, retired pastor and educator. Rev. Carr passed away on February 16. Rev. Carr pastored Wesleyan churches in Michigan, Florida and Indiana. He also taught public school for 44 years. Visitation will be Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Central Wesleyan Church, 2406 Delaware St., Anderson with the funeral service at 1 p.m. with the Rev. Jerry Alexander officiating.

​Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, February 14, I joined interim pastor Rev. Jeff Brady and the team at Level 13 for worship. After the service, I led a brief congregational meeting to review progress and affirm new members for their leadership team. The church is regaining strength after an unexpected pastoral transition and the shared challenges of Covid-19.
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Rev. Brady has been very helpful in providing preaching for Sundays and a shepherds heart for the team. Jeff has been leading them in the annual membership renewal affirmation with 31 people already joining or reaffirming membership. Pray with the leadership team at Level 13 as they move forward in their pastoral search process.

Sunday afternoon, I met with Dr. Oliver Dongell and the LBA at Plymouth Wesleyan Church. It was good to connect with this team and hear about recent praise points with new families becoming part of the congregation. Pastor Ollie has served the church effectively for the past 18 years and is embracing the challenge of relaunching the church this summer. Pastor Dongell set the stage for a productive conversation with the board on the importance of succession planning. The board voted unanimously to recommend a two-year call and to initiate a succession planning process.
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Fishers Waterline Church celebrated their 10th anniversary on Sunday with founding pastors John and Danielle Freed returning as special guests. Interim pastor Rev. Scott Rhyno and the Waterline team put together a well-attended and very creative celebration of Waterline’s ministry for the past 10 years. Among the highlights reported were more than 40 people called to ministry, more than 400 decisions for Christ, and 173 baptisms in these first 10 years. John and Danielle are off to a great start in their new assignment of leading the church planting efforts for the Great Lakes District. The Freeds did an outstanding job at Waterline and we miss having them as part of our district team. Pray for Waterline as they continue the search for their next lead pastor.

Last week began with an annual check-up with my cardiologist on Monday morning. I’m thankful for another positive report and one less medication to take. Dr. Craig Dunn (CEO of Wesleyan Investment Foundation and Wesleyan Pension Fund) and I enjoyed catching up over lunch. He has a unique vantage point on the church in North America in his work with leading churches. I’m grateful for his deep commitment to the work of The Wesleyan Church and for his wise counsel.

Tuesday morning, I met with Pastor Mark Atkinson for an update on Ronda’s recovery and his ministry at Gas City Eastview Wesleyan. Rev. Matthew Trexler, Assistant DS, and I met in his office at The River Church to review the feedback from DBA members and lead pastors across the district as part of my annual DS evaluation. The full DBA will receive the report at this week’s meeting. Thank you to each one who took time to provide their input. Feedback is the breakfast of champions.
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Tuesday evening, I met with Rev. Matthew Stewart and the LBA at Sweetser Wesleyan Church. Matthew is another of our faithful bi-vocational pastors. In addition to farming and teaching as an adjunct professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, Pastor Matthew is also completing his PhD in organizational leadership. It was good to catch up with the Sweetser team and hear how God has been working even in the craziness of the past 12 months. The’ve added a new children’s ministry director (part-time) and are celebrating two decisions for Christ in this new year.

Wednesday, I was on the road to meet with Rev. Don Bayne (New Carlisle Wesleyan Church) for our annual coaching conversation. The church is making good progress including an innovative Christmas school break VBS serving up to 25 children and they have a baptism service scheduled for March 7. Dr. Oliver Dongell and I met on Wednesday afternoon at his office in Plymouth in preparation for the LBA meeting referenced earlier.

My last meeting on Wednesday was with Pastor Ben Jones and the LBA at Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church. This historic congregation is located near Potato Creek State Park, just east of North Liberty. Pastor Ben is completing his initial two-year call and the LBA was enthusiastic in their support for his upcoming four-year call. I’m grateful for Pastor Ben’s effective bi-vocational ministry!
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Thursday morning, Rev. Aldean Pablo (Fort Wayne/Roanoke SEND Church) and I met via ZOOM for our annual coaching conversation. While a pandemic might not be the optimal time for church planting, Aldean has seen God open doors in unusual ways. An existing campus of a larger Fort Wayne church was given the opportunity to become part of the new church plant. With the blessing of the main campus, this campus voted 52-1 to join in as part of SEND Church. They are still working out the details but the plan is coming together for relaunching in a permanent facility at the beginning of the new school year. Pray for wisdom and unity!

Pastor Steve Arnett (New Castle Mount Zion) and I met in Muncie for our annual coaching conversation. Pastor Steve has experienced God’s touch and recovered from significant health challenges in the past year. He is excited about the progress at the church, including a major remodel of their children’s ministry area. Pastor Steve has one of the most effective membership affirmation plans in our district so don’t hesitate to connect with him if you have questions.

My last meeting of the day was with Rev. Matthew Trexler (Region 1 – Fort Wayne and surrounding areas), Rev. Michael Colaw (Region 2 – Indy and surrounding areas), and Rev. Chris Williams (Region 3 – Lafayette and surrounding areas), who each serve as assistant district superintendents. We met in Kokomo for an encouraging time of collaboration. In addition to providing wise counsel for our team, each of these leaders intentionally invests in other leaders in their region. Another key contribution is the way they champion church planters and the new projects launching in their regions. We are better together!

