Pastor Sam Maddox and the wonderful congregation at Albion Wesleyan Church welcomed me to worship with them on Sunday morning, November 3. I brought greetings from the Crossroads District team and preached on the Great Commission. Following the worship service, the members of the LBA (Local Board of Administration) met with me for a brief conversation and prayer. These are exciting days of Kingdom impact at Albion Wesleyan. Pastor Sam and the team averaged 67 in worship last conference year (up 31% from 51) with 12 baptisms. In the first six months of this conference year, they’ve already celebrated another 10 baptisms. I completed my third campus recruiting visit last week, this time at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Dr. Jim Dunn, a long-time member of the Crossroads District before answering the call to become OKWU’s president, is leading well and the university is experiencing growth. My campus visit included time in class with Dr. Josh McNall, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology. Dr. McNall and I served together back in the West Michigan District when he joined Chad McCallum’s team planting Compass Church. President Dunn, Dr. Mark Weeter (Provost), and I met with some of the upper-level ministerial students on Tuesday in the coffee shop. I also enjoyed a follow-up conversation with a prospective church planter. Rev. Torrey Martin, Campus Pastor (originally from Tipton, IN) welcomed me to preach in the Wednesday chapel service and we shared lunch with ministry students. The last stop was with Dr. Dunn and Pastor Torrey as they welcomed church leaders (including Wesleyan churches from Maryland and Ohio) for the internship/residency fair that OKWU hosts each fall. The Wesleyan Church is blessed with five Christ-centered universities. The challenges of Christian higher education are great but the need to impact the next generation for Christ is greater. Thank you for praying for and supporting our Wesleyan schools! I traveled home on Thursday to join Rev. Carla Working and our DBMD (District Board of Ministerial Development) for their fall interviews on Friday at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church. Special thanks to Carla, Dan VanDuyne, and the committed team members who invested this time with our ministerial students. It is encouraging to see how God is calling women and men, younger and older, college students and second-career professionals. The courses are important, and the interviews are essential, but the best gift in this process are the words of prayer and encouragement offered to these individuals who are being called by God to serve the Church. Thank you for praying for Rev. Randy Yaryan, pastor of Winchester Wesleyan Church. He is recovering from his fall from a ladder and subsequent back surgery, but even that couldn’t keep him from baptizing another new believer on Sunday. Please pray for Pastor Randy’s full and speedy recovery! Dr. Steve DeNeff and the team at College Wesleyan Church in Marion celebrated another baptism yesterday. Praise God for lives being #MadeNew! Pastor Seth Bye and the team at 317Church in Avon were excited to report two more baptisms on Sunday. Please keep Pastor Seth and his team in your prayers as they make disciples in one of the fastest growing areas of our state. Pastor Rob Tippey and the team at Wabash New Journey Church were blessed as two more people publicly professed their faith in Christ through baptism yesterday. Praise God! Pastor Ryan Budde and Westview Wesleyan Church welcomed three new members yesterday and baptized two new believers. Good things are happening in Jonesboro! Pastor Joshua Fox and Hartford City Wesleyan Church celebrated the baptisms of six new believers yesterday. They also welcomed Rev. Michael Colaw as their youth pastor. (Michael formerly served on staff at Shiloh Wesleyan.) These are good days at HCWC! Pastor Tony Bye and Brookhaven Wesleyan Church are praising the Lord for 9 baptisms on Sunday. The day was bittersweet with Rev. David Hines concluding his time on staff at the church as he has accepted a new role on the faculty at Taylor University. We pray for God’s blessings on Rev. David and Rev. Emily Hines in this exciting new chapter of ministry. Thank you again Crossroads District for your generous response to the critical need of hurricane victims in North Carolina. Our second transport truck loaded with relief supplies left from Plymouth Wesleyan Church last week. In addition to the generosity of our area Wesleyan churches, other churches and community groups joined in this effort. There will be future opportunities to contribute and serve in the long journey of recovery, but thank you for responding quickly and generously to the immediate needs! I’m looking forward to our retired ministers’ brunch this coming Friday, November 8, at Eastview Wesleyan Church in Gas City. Dr. Joe Harmon will be our guest speaker. There’s still time to RSVP if you’d like to join us. We also have an Indy area fellowship brunch for lead pastors (and spouses, if married) at Waterline Church in Pendleton on Saturday morning, November 16. Thank you to Pastor Scott Rhyno and his team for welcoming our gathering in their new church home. Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte, Crossroads DS P.S. Don’t forget to vote! I’m traveling to Oklahoma Wesleyan University this week and Michael Wood, our District Administrator, is on a well-deserved family vacation, so this is an abbreviated team update. Stay tuned for more next week! Sunday morning, October 27, Rev. Zach Working and the team at Huntington Hope Rising Church welcomed me to bring greetings from our district team and the message from God’s Word. God has been blessing this turnaround ministry and it was a joy to worship with them. Dr. Chris Williams, Assistant DS and pastor of Lakeview Wesleyan Church, hosted leaders from three churches on Saturday for the Next Level church workshop. Dr. Williams will host another group in the spring so if you missed out on this opportunity, let us know so we can add your team to the waiting list. Rev. Jeff Luedtke and the team at Fairmount Wesleyan Church reported in with two baptisms on October 20. It is encouraging to hear how God is moving at Fairmount Wesleyan! Dr. Craig Thurmon, District Secretary and church planter, reported in with two more baptisms at The Encounter Assembly on the east side of Indianapolis. Praise God for lives #MadeNew! Pastor Joe Jackson and Anderson United Wesleyan Church are celebrating two members of their youth group who publicly professed their faith in Christ through water baptism yesterday! Pastor Michael Gallant and the team at Mt. Etna Community Life Church are rejoicing in five more baptisms! Community Life Church is one of our newest congregations having joined us in the last two years after disaffiliating from their previous denomination. The church is growing and these baptisms are just the latest evidence of God’s gracious hand on their ministry. I would welcome your prayers for traveling mercies and productive conversations with potential church planters at OKWU! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte / Crossroads District Superintendent What a great day! Pastor Scott Rhyno and the team at Waterline Church in Pendleton/Ingalls celebrated the grand opening of their first permanent facility. The first thirteen years for Waterline, since being planted by John and Danielle Freed, were in a series of temporary facilities with setup and storage almost every weekend. God opened the door for a long-term lease in a multipurpose space that Waterline’s team transformed into a welcoming worship center. They hosted a community outreach event on Saturday that welcomed more than 100 neighbors. On Sunday, they launched with two morning services (9 and 11) and needed the space for 170 (net) attending. The most exciting part of the day was four baptisms. Two of those baptisms came as a result of the husband laying tile in the facility. God used what he heard and saw in the lives of the Waterline volunteers. He prayed to receive Christ and then yesterday, he and his wife drove all the way from Louisville to be baptized. God is on the move at Waterline! Sunday evening, I had the privilege of installing Rev. Edward Silliman as pastor at Nelson Street Wesleyan Church in Marion. Pastor Ed and Bonnie Silliman have been warmly welcomed by the congregation. The church has been doing community outreach on Saturdays and they have welcomed between 30 and 40 guests for these events. Monday morning, I was in Marion to meet with our district staff and also had the opportunity to check in with Rev. Carla Working’s cohort meeting at The River Church. I’m grateful for Carla’s willingness to invest in our women in ministry each month. Pastoral search season came early this year. On Monday evening, I met with the LBA at Tipton Trinity Wesleyan Church to begin their search process with the announced transition of Rev. Johnnie Blair. Then on Wednesday evening, I met with the LBA at Mount Etna Community Life Church where Pastor Mike Gallant has announced his retirement. This pastoral search process will be a new experience for this congregation which recently joined our district family. Last week included coaching conversations with Rev. Shane Wilson (Columbia City New Hope), Rev. Ed Friberg (Plymouth Shiloh), Jerry Smith (Tipton Ash Street), Rev. Jarod Osborne (Warsaw Pathway), Rev. Matt Ohime (Hamlet Davis), and Rev. Jere Gowin (Kingsford Heights). I’m grateful for our leaders who faithfully serve in such a variety of contexts. When I was heading north last week, I dropped in at Plymouth Wesleyan Church. It was encouraging to see the generosity of our churches and other community groups that are pitching in to provide relief for the flood victims in North Carolina. Assistant Pastor Levi Lehman was coordinating the packaging of contributions for the second semi-trailer. If the generosity continues at this pace, they’re looking at sending our third trailer load next week. I’m grateful for the volunteers from our district who accompanied Rev. Don. Bayne (New Carlisle Wesleyan) to serve in North Carolina last week. Pastor Ben Jones is taking another team back to North Carolina to help with unloading the delivery truck and they will also assist with the cleanup efforts. Ben’s team will need to be able to lift 30 lbs. You will need to bring a sleeping bag, air mattress, bedding, and towels. If you’d like to join Ben’s team, you can contact him via email: [email protected]. The pastors in NC report that they need volunteers to help with the work since their teams have been doing it nonstop since the crisis started. They are grateful for people who are flexible and willing to serve. The week closed out with a delightful “Pastors and Spouses’ Brunch” hosted by Pastor Jeff Luedtke’s team at The Branch Cafe in Fairmount. We enjoyed a delicious meal, great fellowship, and some fun door prizes. Our next get-together is scheduled for November 16 at Waterline Church. The RSVP link is still open for pastors to register. This is Pastor Appreciation Month and Wesleyan Publishing House is offering a 25% discount code for Wesleyan pastors. Just click on the link or scan the QR code to take advantage of this special offer: Pastor Sam Maddox and the team at Albion Wesleyan Church celebrated another baptism yesterday. Praise God for lives being #MadeNew! Thank you for all you do to make a difference for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent P.S. All credentialed ministers appointed to local church service are invited to save the date of December 7 for our Christmas gathering. This Saturday brunch will be hosted on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University and will feature a Christmas concert from the IWU Chorale. Seating is limited, and a link to RSVP has been sent to pastors. Sunday morning, October 13, I had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Andy Riemersma and the team at ONE Church in Westfield. These are exciting days at ONE Church as they prepare to relaunch ministry in the new Westfield YMCA in January. This young church has already baptized 13 new believers in this conference year. Pray that God will continue to bless this ministry that is so passionately committed to reaching everyone in their community who is still unreached. Sunday afternoon, I was back in Marion to check in with Rev. Don Bayne (New Carlisle Wesleyan Church) and the team heading for North Carolina. Thank you to every church that has already generously donated and to those churches that will be donating as the second semi-trailer leaves from Plymouth next week. We prayed with Pastor Don and the other seven volunteers including Rev. Andrew Colaw (New Carlisle Wesleyan) and Rev. Ben Jones (Beaver Creek Wesleyan) who are traveling together to serve in cleanup operations over the next three days. Special thanks to the management team at Keller Trucking for providing the semi-trailer and to Rev. Wes Munsell for volunteering his time to drive roundtrip to make this crisis response possible, transporting nearly 35,000 lbs of supplies! Special thanks also to Rev. Christian Kelly and Marion Lakeview Wesleyan Church for graciously serving as the collection site for this initiative. This year, I committed to our DBA that I would make recruiting visits to all five of our Wesleyan colleges. My first stop was at Kingswood University back in September and this past week I was on campus at IWU for three days. Dr. Mike Tapper welcomed me into his Systematic Theology class on Tuesday. Dr. David Vardaman welcomed me into his Church Leadership class that same day and I enjoyed the guest lecturer, Dr. Chris Williams (Lakeview Wesleyan), who made a masterful presentation on leading change in the church. I was back on Wednesday for a lunch meeting with students and faculty. Pastors, if you’ve not been on campus lately, take time to connect with our professors and students in the School of Theology and Ministry (STM). My last day on campus concluded with a time of questions and answers in Dr. Eddy Shigley’s course on Evangelism and Discipleship. It was encouraging to catch up with so many faculty and students from the Crossroads District. Other meetings last week included meeting with the LBA at Six Points Church in Sheridan, signing closing documents for a district property in Kokomo, and a lunch meeting on Friday with our new district treasurer, Rev. Scott Rhyno. I was delighted to host a couple from Kingswood University for a weekend vision tour as they consider ministry opportunities. On Saturday, we dropped in at the FUEL conference, checked out Waterline’s new facility in Pendleton with Pastor Rhyno, and finished the day with supper in Union City with Assistant District Superintendent Grace Lopez and Rev. Neftali Lopez. We also dropped in to visit Pastor Claudia Ruiz Wilson and the Casa de Oracion campus. We continue to rejoice as stories come in from across our Crossroads District where God is changing lives. Pastor Noah Farmer and the team at Eastview Wesleyan Church dedicated three children and baptized four new believers yesterday. Praise the Lord! Pastor Sam Maddox and the team at Albion Wesleyan Church are celebrating one more public profession of faith through water baptism. Pastor Sam texted me “God is on the move!” Dr. Chris Williams and the team at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion celebrated as four more new believers stepped out in obedience to be baptized in water. Lives #MadeNew! One special note from the Lakeview baptism was having Rev. Duane Seitz (Silver Lake Wesleyan) come back to baptize his great-granddaughter, Mallie Fritch. What a special blessing for both of them! Prayer is requested for Pastor Randy Yaryan (Winchester Wesleyan) who fell from a ladder last week and severely injured his back. The surgery procedure on Saturday included 8 screws and 2 rods. Doctors anticipate a 6-8 weeks recovery period. Thank you in advance for your prayers! Thank you for all you do to make a difference for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent P.S. All credentialed ministers appointed to local church service are invited to save the date of December 7 for our Christmas gathering. This Saturday brunch will be hosted on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University and will feature a Christmas concert from the IWU Chorale. Seating is limited, and a link to RSVP will be sent out this week! Sunday morning, October 6, I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Chris Taylor and his team at Plymouth Wesleyan Church. Pastor Chris is off to a strong start. The sanctuary has been updated since my last visit with new carpeting and video projection upgrades. Attendance is growing in both services. Most importantly, they’ve launched one-on-one discipleship with 60 more people signing on just last weekend. The response to the Hurricane Helene relief challenge has been so strong that they may be loading a tractor-trailer just from their community. After preaching in both services, I had the joy of hosting their family for lunch. Lisa Taylor, in addition to being the pastor’s wife, leads the growing childcare ministry that Plymouth Wesleyan offers to the community. Pastor Chris Taylor also graciously hosts the monthly leadership cohort that Dr. Chris Williams facilitates for pastors in the South Bend region. Sunday evening, I joined Pastor Duncan Prior at Laketon Wesleyan Church for a special LCC (Local Church Conference) to receive new members, elect new board members to fill some vacancies, and to install the new leadership team. I was encouraged to see the progress at the church as Pastor Duncan and Elaine build on the strong foundation that Rev. David and Suzanne Cox laid in this revitalized congregation. God is still doing great things in small towns! Last week began with our staff meeting on Monday before heading out to sign property sale documents for Fort Wayne Three Rivers Church. On Tuesday, I was back on the road for coaching conversations. My first stop was in Logansport with Pastor Zach Szmara at The Bridge. Zach and the team at Immigrant Connection just completed their national conference last week and celebrated the remarkable growth of this ministry in the first 10 years. The Mexican consulate from Chicago was setting up their remote services again at The Bridge. This program serves hundreds of people in the course of just a few days and The Bridge has hosted the consulate staff for several years. Thank you, Pastor Zach, for your vision and for the incredible first 10 years for Immigrant Connection! From Logansport, it was a quick drive over to Rochester to meet with Pastor Martin Furrow (The Cross) and then on to Plymouth to connect with Pastor Matthew Ohime (Davis Wesleyan) before heading home. Wednesday’s coaching conversations began with Pastor Paul Van Cise (Bryant Wesleyan Church). My next stop was with Pastor David Dignal (Edgerton Wesleyan Church) before heading south to Indianapolis for a meeting with Pastor Ervin Webster (St. Stephen) and then wrapping up the day at SoBro Church (formerly Divine Direction) in a coaching conversation with Pastor Jerome Anderson. For those of you, like me, who didn’t know, SoBro is the local designation for the South Broad Ripple neighborhood in Indianapolis. The church leaders proposed and the DBA approved the name change to better connect with their mission field. SoBro Church has recently welcomed new families from Nigeria and Honduras. Pictured above is the SoBro team from their recent community clean-up day. Thursday, I was in New Castle for coaching conversations. I met with Pastor Ron Ferguson (Grant City Wesleyan) and with Rev. Mark Wooten (Memorial Drive Wesleyan). Pastor Mark is one of the newer team members in our district, transferring to us from the Church of the Nazarene. Pastor Mark and Pam, his wife, recently launched Castle Kids, a before and after-school program for children that is helping them connect with new families. Please remember that October is Pastor Appreciation Month! Lay leaders can find free resources at this link: https://www.wesleyan.org/event/pam-2024 We love to celebrate the stories of life change that come in from our Crossroads District team. Last week, we had just sent out the team update without any baptism reports. Minutes later, I received good news from Pastor Michael Hewitt that Rising Hope Church in Muncie had baptized three new believers on Sunday, September 29! Yesterday was the 17th anniversary of Pastor Matthew and Nicole Trexler planting The River Church in their living room. From that small group to more than 1500 that gathered yesterday, God continues to change lives through this dynamic ministry. Eight more new believers were baptized yesterday! Pastor Andy Cole had Assistant Pastor Naomi Small lead in a special Family Sunday at Lapel Daybreak Church which included the dedication of three babies and one baptism! God is continuing to write redemption stories at New Journey Church in Wabash as Pastor Rob Tippey and his team reach out into the community. Praise God for lives #MadeNew! Pastor Sam Maddox and the team at Albion Wesleyan Church are praising God for nine new members joining their church family and another baptism. God is on the move in Albion! Pastor Nathan Richardson has been praying about ways the Southview Church in Indianapolis could better connect with the growing Hispanic community in their neighborhood. Rev. Claudia Ruiz Wilson, pastor of the Casa Network, had recently started a home group on the south side of Indy. She and Pastor Nathan are strategizing for the best way to work together to reach these new neighbors. Yesterday, they worshiped together for the first time. Next Sunday, Pastor Claudia will be preaching at Southview. Pray that God will guide and bless this partnership! Our heartfelt sympathy and prayers are extended to Rev. Don Bayne on the loss of his father, Donald, last week. Pastor Don will take part in the funeral but also plans to lead the response team to North Carolina next Sunday afternoon. Pastors will receive a direct email on funeral arrangements. Thank you to every pastor and each church that has already generously responded to the challenge from our Crossroads District to provide relief to our friends in North Carolina. Special thanks to Dr. Jon Kulaga and his leadership team at Indiana Wesleyan University who generously donated $2000 for this district relief project. Just a reminder that the most urgently needed items are:
We invite you to collect these supplies and drop them off at Lakeview Wesleyan Church (5316 S Western Ave, Marion, IN 46953) on Saturday, October 12 or Sunday, October 13 before 2:00 PM. Look for the large box truck in the parking lot. Your contributions will make a significant impact on the communities affected by this devastating storm. For updates from district leaders in the affected areas, please visit www.wesleyan.org/helene. Thank you for all you do to make a difference for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent P.S. All credentialed ministers appointed to local church service are invited to save the date of December 7 for our Christmas gathering. This Saturday brunch will be hosted on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University and will feature a Christmas concert from the IWU Chorale. More details to follow. Seating is limited, and a link to RSVP will be sent out soon. Rev. John Hannan and the team at CrossRoads Church in Union City celebrated the 5th anniversary of this church plant on Sunday, September 29. I was honored to be there on their launching Sunday and it was exciting to be back with them again yesterday for this special celebration. Pastor John and Beth, his wife, started casting vision back in 2019 with just a handful of followers around tables in a local restaurant. This new congregation made it through the pandemic and continues to make a difference in this small community straddling the border of Indiana and Ohio. CrossRoads Church has baptized more than 40 new believers since launching. The auditorium was packed yesterday to celebrate this ministry milestone. Pastor Hannan and Rev. Claudia Ruiz Wilson have partnered in Hispanic ministry in the area. Pastor Claudia was present with members of the Casa Network for this special occasion. Following the service, we crossed the state line for a delicious fellowship meal provided by the Casa Network. Sunday evening, I joined Pastor Ryan Budde and the congregation at Westview Wesleyan Church for an evening of praise through songs and testimonies. Members shared stories of God’s faithfulness and healing touch. Assistant Pastor Brian Holland praised the Lord for the growth of their youth ministry from 10 to more than 50 in the past few years. Many of these students were previously unreached by any church. Now their families are also connecting. Last week included coaching conversations and a variety of other connections but the highlight of the week was our first quarterly meeting of the DBA (District Board of Administration). The DBA cares for all business of the Crossroads District Conference between the annual meetings. This business includes a range of items from property transactions to pastoral appointments to approving new church planting projects. This meeting was held at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion on Thursday afternoon with all but three of our 14 members attending. Rev. Neftali Lopez stepped down from his at-large position when Rev. Grace Lopez accepted appointment as Assistant District Superintendent for Hispanic Ministries. Rev. Matthew Trexler was elected on a three-year term to fill this at-large vacancy. Rev. Scott Rhyno (Pendleton Waterline Church) was elected to serve as District Treasurer. We also welcomed Dr. Dale Sloan (Fort Wayne Three Rivers Church) as a new lay member of the DBA. Dr. Chris Williams, Assistant DS, led the board in a governance exercise around the Four Helpful Lists that is part of the StratOp process. In other news of interest, the DBA approved Property Improvement Matching Grants (pastors will be notified this week), funding for 10 scholarships to the Harvest Foundation Retreat in the Dominican Republic (both October 2025 and April 2026), and welcomed Dr. Eddy Shigley (IWU professor) as the newest member of our Circuit Riders. Our meeting closed with a special presentation from Rev. Joshe Bose. Joshe served as national superintendent for The Wesleyan Church in Bangladesh from 2012 to 2024. During his leadership, the number of churches and preaching points grew from 12 to 77. Now, Joshe has accepted the invitation of Global Partners to launch the South Asia Development Project. The DBA was challenged by the reality that 25% of the world’s population lives in that region and less than 2% are Christians. Our meeting closed with prayer for Rev. Bose and this new initiative. Several areas of the southeastern part of our country experienced flood surges and massive flooding in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Effective ministries like Samaritan’s Purse are already on the ground bringing relief. You can learn more about ways to help at this site: https://samaritanspurse.org/article/pray-for-those-in-helenes-path/ I have already been in contact with Rev. Jerry Lumston, District Superintendent for our North Carolina West, and we’ll pass along additional information directly to our pastors about opportunities for our churches to respond to the crisis. Please keep our Wesleyan churches and their leaders in your prayers as they work through the recovery efforts and bring aid to their communities. Just two more weeks until FUEL is coming to Indianapolis (October 11-12). Rev. Santes Beatty, Director of NextGen Ministries invites all youth and children’s workers to attend this convenient and helpful training event. This year’s event is held right here in our backyard so make tracks, not excuses. (Scholarships are available from the district office if finances would keep you from participating.) Here’s the link to register for the two-day event. Our friends at Fairmount Camp have released their program dates for next summer. Mark your calendars and take advantage of the life-changing ministries offered at Fairmount Camp! https://www.fairmountcamp.org/ Each year, our district conference receives reports from our various ministry champions. Every ministry matters and we’re grateful for the outstanding ministers who generously provided point leadership for these initiatives last year. This week’s excellent report is from Rev. Steve Mathews & Dr. Rich Schenck, District Global Partners Co-Directors. Click here to read their report. Thank you for all you do to make a difference for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent P.S. All credentialed ministers appointed to local church service are invited to save the date of December 7 for our Christmas gathering. This Saturday brunch will be hosted on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University and will feature a Christmas concert from the IWU Chorale. More details to follow. Seating is limited, and a link to RSVP will be sent out soon. Also, just a friendly reminder that next month (October) is Pastor Appreciation Month! Free resources can be found at this link: https://www.wesleyan.org/event/pam-2024 Sunday morning, September 22, I had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Kory Christensen and the team at Impact Church in New Haven. Pastor Kory and Becky stepped out in faith to plant this new church back in 2013 and Impact continues to invest deeply in serving the community, especially with their involvement in the public schools. Sunday evening, I joined Dr. Richard Schenck and the team at Noblesville Circle of Hope for a presentation by Rev. Joshe Bose on a new initiative in south Asia with Global Partners. Pastors Rich and Carol Schenck have played a significant role in the ministerial education for the field in Bangladesh since 2012. When they began working with Rev. Bose, there were 12 Wesleyan churches in the country. Today, there are 77 churches sharing the Good News! Last week began with a special opportunity for area pastors and staff as Rev. Matthew Trexler and The River Church hosted Shawn Lovejoy, founder of the Courageous Leaders coaching organization. The room was full and the conversations were timely for our growing churches. Following the morning seminar, Michael Wood and I hosted several of the pastors and their team members for lunch and an opportunity to connect with Rev. Joshe Bose. Tuesday morning, I dropped in on Rev. Mike Colaw and the staff at Trinity Church in Indianapolis. Pastor Mike is hosting a monthly connection for Indy area pastors and this month’s session featured Dr. David Smith (one of our circuit riders) for a session on reading scripture as a life-giving spiritual discipline for ministry leaders. I traveled on to Emmanuel Church where several of our pastors and their staff were participating in the Courage to Lead seminar that featured presentations from Shawn Lovejoy and his team of coaches, including one of our own, Pastor Matthew Trexler. My last stop of the day was at the United Wesleyan Church in Anderson to hear Rev. Yunio Gonzalez, national superintendent of The Wesleyan Church in Cuba. Pastor Joe Jackson and Rev. Mark Atkinson have both visited the churches in Cuba and were excited to introduce Pastor Yunio to more of the churches in the Crossroads District. Pastor Janiel Caraballo (The Exit Church) did a great job translating the sermon. Wednesday, I was on the road for a coaching conversation with Pastor Chris Taylor at Plymouth Wesleyan Church. Rev. Bose and Dr. Schenck rode along with me and we were able to share an informative lunch gathering with Rev. Ed Friberg (Shiloh Wesleyan Church) and Rev. Ben Jones (Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church). Thursday, both Rev. Junio Gonzalez and Rev. Joshe Bose joined me in Indianapolis as we welcomed pastors from across the metro area. The presentations from our colleagues from Cuba and Bangladesh were well-received. We enjoyed the food, fellowship, and prayer. Rev. Tom Ensz (Global Partners) joined Dr. Schenck, Rev. Bose, and I for supper and a helpful conversation about the new initiative in South Asia. Tom and I first worked together in Alabama as pastors in the Delta District. Sherry and I presented at the Bible college in Manaus, Brazil when he and Grace Ensz were leading that field for Global Partners. I’m grateful for the experienced leadership Tom is bringing to the South Asia project. We join Heaven in rejoicing with the exciting news of lives being transformed by the power of the Gospel. Pastor Andy Riemersma and the team at ONE Church in Westfield celebrated three such public professions of faith through the sacrament of baptism on September 22. Pastor Andy Cole and the team at Lapel Daybreak Community Church had an exciting morning as two people were baptized. Following the baptism, the wife of the gentleman who was baptized prayed to receive Christ as her Lord. God is on the move in Lapel! Pastor Andy Jellison and the team at Lifeway Wesleyan Church (Fort Wayne) had the joy of baptizing three young people on Sunday morning, September 22. Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew! FUEL is coming to Indiana, October 11-12! Santes Beatty, Director of NextGen Ministries invites all youth and children’s workers to attend this convenient and helpful training event. This year’s event is held right here in our backyard so make tracks, not excuses. (Scholarships are available from the district office if finances would keep you from participating.) Here’s the link to register for the two-day event. Each year, our district conference receives reports from our various ministry champions. Every ministry matters and we’re grateful for the outstanding ministers who generously provided point leadership for these initiatives last year. This week’s excellent report is from one of our circuit riders, Rev. Mark Atkinson. Read his report at this link. Thank you for all you do to make a difference for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent P.S. All credentialed ministers appointed to local church service are invited to save the date of December 7 for our Christmas gathering. This Saturday brunch will be hosted on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University and will feature a Christmas concert from the IWU Chorale. More details to follow. Seating is limited, and a link to RSVP will be sent out soon. Sunday morning, September 15, began with a wonderful time of worship and fellowship at Three Rivers Wesleyan Church in Fort Wayne. Pastor Kyle Horton and his team gave me a warm welcome. Dan Kensinger was honored by Pastor Kyle as volunteer of the month. I was glad to preach and bring greetings from our district team. Following the service, Pastor Kyle and I briefly met with the LBA (local board of administration). I left Fort Wayne in time to join Pastor Janiel Caraballo and the team at The Exit Church in Anderson for the launching service of our newest church plant. Special thanks to Pastor Michael Hewitt and Rising Hope Church for coaching and sending the Caraballo family to begin this new work. Pastor Jerry Alexander and the team at Living Hope Church are to be commended for their vision and generosity in hosting this new congregation. It was a wonderful celebration service that concluded with their first baptism service. Pray for Pastor Janiel and Leana as they build on this strong beginning and create a movement of disciples making disciples. I was grateful to see several of our area pastors show up to demonstrate their support for this family and this exciting new project. Pastor Mike’s team from Rising Hope joined the celebration with two baptisms for their congregation. We plant new churches to reach new community groups and the next generation for Christ. Let’s keep on multiplying disciples and churches until Jesus comes! Sunday evening, more than 400 pastors, family, and friends gathered in Marion for the Crossroads District ordination service. Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our General Superintendent brought the message from God’s Word and presided over the ritual of ordination. We ordained nine new ministers of the Gospel and welcomed three transferring ministers from other fellowships. Dr. Chris Williams and the team at Lakeview Wesleyan Church did a great job hosting the event. Rev. Carla Working and the DBMD are to be commended for the excellent work they did in preparing these candidates for ordination. Praise God that He is still calling and sending laborers into His harvest field! Last week’s scheduled included a quick trip to Kingswood University in Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada. Kingswood holds a special place in my heart. In addition to the five years that I served as president, all of my children (and one daughter-in-law) attended Kingswood. My father and mother met at Kingswood back when the campus was still in Nova Scotia. Kingswood has a wonderful past but also a bright future as they lead The Wesleyan Church with innovative online certificate and degree programs that now serve more than 1100 students. Check out their online ordination courses: https://www.kingswood.edu/academic-excellence/ordination-studies President Lennox was a gracious host and made it possible for me to meet with students and faculty members. We’re always looking for church planters so I was delighted for several conversations about those possibilities. Another highlight of my time at Kingswood was hearing Rev. Matthew DePrez (pastor of Inspire Church in Fremont, MI and a Kingswood alumnus). Pray for Kingswood as Dr. Lennox retires this next year and as the presidential search team convenes. I arrived back in time to meet with a new mentoring group of young leaders on the IWU campus. Levi Trexler and Elliot Williams brought along friends for a conversation on Oswald Sanders’ classic book, Spiritual Leadership. I’m looking forward to connecting monthly with them throughout this school year. Saturday morning, Sherry and I hosted our first monthly pastors and spouses brunch. This first group met in Warsaw at the Crazy Egg. We had great conversations and a meaningful time of prayer to close our time together. Our next monthly brunch will be at The Branch in Fairmount on October 19. Pastors will receive the link for signing up to confirm their attendance. From Warsaw, Sherry and I drove on the Plymouth in time to connect with Dr. Chris Williams and the leadership cohort that he’s working with each month. Leaders get better when they learn from other leaders and when the leader gets better everyone benefits! Dr. Williams has a couple of slots left in the Plymouth group and in the Marion group. Contact him directly ASAP if you’d like to jump in with one of these cohorts. Nothing brings us greater joy than to hear stories of lives being transformed by the power of the Gospel. Dr. Craig Thurmon and The Encounter Assembly celebrated five baptisms yesterday morning. We are so grateful for the wonderful work that Pastor Craig and Tiffany are doing in planting this church which began online during the pandemic. We’re believing with them for great days ahead at TEA! FUEL is coming to Indiana, October 11-12! Santes Beatty, Director of NextGen Ministries invites all youth and children’s workers to attend this convenient and helpful training event. This year’s event is held right here in our backyard so make tracks, not excuses. (Scholarships are available from the district office if finances would keep you from participating.) Here’s the link to register for the two-day event. Each year, our district conference receives reports from our various ministry champions. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing several of those reports for you to enjoy. Every ministry matters and we’re grateful for the outstanding ministers who generously provided point leadership for these initiatives last year. This week’s excellent report is from one of our circuit riders, Dr. Lo. Read his report at this link. Thank you for all you do to make a difference for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent Sunday, September 8, marked the 100th anniversary for Eastview Wesleyan Church in Gas City. Pastor Noah Farmer and his team hosted a community concert on Saturday evening with more than 1000 present and then welcomed nearly 400 people for the morning worship service. Dr. Wayne Schmidt, General Superintendent, brought congratulations from The Wesleyan Church and I brought greetings from our district family. Pastor Noah preached a message challenging the church to stay on mission and then concluded the service by leading the church in celebrating three baptisms! Sunday afternoon, I traveled to Lafayette to meet with leaders at The Branch Wesleyan Church to work with them on securing transitional pastoral leadership. Please keep The Branch in your prayers. Welcome home to Rev. and Mrs. Philip Trent! Rev. Trent, who has been serving in Illinois, is coming back to Parkview Wesleyan Church in Chesterfield. Parkview was planted by Rev. Trent’s grandfather and was later pastored by Rev. Paul Trent, Philip’s father. The members voted 100% to extend the call to Pastor Philip and we look forward to welcoming their family back to the Crossroads District. Last week’s schedule was abbreviated with Labor Day Monday, but I enjoyed connecting with Dr. Steve DeNeff (College Wesleyan), Rev. Scott McDermid (Sheridan Six Points), Dr. Morris Jones (Lebanon Wesleyan), and Rev. Randy Yaryan (Winchester Wesleyan) for our annual coaching conversations. Darah Martin, our office assistant, and I met with Lasana Williams Ritchie to learn more about the prayer retreat ministry that she leads from her home in Marion. Lasana, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Wilbur Williams, also offers prayer seminars for local churches. Her ministry was highlighted this summer at Fairmount Camp and you can learn more about her work from her website: creatingfromhisimprint.com Through the generosity of the DBA, we provide StrengthFinders coaching for free to our pastors and church leadership teams. I was able to meet with one of our emerging leaders for a one-on-one coaching session on Saturday and also enjoyed the opportunity of working with Rev. Andy Jellison’s team at Lifeway Wesleyan Church in Fort Wayne on Wednesday. If you or your team would like to include this in your staff development, just reach out to our office. Nothing brings us greater joy than to hear the stories of new believers taking the step of obedience to publicly profess their new life in Christ through the sacrament of baptism. Rev. Nathan Richardson and the team at Southview Wesleyan Church are rejoicing with a young man who took that step of faith on Sunday morning. Praise God for lives #MadeNew! Rev. Michael Hewitt and the team at Rising Hope Church in Muncie are thrilled to share the news of a young woman’s baptism this past Sunday. What a joy to see lives changed by God’s love! Calling ALL Credentialed Ministers in the Crossroads District: We will gather for the Celebration of Ministry on September 15, 5 p.m., at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. The ordained ministers will meet promptly at 4:30 for our group photo and directions for our participation in the service. The service begins promptly at 5 p.m. led by our General Superintendent, Dr. Wayne Schmidt. We will also celebrate retiring ministers and those who have achieved decadal milestones in their ministry. The ordination service will be followed by a reception to greet those newly ordained and for a time of fellowship. The Crossroads District is excited to offer a FREE online course on Wesleyan Church History and Discipline! If you or someone you know still needs to fulfill this requirement for credentialing, this is the perfect opportunity. Classes will be held Thursday evenings, 7:00 - 9:30 PM, starting September 26 for 8 sessions. Click Here to register. COURAGE TO LEAD – Shawn Lovejoy is bringing his one-day leadership training event for pastors and business leaders to Indianapolis on September 17. Shawn has been both a successful commercial real estate developer and an effective church planter. We’re grateful for Shawn’s willingness to offer a 30% discount for our district pastors. Sign up early and use the discount code “Wesleyan” when you register here: https://www.couragetolead.com/oneday FUEL is coming to Indiana, October 11-12! Santes Beatty, Director of NextGen Ministries invites all youth and children’s workers to attend this convenient and helpful training event. (Scholarships are available from the district office if finances would keep you from participating.) Here’s the link to register for the two-day event. Each year, our district conference receives reports from our various ministry champions. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing several of those reports for you to enjoy. Every ministry matters and we’re grateful for the outstanding ministers who generously provide point leadership for these initiatives. This week’s excellent report is from one of our circuit riders, Rev, Mark Atkinson. Click Here to read his report. Thank you for all you do to make a difference for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent *** Save the Date: June 28, 2025 District Conference! Sunday, September 1, Sherry and I worshiped outdoors with Pastor Scott Rhyno and the team at Waterline Church in Ingalls Park as they prepared to move into their permanent facility next weekend. It’s been a challenging year but the congregation has held together and there was excitement in the air as they make this move. Waterline has sponsored Alpha in the past and already has community members who have signed up for the new semester of Alpha starting this month. God is on the move in Ingalls! The family highlight this Labor Day weekend was welcoming home three of our four children with their spouses along with 3 of our 5 grandchildren. The happy occasion that brought us all together was Dr. Sherry Gorveatte’s birthday on September 1. We celebrated with family and friends on Sunday evening and then Dr. G completed a six-mile walk on Monday to mark the milestone. Sherry began her new career last month as college professor at Taylor University teaching accounting in the Cornwall School of Business. God has been so good! Another milestone was marked on Thursday, August 29, when Rev. Duane (pastor at Silver Lake Wesleyan Church) and JoEllen Seitz celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Congratulations to this wonderful couple who have served Christ together for seven decades! We continue to celebrate stories of lives being changed by the Gospel. Baptism reports are one of the ways that we are able to catch a glimpse of God at work in our churches. Pastor Terry and Lennaire Vaughn shared the good news of another baptism last weekend at The Bridge Urban Church in Mishawaka. I met with the Vaughns in Indianapolis on Saturday to hear more about the steps they are taking to launch a campus of The Bridge in the Fountain Square neighborhood. Pastor Scott McDermid and the team at Sheridan Six Points Church celebrated another baptism last weekend. Praise the Lord for young ones responding to the Gospel! Rev. Michael Hewitt and the team at Rising Hope Church in Muncie are praising God for two more people who publicly professed their faith in Christ through baptism this Sunday! Rev. Matthew Trexler and the team at The River Church are praising God for nine more baptisms on Sunday morning. We rejoice with all these lives #MadeNew! PRIORITY for ALL Credentialed Ministers in the Crossroads District: We will gather for the Celebration of Ministry on September 15, 5 p.m., at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. The ordained ministers will meet promptly at 4:30 for our group photo and directions for our participation in the service. The service begins promptly at 5 p.m. led by our General Superintendent, Dr. Wayne Schmidt. We will also celebrate retiring ministers and those who have achieved decadal milestones in their ministry. The ordination service will be followed by a reception to greet those newly ordained and for a time of fellowship. COURAGE TO LEAD – Shawn Lovejoy is bringing his one-day leadership training event for pastors and business leaders to Indianapolis on September 17. Shawn has been both a successful commercial real estate developer and an effective church planter. We’re grateful for Shawn’s willingness to offer a 30% discount for our district pastors. Sign up early and use the discount code “Wesleyan” when you register here: https://www.couragetolead.com/oneday FUEL is coming to Indiana, October 11-12! Santes Beatty, Director of NextGen Ministries invites all youth and children’s workers to attend this convenient and helpful training event. This year’s event is held right here in our backyard so make tracks, not excuses. (Scholarships are available from the district office if finances would keep you from participating.) Here’s the link to register for the two-day event. Each year, our district conference receives reports from our various ministry champions. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing several of those reports for you to enjoy. Every ministry matters and we’re grateful for the outstanding ministers who generously provide point leadership for these initiatives. This week’s excellent report is from one of our circuit riders, Dr. David Smith. Read his report at this link. Thank you for all you do to make a difference for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent |
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