Sunday, November 10, Sherry and I were privileged to worship with Rev. Don Glenn and the congregation of Marion Nelson Street Wesleyan Church as they celebrated their 110th Anniversary. Pastor Glenn and his team prepared a wonderful celebration event that honored God’s faithfulness in the past and pointed to the future.
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The church has a remarkable history. Nelson Street began as a church plant (mission) meeting first in homes in 1909, God blessed their evangelistic outreach and holiness emphasis. The ministry grew and they relocated twice in temporary locations before building their own facility in 1911. By 1948, the church averaged 335 in Sunday School attendance. The legacy of the church includes many individuals called to ministry and missionary work. I preached the message in the morning service and Rev. Glenn brought a challenging message in the afternoon service calling the church to the unfinished task.
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As many of you will know, I had a heart attack on Tuesday morning, October 22, en route to a gathering with our pastors in Indianapolis. God intervened that day in so many beautiful ways and I’d be glad to tell you more about it when you have the time. The good news is I was cleared to begin cardiac rehabilitation and to work toward resuming a full load over the next 8 to 12 weeks. Our district staff team has been a tremendous blessing. Assistant DS Chris Williams stepped up to cover the last two Team Updates and Seth Bye jumped into action rescheduling appointments. Thank you to all those who have been so cooperative as we’ve been making needed adjustments.
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​The week after returning home, I resumed coaching calls via ZOOM. Then, on Friday, November 1, I was delighted to join our retired pastors and spouses for our fall luncheon and fellowship hosted at College Wesleyan Church. Pastor Bob VanCise brought an encouraging message and we shared a delicious meal provided by Velvet Haisley and her staff at Fairmount Wesleyan Church’s coffee shop, “The Branch.”

That evening, we hosted the pastors and spouses from our Fort Wayne Zone. I appreciate these opportunities for fellowship and encouragement with our frontline leaders. Pastor Rick Fletcher leads this zone and it was a special delight to welcome Rev. Aldean and Jesse Pablo as the newest members of the group.

The doctor cleared me for flying as long as I wasn’t the pilot and agreed to not lift more than 20 pounds. That allowed me to fulfill a commitment that I had made to Dr. Keith Loy, pastor at Celebrate Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I traveled out on Saturday, worshiped with their team on Sunday morning and then taught from “Lead Like Wesley” in the evening to 300+ ministry team leaders.

Pastor Keith and Kay Loy joined our staff at New Hope Church in Williston back in 1998. It has been a joy to stay in touch and to watch God work in their lives and ministry over the last 20 years. Terry and Barb Rosendahl are also special friends who first worked with us at New Hope and now Barb is a key staff member with Dr. Loy at Celebrate.
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Celebrate’s small group ministry has grown from 80 groups 3 years ago to more than 300. They have 104 people who have answered the call to prepare for vocational ministry, with most focused on church planting. They have already launched 14 church planting teams. I have invited Pastor Keith to consider sending a team to the Heartland Region and he has opened the door for students from Crossroads to participate in church planting internships and residencies at Celebrate.

I began cardiac rehab on Thursday afternoon (the first of 24 one-hour sessions over the next 8 weeks) and then met with two of our Indianapolis pastors for coaching conversations. Rev. George Martin leads The Sanctuary Church, an affiliated congregation that worships in the former Eastlawn Wesleyan Church property on Post Road. Rev. Barry Dixon pastors Calvary Family Church and is a member of our District Board of Administration. Pastor Barry is another of our faithful bi-vocational ministers who serve sacrificially as a labor of love. He and Joyce, his wife, are in the stage of life where caring for both your parents and your grandchildren makes life challenging.

Friday morning, I sat in on the College Day hosted by the team at Wesleyan Headquarters. Students were present from all five Wesleyan higher educational institutions for this denominational orientation event. Dr. Lenny Luchetti shared insights from his ministry experiences including this lesson: “Pastors, if you don’t find a healthy hobby, an unhealthy hobby will find you.”
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After his session, Dr. Luchetti and I met for an update on his interim ministry at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. I was encouraged by this progress report and by his sincere passion for the church.

Friday afternoon, I traveled to Trinity Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis for the visitation with the family and friends of Mrs. Betty Davis, beloved wife of Rev. Art Davis. Her funeral was held on Saturday with Pastor Mike Colaw and Rev. Randy Davis officiating.

Saturday morning, Dr. Jim Lo and the Crossroads District intercession team led a prayer gathering at Fairmount Camp. Thank you to each one who participated and to the team for the way in which they prepared for and led this event. Special thanks to Fairmount Camp’s Director Angela Spangler and her team for graciously hosting this special time.
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This week, a team of our leaders will be traveling to San Diego together to participate in a Wesleyan Church training event in partnership with Exponential that will be focused on church multiplication. We welcome your prayers for our travel and learning.

Registration is still open for the Heartland Region Gathering, March 10-12, 2020. I’m looking forward to our speakers and a great time of inspiration together as we meet in Pigeon Forge, TN. If you’ve not yet registered, today would be a great day to get that done! Here’s the link: ​https://gathering.heartlandregion.org/
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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

Pastor Dave Cox from Laketon Wesleyan Church reports that the church, over the last few years, has grown from 20 to nearly 60. On a recent friend day, they had 66 people in attendance. More importantly, this Sunday they baptized Amy and Susan (pictured below). We are celebrating how God is at work making people new!
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Wesleyan Church History & Discipline Course

The Crossroads District was pleased to host its first Wesleyan Church History & Discipline course this past weekend at College Wesleyan Church in Marion. Nine students were apart of this inaugural course taught by Dr. Bud Bence. We hope to make this an annual offering to help ministers transferring from other denominations and ministerial students whose educational programs did not include this course.

This week’s team update is a guest post by Chris Williams, one of the Assistant District Superintendents in the Crossroads District.

Update Regarding Mark Gorveatte

On October 22, our District Superintendent Mark Gorveatte experienced a heart attack and was admitted to the hospital in Fishers. After successfully inserting a stent and monitoring his heart for 48 hours, doctors sent Mark home on Thursday. 

His travel schedule will be limited for the next few weeks but he will be able to receive phone calls as necessary.

Rev. Mike Colaw, Vice-Chair of the DBA, can handle action items that may need DBA decisions. Rev. Chris Williams, Assistant District Superintendent, is leading the office team and can help with any administrative support you may need. Rev. Seth Bye, Executive Ministry Partner, will be reaching out to reschedule appointments.


Last Week to Save $50 for The Heartland Gathering

Early bird registration for The Heartland Gathering ends this week. The registration fee covers two nights of lodging, breakfast for two days, and the conference experience. Lunch and dinner are on your own each day. If you register before October 31, the fee is $300. On November 1, the fee will increase to $350, so be sure to register this week to take advantage of the savings.

This event was birthed out of a partnership between the Crossroads, Greater Ohio, Indiana South, and Kentucky-Tennessee District and is designed to create space for our pastoral families to have fun, develop new friendships, and flourish.
 
To that end, we reserved The Ramsey Hotel & Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and designed a high-quality event geared to give you time away for rest, connection, fun, and inspiration.
 
Join us March 10-12, 2020 at The Heartland Gathering. 

• REAWAKEN your child-like wonder with Harris the III.
• RECALIBRATE your heart and mind through our line-up of spirit-inspired speakers: Dr. Wayne Schmidt, Rev. Heather Semple, Pastor Albert Tate, and a kids’ track led by Matt Hogg and the Remix team.
• REFRESH your soul in worship sessions led by Jordan Rife.
• RELAX and unwind with all of the food, scenic views, and fun that Pigeon Forge has to offer.

 
To register for the event, visit the conference site at gathering.heartlandregion.org.


Sunday Church Visits and the Installation of Rev. Shawnda Dykhoff

It was a joy for me to preach in the morning service at Calvary Family Church in Indianapolis. Pastor Barry and Joyce Dixon have led this church for the last 10 years and have developed a warm and loving congregation there. Before the service, I was able to meet with Pastor Barry and hear about the ministries of the church and the unique challenges they face in the urban context.
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While I was visiting our brothers and sisters at the Indy Calvary Family Church, Mark was able to be at Marion Brinker Heights. Mark shared this update: 

“I was grateful for the privilege of preaching Sunday morning and installing Rev. Shawnda Dykhoff as pastor of Brinker Heights Wesleyan Church. God is so good!”

Pastor Joe Jackson and the congregation at Anderson United Wesleyan celebrated baptisms on Sunday (Pictured above). Lakeview Wesleyan also baptized four in their weekend service (Pictured below).
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​If you’ve recently had a baptism service at your church that we haven’t heard about, please send along a report and any pictures you can share.


Building a Comprehensive Outreach Strategy, Part 1

As I work with churches in coaching and consulting relationships through Maximizing Impact and Strategic Planning Weekends, I have been talking to them about how to develop a comprehensive outreach strategy. 

Four Components of an Outreach Strategy

Level One: Public Relations. The first and most basic level of an effective outreach strategy is the things we do to signal to our community that we see ourselves as part of the neighborhood, town, or city. These might involve putting a float in the Christmas parade, serving at the town festival, or participating in a community-wide special event.

Level Two: Meeting Needs. The next level of an effective outreach strategy is finding and meeting tangible needs in our community. This could involve adopting a school to provide backpacks or school supplies. It may also mean running addiction recovery programs or a food pantry. It could also take the form of job training programs that help the unemployed or underemployed find and keep higher-paying jobs. All of these are things the church can do to demonstrate the love of Christ to its community. 

Level Three: Bridge Events. A bridge event is an event that the church offers in an attempt to attract people from the community into an environment where they can make a connection with the church, hear the Gospel, and be introduced to the person of Jesus Christ. While these events can be held onsite or offsite, the main purpose is the same: Build a bridge to the people in your community that makes it easier for them to find their way into the church and into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Level Four: Personal Evangelism. This level of an effective outreach program occurs when a church equips every follower of Christ to intentionally and consistently share their faith with others. If every follower of Christ led just one person to Christ each calendar year, the church’s missional impact would double every twelve months. This may seem like an unrealistic goal. However, the call of Jesus to each person is to follow him and fish for people (Matt. 4:19).

If you are interested in learning more about our Maximizing Impact or Strategic Planning Weekends for churches in the Crossroads District, feel free to reach out to me (chris@crossroadsdistrict.org) to schedule a conversation.
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Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Dave Dignal and the Edgerton Wesleyan Church family yesterday morning. Edgerton is a small community on the Indiana-Ohio border. Pastor Dave has a great team and they are actively reaching out to nearby communities with musical concerts, children’s ministry, and home Bible studies. The church has been working through the Oikos model of evangelism (key resource is Tom Mercer’s book “8 to 15: The World is Smaller Than You Think”).
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Edgerton Wesleyan Church averaged 104 last year (more than 5% of the population in their zipcode) with 12 professions of faith and 8 baptisms. After preaching the morning message and chairing a brief stand-up meeting of the LBA (local board of administration), Sherry and I hosted Pastor Dave and Stevie for lunch.

Last  Tuesday, I journeyed to Wheaton College with Chris Williams and Seth Bye for a seminar hosted by Dr. Ed Stetzer and the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism. Ed and his team are currently engaged in research on the future of denominations in America. Ed also took us on a tour of their museum. One of the exhibits talked about the impact of early Methodism in America. The last line read: “When Francis Asbury first came to America in 1771 there were approximately 300 Methodists in the whole country; at his death in 1816 Methodists numbered over 200,000.”
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Three key points from Stetzer’s presentation were that effective denominations will be those that are mission-centric (Great Commission focused), pastor-centric (the primary customer), and contextually adaptive (without compromise on truth). While the seminar was informative, the best part of the day was time spent on the road with Chris and Seth. We are blessed to have these guys serving our district and I’m grateful that they, along with Roxene Lo, partner with me in this ministry to our Crossroads team.

Wednesday, I was back on the road for coaching conversations. Pastor Paul Van Cise and I met at Bryant Wesleyan Church in the morning. Paul was encouraged by the 4 baptisms in August and the development of more small groups. Last year they averaged 136 in a town that has a population of 252 (2010 Census). Congratulations to the Bryant Wesleyan Church as they celebrated their 135th Anniversary of ministry this weekend!
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Wednesday afternoon, I met with Rev. Randy Yaryan in Winchester where he pastors the Union Street Wesleyan Church. Randy is another one of our bivocational pastors who faithfully serves the church while also driving a bus and doing real estate development.

Thursday was an office day but I was glad to have Noah Farmer drop by. Noah pastors the Jonesboro campus of Eastview Wesleyan Church. Both Gas City and Jonesboro Eastview were preparing for “First Responders Sunday” and together they celebrated 8 baptisms between their two campuses this weekend!
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Friday and Saturday, Dr. David Smith led the members of our Crossroads District Board of Ministerial Development (DBMD) in ordination interviews for an outstanding group of candidates. We interviewed ministers transferring into The Wesleyan Church as well as our own students who have completed their coursework and years of service. The interviews included women and men, four ethnic groups, pastors, church planters, and missionaries. Special thanks to all the members of the zone, regional and district-wide DBMD who invest countless hours in meetings and prayerful development of those who are answering God’s call to ministry within The Wesleyan Church. We are anticipating a wonderful ordination service on Friday evening, June 26, at College Wesleyan Church.
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One of the candidates we interviewed for ordination is Pastor Craig Thurmon (pictured above). Craig is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University (B.A.) and Wesley Seminary (M.Div). He and Tiffany, his wife, are leading a launch team to plant a new Wesleyan church (TEA – The Encounter Assembly) on the far east side of Indianapolis.
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Pastor Craig shared encouraging reports about their disciple-making ministry. Yesterday, the Thurmons and their team hosted an outreach called “Truth and Treats” in their community to create opportunities to share the Gospel and pray with their neighbors. Please pray for the Thurmons and this new Kingdom community in Indianapolis!

Congratulations to our own Dr. JoAnne Lyon who was elected as Vice-Chair for the National Association of Evangelicals last week. Dr. Lyon has maintained her active engagement as Ambassador for The Wesleyan Church since retiring from being General Superintendent. God continues to open amazing doors for Dr. Lyon in Kingdom service so let us be faithful in praying for her.
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Congratulations also to Pastor Mark Atkinson (Eastview Wesleyan) on his recognition by the Gas City Chamber of Commerce at their annual banquet and awards ceremony, which was held on Tuesday, October 15. Pastor Mark was one of three people who received the 2019 President’s Award for the impact he has on his community. The other two individuals receiving this award were Mississinewa Community Schools Superintendent Tab McKenzie and Grant County Community Foundation President/Chief Executive Officer Dawn Brown. The awards were presented by Lezlie Winter (Gas City Chamber President).
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There is still time to register for the special seminar led by Dr. Bud Bence on “Wesleyan Church History and Discipline.” The seminar will fulfill the requirements for this course in the ordination track and for transferring ministers. The event will be hosted at College Wesleyan Church and begins on Friday evening, November 1 (6:30 pm) and concludes at 5:30 pm on Saturday, November 2. The $90 registration fee includes the course books. Here’s the link to register: Wesleyan Church History and Discipline

Thank you for all you do to make a difference for the Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. Make sure your teenagers have registered for Follow 2019. This promises to be a life-changing event for our students! https://www.wesleyan.org/event/follow-2019
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Sunday morning, October 13, I had the joy of worshiping with Pastor Gary & Karen Bingham and their church family at Hillside Wesleyan in Marion and bringing the morning message. Pastor Gary has faithfully served Hillside since 1992 and last year they averaged 117 in worship with 11 new believers baptized.

The Hillside Church family came together this past week to lovingly support Karen, her mother, and the family, at the passing of Ray Noll, her father. (Ray, aged 91, was a beloved member of the congregation who served his country in World War II.) Pastor Gary and I met briefly with the Local Board of Administration following the morning service and then joined the congregation for lunch in their fellowship hall.
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Sunday afternoon, I was able to drop in on Pastor John Hannan and the launch team of CrossRoads Church in Union City as they were setting up for another community outreach event. (Pastor Mike Hewitt graciously loaned them the giant inflatable bouncy castle from Rising Hope.)  The CrossRoads team spent last week knocking on doors and inviting neighbors to this gathering. Fifty-five people registered and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of food, fun, and fellowship with Pastor John and his team.
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Sunday evening, I had the privilege of joining with the congregation of Greenfield Brown’s Chapel Wesleyan Church in welcoming and installing their new pastor Rev. Theo Griffin. Pastor Theo and Randy, his wife, are looking forward to settling into their new home and their new assignment. Dr. Abson Joseph, Academic Dean of Wesley Seminary, is a dear friend of Rev. Griffin and led the prayer of blessing as the leaders and congregation members gathered around the Griffins at the altar. The congregation hosted a lovely reception for the Griffin’s after the service.
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Last week included meetings on Monday with Dr. David Vardaman (IWU School of Theology and Ministry) and Josh Delph (Chair of the Fairmount Camp Board of Trustees). On Tuesday, the Wesley Seminary board met in session for the day and I was able to represent our district on that board. Wednesday, I checked in on Dr. Ed Hoover as he prepares for a move to Fishers. That evening, I attended the congregational town hall meeting at College Wesleyan Church hosted by Pastor Steve DeNeff. College Wesleyan is working on plans to expand their facilities to better serve the community.
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Thursday and Friday, I had the opportunity to represent our district as the Indiana Wesleyan University Board of Trustees convened for their fall meetings. Several members of the Crossroads District serve on this board including Dr. Dale Sloan, Dr. Nathan Hoover, Dr. Steve DeNeff, Mr. Don Cady, Mr. Gary Ott, and Dr. Carl Shepherd, who is the Board Chair. These are challenging days in higher education in general, and Christian higher education is facing strong headwinds. Dr. David Wright continues to lead Indiana Wesleyan University with wisdom and with grace. Indiana Wesleyan University needs and deserves your consistent prayers and generous support.
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My last official assignment of the week was to join Pastor Mike Colaw, Assistant DS for Region 2, on Saturday morning as he hosted his pastors for a breakfast with special guest Rev. Doug Preston, pastor of Lifeline Church in Greensburg and a revitalization specialist with Dirt Roads Network. Barbara Nichter always does a great job coordinating these gatherings and this was no exception. It was encouraging to hear reports shared by the pastors of how God is moving across this region. Pastor Colaw closed our gathering by having us circle around and pray for John Hannan, our church planter in Union City.
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We’re always delighted to share reports of baptisms from around the Crossroads District team. This week, we join Heaven in rejoicing over lives changed by the Gospel and celebrated by following Christ in the waters of baptism at Marion College Wesleyan Church (3), Lapel Daybreak Community Church (2), and Muncie Rising Hope Church (8). If you’ve recently had a baptism service at your church that we haven’t heard about, please send along a report and any pictures you can share.
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We’re excited to announce that Dr. Bud Bence will be teaching a special seminar on Wesleyan Church History and Discipline next month, November 1-2, at College Wesleyan Church in Marion. This course may be taken in fulfillment of your ministerial license / ordination requirements or for personal enrichment. There is a registration fee of $90 for the seminar. Here’s the link for more information and to register:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wesleyan-church-history-discipline-class-tickets-75338414225

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

Your servant in Christ,
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Mark Gorveatte
Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. Register now for Follow2019: https://www.wesleyan.org/event/follow-2019

Sunday morning, I had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Matthew & Kendra Ohime and the congregation at Davis Wesleyan Church (about halfway between Plymouth and Valparaiso). Pastor Matt and the team at DWC have been actively engaged in a revitalization project for this historic congregation. They celebrated baptisms in May, hosted a Maximizing Impact weekend, have updated their signage at the campus and nearby intersections, and are doing a significant remodeling of the auditorium.

After the service, I met with the Local Advisory Committee and the Ministry Leadership Team members. Then I had the joy of hosting the Ohime family, including their delightful children, for lunch. Kendra is actively involved in the ministry and leads the band program for Oregon-Davis schools. Pastor Matthew and Kendra also lead a Grief Share ministry that is having an impact on their community.

Sunday afternoon, I dropped in on Pastor Logan & Nancy Westrick and their team at Tipton Ash Street Wesleyan Church. Pastor Westrick had knocked on the doors of the 50 neighbors closest to the church and invited them to a cookout. 35 people showed up last night, including 8 people for whom this was their first contact with the church!
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Last week began with the Region 1 team meeting at The River Church in Marion. Assistant DS Matthew Trexler leads this region and we were challenged by a presentation from Dr. Steve DeNeff on leading the “Church in Antioch.” Steve’s talk generated good follow-up conversations. Pastors are all busy but taking time to connect, to learn together, and to pray with one another is a special opportunity that adds value to each individual and strengthens our team.
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Monday afternoon, I joined a conference call of Heartland Region district superintendents and the multipliers roundtable. It was good to catch up with this team and we had a clarifying conversation that affirmed the collaboration we’re enjoying while deferring any action toward merger. We do have a joint Heartland Region event coming up this next March 10-12, 2020 and you won’t want to miss it. Special guests include Pastor Albert Tate, Dr. Wayne Schmidt, and Pastor Heather Semple.

Tuesday morning, our district staff met in Marion and then I hit the road for a coaching conversation with Pastor Mike Colaw (Trinity Wesleyan Church) in Fishers. Later that afternoon, I was able to catch up with Pastor John Freed and Dr. Wayne Schmidt (a member of Waterline Church’s multiplication team) as Waterline Church considers their next steps in reaching out. Congratulations to Waterline Church for being recognized as one of last year’s top 100 multiplying churches in America by Outreach magazine!

Wednesday morning, Pastor Dale Munsell welcomed me to Albion Cornerstone Church for our annual coaching conversation. Wednesday afternoon, Pastor Lyle Breeding and I met at Bluffton Sonlight Wesleyan Church for our coaching connection. I’m always blessed to connect with our pastors and hear how God is at work in their ministries!

Thursday, the District Board of Administration met at The Branch (the coffee house ministry of Fairmount Wesleyan Church). We began in the morning with an orientation session. More than half of our DBA members are serving either their first or second term so it was helpful, even for some of us long-term members, to review the responsibilities of the DBA (39 items in The Discipline). We also took this opportunity to refresh our understanding of the Accountable Leadership model (policy governance/Kaiser) that we use to guide our work.
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The afternoon DBA session was highlighted with updates from the church planting projects led by John Miller (Way City Church in Speedway), Aldean Pablo (SEND Church in Fort Wayne), and John Hannan (CrossRoads Church in Union City).