We held our Crossroads District staff meeting in Marion on Friday morning at Abbey Coffee. After that helpful time with Seth, Carla and Woody, I drove down to Anderson to meet with a prospective pastoral recruit over lunch. Before the afternoon was over, I was also able to connect with Pastor Steve Binns (Anderson Lone Oak Wesleyan) for a ministry update. My last appointment of the day was a call with another pastoral prospect. God is raising up laborers for His harvest!

Saturday was a welcomed day of sabbath rest at our house.
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82 pastors have already completed initial applications for Rest Well! Don’t miss out on your opportunity for intentional renewal. The Crossroads District is providing up to 100 grants of $475 for a pastor and their spouse to invest in a retreat of two nights or more. Just complete the learning resources and planning tools we’ve provided to make this time as profitable as possible. When you complete your retreat, the Thrive Initiative has an additional $500 matching grant available with a second set of learning resources. ​If your church also agrees to participate in this initiative (i.e. paying down ministerial student loans, topping up retirement, fitness equipment), additional matching funds up to $500 are available. For more details, please follow this link:
​https://www.crossroadsdistrict.org/restwellinitiative.html

We’re celebrating baptisms again with week! Pastor David Cox shared the good news of two more baptisms at Laketon Wesleyan Church this past Sunday. What a privilege to witness the joy of lives being #madenew by the gospel of Jesus Christ!
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​Please continue to pray for Pastor Dan Clark (Monon Wesleyan Church) and Mrs. Cheryl Laws (wife of Rev. Allen Laws, pastor of Warren Wesleyan) both of whom are fighting courageous battles with cancer. Cheryl was moved home from the hospital over the weekend and is now receiving hospice care.

Our sympathies and prayers are extended to Rev. Bob Burchell, (DBMD member and Director of Chaplain Ministries for IWU Global and National) on the passing of his mother, Mrs. Gloria Anderson on February 9. The family was able to gather for the memorial service that was conducted in Wisconsin on Saturday, February 13.

Our sympathies and prayers are also extended to retired General Superintendent Dr. Thomas Armiger, Jr. and to our own Rev. Jeremy Armiger (pastor of Chesterfield Parkview Wesleyan Church) on the news that Mr. Thomas Armiger, Sr., Jeremy’s grandfather, died on Sunday, March 7. Dr. Armiger lived nearby his father in Kissimmee, Florida. Funeral arrangements will be made in the next few months with hopes that more family members will soon be able to gather in person.

We are also requesting prayer for Rev. Kaleb Wakeman, Pastor of Worship Arts at The River Church. Kaleb was hospitalized in Marion over the weekend and then was transferred ​to Indianapolis where he will be in surgery today.

Thank you for making a difference in the only cause that counts for all of eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Eric and Amanda Roemer at Greentown Wesleyan Church on Sunday morning, February 7. I brought greetings from our district team and then we enjoyed lunch with Eric, Amanda, and their 3 beautiful children. One of the highlights of their service was the testimony time with people sharing reports of God’s healing grace and the positive impact of the Men’s Conference that they hosted on Saturday.
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Sunday evening, I dropped in on the youth group at Hartford City Wesleyan Church as they hosted their annual “Souper Bowl” Party. They had a good turnout of teenagers with parents and youth sponsors serving a delicious array of soups and chili.
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Pastor Mike Hewitt and the Muncie Rising Hope team held their annual planning retreat on Friday evening and all day Saturday at our home in Upland. The StratOp retreat was facilitated by Rev. Jason Tash. Rising Hope has done an amazing job of finding creative ways to minister through the pandemic. I am deeply grateful for Pastor Michael and Kim Hewitt and their family who moved to Muncie just three years ago to plant what is now a thriving, community-impacting ministry.
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I worked from my Upland office on Monday and Tuesday, before hitting the road on Wednesday to meet with Pastor Dan Fisher and the LBA at Delphi Wesleyan Church. We connected for a review of Rev. Fisher’s extended call review and the LBA unanimously affirmed his continued service. While I was with them, I learned about a pizza fund raiser that they were conducting for a needy family in their community. The Delphi Wesleyan team worked hard on Saturday morning and assembled more than 300 pizzas with more than $1500 raised to bless this family.
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On Thursday, I was in Muncie and New Castle for annual coaching conversations with Rev. Michael Hewitt (Rising Hope) and Rev. Paul Walden (West 8th Street). My final meeting of the day was with the leadership team at Marion Brinker Heights Wesleyan Church. They are praying for God’s direction about decisions for their future ministry.

Our district office staff met in Marion on Friday. In addition to preparing for the February 18 meeting of our District Board of Administration, we’re already looking forward with anticipation to our 2021 District Conference. The ordination service will take place on Friday evening, June 25, and the regular business session will convene on Saturday, June 26, both on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University.

We are excited to welcome Pastor Sia M’Bayo as the new Pastor for Community Outreach at Marion Lakeview Wesleyan Church. She will be serving on staff with Rev. Chris Williams while she continues to work full-time as a program representative for Indiana Wesleyan University. Lakeview Church hosted a reception following the worship service on February 7 to introduce her to their church family.
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We were saddened to receive word that Mr. Rod Benson, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, had passed away this past week in Florida. Rod was an exemplary layman who actively served on boards and committees of The Wesleyan Church, including many years as district treasurer of the Indiana Central District and part of the team that navigated the creation of the Crossroads District. We extend our sympathies and prayers to Mrs. Kathie Benson, Rod’s wife, their family and Rod’s many friends across our district. The family is planning a celebration of life service in Brooksville on Friday.
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The Rest Well initiative is now officially opened to all ordained or licensed ministers, lead pastors and staff pastors, appointed to local church service in the Crossroads District. Over 40 lead pastors have taken steps to participate in this opportunity. We are excited about this practical way to bless our pastors. You are running hard in ministry but, to sustain long-term effectiveness, you also need to rest well.
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Attention all Crossroads District youth and children’s ministry leaders! Our District Youth President, Jessica Folz, is inviting you to join her for FUEL, the annual Wesleyan training event for these key ministry leaders. This year’s event will be hosted at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. This is a FREE event being held on Saturday, Feb. 20 from 9am-12:30. Invite your volunteers, team members and children’s ministry people! For more information or to register, please follow the link below so they can know how many to expect:
https://www.lakeviewwesleyan.org/fuel

​Please continue to pray for Pastor Dan Clark (Monon Wesleyan Church) and Mrs. Cheryl Laws (wife of Rev. Allen Laws, pastor of Warren Wesleyan) both of whom are fighting courageous battles with cancer. We are grateful for answered prayers on behalf of members of our pastoral families who have recently recovered from Covid-19. We are encouraged that vaccinations are becoming more readily available.

Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

The meteorologist nailed this weather forecast! Many of our communities received their largest snowfall of the year overnight on Saturday. Chicagoland recorded their heaviest snowfall in 5 years. Following the example of John Wesley, who once walked his horse through a snow storm to keep his next preaching appointment, our local church leaders responded quickly to keep the message moving forward.

My appointment with Pastor Aldean Pablo at our SEND Church in Fort Wayne was rescheduled so I was able to join Pastor Tony Bye and the team at Brookhaven Wesleyan for worship in the earliest of the three services they offer.
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Most of our churches have already added an online worship option through the pandemic so they easily managed a simple snow day. Pastor Kyle Horton’s team at Fort Wayne Three Rivers Church planned to video their worship service before the snowfall and then creatively decided to welcome everyone to an “in person” experience on Saturday evening. Pastor Terry Vaughn, planting The Bridge Urban Church in South Bend, was able to report three new decisions for Christ in the Zoom breakout room following their online service.

Other churches were able to mobilize their snow removal teams and have the doors open on Sunday morning as scheduled. It is a blessing when, like Gas City Southside Wesleyan’s Rev. Brent Miller, our pastor has the biggest truck and a new snowplow.
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On Tuesday, I met with Rev. Theo Griffin, senior pastor at Greenfield Brown’s Chapel, as they prepare for the pastor call renewal. It was encouraging to hear how God has been at work this past year even with all of the challenges their church has faced. It was also good to reconnect with Assistant Pastor Ben Wade who was a student at Kingswood University while I served there.
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After joining the staff meeting at Hartford City Wesleyan on Tuesday afternoon, I joined Rev. Jason Tash at Level 13 in Fort Wayne. Jason is working with the leadership team for follow-up on their StratOp planning retreat. I am also grateful for Rev. Jeff Brady who is providing helpful interim ministry for Level 13 as they prepare for their pastoral search. Please join them in praying for God’s direction!
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Wednesday morning, I met with Rev. Dan VanCise, pastor of Marion’s 8th Street Wesleyan Church, for our annual coaching conversation. We met at the 9th Street Diner to catch up on their ministry and celebrate the two people who have recently come to faith. Pastor Dan is another of our faithful bi-vocational ministers.

Later in the morning, I met with Rev. Michael Colaw, Rev. Matthew Trexler, and Rev. Chris Williams, our three assistant district superintendents, for our monthly ZOOM check-in. We are blessed that these effective pastors serve our three regions by generously investing their time in leadership development and church multiplication.

Wednesday afternoon, Angela Spangler, Executive Director of Fairmount Camp, and I met for coffee and an interview as part of her final requirements for her Master of Divinity degree at Wesley Seminary. Angela has done a terrific job leading Fairmount through a challenging year. She also wanted to let our pastors know that she is available for pulpit supply. Following my meeting with Angela, I was also glad to connect with Rev. Bill Barlow, one of our district’s retired ministers. We’d not had a chance to sit down together since the funeral for Melody, his beloved wide. It was good to catch up and share in prayer.

Thursday morning, I met with Dr. Bob Hallett who has been serving as our interim pastor at Lancaster Wesleyan Church. Dr. Bob has a great heart to serve churches and will be available to assist other churches with capital campaigns or interim ministry. Lancaster Wesleyan has called Trevor O’Dell to be their new pastor. Trevor and Allison will begin their ministry in March after serving as residents with Rev. Mike Hewitt and the Rising Hope Church team in Muncie. Pray for the O’Dell’s as they begin their first lead pastor appointment. We’re excited to see what God has in store for Lancaster Wesleyan Church.
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Thursday morning, I met with Dr. Morris Jones, pastor of Lebanon Wesleyan Church, in his office for our annual coaching conversation. Morris faithfully serves as a bi-vocational pastor for Lebanon Wesleyan while working full-time with IUPUI.

Thursday evening, I met with Rev. Jeremy Armiger and the leadership team at Chesterfield Parkview Wesleyan Church in preparation for their upcoming pastoral vote. It was good to see Mrs. Roxene Lo again, this time in her new capacity as Local Church Secretary on the LBA.
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Our district office staff meeting has moved to Fridays and it was good to catch up with Seth Bye, Carla Working and Michael (Woody) Wood. I’m blessed with a great team!

Saturday morning, I dropped in on the final gathering for the combined “21 Days of Prayer” led by Brookhaven’s Pastor Tony Bye, Lakeview Wesleyan’s Pastor Chris Williams, and The River Church’s Pastor Matthew Trexler. This was the first time that three of our churches have linked arms for this special prayer emphasis. What a great way to launch into the new year!
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The Rest Well initiative is now officially opened to all ordained or licensed ministers, lead pastors and staff pastors, appointed to local church service in the Crossroads District. Over 40 lead pastors have taken steps to participate in this opportunity. We are excited about this practical way to bless our pastors. You are running hard in ministry but, to sustain long-term effectiveness, you also need to rest well.

We are making available a $475 grant towards a retreat of two nights or more. Learning resources and planning tools are provided to make this time as profitable as possible. When you complete your retreat, the Thrive Initiative has a $500 matching grant available with a second set of learning resources.
​

​If your church also elects to participate in this initiative (i.e. paying down ministerial student loans, topping up retirement, fitness equipment), additional matching funds up to $500 are available. For the first month, this opportunity is only available to the first 100 solo or senior pastors that sign up. This opportunity will be made available to assistant pastors starting February 2, 2021.

For more details, please follow this link:
​https://www.crossroadsdistrict.org/restwellinitiative.html
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​Attention all Crossroads District youth and children’s ministry leaders! Our District Youth President, Jessica Folz, is inviting you to join her for FUEL, the annual Wesleyan training event for these key ministry leaders. This year’s event will be hosted at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. This is a FREE event being held on Saturday, Feb. 20 from 9:00a-12:30p. Invite your volunteers, team members and children’s ministry people! For more information or to register, please follow the link below so they can know how many to expect.

​https://www.lakeviewwesleyan.org/fuel

Free resources: ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) Tax Guides: These books, originally prepared by Dan Busby (former General Treasurer of The Wesleyan Church), are now available as a free download. ECFA also provides helpful videos for the topics covered in these downloads. (You will be asked to register for a free account.)

Nonprofit and Church link: https://www.ecfa.org/TaxBooks/ChurchNPGuide.aspx

Minister Tax Guide: https://www.ecfa.org/TaxBooks/MinistersGuide.aspx

Video Page: https://www.ecfa.org/TaxBooks/Videos.aspx

Our prayers and sympathies are extended to Mrs. Lenita Bell, wife of church planter Jerome Bell (Pendleton Autumn Hills Church), and to her extended family upon the death of her father, Mr. Robert E. Wolfe who passed away on January 25 in Columbus, Ohio. Pastor Jerome Bell assisted in the funeral on Friday in Logan, Ohio.

Our prayers and sympathies are extended to Mrs. Joyce Dixon, who serves on staff with her husband, Rev. Barry Dixon, at Indianapolis Calvary Family Church, and to her extended family upon the death of her mother, Mrs. Myrtle Woolridge who passed away last week. Rev. Barry Dixon will assist in her funeral this weekend in Chicago.

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

Your servant in Christ,
​
Mark Gorveatte
Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, January 24, I joined Rev. Mark and Sharie Schnell to worship with the team at Albion Wesleyan Church. Mark and Sharie have been commuting from Marion to serve this congregation as transitional pastors. The Schnells were intending to conclude their service last spring when the pandemic changed their plans. I am grateful for the way that they have served the church in person and online through this challenging season. After the worship service, I met with the leadership team for a brief conversation about the upcoming transition. I am grateful for the leaders who have held Albion Wesleyan together through this difficult period.
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Sunday afternoon, I chaired a Local Church Conference for Muncie Memorial Drive Wesleyan Church. This was an important conversation for their members to explore next steps. They are prayerfully considering a significant shift in their ministry and wanted to have this opportunity for open and honest dialogue. I appreciated the generous spirit of this meeting and anticipate a positive outcome for the Kingdom. Special thanks to Keith Wheeler, LBA vice-chair, for his assistance in this transition.
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Sunday evening, I joined the team at Hartford City Wesleyan Church for a prayer gathering. Two of our dedicated LBA members led us through a time of prayer for unity in our nation and in the body of Christ. This was my first opportunity to connect with the congregation since the DBA authorized my appointment as interim pastor. While I’ve been serving in that unofficial capacity for the past several months, this appointment allows for me to make staffing recommendations for the coming year. Attendance has been rebounding with 123 present yesterday morning.
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The greatest news from Sunday, January 24, was when Pastor Brent Miller reached out to let me know that they had baptized 8 believers who wanted to follow Christ in this step of obedience. Praise the Lord for this wonderful report of spiritual victories from Southside Wesleyan Church in Gas City. If you’ve not yet planned a baptism service for this spring, please add one to your calendar. Consider planning a baptism opportunity on the Sunday before or after Easter.
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Monday was a quiet office day, writing the team update, following up on calls, emails and other connections from the previous week, and preparing for the week ahead. Tuesday morning, I joined with Assistant DS Mike Colaw and the pastors of Region 2 for a leadership development event hosted by Trinity Wesleyan Church. Charlie Alcock, IWU professor and youth ministry expert, shared a compelling session on developing next generation leaders. Charlie’s presentation was insightful and his passion is contagious.
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Tuesday afternoon, the General Board of The Wesleyan Church connected for a brief Zoom call. Some district conferences will not attempt to convene in person this summer due to the uncertainties of the pandemic. The General Board was asked to approve a resolution authorizing these delays where necessary.

Dr. Jim Lo and Dr. David Smith met with our district office team to continue to develop the pastoral care and prayer support model that we’re planning to implement in the new conference year. I am deeply grateful for their willingness to partner in this ministry as district shepherds to our local church leaders.

Tuesday evening, I connected with Pastor Brian Williams and his leadership team at Sims Wesleyan Church. Brian was first appointed to serve this congregation in 1987. While the community has undergone a great deal of change in the past three decades, Brian has faithfully led Sims Wesleyan forward through his effective preaching and compassionate congregational care. The LBA unanimously affirmed his extended call.

Wednesday morning, I met with Rev. Claudia Silva at Casa del Alfarero Iglesia Wesleyana in Richmond for our annual coaching conversation. Pastor Claudia is another of our committed bi-vocational pastors who leads this congregation and also for an Hispanic congregation in Union City. My next stop was in Muncie for lunch with Rev. Lee Miller who has been appointed to plant Crossover Wesleyan Church on the east side of the city. Lee took me to Camp Redwing near the reservoir where they will be hosting their first gatherings for this new ministry. It was encouraging to hear how God has opened doors and helped Pastor Lee connect with unchurched people in the area.
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Thursday morning and early afternoon was set aside for the Superintendents’ Institute hosted online by our General Superintendent Dr. Wayne Schmidt. This meeting was originally scheduled for San Antonio but it was still productive to convene via technology. In the morning session, Dr. Schmidt was excited to share about a marketplace multiplier’s initiative that he’s been developing with his team. The afternoon session focused on the development of networks within The Wesleyan Church (i.e. Dirt Roads Network) and how they relate to existing governance structures.

The best thing about our meeting was hearing the stories of disciples making disciples and churches multiplying. The Heartland Region was well-represented with multiple new churches being planted in Greater Ohio, Indiana South, and the Kentucky-Tennessee districts. It was also exciting to hear from Dr. Dennis Jackson, Executive Director of Global Partners, who shared that 276 new churches were planted last year in our international fields.
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Later Thursday afternoon, Seth and I met with Michael (Woody) Wood about expanding his role with our district team. As some of you will know, we’ve contracted with him over the past few years for communications services, including our website. Michael has also graciously assisted local churches who needed help moving online. We’re excited to announce that the DBA has approved bringing Michael on staff part-time while he continues to serve with the team at Tipton Trinity.

Michael is joining the team to fill the role that opened up with Hannah Searcy Brown accepting a new position with Watermark Wesleyan Church (Hamburg, NY). She’ll serve Watermark as a social media manager for an exciting new outreach campaign. Hannah was a blessing to our team and we pray God’s best for her in this new assignment.

The last meeting on Thursday was with the LBA at Hartford City Wesleyan. We’re working together on upcoming staff transitions, implementing our StratOp plan, and moving the governance into the accountable leadership model (provided for in Discipline 781). I’m blessed to serve with these committed lay leaders.

Friday morning, I caught up with Rev. Jerry and Teresa Alexander in Anderson and met relatives of theirs who are exploring ministry in The Wesleyan Church. The Alexanders serve with Circle of Hope’s Anderson campus under the leadership of Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck. It is exciting to see how God is raising up workers for His harvest!

Rev. Mark Atkinson and I met for lunch in Gas City. Pastor Mark continues his miraculous recovery and is enjoying being able to spend more time in ministry. After lunch, we met with Rev. Shawnda Dykhoff who leads the ministry at Brinker Heights Wesleyan Church. Gas City Eastview Church has been assisting with this ministry for the past few years. Pastor Shawnda and Mr. Kyle Bilbee are engaged to be married on February 27 so lots of exciting changes ahead!
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​The School of Theology & Ministry at Indiana Wesleyan University invites you to discover The Called Collective, an online resourcing service for high school students who are discerning a call to ministry. Students can access articles, videos, and coaching opportunities all developed by the IWU School of Theology & Ministry. If you have a student sensing a call to ministry, you can send them to the link below to access these resources and receive weekly updates:
https://www.indwes.edu/undergraduate/school-of-theology-and-ministry/called-collective/

Pastors, there is still time for you to take advantage of this special opportunity! The Crossroads District and the Thrive Initiative of The Wesleyan Church are providing a practical way to bless our pastors. You are running hard in ministry but, to sustain long-term effectiveness, you also need to rest well. Toward that end, we are making available a $475 grant towards a retreat of two nights or more. Learning resources and planning tools are provided to make this time as profitable as possible. When you complete your retreat, the Thrive Initiative has a $500 matching grant available with a second set of learning resources.

​If your church also elects to participate in this initiative (i.e. paying down ministerial student loans, topping up retirement, fitness equipment), additional matching funds up to $500 are available. For the first month, this opportunity is only available to the first 100 solo or senior pastors that sign up. This opportunity will be made available to assistant pastors starting February 2, 2021.

For more details, please follow this link:
​https://www.crossroadsdistrict.org/restwellinitiative.html

I’m always glad to hear stories of our churches working together to advance the Kingdom. Rev. Craig Thurmon (planting The Encounter Assembly and also serving as our district treasurer) and Pastor John Miller (planting Way City Church in Speedway) combined their services for the last few weeks as they find creative ways to minister in the pandemic. We are stronger together!
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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

Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Allen and Grace Gross at Cicero United Family Church on Sunday morning, January 17. Since my last visit, they’ve returned to the original sanctuary for their worship services. Attendance (in person) has been rebounding with 55 on a recent weekend. They have welcomed first-time guests again this month. Last conference year, they celebrated 10 professions of faith and 2 baptisms.
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After the service, I met with the Local Board of Administration and then Sherry and I hosted the Gross family (with their three beautiful children) for a fun time over lunch. Allen, another one of our faithful bi-vocational ministers, has served at Cicero United, first as assistant and now as pastor, for 12 years.

Sunday afternoon, I joined Rev. Zack Working and Rev. Carla Working at Hope Rising Church in Huntington for a Local Church Conference (LCC) to re-establish the church. The congregation had requested that the DBA place them in developing church status for a few years as they revitalized the ministry. Average attendance has increased from 47 in 2018 to 108 last year. Although they’ve had to close on a few occasions during the pandemic, attendance for the month of January has continued to average over 100. The membership has grown from 30 to 60 in the past two years. Last year they baptized 24 new believers. It was a delight to celebrate this milestone as the LCC adopted standing rules and elected their representative leaders.
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Last week’s schedule included pre-vote conversations with Rev. Jeremy Armiger (Chesterfield Parkview), Rev. Jarod Osborne (Warsaw Pathway), Pastor Ben Jones (Beaver Creek), and Rev. Dr. Oliver Dongell (Plymouth). I also enjoyed connecting with Rev. Logan Patriquin (Lafayette The Branch) for our annual coaching conversation.

The highlight of the week was the opportunity to be part of the District Board of Ministerial Development interviews with ordination candidates. Dr. David Smith, chair, and Rev. Carla Working, vice-chair, lead a great team of committee members across our district who serve as many as 100 ministerial candidates each year. On Saturday, we interviewed Allen Gross, John Miller, Brandon Shroyer, Christian Kelley, Kyle Horton, Joshua Warren, Edward Ensley, and Joyce Dixon. Every candidate shared encouraging reports of God working in their lives and ministry. Our 2021 ordination service is schedule for Friday evening, June 25, in Marion.
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We are praying and working toward launching 10 new Kingdom communities each year. The pandemic hasn’t slowed our progress with 3 projects approved at the last DBA and at least one coming to the DBA meeting February. The most effective way to plant churches is when one healthy congregation launches a new daughter congregation or campus. This past Saturday evening was a beautiful example of this as Rev. Eliorgy Guerrero and the Elkhart Cielos Abiertos Iglesia Wesleyana congregation helped Rev. Ruben Santos launch a new Saturday evening service in South Bend hosted by Rev. Greg Holmes and the Sonlight Church. Sixty people showed up to help with this launch and, best of all, two people prayed to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord!
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Sherry joins me in expressing sincere condolences on behalf of the Crossroads District team to the family Mrs. Nancy Snell, (widow of Rev. Jim Snell one of our retired pastors who had served at Beaver Creek Wesleyan) on her passing. The funeral service will be held at Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church, 66027 Redwood Road, North Liberty, on Saturday at 11 am. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the Snell family.

In addition to the team members for whom we are already praying, please include Mrs. Lenita Bell, wife of Pastor Jerome Bell (Autumn Hills church plant). Both of her aging parents have contracted Covid-19 and her father is critically ill. Lenita is caring for her mother at the family home in Ohio while her father is hospitalized in Columbus.
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​You still have time to sign up! The Crossroads District and the Thrive Initiative of The Wesleyan Church are providing a practical way to bless our pastors. You are running hard in ministry but, to sustain long-term effectiveness, you also need to rest well. Toward that end, we are making available a $475 grant towards a retreat of two nights or more. Learning resources and planning tools are provided to make this time as profitable as possible. When you complete your retreat, the Thrive Initiative has a $500 matching grant available with a second set of learning resources.

If your church also elects to participate in this initiative (i.e. paying down ministerial student loans, topping up retirement, fitness equipment), additional matching funds up to $500 are available. For the first month, this opportunity is only available to the first 100 solo or senior pastors that sign up. This opportunity will be made available to assistant pastors starting February 2, 2021.

For more details, please follow this link:
​https://www.crossroadsdistrict.org/restwellinitiative.html

Thank you for all you do to advance the Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent
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Sunday morning, Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Jeremy and Ana Armiger and our friends at Parkview Wesleyan Church in Chesterfield, Indiana. After the morning service, I met with the LBA and then Sherry and I hosted the Armiger family for lunch. We are blessed to have this family as part of our district team.
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Parkview Church has experienced a significant transition in the past few years. The church has walked together through the death of their long-term and dearly-loved Pastor Paul Trent, through two effective interim pastors (Rev. Bob VanCise and Dr. Jim Lo), and then on to welcoming the Armigers. While the pandemic has slowed the momentum that they were experiencing, the church continues with prayer walks and community outreach.
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Most recently, Rev. Armiger and Dr. Lo led the effort to distribute 1000 candy canes and prayer cards to homes in the surrounding community. They celebrated 19 new professions of faith last conference year and baptized 15 new believers in the past 2 years. Change is never easy for any church. In fact, some churches would rather die than change. I’m grateful for changes that Parkview has been willing to make so far to regain their focus on making more disciples. Pray for God’s continued blessing as they make the Great Commission their first priority.

Sunday afternoon, I met with the LBA at Muncie Memorial Drive Wesleyan Church. They’re in a time of transition with Rev. Lee Miller stepping out to plant Crossover Church near the reservoir on the east side of Muncie. The LBA has secured a supply pastor to help with preaching. After a good time of discussion, we have planned a Local Church Conference for January 24 to allow for broader input from the membership as they consider options for the future. Pray that God will bless with direction and unity.

Yesterday morning, January 10, was the first church visit assignment for Dr. Jim Lo as the newest member of our district team. Dr. Lo visited with Pastor David Leitzel and the Hamilton Wesleyan Church family yesterday to bring greetings and encouragement from our district team. Dr. Lo shared a positive report from this first appointment.
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Rev. Seth Bye, who has been making church visits, will now be preaching each Sunday at Nehemiah Church through the spring and assisting them as interim pastor. Dr. Lo agreed to come alongside to help me with church visits through this spring season. With permission from the DBA, we’re developing a plan that will have a district coach like Dr. Lo, assigned to every pastor. Our district pastor coaches will visit a group of churches each year to preach or bring greetings, meet with the LBA, and visit with the pastor for encouragement and counsel. They will also be available for prayer and counsel to the teams of pastors with which they’ll be working.
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Leadership development, church revitalization, and church planting are the top three priorities for our district collaboration. I saw each of these partnership opportunities on full display last week. Saturday afternoon, Dr. Richard Schenck and the District Board of Ministerial Development for Region 2 met online for interviews with 4 ministerial candidates. The clergy and lay leaders who serve on our DBMD play a significant role in the preparation of those who are answering God’s call to ministry. In a given year, our DBMD members will serve as many as 100 candidates. We are grateful for their service!
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Church revitalization matters. Every church can become increasingly intentional, better aligned, and more effective in making disciples. One of the ways that our district team helps local church leaders is by facilitating StratOp events. StratOp is an opportunity for your leadership team to assess current realities and plan for the future potential that you sense God is initiating. Hartford City Wesleyan Church worked with Rev. Jason Tash last summer for their first round of StratOp planning. Last Tuesday evening, Jason was back for the plan review. It was encouraging to see the progress the team had made, even in a pandemic, by completing 9 of their short-term objectives.
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Church planting is the third key of our district collaboration. While almost any healthy church can plant a daughter congregation, one of the strengths of being part of a district is that we can do this together. Assistant DS Mike Colaw leads our team in Region 2 and took time last week to interview Lee Miller about the new church he’ll be planting. Mike shared the video with the Region 2 pastors. Every partnering church will be part of the story of Crossover Church. Together, we’ll be celebrating every new believer and every baptism.
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Speaking of baptisms, I was delighted to hear that Pastor Shane Wilson (Columbia City New Hope Wesleyan) and Pastor John Hannan (Union City CrossRoads) were able to connect last week to give and receive a blessing. New Hope Church had a portable baptistry that they were able to donate to CrossRoads Church. Pastor John and his team brought it back to Union City and set it up in time to celebrate two more baptisms this past Sunday. Thank you to Pastor Wilson and New Hope for their generosity. Praise the Lord for partnerships and lives being made new!
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Another exciting way churches can partner is in united prayer. Yesterday was the launch of “21 Days of Prayer” with Brookhaven Wesleyan, Lakeview Wesleyan, and The River Church partnering in this prayer initiative. Pastor Tony Bye, Pastor Chris Williams, and Pastor Matthew Trexler committed to working together to raise the prayer temperature in their congregations and community. There is power when we agree together in prayer!
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​Sherry joins me in expressing sincere condolences on behalf of the Crossroads District family to Rev. Dr. Joe Harmon (interim pastor at New Castle Memorial) on the passing of his mother, Anna Belle Fraker of Beckley, West Virginia. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to Dr. Harmon and the extended family. https://www.roseandquesenberry.net/obituary/anna-fraker
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The Crossroads District and the Thrive Initiative of The Wesleyan Church have teamed up to provide a practical way to bless our pastors. You are running hard in ministry but, to sustain long-term effectiveness, you also need to rest well. Toward that end, we are making available a $475 grant towards a retreat of two nights or more. Learning resources and planning tools are provided to make this time as profitable as possible. When you complete your retreat, the Thrive Initiative has a $500 matching grant available with a second set of learning resources.

​If your church also elects to participate in this initiative (i.e. paying down ministerial student loans, topping up retirement, fitness equipment), additional matching funds up to $500 are available. For the first month, this opportunity is only available to the first 100 solo or senior pastors that sign up. This opportunity will be made available to assistant pastors starting February 2, 2021.

For more details, please follow this link:
​https://www.crossroadsdistrict.org/restwellinitiative.html

Thank you for making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, January 3, I had the privilege of bringing greetings from our district team and worshiping with Pastor John and Beth Hannan at CrossRoads Church in Union City. Many of you have been praying with John and Beth as they launched CrossRoads Church on September 27, 2020. While attendance has fluctuated with Covid-19, they’ve welcomed 34 last Sunday and have baptized 8 new believers since launch. They had two first time guests yesterday who filled out a connection card and expressed their desire to get to know Christ.

Pastor John and Beth are committed to expressing God’s love in practical ways. This Christmas they raised funds to bless a grandmother in their congregation. The frame in her car rusted through and the vehicle had to be scrapped. She still wanted to attend with her granddaughter so members of the church had been driving out to bring them. The church raised enough money to purchase a vehicle. Since the fundraising had been anonymous, even the grandmother had contributed to help with the project. Imagine her surprise when they gave her the keys to the car on Christmas Sunday morning.
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Few people would recommend trying to launch a church plant in the middle of the pandemic, but God is on the move as we answer His call into the harvest. Pastor Lee and Jennifer Miller are doing just that on the east side of Muncie. Rev. Miller has served effectively at Muncie Memorial Wesleyan for the past few years but sensed God’s call to reach out to the community where he and Jennifer live near the reservoir. God opened a door for them to hold launch team meetings and preview services in a former Boy Scout camp near the reservoir. This past Saturday, they hosted a sneak preview event that they shared on Facebook. Imagine how encouraged they were when more than 75 people showed up to learn more about Crossover Church. They will plan to continue building a launch team and holding preview gatherings this spring with a launch tentatively scheduled for August. Please keep our church planters in your prayers!
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Many of you who are leading in the local church can relate to Pastor Scott McDermid’s Christmas update from Six Points Wesleyan Church in Sheridan. He wrote: “This Christmas Eve did NOT go as planned. A few days before, we got word of several members who had attended the previous Sunday and now tested positive for COVID (they are doing fine) but due to an abundance of caution we decided to have our Christmas Eve services online only. This was disappointing (it is often one of our busiest services of the year and a great opportunity to have visitors) but our team did a great job creating an excellent online service. Over the past 10 months we have been buying, installing and upgrading our tech (equipment, software, internet speed…) and it all came together on Christmas Eve to allow the online viewer to see and hear all the parts of the service at home.”

The year 2020 confirmed that church is more than just meeting in a building. Pastor Rich Van Vuren shared that Shiloh Wesleyan Church, near Plymouth, reached out in a new way this last year. He wrote: “We have a large number of homeless and extremely needy people in the Plymouth area and responded by doing a drive through Thanksgiving dinner in November.  As a result of the Thanksgiving initiative a few ladies from our church were further burdened and spearheaded a Christmas Dinner initiative in which we dropped off over 200 meals to some of the higher homeless density areas of Plymouth and trailer parks.  We had over 20 volunteers all together.”
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The Crossroads District and the Thrive Initiative of The Wesleyan Church have teamed up to provide a practical way to bless you and your family. You are running hard in ministry but, to sustain long-term effectiveness, you also need to rest well. Toward that end, we are making available a $475 grant towards a retreat of two nights or more. Learning resources are provided to make this time as profitable as possible.
​

The Wesleyan denomination’s Thrive Initiative has a $500 matching grant available when you complete the second learning journey. If your church also elects to participate in this initiative (i.e. paying down ministerial student loans, topping up retirement, fitness equipment), additional matching funds up to $500 are available. For the first month, this opportunity is only available to the first 100 solo or senior pastors that sign up. This opportunity will be made available to assistant pastors starting February 2, 2021.

For more details, please follow this link:
​https://www.crossroadsdistrict.org/restwellinitiative.html
​
I’ve been encouraging our pastors to rest well and some of them have challenged me to do the same. Last week, Sherry and I enjoyed a two-day getaway with an overnight stay in Jasper, Indiana. Joel, our youngest son, and Christie, his wife, joined us for this adventure. The highlight of our trip was exploring Marengo Cave National Landmark. If you haven’t been there yet, add it to your list. One surprising fact was that this cave has often hosted worship services in one of the larger rooms. There is even a pulpit rock dedicated (1924) to Bishop H.H. Fout of the Indiana Conference Church of the United Brethren. I’d be glad to hear about your favorite places in Indiana to rest and recharge.
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There is no guarantee that 2021 will be any less challenging than 2020, but never doubt that God will prove Himself to be faithful again this year. The spiritual needs have never been greater and the Kingdom opportunities have never been more abundant. I am believing with you for a terrific year of ministry as we labor together here at the Crossroads of America. Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians‬ ‭1:3-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

P.S. – I encourage you to check out this helpful article from Dr. Dan Reiland:
​https://danreiland.com/5-steps-to-lead-strong-in-2021/

The regularly scheduled Crossroads District Team Update will return on January 4, 2021. Our office is closed this week to allow our district staff the opportunity to rest and connect with family.

I am hearing encouraging reports about our churches connecting and serving during Christmas week. We’re hoping to capture as many of those stories as possible in a special edition of our Team Update that we’ll share next Monday.

If you have a ministry report from your church that you would be willing to pass along for this special edition, please email a paragraph with the details and one or two pictures to office@crossroadsdistrict.org with subject line: “Christmas report.”

To be included, please send your report no later than 5 pm, Thursday, December 31.

The Crossroads District and the Thrive Initiative of The Wesleyan Church have teamed up to provide a practical way to bless you and your family. You are running hard in ministry but, to sustain long-term effectiveness, you also need to rest well. Toward that end, we are making available a $475 grant towards a retreat of two nights or more. Learning resources are provided to make this time as profitable as possible.

The Thrive Initiative has a $500 matching grant available with a second set of learning resources. If your church also elects to participate in this initiative (i.e. paying down ministerial student loans, topping up retirement, fitness equipment), additional matching funds up to $500 are available. For the first month, this opportunity is only available to the first 100 solo or senior pastors that sign up. This opportunity will be made available to assistant pastors starting February 2, 2021.

For more details, please follow this link:
​https://www.crossroadsdistrict.org/restwellinitiative.html
​
​Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent