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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

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

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

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

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

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

​Your servant in Christ,
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Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

​Your servant in Christ,
​
Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

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

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

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

​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

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

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

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

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent​

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

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

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

​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Welcome to Pastor Samuel Maddox, Jr. who answered the call of Albion Wesleyan Church and transferred into the Crossroads District from the Great Lakes District. Sam and Jennifer, his wife, have settled into the former Cornerstone parsonage and are getting to know the Albion community.
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Last evening, I had the privilege of leading the official service of installation on behalf of the Crossroads District. It was encouraging to see the positive response of the congregation including several former members of Cornerstone who have joined in for this new chapter of ministry in Noble County.

It was also a delight to reconnect with Rev. Sam Maddox and Rev. Becky Maddox, Sam Jr.’s parents, with whom I had the joy of serving for 10 years in the West Michigan District. The congregation enjoyed a pie and ice cream social after the installation. Pray for Pastor Sam, Jennifer, and their daughters as they embrace this new ministry opportunity in Albion!
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Sunday morning, Sherry and I worshiped with the team at Hartford City Wesleyan Church where I’ve been assisting as interim pastor during the pandemic. One of the core values at Hartford City is training up next generation leaders. I have the privilege of working with interns, three from Taylor University this year, who are assisting us in ministry. Nathan Peters, our youth ministry intern, brought the message from Haggai as we continue reading and preaching through the Bible in one year. This was Nathan’s first sermon ever and he did well in pointing out the importance of making God’s Kingdom our first priority.
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Congratulations to Rev. Lyle Breeding and the team at Bluffton Sonlight Wesleyan Church on the successful completion of their project to become debt-free. The last payment on their mortgage was paid on July 15 and yesterday morning, August 8, Pastor Lyle led the congregation in the mortgage burning celebration. Well done!
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Rev. Chris Williams, Assistant DS and pastor of Lakeview Wesleyan Church, did a great job leading our annual training session on Saturday for members of our District Board of Ministerial Development (DBMD) at College Wesleyan Church on Saturday. Chris, as Chair, and Rev. Carla Working, Vice Chair/Secretary, will be leading the charge this year as our DBMD helps 87 ministerial students prepare to answer God’s calling to ministry in The Wesleyan Church. Thank you to every DBMD member who takes this responsibility seriously and invests in the lives of our emerging pastors!
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Last Wednesday, the district’s StratOp facilitation team gathered at Lakeview Wesleyan Church for a debriefing. We celebrated the progress of our churches that have engaged in this strategic planning process. I am grateful for the work that Jason Tash, Matthew Trexler and Chris Williams have done with so many of our leaders. While we will continue to offer these services on a limited basis, our energy this year is going into the “Next Level” workshops that will enable pastors and key leaders to assess the current reality of core ministries and build ministry action plans to move those ministries to the next level.
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I value the opportunity to connect with each of our pastors throughout the year for coaching conversations. Last week, I had the privilege of meeting with Rev. Eric Roemer (Greentown Wesleyan) on Tuesday, Rev. Theo Griffin (Greenfield Brown’s Chapel Wesleyan) on Thursday, and Rev. Andy Riemersma (Westfield ONE Church), also on Thursday. Pastor Andy and the team at ONE Church are counting the days until launch. Check out this video that they released last week:
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Nothing is more exciting than celebrating lives being made new by Jesus Christ! This week, I received reports from Pastor Dan Fisher at Delphi Wesleyan where two men were baptized. Pastor Steve Colter from Marion Chapel Pike Wesleyan shared the good news that he baptized two of his grandchildren! The team at LifeSpring Wesleyan Church, led by Dr. Steve Bray, baptized three more with another three preparing for the next opportunity! Praise God for lives being #MadeNew!
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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

Sunday morning, August 1, I was blessed to worship with Pastor Rick and Debbie Fletcher at Lifeway Church in Fort Wayne. Associate Pastor Andy Jellison and his family were on a well-deserved vacation break. I brought greetings from the district team and shared a message in their series on the attributes of God. Attendance has rebounded well after last year.
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The church recently completed a record Vacation Bible School with 118 children registered. Lifeway is a warm, welcoming multi-generational church with a big heart for the community. The church is in a planned succession journey with a pastoral vote upcoming to call Rev. Jellison as the new senior pastor while Rev. Fletcher steps back to assist. After the morning service, I enjoyed connecting with the LBA for a brief meeting and then hosted the Fletchers for a delightful lunch at one of their favorite restaurants.
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Sunday evening, I presided over the pastoral installation of Rev. Martin Furrow as the new senior pastor at The Cross Wesleyan Church in Rochester. After several years as assistant pastor, Rev. Furrow accepted the call of the church to succeed Rev. Mike Cloud. Pastor Martin and Misty, his wife, have three children. The two younger ones, Anna and Aaron, are still at home but their oldest child, Abraham, is serving in the US Air Force. Following the installation service, the congregation gathered for fellowship and refreshments. The Cross expanded their foyer and completely remodeled their worship center during the Covid lockdown. They have a growing Celebrate Recovery ministry and serve hundreds of individuals each month from their food bank. Pastor Furrow is leading the search for a new full-time Family Ministries Pastor. Here’s the link for more information: https://secure.wesleyan.org/job/frame/8289

Last week, I joined nearly 90 leaders from the Crossroads District in Birmingham, Alabama at Church of the Highlands for the three-day GROW Conference. Pastor Chris Hodges and his team did an amazing job of hosting this practical and inspirational learning experience. In addition to the keynote presentations from Pastor Hodges, key staff members shared learning labs on everything from finances to small groups. A highlight of the conference was the Wednesday evening worship service with Dr. John Maxwell preaching. Wesleyans were well-represented and Crossroads was the largest single group attending. This event sells out every year (one year, every ticket was gone in the first 30 minutes) so we are grateful to Dr. Craig Dunn and WIF for their assistance in making this happen. The powerful prayer meeting on Thursday morning was worth the drive.
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If you weren’t able to attend GROW this year, grab coffee with a friend who did and ask them to share their insights. The heart of the conference was captured in this thought: “Growth is essential as long as heaven and hell are realities.” That’s why Highlands focuses on helping people to Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, and Make a Difference. You might ask your friend about Session #2 on Structure, Systems, and Spirit. Pastor Chris reminded us that our systems are perfectly designed to deliver the results that we are currently producing. Or you might ask them about the acrostic “ESPN” that frames their small group ministry coaching. Here’s one last take away, “Excellence is not always having the best, excellence is doing the best with what we have.”
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If you’ve not yet planned a baptism service for this summer, there’s still time. Pastor Mike Hewitt and the team at Muncie Rising Hope had a wonderful celebration Sunday on August 1 with 4 professions of faith and 4 baptisms. They also had 37 out last evening for their youth event. Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew!
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Thank you for all you’re doing to make disciples who make disciples and multiply churches!

​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday, July 25, I had the privilege of preaching at Shalom Church, our Burmese congregation who is hosted at the Southview Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis. Rev. Nathan Richardson, the new pastor for Southview, joined us for this service. They welcomed nearly 90 people for yesterday’s worship service. It was a special gift to hear the children’s choir. Following the service and a meeting with the leadership team, I was glad to connect with Benjamin Tlungloei Tuimuk who serves as the lay supply pastor for Shalom Church.
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Approximately 25,000 Burmese (Myanmar) refugees have been resettled in Central Indiana and Shalom is a delightful church family who have become part of our Crossroads District. Many of you will know that the political unrest and pandemic are taking a difficult toll on the nation of Myanmar. Many in the congregation have friends and family members still living in Myanmar who are facing great difficulty and even persecution for their faith. Please remember these sisters and brothers in your prayers.
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Sunday evening, I was honored to represent our Crossroads District for the installation of Rev. Nathan Richardson as the pastor of Southview Wesleyan Church. Although they moved to Indiana from Iowa, Jenny (Nathan’s wife) has deep roots with her family at the Greentown Wesleyan Church. Nathan is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University (2003) and graduated with his Master of Divinity degree from Wesley Seminary (2010). Please welcome the Richardson family as you have opportunity and pray for them as they settle into this new ministry appointment.
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On the way to my 12:30 engagement at Shalom Church, I was able to swing by Harvest Church in McCordsville to check in with Pastor Brad LeRoy and his team. Josiah, our middle son, serves on staff with Harvest as their Worship and Creative Arts Director. After the service I was able to connect briefly with Pastor Brad and Heidi LeRoy. It was also good to catch up with Rev. Larry Moore who, in addition to his role as Chief Operations Officer with Wesleyan Investment Foundation, serves as a key leader on the Harvest team. Josiah and Elizabeth Gorveatte are expecting their first child in October so I was especially glad to see them for a few minutes between services.
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Last week began with a quick trip to Cypress Wesleyan Church to attend the Greater Ohio District Conference led by District Superintendent Les Crossfield. Since launching the Heartland Region four years ago, Les has chaired our DS partnership and we’ve made visits to one another’s conferences as our schedules permitted. General Superintendent Dr. Wayne Schmidt was also there to bring greetings. Pastor Ken Murphy and the Cypress team did a great job hosting the event. Our own Michael (Woody) Wood provided his expertise with the electronic voting devices that Crossroads makes available to other districts. It was especially encouraging to hear how God has been blessing their church planting initiatives this year under the leadership of Dr. Chris Dyer.
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Fairmount Camp just concluded another successful week of Family Camp under the leadership of Pastor Angela Spangler and her team. This year, Fairmount celebrated their 125th Anniversary (plus 1) from the founding of the camp back in 1895. While Fairmount Camp is its own ministry organization, not controlled by the Crossroads District, this ministry is generous in their partnership with our area churches. Special guests and testimonies each evening included David Henry’s miraculous recovery and Rev. Andy Reimersma sharing about his call to plant ONE Church in Westfield this coming year.
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Dr. Jim Lo and Dr. Andrea Summers were the evangelists in the evening rallies. They were both used of God to bring anointed messages. Dr. Brannon Hancock, Wesley Seminary worship professor, and his team did a wonderful job leading the music. If you were unable to attend you can access videos of the services that are available online at this website:
​https://vimeo.com/user116890352