Friday morning, Assistant DS Chris Williams and I met for our weekly briefing and worked on follow-up items from the DBA meeting. The DBA is preparing two additional memorials to submit to the General Board for consideration at General Conference. One of those would replace area representatives with “at-large” members on the General Board and limit districts to two members. The second proposal would streamline the process for welcoming transferring ordained ministers from other denominations who have a track record of effective service. This will be helpful as we become more diverse, welcoming leaders from other cultures and countries.

Friday evening, Sherry and I were blessed to welcome members of the Warsaw Zone for an evening of fellowship and encouragement at Thornapple, our home in Upland. We had a delightful time together punctuated with laughter and prayer. We really have a remarkable team of pastors and spouses serving here in the Crossroads District.
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Saturday morning, I was able to check in with Rick Carder and his Zone DBMD team as they interviewed ministerial students at Gas City Eastview Wesleyan Church. Our district’s dedicated DBMD teams are investing in more than 100 students this year.

That cohort of ministerial students includes nearly 20 people answering the call for whom Spanish is their first language. Special thanks to Adriana Zarate who coordinates the FLAMA seminars in our district. Rev. Johanna Rugh, from the General Department of Education and Clergy Development, helped lead this weekend’s FLAMA seminar hosted by Circle of Hope Church in Noblesville.
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Eastview Gas City Wesleyan also hosted the first session of “Resourcing God’s Vision” on Saturday morning. This is a pilot program with Dr. Bob Hallett (who has helped churches raise more than $300 million) providing training and coaching for our pastors in proven stewardship principles and practices. We had a productive time together and I am grateful to Dr. Hallett for making this investment in our leaders. If you were unable to come but would like to connect for a one-on-one coaching session, please contact our office to make those arrangements.

What a joy to celebrate stories of life change from across our Crossroads District team. Here are pictures from recent baptisms at Sweetser Wesleyan Church (Pastor Matthew Stewart), Gas City Eastview Wesleyan Church (Pastor Mark Atkinson), and Greentown Wesleyan (Pastor Eric Roemer) celebrated six baptisms yesterday!
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Prayer is requested for Oni, daughter of Pastor Calebb (youth minister at The River Church) and Tori Proehl. She has corrective surgery today in Cincinnati and will be hospitalized for several days of recovery. You can follow them on Facebook.

Pastor Rick and Mary Matthews (Indianapolis Southside Wesleyan) would also appreciate your prayers for their son, Brett, who has been hospitalized for several days awaiting open-heart surgery.

One last exciting update. What would you not be willing to do to connect with people in your community and build a bridge to share the Gospel? Pastor Judy Hatt and her team at Hope Wesleyan Church in Fowler caught a vision to create a breakfast club for neighborhood children. They serve French toast and scrambled eggs along with a Gospel presentation on Saturday mornings.
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They decided to call it “Mario and Luigi’s Breakfast Club” and Pastor Judy joined in the fun by dressing as one of the characters. Eleven children were there last Saturday morning, most for the first time. Thank you, Pastor Judy, for leading by example!

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. Register now for Follow2019: https://www.wesleyan.org/event/follow-2019
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Sunday morning, September 29, Sherry and I had the joy of worshiping at Hope Rising Church in Huntington. Co-Pastors Rev. Carla and Rev. Zach Working are doing an outstanding job of leading this turnaround ministry. The congregation is thriving, the facilities have been remodeled, and the spirit of worship in the service was contagious.
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Before the service, I was introduced to two women, both new leaders in the church, who taking next steps to answer God’s call to ministry. After the morning service, I met briefly with the leadership team and then we enjoyed lunch with the Workings. Never doubt that God can revive His church!

Sunday evening, I had the privilege of representing our district conference in the official pastor installation of Rev. Jeremy Armiger at Chesterfield Parkview Wesleyan Church. I appreciate the area pastors who joined us for this special occasion. Dr. Jim Lo has done an amazing job leading the church through a transition from the long-term ministry of Pastor Paul Trent, who passed away tragically. Dr. Lo served as lead pastor, helping the church recruit Rev. Armiger and then graciously handed over the leadership baton to now become the assistant pastor.
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The Lord has been blessing Parkview Wesleyan Church’s renewed emphasis on prayer and community evangelism. Last year, Parkview celebrated 25 professions of faith and 9 baptisms. This morning, they celebrated two more baptisms that came through to the church through their Tuesday evening community meal. God is on the move at Parkview.
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Monday afternoon, I met with Dr. Lenny Luchetti for an update on his interim ministry at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. I’m hearing encouraging reports from Dr. Luchetti’s preaching ministry and leadership development work with the staff. Please pray for Lakeview’s congregation as they continue to grieve the loss of Pastor Tim McClellan but move forward to all that God is preparing for them

Assistant DS Mike Colaw convened the pastors of Region 2 on Tuesday morning at Trinity Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis. Pastor Mike and his team hosted the gathering with special guests Dr. Bob Whitesel and an informative panel who discussed the challenge of leading change in the church. Following the seminar, I was able to join Dr. Whitesel and a group of pastors for a continued conversation over lunch.
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Tuesday afternoon, I was back in Marion to meet with Rev. Mark and Sharie Schnell for our annual coaching conversation. Mark and Sharie are commuting weekly to lead the ministry at Albion Wesleyan Church. The church has responded well to their bi-vocational ministry and the Schnell’s are helping to prepare the church for their next long-term leader.

​Wednesday morning, I joined Dr. Wayne Schmidt and DS colleagues on the monthly ZOOM video conference call that he hosts for information updates and discussion. Of special concern on this call was the downturn in key ministry measures (attendance, conversions, baptisms, and membership). Dr. Schmidt welcomed input and will continue this conversation with the General Board in November. Wednesday afternoon, I was able to meet with Pastor Ryan Budde. He’s been carrying an extra load with his mother’s declining health and I know he’d welcome your prayers.

Thursday was a road trip to Elkhart to connect with Rev. Terry Vaughn, church planter at The Bridge in South Bend. Terry has been ministering to some families in Elkhart and is prayerfully considering the next steps in expanding the ministry of The Bridge into additional zip codes.

Assistant DS Chris Williams and I met in Marion on Friday morning for our weekly briefing. Chris does an amazing job leading Region 3 and our district-wide revitalization projects utilizing StratOp and Maximizing Impact. In addition to his work with our district team, Chris is working on his Ph.D. in organizational leadership and coaching clients with Chick-Fil-A. I am grateful for Chris’s partnership in this ministry!
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On Saturday, I appreciated the opportunity to sit in with Dr. Jim Lo and the Region 1 DBMD team who met through the day at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church. They interviewed and counseled with a wonderful group of candidates who are in the licensing phase of the ordination track. God is answering our prayers for more workers for His Harvest!

Saturday evening was another highlight as I represented our district team in bringing congratulations to Rev. and Mrs. Eliorgy Guerrero and the congregation of Cielos Abiertos (Open Heavens) Church in Elkhart as they celebrated their second anniversary.
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​One key moment in the celebration was the consecration prayer for Jose and Angie Cardenas. Jose and Angie were commissioned by the church to work with Rev. Jarod Osborne at Pathway Church to reach Spanish-speakers in Warsaw. I love the partnership and vision of Rev. Guerrero who has an incredible heart for church planting. Every church can be a sending church!

This promises to be another exciting week with Region 1 pastors meeting on Monday and our DBA meeting this Thursday, October 3, at The Branch in Fairmount. We’re also looking forward to hosting Pastor Jarod Osborne and the north zone of Region 1 at Thornapple on Friday night for our pastors and spouse fellowship.

Please join me in remembering Brett Matthews, son of Pastor Rick Matthews (Indianapolis Southview Wesleyan Church), in prayer for a serious health concern and upcoming surgery.

Thank you for all you do to advance the cause of Jesus Christ in your congregations and communities!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday, September 22, I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Jere and Ruth Ann Gowin and the congregation at Kingsford Heights Wesleyan Church, near LaPorte. Pastor Jere was first appointed here in 2013 and serves sacrificially as another of our committed bi-vocational pastors. After the morning service, I met briefly with the Local Board of Administration and then we joined the congregation for a fellowship luncheon.
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One of my favorite stories from yesterday was about Pastor Gowin claiming five of our “#MadeNew” baptism T-shirts at district conference. KHWC averages less than 20 and last year baptized one person so taking 5 shirts seemed to be a huge step of faith. The picture below is of the 5 young people that they baptized last weekend. I was able to speak with the young man in the blue shirt who helped bring his friend in the grey shirt to Christ. Praise the Lord for answered prayers!
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Last week began with a road trip to LaPorte on Monday to connect with Pastor Matthew Ohime and leaders of Davis Wesleyan Church to sign legal documents as they proceed with their facility renovation. It was good to hear about the progress they are making in reaching out to their community. While on the trip up, I joined a conference call with the three other Heartland Region district superintendents as we look toward a special joint session of our DBAs in November with Dr. Dan Reiland as our guest speaker. Registration is now open for the Heartland Region Gathering, March 10-12, 2020. I’m looking forward to our speakers and a great time of inspiration as we meet in Pigeon Forge, TN. If you’ve not yet registered, today would be a great day to get that done! Here’s the link: ​https://gathering.heartlandregion.org/
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Tuesday began with our weekly staff meeting in Marion and then I connected with Chad Peters for lunch at IWU. Chad has been serving for the last few years at SWU but we’re glad he came back home to lead student recruitment at Indiana Wesleyan University. Pastors, you’ll find Chad to be a valuable partner as you help your high school students prepare to take advantage of the amazing Christian higher education available at IWU.

Tuesday afternoon, I was in Fishers to attend the celebration of life service for Rev. Lloyd Moore, one of our retired pastors, hosted by Waterline Church at Wesleyan HQ. Lloyd was a valued pastor, counselor, and mentor to many, including a host of students that he poured into during his time as an instructor in the FLAME program. Please remember Rhonda in your prayers as she continues to serve in the General Department of Church Multiplication and Discipleship.
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Wednesday, I returned to Fishers to meet with Pastor Tomasa Granados and Assistant Pastor Chris Granados for our annual coaching conversation. Sister Tomasa has led the church faithfully since the passing of her husband and she is ably assisted by Chris, her son. Iglesias Monte de Sion (Mount Zion Church) celebrated her 15th Anniversary last weekend with guests, including Pastor Calimerio & Maria Rodriguez from Frankfort.

Wednesday evening, I was back in Grant County to connect with Justin Bradbury (soon-to-be “Dr. Bradbury”). Justin and his family are planting an amazing multi-cultural, multi-ethnic church in Winnipeg, Canada. Justin’s son is a football player at IWU.

​Thursday morning, I joined Rev. Chris Williams, Assistant DS, and his team of pastors from Region 3 as Pastor Logan Patriquin hosted us in The Branch’s newly-remodeled facility (formerly Schuyler Avenue). Chris shared powerful insights on planning for personal growth and development as a leader.
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It was also encouraging to hear the stories of life change from across the region, including a special testimony from Pastor Joe Park at Evergreen Church in Lafayette. Pastor Joe shared the story of an older couple who’d been living together and started attending their church. They wanted to get right with God so, in addition to praying to receive Christ, they asked Pastor Joe to perform their wedding. Next, they wanted to join the church but haven’t been baptized yet, so Pastor Joe led them through the membership class and baptism. Did I mention they were older? The husband in 90 and his new bride is 86. Praise the Lord for lives “#MadeNew”!

From Lafayette, I headed to Fort Wayne to connect with Pastor Kyle Horton (Three Rivers Church) for our coaching conversation. Three Rivers Church has been in a season of transition and they are seeing growth this fall due, in part, to their long-term ministry with a nearby elementary school. They’re also excited to have Kalina Carlson join their team as Assistant Pastor. Kalina completed her MDiv at Princeton Theological Seminary this year and we’re glad to welcome her and Brad, her husband, back home to Indiana!
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Friday was a quiet day back in the office answering emails and phone calls. Sherry began a new adventure taking her first class in the Doctor of Business Administration degree program (Thursday over Saturday) with Indiana Wesleyan University so it was a good time to catch up on some projects and reading.

Pastor Aldean Pablo, our planter for SEND Church in SW Fort Wayne/Roanoke, reported a good meeting with launch team members yesterday. They had 12 adults present from five families that are working together on their next outreach project, a block party in Roanoke in October. Thank you for to every pastor and church that prays for and invests in these new church planting projects. We have 3 million reasons to make disciples and multiply churches.
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In other news, Pastor John Miller reported in with 40 present for week #2 with first-time guests at Way City Church in Speedway. Pastor Calimerio Rodriguez and Frankfort Templo de Poder celebrated their 18th anniversary yesterday and Pastor Allen Gross and the Cicero United Family Church celebrated their 10th-anniversary last weekend. They also celebrated one baptism. Pastor Mark Atkinson (Gas City Eastview) and Pastor David Dignal (Edgerton) also send along pictures and baptism reports, (2 at Eastview and 1 in Edgerton) so we could celebrate with them. And, just as I was finishing up this update, I received a text (pictures by next week) from Pastor Matthew Trexler to let me know that they baptized 7 more this Sunday at The River Church (a total of 23 in two weeks). Lives are being made new by the power of God for the glory of God!
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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, September 15, was historic for the Crossroads District. Pastor John & Heather Miller are planting Way City Church in Speedway and today was their launching service. I was privileged to represent our district team for this special occasion. This marks the first time, according to our records, that The Wesleyan Church has had a congregation in the city of Speedway. Pray that God will bless the Millers and nearly 80 others who joined us today. Pray God makes Way City Church a transforming presence in this new zip code.
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Meanwhile, Rev. Chris Williams, our Assistant District Superintendent, represented our district at the “Grand Opening” at Rising Hope Church in Muncie. Pastor Mike and Kim Hewitt launched last September in a middle school and spent the year developing their young congregation and renovating the old Northview Wesleyan Church building. Today, they welcomed more than 200 people for the first time in their new home. Pray that God will continue to bless Muncie’s newest church.
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We’re joining the team at Memorial Drive Wesleyan Church in praising God for baptisms today. Pastor Lee Miller shared this picture from today’s baptism celebration held in Buck Creek. Lee told me that there are wonderful stories of grace here in this picture.
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Pastor Matthew Trexler and the team at The River Church celebrated baptisms today on both campuses, Marion and Chesterton. Pastor Trexler baptized 10 in Marion and Pastor Kaleb Wakeman baptized 5 in Chesterton. Praise God for lives being made new!
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And here’s one more exciting report from Pastor Tim Becker at Main Street Wesleyan Church in Elwood. They gathered on Sunday evening and celebrated 7 baptisms. God is on the move across the cornfields of Indiana!
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Pastor Scott McDermid and the team at Six Points Church in Sheridan hosted their Tailgate Sunday. They welcomed 385 people for this outdoor worship experience with former Indianapolis Colt Hunter Smith as their guest speaker. Hats off to Six Points for this creative outreach event!
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Last week’s schedule for me included two of the chapel services at IWU’s Summit (Spiritual Emphasis Week), staff meeting, annual coaching conversation with Dan Fisher (Delphi Wesleyan) and Aaron Lee (Cultivate Church), interviews with prospective pastors, and a World Hope update evening with Dr. JoAnne Lyon.

On Friday, I hosted a creative planning session with Scott Rhyno and Damian Williams, both of whom are on staff with Leadership League. We are working with Leadership League to design a life-planning experience (Kingdom Leadership Summit) for pastors and marketplace leaders who desire clarity and intensity as they bring their unique contributions to God’s Kingdom force. If you’d like to be considered for participation in this pilot project, drop me a note.
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My last meeting of the week (after the IWU football game) was to join with Pastor Mike and Kim Hewitt with their wonderful team of volunteers on Saturday evening as they prayed for God’s blessing on their Grand Opening. It was a full and fulfilling week of ministry with our Crossroads District leaders.

Our sympathies and prayers are extended to the family and many friends of Rev. Lloyd Moore, beloved pastor, counselor, and FLAME instructor. Pastor Moore passed away on Saturday morning after a long but valiant battle with cancer. Please keep Rhonda, his wife, and Scott, his son who pastors at First Wesleyan Church in Tuscaloosa (AL), in your prayers. Funeral arrangements will be emailed to our district pastors.
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October 5 is also the date for our stewardship seminar with Dr. Bob Hallett. The event will be hosted at Eastview Wesleyan Church (9-3 pm) in Gas City. All pastors have received their registration information directly. Lay leaders are invited to join their pastors for this helpful event. If your church could use additional financial resources to pursue God’s vision, encourage your pastor to attend and join them for this seminar. Tickets are free but you do need to sign up in advance. Here’s the link for registration: Resourcing God’s Vision

Registrations opened last week for the first Heartland Region Gathering. 45 registrations were received by noon on the first day so don’t delay in saving your place. We have a great lineup of speakers and a wonderful site for you and your family to be inspired and refreshed. If you are a lay leader, consider this as a Pastor Appreciation gift next month!
https://gathering.heartlandregion.org

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte
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Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, September 8, I had the joy of worshiping with Pastor Shane Wilson and the team at New Hope Wesleyan Church in Columbia City. This is one of our stronger congregations located right on Hwy 30 just west of town. Pastor Shane is doing a wonderful job of following in the footsteps of strong pastors like Rev. Barry Faucett and Rev. Jason Tash. I appreciated the opportunity to connect with the local board members after the second service. Pastor Shane, Jill, and Rhett (their younger son) joined me for lunch and it was encouraging to hear how God is at work in their family and ministry. Last year, New Hope baptized 20 believers. Their faith goal for this year is 35 baptisms!
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Assistant DS Chris Williams and our consultation team were with Pastor Steve and the congregation at Lone Oak Wesleyan Church in Anderson this weekend. I was able to join them for lunch on Friday and for the closing session on Saturday. In addition to Chris, Rev. Don Bayne, Rev. Matthew Ohime, and Rev Matthew Stewart joined Rev. Paul James, our lead consultant, for this important weekend of training and vision casting. Pastor Binns and the folks at Lone Oak received the consultation team’s report on Sunday morning and will take the next few weeks to pray as they seek God’s direction for greater Kingdom impact in the days ahead.
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Last week’s schedule included our office team meeting on Tuesday morning, coaching conversations with Pastor Rick Fletcher (Lifeway Wesleyan Church) and Pastor David Dignal (Edgerton Wesleyan Church) on Wednesday, a day of study and correspondence on Thursday, and hosting the Region 3 South Zone pastors and spouses at our home on Friday evening.

One of the highlights for me last week was joining Pastor Matthew Trexler, Region 1 Assistant DS, and his team at The River Church on Tuesday morning, 6 a.m., for day 16 in their 21 Days of Prayer. I was glad to bring encouragement from God’s Word on prayers of freedom. Thank you to each of our pastors who make prayer a central focus in the ministry of your church. The Kingdom of God advances on its knees!
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Please pray with us for Rev. Lloyd Moore, one of our retired pastors. Rhonda, his wife, has been posting updates to let friends know that Lloyd has battled cancer before and just last week they found lymphoma cancer of the brain. They did a biopsy of the liver to see if the lesions there are also lymphoma. They have released him to await test results. Pray for Pastor Moore’s healing and for Rhonda’s strength as she walks with him.

Please remember Pastor Craig Thurmon (Encounter Assembly) and his family in prayer with the passing of his mother in Chicago last week. Funeral arrangements are awaiting the return of a granddaughter coming from overseas. We’re grateful for Pastor Craig and Tiffany, his wife, as they make disciples and build a team to launch this new Kingdom community on the eastside of Indianapolis.

We’re celebrating with Pastor Randy Yaryan and the Winchester Wesleyan Church as they had the joy of baptizing two new believers this week. Crossroads District pastors have set a faith goal this year for more than 1000 baptisms.
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This coming Sunday will mark the “Grand Opening” for Rising Hope in Muncie after a year-long project of community outreach and facility remodeling of the old Northview Wesleyan Church building on Cowing Avenue. Thank you to the pastors, lay volunteers and youth groups from across the district who pitched in to help remodel the space and serve the community. They are looking forward to a full house this Sunday.

This coming Sunday will be “Launch Day” for Way City Church in Speedway. Pastor John and Heather Miller have been working faithfully to build a team and make disciples for the launching of this new Kingdom community. We are grateful for the churches and individuals who have generously supported the Miller’s in the prelaunch season. We are joining them in praying that the seeds that have been planted will bring a harvest of lives changed by the Gospel!
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There are some wonderful opportunities coming up for leadership development. Pastor Mike Colaw, Assistant DS for Region 2, is inviting us to join them on Tuesday, September 24, 10 until noon, at Trinity Wesleyan Church to hear Dr. Bob Whitesel and a panel share on the subject of “How to Change Your Church Without Getting Fired.” Change leadership is challenging in every environment but there are lessons we can learn to help navigate change in our congregations.

Roger Gross, Wesleyan Men’s Director, and Jim Dodge, event coordinator, invite all men of the Crossroads District to the 2019 Wesleyan Men’s Banquet at United Wesleyan Church in Cicero on Saturday, October 5, (5:30 p.m.).  Kevin Freeman, host of the WFMS radio morning show will be the guest speaker. You may RSVP directly to Roger Gross by September 25 either by e-mail (rogerjanetgross@gmail.com) or by phone: 317-753-0270. The cost is $15 per person.
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October 5 is also the date for our stewardship seminar with Dr. Bob Hallett. The event will be hosted at Eastview Wesleyan Church (9-3 pm) in Gas City. All pastors have received their registration information directly. Lay leaders are invited to join their pastors for this helpful event. If your church could use additional financial resources to pursue God’s vision, encourage your pastor to attend and join them for this seminar. Tickets are free but you do need to sign up in advance. Here’s the link for registration: Resourcing God’s Vision

Registrations opened last week for the first Heartland Region Gathering. 45 registrations were received by noon on the first day so don’t delay in saving your place. We have a great lineup of speakers and a wonderful site for you and your family to be inspired and refreshed. If you are a lay leader, consider this as a Pastor Appreciation gift next month!

https://gathering.heartlandregion.org
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​Thank you for all you do to advance God’s Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent