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Sunday morning, July 21, I had the privilege of worshiping with Dan and Amanda Clark at Monon Wesleyan Church. It was my joy to bring greetings from our Crossroads District team and to officially install Dan as their new pastor. Pastor Dan preached on “Transitions” from the book of Ezra.  After the service, I hosted them for lunch and was encouraged to hear of the impact that Eastview Wesleyan Church had on their lives when they were college students at IWU. Dr. Joe Harmon and Pastor Mark Atkinson played key roles in their spiritual growth and their call to pastoral ministry. Dan is on track to graduate with his MDiv from Anderson Seminary in May. Fairmount Family Camp is on this week, July 21-28. The Fairmount Wesleyan Church moved their morning worship service to the campground to help the week get off to a great start. Pastor Jeff Luedtke brought the morning message and the band from FWC led in worship. Services continue each evening this week at 7 p.m. with Rev. Christy Lipscomb (City Life Church) and Rev. Nathan Metz (WGM-Uganda) as our guest speakers and with Josh Lavender (Indy Trinity) leading worship in song.  Our Crossroads District team is praying for and joining with Cynthia, her family, and the Lakeview Wesleyan Church congregation in grieving the loss of Pastor Tim McClellan who passed from the land of the dying into the land of the forever living on Thursday, July 18, just 4 days after his 68th birthday. Pastor Tim endured an intense battle with cancer after first being diagnosed earlier this year. I was available to share one last time of prayer with Tim and Cynthia in their home on Tuesday afternoon. He was a beloved husband, father, friend, and servant of the Lord. Our team will gather at Lakeview Wesleyan Church this Saturday, July 27, at 4 p.m. for the memorial service. Link here for a full obituary: Chronicle-Tribune Obituary  I began last week in Columbus, OH, at Cypress Wesleyan Church on Monday for the Greater Ohio District Conference with DS Les Crossfield. I concluded the week on Friday in Lexington, KY with DS Aaron Sherman at the Kentucky-Tennessee District Conference. It was encouraging to hear the exciting reports of progress in these districts, including a new church plant in Ohio and revitalization initiatives in KY-TN. Our Heartland Region is working together to provide our first cooperative four-district Pastor and Family Retreat in Pigeon Forge, TN on March 10-12, 2020. Here’s the link for our shared website: The Heartland Region of The Wesleyan Church Tuesday included staff meetings in Marion, a site visit with Dr. Max Kingsolver at our Wesleyan church in Michigantown, and the day concluded in a meeting with Dr. Jeffrey Boyce and the LBA (Local Board of Administration) at Lakeview Wesleyan Church. Dr. Boyce and the LBA have carried a heavy load in this season of transition and I’m grateful for the prayerful way they’ve handled this process. On Wednesday evening, I was able to be part of the prayer service that they hosted for the Lakeview congregation. Please join them in prayer for wisdom as they lead the congregation through this time of grieving, into this interim season leadership, and as they begin the pastoral search.  Baptism reports are coming in! Pastor Eliorgy Guerrero and the team at Cielos Abiertos in Elkhart are rejoicing in six baptisms last month. Pastor Rich Van Vuren reported a baptism celebration this week at Shiloh Wesleyan Church and Pastor David Cox reported another baptism at Laketon Wesleyan Church on Sunday. There is still time to order additional #MADENEW T-shirts by contacting our office. We’re praying, believing, and working together toward a goal of 1000 new believers baptized across our churches this year. God is on the move!  We are praising the Lord for answered prayer. Way City Church in Speedway will be launching their public worship services this September in the St. John’s Episcopal Church building (5625 W. 30th Street). Pastor John Miller is excited to be worshipping in a building that he grew up riding his bike past every day of the summer. We are thankful to the Indianapolis Episcopal Diocese for their willingness to lease this strategic space in which to launch a new Wesleyan church.  Pastor Matt Ohime and the Davis Wesleyan Church (near Plymouth) welcomed lead consultant Paul James and a team for their Maximizing Impact consultation. Pastor Matt and Kendra have done a wonderful job of mobilizing the church in this first year. Maximizing Impact is an opportunity to build clarity, unity, and urgency as the church moves forward to multiplying disciples in their region. The congregation received the team’s report yesterday and now will be engaged in prayerful discernment over the next few weeks before they vote on whether to move forward with the team’s prescriptions.  We are joining Rev. Randy and Carole Yaryan (Winchester Wesleyan) in praising the Lord this week. Janelle Hill, their daughter, survived a near-death experience while serving as a chaperone for their Bible Bowl team at Houghton College. Pastor Randy was on the spot to deliver CPR until the EMT arrived and rushed her to the hospital. Doctors were amazed to see her recovery but the family has no doubt that God intervened miraculously and spared her life. To read Janelle’s account of this miracle, click here.  In other exciting news, Bernie Haddad, (a member of Trinity Wesleyan Church and founder of Mercy Unleashed) has received permission to plant a new Kingdom community among inmates inside the Level 1 Dorm at the New Castle Correctional Facility. Their first service is scheduled for August 9. Praise God for the door He has opened for Bernie and pray that God will continue to open hearts to the Gospel. Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent
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Sherry and I had the joy of worshiping with Pastor Brian Scramlin and the good folks at New Journey Community Church in Wabash. This church has a wonderful heart for its community and partners in creative ways to make an impact for the Kingdom. They’ve also done a terrific job converting an old school building into a contemporary ministry center. I had the privilege of bringing the morning message and then the LBA (local board of administration) took time for a brief meeting with me after the service. Sherry and I enjoyed hosting Pastor Brian, Jessica, and their two daughters for lunch.  Last Monday, I was in Hartford City to meet with Pastor Barry Taylor for a welcome lunch and an opportunity to learn more about his passion for church planting. Monday afternoon, I met with Bob Burchell to review the progress his team at Lakeview Wesleyan Church has been making on the action initiatives from their StratOp. Monday evening, I met with the StratOp team and was encouraged by the progress they are making on redesigning their process for welcoming guests and multiplying disciples.  Tuesday morning, I dropped by Fairmount Camp to check in on the staff at the Kids Camp before meeting with the pastoral staff at Lakeview Wesleyan Church. In our denomination, when a church is without a lead pastor, the DS provides more direct leadership until a supply or interim pastor is appointed (Discipline 1310:23) or a permanent pastor is secured. Our district office staff met before lunch and then I connected with another of our pastors over lunch. Tuesday afternoon was my first chance to visit in Union City with Rev. John and Beth Hannan. John and Beth have sensed God’s call to launch a new ministry in their hometown after several years serving on loan with the United Methodist Church. We shared supper with their family and then John and I drove through the community. We closed the evening in prayer for the seeds they are planting and the vision-casting meeting they had planned for Friday.  Wednesday morning, I met with Jared Webb at Lakeview on follow-up items from StratOp. My next appointment was in Logansport to meet with Dr. Norm Wilson and Rev. Eliorgy Guerrero. We had a great conversation over lunch about ways to better support our Hispanic pastors and lay leaders, especially as we ramp up our church planting efforts. Dr. Norm Wilson and I were in Frankfort later in the afternoon to meet with Rev. Calemerio Rodriguez and Rev. Omar Gonzales (not related) to hear more about their vision for opening a door for ministry to Hispanics in Lafayette. Wednesday evening, I was able to participate in the worship service at Frankfort Family Camp. Rev. David Duncan was the speaker of the evening and it was a blessing to reconnect with friends and team members. Many of the key volunteers come from our Crossroads District churches. Phil and Rhonda Foley are doing a wonderful job developing this effective, self-supporting ministry.  Thursday morning, I was back at Fairmount Camp to connect with Josh Delph, chair of the Board of Directors. I appreciate the way that Josh is stepping into this key leadership role. Josh and his team are working diligently to see the camp achieve its full potential. I was also able to drop in to hear Pastor Andy Cole (Lapel Daybreak Church) leading worship for Kids Camp. He and his team did a great job serving this week. Few things can compare with the pure, passionate worship of children!  I met with the creative team from Lakeview Wesleyan over lunch and then headed back to Upland to work from my home office. Friday morning, I met with Chris Williams for district planning and then Pastor Matthew Trexler joined us for lunch and follow-up from the StratOp projects that are moving forward. Friday evening, I was delighted to hear from Pastor John Hannan. He and Beth knew that they had four families, who had expressed interested in the church planting vision, would be out of town. They were encouraged with more than a dozen who came out to learn more about launching a new Kingdom community in Union City.  Pastor John was invited to partner with Rev. Claudia Silva, our pastor in Richmond, who has been helping an independent Hispanic congregation in Union City. They baptized two new believers at the park and shared a fellowship lunch beside the lake. They are having conversations to explore other possibilities for working together to reach this community for Christ. If you’d like to follow along to hear more about the story that God is writing, you can catch their FaceBook page: CrossRoads Church in Union City  We love hearing the transformation stories from across the district team. Here’s a picture from Pastor Scott McDermid and the baptism service they celebrated last week at Six Points Church in Sheridan. Please pass along photos from your celebrations as we pray, believe and work together to see 1000 new believers baptized this conference year!  Churches like yours in the Crossroads District have a deep commitment to global missions. I want to encourage you to take 3 minutes and 24 seconds to watch this video for an exciting challenge from Steve Mathews, one of our district directors for Global Partners. Here’s the link: Steve Mathews – Crossroads GP Partnerships Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Sunday morning, July 7, Dr. Norman Wilson, Rev. Eliorgy Guerrero and I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Franz & Yudlia Gonzalez and the wonderful congregation at Vida y Esperanza (Life and Hope) in Goshen. It was a joy to preach the Word and to join with Dr. Wilson in welcoming this new congregation to our team.  Pastor Gonzalez and his team first connected with Rev. Guerrero and the Cielos Abiertos Church in Elkhart. Several of the folks in the congregation are here with official refugee status from the tragedy in Venezuela. This congregation has a vision for multiplication in Indiana and Mexico. Please pray for Pastor Gonzalez as he leads this movement!  Sunday afternoon, Sherry joined me in Anderson to bring greetings from the Crossroads District team as United Wesleyan Church celebrated Rev. Clifton and Arletta’s 45th years of marriage and ministry, with the last 20 years loving and serving this congregation. There was a great turnout for the event with fun memories and laughter. The church surprised the Ashlock’s with a travel voucher that will enable them to visit their friends in Brazil where the Ashlock family had a powerful ministry. They won’t be slowing down much with Cliff continuing to teach for IWU and serving on the District Board of Ministerial Development but it does sound like they’ll have more time to enjoy their grandchildren. Thank you, Clifton and Arletta for your inspiring example in ministry and marriage!  Last week afforded a change of pace for many of us with the July 4th holiday falling on Thursday. In addition to enjoying some time off, I was with Pastors Zack and Carla Working to sign loan documents for Hope Rising Church as they continue the revitalization project. On Tuesday evening, I met with the Lakeview Wesleyan Church LBA as they take the first steps on their pastoral search process. Friday morning, I met with Dr. Jeff Boyce, LBA vice-chair, to review options for interim ministry at Lakeview. Last week may have been a holiday week, but the Kingdom is on the move and lives are being made new! The first baptism picture this week comes from Pastor Mark and Sharie Schnell who serve together at Albion Wesleyan Church. This past week, Pastor Mark had the joy of baptizing C.J., their son, at a family gathering. Praise the Lord!  The second transformation story comes from The Branch Wesleyan Church in Lafayette. Earlier this spring, Pastor Logan and Shaina Patriquin were out walking in their neighborhood. They met a young girl named Kassie and Shaina invited her to be their guest at their new youth group led by Amber Bass. After one of the group meetings, Kassie prayed to receive Christ. Yesterday, she brought her unchurched family to church with her to witness her baptism. Praise the Lord for lives #madenew!  Congratulations to Pastor Ben Jones! He shared the announcement this week of his engagement to Miss Kirsten Harmon. Ben recently accepted the call to pastor our Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church (near the town of North Liberty and Potato Creek State Park).  A warm Crossroads District team welcome to Rev. Barry and Vickie Taylor who officially began their ministry yesterday, July 7, at Hartford City Wesleyan Church where Barry is the new senior pastor. They are settling in and have found their way to Ivanhoe’s.  Congratulations to the Monon Wesleyan Church on their call to Dan Clark to become their next pastor. Dan has been serving at Middletown Community Church before accepting this call to Monon. I’m looking forward to being with Monon Wesleyan on July 21 as the congregation welcomes Dan and Amanda to this new appointment. This week, the Fairmount Kids Camp is in full swing under the direction of Rev. Michele Henry. Pray that this will be a wonderful, faith forming experience for these children. Pray for grace and strength for the counselors and staff! Frankfort Family Camp began yesterday and runs through next Sunday with Rev. Noel Bates and Rev. David Duncan as the camp evangelists. Phil and Ronda Foley do a great job hosting this camp and they’d love to welcome you to their services. Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent
Sunday morning, June 30, I joined Rev. Dr. Morris & Anita Jones for worship at Lebanon Wesleyan Church. Dr. Jones pastors bi-vocationally, serving as an academic advisor for a university in Indianapolis, and he has led the Lebanon Wesleyan Church since 1995.  Attendance in this aging congregation now averages fewer than 30 but they are faithful in supporting global missions. Rev. Matthew & Caryl Aukerman, our Global Partners missionaries in Albania, shared an update from their field yesterday and thanked the Lebanon church for more than 10 years of faithful prayer and financial support. Sunday evening, I met with the Sweetser Wesleyan Church’s StratOp team for a progress update on their first “Action Initiative.” They’ve been working diligently to create an effective process for welcoming and engaging first-time guests. I had the privilege of staying for their first quarterly gathering on a Sunday night when they celebrate wins, appreciate their volunteers and cast vision. Pastor Matthew and Jennifer Stewart are leading a wonderful team committed to reaching younger, unchurched families in Sweetser. (I was glad to see the “#madenew” baptism T-shirts that they had placed in their sanctuary as a reminder of their faith goal.)  Last Monday, I had a delightful conversation with one of our younger leaders who is prayerfully considering becoming a bi-vocational church planter. Keep praying that God will send workers in His harvest field. That afternoon, I joined the simulcast of the Wesleyan event at AMPLIFY from Wheaton College with Dr. Ed Stetzer and a series of other presentations on discipleship. Thank you to Anita Eastlack and the team at CMAD for making this available for all of us. Tuesday morning, I met with Dr. Jeff Boyce and the ministry staff at Lakeview Wesleyan Church before heading to Indianapolis for the Region 2 Leadership Connection. Rev. Mike Colaw, our Assistant DS for Region 2, hosted the event which included worship led by Josh Lavender and an impactful presentation from Dr. Kerry Kind.  The next two sessions for Region 2 are:
If you’re not in Region 2 but would like to attend, just reach out to Barbara Richter: office@encountertrinity.com Tuesday evening, Sherry and I were guests for Pastor Mark & Ronda Atkinson as Eastview Wesleyan Church co-sponsored a free concert at Gas City Park featuring the Sidewalk Prophets. Pastor Mark opened the event and Ronda led children in singing the Star-Spangled Banner for this well-attended community gathering.  Wednesday was a catch-up day (phone calls, emails). Thursday, Chris Williams and I met for conference debrief and planning. Seth Bye and I participated with Dr. Larry Lindsey and a team from the Ron Blue Institute on a Thrive initiative opportunity. Dr. Jim Lo and I met over lunch on some ministry possibilities for the coming year. Then, Dr. Bud Bence and I met in McConn Coffee to hear more about his passion for Sierra Leone. We also explored how we might offer a “Wesleyan Church History and Discipline” course experience for transferring ministers and others who need this credit for ordination. The last hours of my afternoon were spent in the Jackson Library doing some research on a book concept. The IWU library is a beautiful space to read and reflect. I’m grateful for the gracious way IWU hosts our district pastors who value this resource.  Friday morning, I met with Dr. Lenny and Amy Luchetti. We’re blessed to have them both serving on our district team. Lenny is providing pulpit supply at Lakeview Wesleyan Church this summer and Amy serves on our DBA (District Board of Administration). Friday afternoon, I was in Fishers to meet with Paige Johnson, a church planting intern who is serving at Waterline Church with Pastor John & Danielle Freed. Sherry joined me on Friday evening to drop in on Pastor Chuck & Chrystal Moorer and the team at Divine Direction Church, our congregation on 46th Street in Indianapolis. They were holding the grand opening of their new monthly discipleship food bank. Divine Direction is having a wonderful impact on their community and this new ministry is taking it to another level. They will continue providing food but will also be offering focused counseling and intentional discipleship opportunities to those in need.  The Southview Wesleyan Church family hosted a wonderful 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration for Rev. Rick and Mary Matthews on Saturday afternoon. The Matthews have been pastoring at Southview (on the south side of Indianapolis) since 1983. Their family and the church have grown together over these decades of ministry. It was a joy to be able to be present to congratulate them on behalf of our Crossroads District team.  Phil and Rhonda Foley and the team at Frankfort Camp Ministries invite us to their 2019 Family Camp (July 7-14) featuring Rev. David Duncan and Rev. Noel Bates. For more information, visit their website: http://www.frankfortcampministries.com/ Fairmount Family Camp is coming soon, July 21-28! We’re looking forward to the teaching ministry of Rev. Christy Hontz Lipscomb and Rev. Nathan Metz, along with Josh Lavender, worship leader. Here’s the link for more information: Fairmount Family Camp Just a reminder for all pastors and local church treasurers that our new post office box for financial mail is: P.O. Box 7186, Fishers, IN 46038. If you were not able to attend district conference to learn about our new “Shared Accounting Services” partnership with General Treasurer Kevin Batman’s office at HQ, please reach out to Roxene Lo (roxene@crossroadsdistrict.org) for more information. Here’s the best news of the week: “More baptisms!” Pastor Zack Working was the first one to check in yesterday with news that they baptized four more people at Hope Rising Wesleyan Church in Huntington. The fourth person…was Zack’s mother. What an exciting day for their family and for the Kingdom! Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!
Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent P.S. Congratulations and “well done, faithful servants” to the following leaders who were recognized for these significant ministry milestones at our district conference: 30 years – Robert Burchell III, James Dunn, Marc Watkins 35 years – David Anderson, Kevin Bragg, Kenneth Dykhoff, Paul Ramsey, Douglas Sharrard 40 years – Oliver Dongell, Richard Schenck, Wayne Schmidt 45 years – Clifton Ashlock, Thomas Hines, Matthew Miller, Joseph Park, Jr., James Watkins, Norman Wilson 50 years – Rick Matthews, Logan Westrick 55 years – James P. Vermilya
The Crossroads District team gathered at Indiana Wesleyan University this past weekend (June 21-22) to celebrate ordination on Friday night and for our annual conference on Saturday. We were grateful that Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our General Superintendent was able to be with us for both days. Dr. Schmidt preached a powerful message from Joshua.
Dr. Schmidt and the District Board of Ministerial Development led us in the ritual of ordination for our new ministers: Reverend Nicholas Armes, Reverend Nowell Hardin, Reverend Steven Howlett, and Reverend David Kelly. Special thanks to our wonderful team of ordained ministers who showed up in force to stand with these ordinands and to be reminded of the sacredness of our own calling. 
We are grateful to President Dr. David Wright and his IWU conference team for the way that they graciously hosted our gatherings in the Philippe Performing Arts Center. Our conference opened on Saturday morning with a wonderful spirit of unity in our opening communion service led by Dr. Schmidt. We concluded the day with a keen sense of God’s presence in the commissioning prayer led by Dr. Jim Lo. Elections were completed efficiently with Michael Wood (Woody) and Rev. Don Bayne continuing to find ways to improve the process. Thank you! The following were elected as DBA members-at-large: LAITY: Mrs. Sharon Cady (Indianapolis Trinity Wesleyan), Mrs. Kathy Drury (Fishers One Multi-church Network), Dr. Nathan Hoover (River Church – Chesterton campus), Mrs. Kara Kensinger (Fort Wayne Level 13), and Mrs. Amy Luchetti (College Wesleyan). ORDAINED: Rev. Amanda Blair (Tipton Trinity), Dr. Steve Bray (Fountain City), Rev. Barry Dixon (Indianapolis Calvary Family), Rev. Emily Hines (Brookhaven) and Rev. Jeff Luedtke (Fairmount). The conference took action to elect all DBA members-at-large as General Conference delegates and the elected the following additional delegates: LAITY: Mrs. Ana Armiger (Chesterfield Parkview), Mr. Ken Ehman (Tipton Trinity), Mrs. Lisa Knepp (Plymouth Shiloh), Mrs. Sharie Schnell (Albion Wesleyan), Mrs. Lyndy Szmara (Logansport The Bridge) and Mr. David Tippey (Brookhaven). ORDAINED: Rev. Mike Colaw (Indianapolis Trinity), Dr. Steve DeNeff (College Wesleyan), Dr. Jim Lo (Chesterfield Parkview), Rev. Chris Williams (College Wesleyan), and Rev. Matthew Trexler (The River Church). One memorial will be forwarded from our district conference to the 2020 General Conference Special Committee on Memorials. There was a good debate and one amendment was successfully approved that proposes to change Discipline 3108 to read as follows: “Any minister who enters into a marriage relation contrary to the Scriptures, and to those expositions of Scripture as set forth in the Membership Commitments (265:5-6; cf 410:5-6) or is divorced for reasons other than the sexual infidelity of their spouse (Matthew 19:8-9) or abandonment by their spouse (1 Corinthians 7:10-16), after having been ordained, commissioned or licensed, shall be dismissed from ministerial standing, provided that guilt has been established in accord with the judicial processes set forth in The Discipline (5206-5212).” The memorial, as amended, passed by a 77% majority, with 260 in favor and 76 opposed. 
Our theme word for the team this year is “Multiply” and our theme verse if John 15:8 “This is to my Father’s glory that you bear much fruit showing yourselves to be my disciples.” The challenge we’re engaging is to move beyond addition to multiplying disciples who make disciples and multiplying new Kingdom communities to reach new zip codes and new people groups. Our district benchmarks for accountability are at least 10 new Kingdom communities, 100 new disciple-making leaders, and 1000 new believers baptized. Last year we added 7 new Kingdom communities, at least 98 new disciple-making leaders, and baptized 603 new believers. We’re making progress but have lots of room for improvement! Every leadership team was challenged to set a faith goal for baptisms and to develop a 5-year multiplication plan for their congregation to present at the 2020 district conference. We prepared 1000 T-shirts for the pastors to claim as vision reminders when they turned in their commitment cards. We ran out of these T-shirts on Saturday but have promised to order more so just let us know how many your church needs! If you weren’t able to be with us for the closing session (or if you’d just like to recapture), please take a few minutes to watch this video of Dr. Lo praying over our delegates:
Congratulations to Pastor Dan Fisher (Delphi Wesleyan Church) who sent in the first #MadeNew baptism photo for our 2020 District Conference video with six new believers publicly professing their faith yesterday. Pastor Dan and Delphi Wesleyan have set a faith goal of 20 baptisms! 
Pastor Carla Working and Pastor Zach Working at Hope Rising Church reported the first two new disciple-making leaders answering God’s call in this new conference year. They send along this photo of their congregation gathered around the two women who are answering God’s call to ministry. We encourage every pastor to preach on God’s calling and to share their own journey to ministry at least once each year. 
Sunday morning, June 23, I was with the staff and congregation of Lakeview Wesleyan Church to share an update from Pastor Tim McClellan. Pastor Tim continues his battle with cancer. He has decided that he will not return to his role as senior pastor at Lakeview and has encouraged the LBA to begin the search for a new senior pastor. He shared his decision with Dr. Jeff Boyce (LBA vicechair) and me early last week. Saturday evening, the LBA and I met via Zoom to view the video that Pastor Tim prepared to communicate his decision to the congregation. We discussed transition details and will be meeting again next week to begin work on the search process. The staff and I met early on Sunday to pray and prepare for the morning service. 
We were blessed to have Dr. Lenny Luchetti preach a powerful sermon on “Holy Love.” Pastor Lenny will be preaching at Lakeview again this coming Sunday and will be with the congregation for at least four more Sundays this summer. At the close of the service, the congregation watched Pastor Tim’s announcement together and Rev. Bob Burchell closed the service with a time of prayer. Many members of the congregation, including children, took time to write personal notes of care and concern to Pastor Tim and Cynthia. Sherry and I visited with the McClellan’s in the afternoon and passed along those encouraging cards. Please continue to pray for the McClellan’s and Lakeview Church as they lean on the Lord for strength and direction. 
Last week also included our staff meeting, connecting with prospective pastors, a conference call with the Heartland Region district superintendents, and working with our terrific team in preparing for our conference. I was blessed to drop in on week #2 of NTS Camp at IWU and the Senior High Camp at Fairmount. Rev. Amanda Blair and Pastor Johnnie Blair were the camp evangelists at Fairmount and did a great job of bringing truth that connected with these teens. I’m grateful for all our staff members who served in the five camps in the Crossroads District over the last three weeks. Our best estimate is that our outstanding youth leaders ministered to nearly 800 students combined in these life-changing camps. 
July 8-12 Kids Camp at Fairmount with the theme “Fortress Royale.” Rev. Michele Henry and her team always do a great job ministering to children. For more information or to register, visit their website: Fairmount Kids Camp Phil and Rhonda Foley and the team at Frankfort Camp Ministries invite us to their 2019 Family Camp (July 7-14) featuring Rev. David Duncan and Rev. Noel Bates. For more information, visit their website: http://www.frankfortcampministries.com/ Thank you for all you do to advance the Kingdom in your church, your neighborhood, and your zip code. Let’s keep on making disciples and multiplying Kingdom communities until Jesus comes or calls us home! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Sunday morning, June 16, I worshiped with Pastor Dale Munsell and the team at Cornerstone Wesleyan Church as they honored fathers. Cornerstone is another of our country churches, located 8 miles south of Albion and 10 miles north of Columbia City.  Pastor Dale and Lori are originally from our district and after serving for many years in Illinois, Rev. Munsell came back home to pastor Cornerstone in 2017. In addition to the active ministries of the church, they also have a Christian school. Last year they averaged 55 in worship with 6 baptisms and 27 professions of faith. Cailtyn Alvord assists Pastor Dale with worship and youth ministry. After the service, I held a brief meeting with the LBA and affirmed the progress they’re making on the Maximizing Impact plan.  Youth camps were in full swing across our district last week. We had over 300 students (combined total) meeting in three locations, at Hanging Rock Camp near Lafayette, Never the Same Camp at IWU, and the Junior High Camp at Fairmount. Monday, I dropped in at Fairmount for the first day of a busy week. Rev. Levi Lehman (Assistant Pastor at Shiloh Wesleyan) looked like he had everything under control when I caught up with him on the athletic field.  This year’s theme at Fairmount is “FearLess” and Rev. Jeff Brady reported that counselors recorded 46 decisions for professions of faith or rededications for this week of junior high camp. Monday afternoon, I met with Rev. Matthew Trexler, pastor at The River Church in Marion, for our annual coaching conversation. I’m grateful for Pastor Matthew’s leadership in his local congregation and for the way he invests in other leaders as our Assistant DS for Region 1. Tuesday morning, I met with our district staff in Marion, before heading to Fort Wayne to connect with Pastor Heath Croft (Level 13 Church) for our annual coaching conversation. My final stop on Tuesday was an evening meeting with Pastor Lee Miller and the LBA team at Memorial Drive Wesleyan Church in Muncie as they consider Maximizing Impact and future ministry opportunities. I learned from Pastor Lee that two people came to Christ the Sunday that Assistant DS Chris Williams was there to preach and they’ll be among the 9 people being baptized at MDWC in the next month. *** If your church would like to know more about Maximizing Impact, check out this article from Pastor Steve Arnett about Mt. Zion Wesleyan Church’s experience: https://www.wesleyan.org/maximizing-impact-transforms-mt-zion-wesleyan Wednesday morning, I met with a potential church planter in Marion before heading north to meet with Pastor Rich Van Vuren (Plymouth Shiloh Wesleyan) for our annual coaching conversation. Rich shared an encouraging update including the story of a man that he recently led to Christ and about the 5 people they have preparing for baptism. Wednesday evening, I was in Indianapolis for the well-attended Wednesday evening prayer service at Central Wesleyan Church. Rev. Darrel Herring and his wife used to travel as song evangelists and accompanied the singing for the prayer service. Hearing them play together stirred fond memories of my father and mother doing the same.  After the prayer service, I met with Central’s leadership team in the fellowship hall. Like many urban congregations, Central Wesleyan is facing some critical decisions about its ministry future as the community around it changes rapidly. Thursday morning, I joined Rev. Chris Williams and the District Conference planning team as they confirmed some final details for our gathering this weekend. Then, Assistant DS Trexler and I met with Rev. Aldean Pablo over lunch for an update on his strategic action plan to make disciples and build a team for planting a new congregation called “SEND Church” on the southwest side of Fort Wayne. Later on Thursday afternoon, I met with Pastor Nicholas Zarate in Anderson for a church multiplication conversation. My last meeting of the day was with Rev. David Shafer (pastor of North Anderson Wesleyan Church) for our annual coaching conversation. He and his team are working together to implement their Maximizing Impact plan. A highlight of our conversation was celebrating with Pastor David over the eight teenagers who’ve given their lives to Christ at NAWC since November 2018. Friday morning, Chris and I met for our weekly check-in and then we were joined for lunch by Michael Colaw (Assistant DS for Region 2), and Matthew Trexler (Assistant DS for Region 1) for a vision alignment conversation. Chris, Mike, and Matthew have all developed unique approaches to leadership development and multiplication mapping in their respective regions. It was good for us to compare notes on last year’s progress and to build alignment toward our district goal of seeing at least 10 new Kingdom communities launched each year while raising up 100 new disciple-making leaders.  My last stop on Friday was at the closing rally for the first week of Never The Same camp at IWU. Charlie Alcock was the main rally speaker for the week and I always appreciate hearing his heart for mobilizing the next generation. Rev. Jeff Eckart and his team are building momentum for a nationwide prayer gathering for students in Kansas City next summer, July 4th weekend, called Claim Your Campus 2020. To learn more, visit their website: CLAIM YOUR CAMPUS 2020 District Conference week is one of the highlights of our Crossroads District calendar. We will gather in Marion on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University at the Philippe Performing Arts Center on Friday evening, June 21, for the Ordination Service led by General Superintendent Dr. Wayne Schmidt. All ordained ministers gather at 6:30 p.m. for our annual group photo (formal attire) and then to line up for the procession. All guests should be in their seats before 7 p.m.  Doors open for District Conference on Saturday at 8 a.m. in the Philippe Performing Arts Center again with the first session commencing at 9. We are pleased to have Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our GS and a member of our district conference, to be present with us for these sessions. We would all be grateful if you would take time this week and join us in praying for God to have His way in our deliberations and elections. Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Sunday morning, June 9, Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping at Tipton Trinity Wesleyan Church with Pastor Johnnie and Pastor Amanda Blair. They were celebrating Friend Day as part of their 20/20 Vision series. Pastor Johnnie preached from John 4 and cast vision for a church that exists to bridge the gap between our loving God and broken people.  Speaking of Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well, Rev. Blair reminded us that “Jesus went out of His way to connect with people that everyone else went out of their way to avoid.” This is an exciting season of ministry as Tipton Trinity has adopted Kokomo Trinity for a revitalization project that expands their potential impact. Last year, Tipton Trinity reported 40 professions of faith, celebrated 16 baptisms and averaged 248. Pray for God’s continued direction and blessing as they reach into Kokomo.  Last Monday’s meeting concluded with Dr. Bob Hallett, CEO of TLC Stewardship Ministries. Bob and his wife are members of our Hartford City Wesleyan Church since relocating there from New Castle. Bob has tremendous experience in capital campaigns and church stewardship ministries. We’ll be working with Dr. Hallett this fall to offer a seminar on October 7 (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) for pastors and LBA members on the topic of “Resourcing God’s Vision.” Follow-up coaching and consultations will be available as we work to help disciples and congregations fully realize the Kingdom impact of their stewardship. Bob will be at our Crossroads District Conference with a free resource for pastors and lay leaders who will plan to join us for this seminar. Monday’s meetings included a Nominating Committee follow-up, connecting with a prospective church planter, and dropping in on Angela Spangler and some of her dedicated staff members at Fairmount Camp.  This week, Fairmount Camp hosts the Junior High youth. I’m grateful for the way that Angela and her team graciously host a great group of youth pastors from across the Crossroads District for summer ministries. While at the camp, I had the opportunity to connect with some of the students and ministry leaders who were onsite preparing for this week’s event. Please remember all of our youth camps in your prayers!  Tuesday morning began with our CD (Crossroads District) staff meeting at Abbey Coffee and then I hit the road for New Castle. Rev. Eric George (pastor of New Castle Memorial Wesleyan Church) and I met for our annual coaching conversation. Pastor Eric is just in his first year leading the congregation and joining our team. It was good to hear how God is at work in the church and their outreach to the community. Tuesday afternoon, I met with Rev. Tom Cochran and learned more about his ministry with Destiny Rescue, a nonprofit that rescues children from human trafficking. Tom and Sarah will be relocating to Florida to spearhead Destiny Rescue’s southeastern US awareness and fundraising. We’re grateful for the contribution that the Cochran’s made as part of our Crossroads District team planting New Journey Church in Wabash, serving in Chesterton, and leading our church planter assessment center. Rev. Brian Williams (Swayzee Sims Wesleyan Church) and I met for our annual coaching conversation over supper in Marion. Pastor Brian has faithfully served the congregation since 1987. It was encouraging to hear that he had shared the plan of salvation with two men in the past year who both prayed to receive Jesus as Lord. Brian is another of our valued bi-vocational pastors who balances the challenges of full-time ministry in the marketplace with his calling to serve the local church. Tuesday evening, I was able to participate in Rev. Dan LeRoy’s presentation “Rediscovering Our Holiness Heritage” at Wesley Seminary. Dr. Derr and her team did a wonderful job of hosting the full house for this event.  This wonderful gathering included a cross-section of academics, pastors, and lay leaders. Dan’s presentation on holiness was compelling and convicting. If you were unable to attend, Wesley Seminary has graciously provided this link to the video: Dan LeRoy’s presentation Wednesday morning, I was back on the road meeting with Rev. Logan Westrick, one of our young-at-heart pastors, who leads the Ash Street Wesleyan Church in Tipton. Pastor Logan has a warm heart and a quick wit so you can understand why I enjoy meeting with him. In addition to other projects around the church, Pastor Logan and his team recently installed this new light to welcome their guests. He was also excited to report that they had a baptism scheduled for this week.  I met with Rev. Darrel Herring for lunch near his home in Westfield. Rev. Herring is on loan to our denomination from the Bible Methodists and has served under annual appointment as our supply pastor at Indianapolis Central Wesleyan since 2002. It was good to glean from his insights into the changing Fountain Square downtown Indy neighborhood where this church is located. Wednesday afternoon, I met with Community Pastor Joe Deckard who leads the Pendleton campus of Waterline Church. Pendleton was rocked by last week’s tornado but is on a rapid path to recovery. Pastor Joe has been able to lead their volunteer team in connecting and serving families displaced by the storm damage. The church is also making progress averaging 80 or more in recent weeks. Thursday morning, I joined Rev. Chris Williams and our District Conference planning team for a Zoom meeting while I was on the road to Indy for a coaching conversation with Rev. Rick Matthews. Pastor Rick has been leading our Southview Wesleyan Church since his first appointment in 1983. This weekend, Pastor Rick and his team hosted their first Camp-In. More than 20 families from the congregation brought their RVs, campers and tents to enjoy a weekend together on the church grounds. Thursday afternoon, I had the privilege of connecting with Rev. Nathan and Jenny Richardson as they are prayerfully considering ministry opportunities in the Crossroads District. They are just concluding an effective time of ministry in Iowa and we’d be delighted to have them join our team. Pastor Lee Miller (Muncie Memorial Wesleyan Church) and I met for our annual coaching conversation over supper in Muncie that evening. Pastor Lee is another of our Wesley Seminary students. One of his recent initiatives has been providing a leadership development session after the Sunday morning worship services.  They’ve also started prayer walks and ice cream socials to connect with their neighborhood. Two young adult men in the neighborhood, who first connected with the church through an ice cream social, have now begun meeting regularly with Pastor Lee for discipleship and are on track to be baptized this summer. This past conference year, Muncie Memorial averaged 52 in worship with 10 professions of faith and 5 baptisms. Friday morning, Rev. Chris Williams and I met for our weekly check-in at Abbey Coffee. Dr. David Smith and Roxene Lo joined us at 10 a.m. for follow-up on recent DBMD interviews. Our DBMD interview teams work with an average of 100 students each year. Friday afternoon, I left for Grand Rapids, Michigan to spend the day on Saturday with Rev. John Gorveatte, pastor at The Center Church, and his leadership team in a planning retreat. John is our oldest son and he serves as a teaching/campus pastor in the Zero Collective with Pastor Brian Blum and the team at Frontline Church. Nothing gives parents more joy than to see their children walking with Jesus!  Are you ready? We’re counting the days until we gather at Indiana Wesleyan University on Friday evening, June 21, for our Crossroads District Ordination Service with Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our General Superintendent, preaching a challenging message to our candidates. Saturday morning, we gather at the Philippe Performing Arts Center for our Crossroads District Conference. Registration opens at 8 a.m. and everyone will be in their seats and ready to roll by 9. We have a full agenda, including memorial and delegate elections for the important General Conference 2020. If you’re not able to be with us, please lift these gatherings in prayer! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent Sunday morning, June 2, I had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Paul and Angelyn VanCise and the team at Bryant Wesleyan Church. Pastor Paul has served here since 2003 and God is blessing his ministry at this vibrant rural church. They have a wonderful impact in their community and are expanding their ministry partnership in Honduras.  Bryant Wesleyan’s leadership team participated in a StratOp planning retreat earlier this year and are working on two key action initiatives to move the church forward to even greater effectiveness. After a brief meeting with the LBA, I enjoyed lunch with the VanCise family in Portland. Last Tuesday began with our district office staff meeting at Abbey Coffee on Tuesday working on wrapping up this conference year. I met with Pastor Steve Binns (Anderson Lone Oak) over lunch for our annual coaching conversation. This is Steve’s first appointment as a pastor so it has been a year of learning and new experiences. Tuesday afternoon, I met with Pastor Chuck Moorer (Indianapolis Divine Direction) for our annual coaching conversation. Rev. Moorer has his own business and a blossoming music career, but still makes time to lead the church in impacting their inner-city community. Last Thanksgiving, they provided meals for 300 people and then adopted 50 families to bless for Christmas. They are training volunteers and preparing to roll out a new food bank program with a strong discipleship component.  Wednesday morning, I had a meeting in Marion and then had the privilege of participating in the 2019 Doctrinal Symposium directed by the Education and Clergy Development Department of The Wesleyan Church and hosted by Wesley Seminary. This year’s symposium focused on “Kingdom Force: Disciples Making Disciples in the New Testament and Early Church.” Presentations from Dr. Ken Schenck (IWU), Dr. Sarah Derck (Houghton), Dr. Stephen Elliot (Kingswood) and Dr. David Riggs (IWU) were received with opportunities for reflection and discussion. The backdrop for this event is the focus that Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our General Superintendent, has given to disciples making disciples. Here are some of the discipleship questions that Dr. Schmidt posed in his article on the healthy church:
 The symposium concluded at lunchtime on Thursday so I was able to head down to Lapel in the afternoon to connect with Pastor Andy Cole at Daybreak Community Church for our annual coaching conversation. These are exciting days at Daybreak with attendance now running over 100. They have welcomed 3 new families since Easter and have 8 baptisms scheduled for June 23. Friday morning, I connected with Chris Williams for our weekly planning session and then met with Dr. David Smith to review items for the District Board of Ministerial Development. Dr. Smith does a terrific job leading our credentialing team in serving as many as 100 ministerial students each year. Friday afternoon, I met with Pastor Matthew Ohime (Hamlet Davis Wesleyan Church) for our annual coaching conversation. Pastor Matt is leading DWC in an intentional revitalization project that included reclassifying the church as “developing” and they have signed on for a Maximizing Impact consultation (July 18-21). They’ve recently celebrated baptisms and are remodeling their welcome area and worship center. I love seeing churches like Davis Wesleyan take bold steps to become more effective in the mission of God! Friday evening, I met with Pastor Calimerio Rodriguez (Templo de Poder) in Frankfort. Pastor Rodriquez is another of our faithful bivocational pastors who serves the Lord with passion and effectiveness. The family has sensed God’s grace in the past month as they experienced both the funeral of Calimerio’s brother-in-law and the wedding of Ezekiel, their son. Pastor Alan Downing (Connecting Point Church) and Rev. Rodriguez (Templo de Poder) are to be commended for the wonderful partnership they are developing between their congregations to better impact Frankfort for Christ.  The community of Pendleton took a direct hit last Monday evening with an EF2 tornado damaging at least 75 homes. Fortunately, there were few injuries and no lives were lost. The Pendleton campus of Waterline Church was not damaged. Rev. Joe Deckard, Pendleton Waterline’s Community Pastor, led the team of staff and volunteers from both Waterline campuses that sprang into action serving meals and providing support to the relief efforts. The team from Waterline is working closely with the Pendleton EMA as cleanup operations continue. Thank you to Pastor John & Danielle Freed, Pastor Joe, and the Waterline team for responding so well to this crisis. This was a big graduation weekend in many of our churches. Congratulations to these graduating seniors and their families. Rev. David Hines (Brookhaven Wesleyan in Marion) was one of the youth pastors who made celebrating these seniors a special part of the worship service. Many of them will be heading to Indiana Wesleyan University this fall and we’re blessed to have this partnership in discipling the next generation.  Pastor Zach Working reported that in addition to recognizing three graduates yesterday, Huntington Hope Rising Wesleyan Church also welcomed 20 new church members and had 1 individual declare a call to ministry! This Sunday was also special at Rising Hope Church, our newest church plant in Muncie, not only for celebrating graduates but it also marked the first time that they have been able to worship in their building at 1500 W. Cowing Drive. They’ve been meeting in the nearby middle school since launching last fall. Having their own building reduces costs and the energy required for setup each week. They will have an official grand opening in the fall but the team worked overtime last week to prepare the facility for this occasion.  Plan to join us this Tuesday, June 4 (7:00 p.m.) at Wesley Seminary in Marion as Rev. Dan LeRoy lectures on “Rediscovering Our Holiness Heritage.” Our General Superintendent is making this a priority on his calendar and we’d love to welcome you. Fairmount, Frankfort, Hanging Rock and Never the Same youth camps are ramping up for another summer of life-changing ministry. Students from College Wesleyan and Lakeview Wesleyan headed off yesterday for 3 Fires Camp. Please pray for all of these camps, the young people and the staff. Pray for safety in travel and activities but, most importantly, pray for eternal spiritual impact in these lives. Thank you to the volunteers, donors, and parents who make these camps possible! Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintedent P.S. – Mark your calendar for District Conference and Ordination, June 21-22, at the Philippe Performing Arts Center on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University. Sunday, May 26, I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Alan Downing and the team at Connecting Point Church in Frankfort during their morning service. Pastor Downing preached on the Armor of God from Ephesians 6 and shared illustrations from his military service. In addition to their recent name change and updating the auditorium, the church is making strides in serving their community. I also appreciate the way they have opened their doors to embrace Pastor Calimario Rodriguez and the congregation of Templo de Poder.  Sunday afternoon, Rev. Barry Dixon (member of our DBA) and I worshiped with the wonderful congregation of Shalom Church on the southside of Indianapolis. We were there to officially welcome the new members and install the leaders of this Wesleyan congregation comprised of immigrants from Myanmar (Burma). Rev. Dixon and I also had the privilege of administering the Lord’s Supper. After the service, we had a meeting with the leadership team as they move into full fellowship with The Wesleyan Church.  Pastor Rick Matthews and the Southview Wesleyan Church have been wonderful hosts and partners to this growing congregation. Shalom Church has their first student headed to Indiana Wesleyan University and they are making plans to bring their youth group to Follow 2019 in Cincinnati. Special thanks also to Lay Supply Pastor Benjamin Tuimuk who serves the congregation so well. Worship attendance at Shalom averages 80 with nearly 30 children and teens.  Chris Williams and I had the opportunity to serve Rev. Mike Hilson and the leadership team at New Life Network in LaPlata, MD, on Monday and Tuesday last week. Mike and Tina Hilson graciously served our district team for ReEquip last month and we were glad to be able to reciprocate. Wednesday was a prep day for the DBA meeting and I also participated in the monthly ZOOM call that Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our General Superintendent, hosts for district superintendents. Wednesday evening, I was able to attend the closing service of the revival at Lancaster Wesleyan Church with Rev. Gary Bingham serving as evangelist. He shared a compelling dramatic presentation as a Roman centurion who was present at the crucifixion and became convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. Rev. Doug Sharrard is the pastor at Lancaster Wesleyan and Rev. Duane Cragen assists with community outreach.  Thursday afternoon, our Crossroads District Board of Administration gathered at Trinity Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis for our fourth quarterly meeting. It was encouraging to hear more reports of life change and community impact. I am also grateful to report that our churches participated at a high level in our United Stewardship Fund commitment with 96.6% participation. Thank you for investing in our shared ministry with our denominational initiatives and educational institutions. Together, we are stronger. Our Crossroads District retired pastors and spouses gathered for their spring fellowship at College Wesleyan Church. Dr. Bud Bence talked about the ways that God communicates His lessons in our life. Velvet Haisley and “The Branch” catered a delicious meal for the 60+ guests who joined us. We enjoyed wonderful fellowship and prayer together. Thank you to Chip Bos and College Wesleyan Church for their hospitality.  Friday evening, Sherry and I had the privilege of hosting pastors and spouses from the north Indy zone at Thornapple. Some of the couples were joining us for the first time. I always enjoy seeing the connections that are made in these evenings together as team members share stories of their families and journey in ministry.  Saturday, we had the joy of welcoming 18 of our Crossroads District Hispanic pastors and spouses for our annual fellowship. Dr. Norman and Kim Wilson do a wonderful job of encouraging this growing network of leaders. This was the first time for some of them to meet Rev. Eliorgy Guerrero and Rev. Franz Gonzales, our newest pastors from Venezuela, who lead Spanish-language congregations in Elkhart and Goshen. I am encouraged by the commitment of these leaders to multiplying new Kingdom communities. All of these pastors serve bi-vocationally and with great commitment.  This was a significant weekend of outreach for The Bridge Urban Church in South Bend as they partnered with Pastor Troy Evans and his team from the Edge Church in Grand Rapids. The theme was “Love Our City” and included prayer walks, servant evangelism, and concluded on Saturday evening with a Christian rap concert. Sunday’s worship service had 60 adults and 15 children. They’re praising the Lord for 7 decisions for Christ over the weekend. Continue to pray for Pastor Terry and Lennaire as they lead this wonderful team in reaching into the urban center of South Bend.  This week, I’ll be on the road for coaching conversations and also taking part in the Wesleyan Doctrinal Symposium on Wednesday and Thursday at Wesley Seminary. Make plans to join us next Tuesday, June 4, 7:00 pm, at Wesley Seminary as they welcome Rev. Dan LeRoy for an important conversation on “Rediscovering Our Holiness Heritage.”  Thank you for all you do to advance the Kingdom! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent More than 200 delegates from 50+ countries gathered in Bridgetown, Barbados this past week for the quadrennial International Conference of The Wesleyan Church. The Wesleyan Church, unlike some denominations, has intentionally decentralized and distributed authority to the global church. Full General Conferences now exist in the Philippines (more than 50,000 members in 3000+ churches), The Caribbean, and now Ibero-America (the Spanish-language countries of Central and South America).  The African church is rapidly developing and could qualify for General Conference status in 2023. Canada is a National Conference with a trajectory for full General Conference in the next decade. Australia/New Zealand/Solomon Islands form the Pacific Regional Conference. Each conference shares the same constitution and doctrinal essentials, although great flexibility is provided for governance and methodology that is faithfully contextualized. Each General Conference is represented on the International Board by one General Superintendent, and additional delegates are elected at large. Fellowship and worship with these Wesleyan brothers and sisters from around the globe is inspiring and challenging. We have so much to learn from the effective disciple-making, church planting and leadership development that they are undertaking in some of the most difficult circumstances. We heard testimonies of the persecuted church from leaders in India, China, and from Muslim countries. We heard stories of accelerated church planting in Bangladesh and Columbia. Unfortunately, the rapidly-growing Wesleyan church of Mozambique was not represented due to the devastating storms they’ve endured. One example is in the city of Mumbai (formerly Bombay). The Wesleyan Church has been envisioning a transforming presence in every zip code. but what does that look like in Mumbai? For them, it is having a church near every local train station. Millions of people pass through the 107 Mumbai metro stations every day. In just a few years, Wesleyan church planters have already established regular meetings at eight stations and believing God to help them multiply churches near the remaining 99.  The conference ended on Tuesday evening with a wonderful celebration of praise and challenging vision message from Dr. Wayne Schmidt. The theme of the ICWC is “Everywhere to Everywhere” and being together in mission with these Wesleyan brothers and sisters is truly inspiring as we consider the task unfinished here in Indiana. Wednesday was a day of collaborative planning for key regions of the world. I was able to join Dr. Rich Schenck and Joshe Bose, National Director for Bangladesh, to explore Asia-Pacific partnerships. While there is still a need for missionaries in many parts of the world, it is encouraging to see the leadership of these nations strategizing together to take the Gospel to unreached nations and people groups in their region of the world.  Thursday was a day of extended travel, leaving our hotel at 3:30 am, flying to Miami, Philadelphia and on to Fort Wayne, only to have weather divert us to Indianapolis before returning to FWA. I arrived home at 2:00 am on Friday morning, safe and thankful! Friday morning, I met with Assistant DS Chris Williams to review year-end reporting and preparations for upcoming meetings. Rev. Matthew Trexler joined us at 10 in preparation for their StratOp consultation. Rev. Mark Atkinson, Rev. Trexler and I met over lunch in Gas City for an update on Eastview Wesleyan’s church planting initiative with Rev. Aldean Pablo and a prospective launch team in Roanoke. You’ll be hearing more about this exciting development at District Conference! Friday afternoon, I met with a young couple who are early in their ministry and exploring next steps before heading to Noblesville to be part of the StratOp planning retreat that Chris and Matthew led for Circle of Hope Church and Network. Circle of Hope is on a steep learning curve and this was a key opportunity to develop clear strategy and action plans for the exciting opportunities in front of them.  Saturday morning, I hosted another Bivocational Pastors Fellowship at the Branch in Fairmount. Approximately 50% of our Crossroads District ministers have additional full-time or part-time employment beyond their pastoral employment to support their families. It was encouraging to hear the Easter reports and stories of life change. Thank you to Velvet Haisley and her team for their gracious hospitality and delicious lunch. Saturday evening, I met with Rev. Barry and Vickie Taylor for a delightful conversation and then dropped in on Sunday morning as Rev. Taylor candidated for the senior pastor position at Hartford City Wesleyan Church this weekend. Barry is an Asbury Seminary grad with experience in church planting, revitalization and consulting. They currently serve with the Evangelical Methodist Church and live in Wheeling, West Virginia. The congregation voted 72-0 to call Rev. Taylor and he has accepted the initial 2-year call.  I also received word from Beaver Creek Wesleyan that they voted 93% in favor of calling Ben Jones as their next pastor. Ben called to let me know that he is accepting their invitation. Ben is a licensed minister who has been serving as an assistant pastor on staff with Rev. Greg Holmes at South Bend Sonlight. Pray for Pastor Ben as he takes this step forward in answering God’s call. Chris Williams and I are in La Plata, Maryland on Monday and Tuesday this week to work with Pastor Mike Hilson and the leadership team at New Life Wesleyan Church. Our District Board of Administration meets on Thursday. Our Retired Pastors and Spouses Fellowship meets on Friday for lunch at College Wesleyan Church. Sherry and I will be hosting a Zone Fellowship on Friday night at Thornapple and then, on Saturday, our Hispanic Pastors Fellowship is coming to the house for lunch. Thank you for all you do to advance the Kingdom by making disciples and multiplying churches here in the Crossroads District! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte P.S. Please plan to join us on June 4, 7 p.m., at Wesley Seminary for a presentation from Dan LeRoy, author of Rediscovering Our Holiness Heritage. |
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