​Upcoming events at Fairmount Camp include the Old Time Camp (August 18-22) and the Marriage Retreat (September 10-12). For more information on these events or other camp activities, visit Fairmount Camp’s website: https://www.fairmountcamp.org

Last Thursday, I had the delight of hosting some of the leaders of Divine Direction Church for a tour of our denominational headquarters in Fishers. Their church building is just a few miles away but these leaders had never had the opportunity to visit HQ and catch the big picture of our international church family. I appreciated the way that General Superintendent Dr. Wayne Schmidt and his team so graciously welcomed our guests and shared the vision of our denomination’s global network of ministry. These local church leaders expressed how encouraged they were by this experience and how it gave them a greater sense of appreciation for our shared ministry. Have you considered taking your team for a visit to HQ?

This week, nearly 100 leaders from the Crossroads District will be making our way to Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama for the GROW Conference beginning on Tuesday and concluding Thursday afternoon. Special thanks to Dr. Craig Dunn and the team at WIF for helping us make this possible. I would be grateful if you would join me in praying that God makes this a significant event in the lives of our leaders as we prepare for this exciting new season of ministry. https://www.growleader.com/conference
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Keep on making a difference in the only cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, July 18, Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Zach and Lindy Szmara’s team at The Bridge in Logansport. After the service, Sherry and I enjoyed hosting the pastoral family for lunch. The Bridge is a beautiful multi-ethnic congregation that launched a national movement called Immigrant Connection. We sang in three languages this morning (Haitian Creole, Spanish, and English) and shared communion with people from many nations. Pray for Zach and Lindy as they continue to lead this terrific team.
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Sunday evening, I was able to attend the 125th Anniversary Celebration service at Fairmount Camp. Dr. Ed Hoover and four generations of the Landis family were on hand to blow out the candles on the ceremonial cake. Services will continue at 6:30 each evening this week with Dr. Jim Lo and Dr. Andrea Summers as the camp evangelists. Please pray that God will move powerfully in the lives of those who gather this week.
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Summer is a great time to connect with children and their families. On Wednesday night, I dropped in on the wonderful VBS held this past week at Lifeway Church. Pastor Rick Fletcher and Associate Pastor Andy Jellison are celebrating a high attendance of over 100 children with 13 decisions for Christ and 7 rededications. Praise the Lord!

The team at Hartford City Wesleyan Church experimented with a new outreach approach called Summer Adventure on the Hill. I enjoyed working with the team in preparation and helping with one of the small groups through the day on Saturday. The two-day event wrapped up Sunday afternoon with a cookout, petting zoo, and slip and slide party. The wonderful team at HCWC are celebrating 7 decisions for Christ, including two parents who attended with their children. God is so good!
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I was excited to connect with Rev. Andrew Kinney (Marion Chapel Pike) last evening and received an update from him on this year’s “Mission Marion” hometown serving experience. Last week, four Wesleyan churches (Brookhaven, Chapel Pike, Fairmount and Lakeview) with about 55 teens and 15 adult sponsors came together to help several nonprofits in Grant County.
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The nonprofits they served this year included the Grant County Rescue Mission (Painted and Cleaned Walls), Open Heart (power washed, mulched, painted and cleaned), Renewed Thrift (organized donations), Habitat for Humanity (built shelves, organized warehouse, painted office, and picked up trash on the street), and Servants at Work (Built 4 wheel chair ramps for disabled Grant County residents.) What a great way for youth groups to build community while blessing the community!
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Nothing is more exciting that rejoicing with our churches that are seeing lives being changed by the Gospel. Pastor Alan Downing and Frankfort Connecting Point Church celebrated four baptisms yesterday. Pastor Scott McDermid and Six Points Church celebrated three baptisms last Sunday and four more at their youth camp. Pastor David Leitzel and the team at Hamilton Wesleyan Church celebrated nine baptisms yesterday. Praise God for these reports of lives being #MadeNew!
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If you’ve not yet scheduled a baptism Sunday and offered the opportunity for new believers in your church to take this step of obedience, there’s still time this summer.
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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