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

I trust you were able to enjoy some quality time with your friends and family over this Labor Day Weekend. The big announcement for this first week of September is that registration is now open for our first Heartland Region Gathering. If you enjoyed The Gathering in Orlando, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to join more than 200 pastors and their families in Pigeon Forge, March 10-12, 2020. The location is terrific, the price is affordable, and the program has been designed just for you and your family. Here’s the link for more information and to register before it sells out: https://gathering.heartlandregion.org
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Sunday morning, I was able to drop in for worship services at both Brookhaven Wesleyan Church and The River Church in Marion. Pastor Tony Bye and Pastor Matthew Trexler both brought challenging messages from God’s Word. I was reminded of the blessing it is to be part of a denomination where ministers preach the Bible without compromise or apology. It was good to see many IWU students attending both of these services. Our pastors in Marion have the unique challenge and opportunity of ministering to this dynamic population of world-changing students and staff members.
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Last week’s schedule included a meeting with Dr. Lenny Luchetti on Monday in his office at Lakeview Wesleyan Church where he’s serving as interim pastor. I dropped in at Colonial Oaks to check on Pastor Ryan Budde and his family. His mother has seen some recovery but they continue to request our prayers. My last meeting on Monday was with President Colleen Derr at Wesley Seminary. These are challenging days in Christian higher education so please join me in praying for Dr. Derr as she leads this vital ministry.

Tuesday, Roxene, Seth, Chris and I met for our weekly staff meeting at The Abbey Coffee. It is a privilege to serve with such a dedicated team! Wednesday, I met with Jon Wiest in Fishers to learn more about the new discipleship training initiative that he’s leading. I checked in on the progress at Rising Hope as they complete facility renovations and prepare for their Grand Opening on September 15. Pastor Mike Hewitt shared that they welcomed over 100 in worship both of the previous weekends.  They were also excited to welcome 60 students who gathered at Rising Hope for the first evening of Awaken’s outreach to Ball State University.
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Chris and I had our weekly meeting on Thursday and then I met with Rev. Bob McHenry for lunch. I’ve known and respected Bob since we first connected while he was serving in the Northwest (former Dakota) District. Bob and his wife are spending this year in Marion near family and Bob will be available for supply preaching in area churches. Thursday afternoon I made a quick trip to Kokomo to sign legal documents for the sale of the Howard Chapel Wesleyan Church property.

We celebrated Sherry’s birthday (September 1) this weekend with the added blessing of having her brother, Kerry Wilkerson, visiting us from Louisiana. I took a vacation day on Friday to enjoy visiting Shipshewana with her family.

Pastor Aldean Pablo passed along the encouraging news that SEND Church in SW Fort Wayne/Roanoke celebrated their first baptisms this past week. He posted this report: “Sharon, Will, & Rachel invited a dozen of their neighbors and friends to witness the baptism of Will and Rachel (husband & wife) in the neighborhood pool @ Roanoke! 🙂 Tears and laughter were all present! Seeds had been planted today, we are getting excited for the harvest!”
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Thank you to every pastor and congregation in our Crossroads District that makes church planting a top priority in their prayers and giving. When one church celebrates lives changed by the Gospel, we all rejoice in knowing that God is allowing us to impact the 3 million unreached people in our district mission field.

The Crossroads District team is welcoming new members as we move into the fall season. Greenfield Brown’s Chapel Wesleyan recently completed their pastor search process and extended a call to Rev. Theo Griffin. Pastor Theo has accepted their call and is coming to us from the Shenandoah District where he was most recently serving as campus pastor for Crosspointe Church near Lynchburg, Virginia. He and Randy, his wife, plan to arrive early in October and I will be with them on Sunday evening, October 13, for their pastoral installation.
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McCordsville Harvest Chapel was excited to welcome Rev. Jennifer Munsell and her family just last month. Pastor Jennifer was most recently serving in student ministry at The Ransom Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jennifer and Aaron, her husband, are both graduates of Indiana Wesleyan University and are happy to be home in Indiana. Rumor has it that Pastor Dale and Lori Munsell (Albion Cornerstone) are also happy to have these grandchildren a little closer.
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​We’re looking forward to hosting our first fall Pastor and Spouse Fellowship at Thornapple this Friday evening as we’re joined by Rev. Dan Fisher’s group from Region 3 South Zone. Sherry and I appreciate these special evenings for connecting with our team.

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, August 25, Sherry and I worshiped at Westview Wesleyan Church in Jonesboro. Mr. Steve Armes, vice-chair of the LBA, led the worship service and I brought the message. It was good to connect with Westview’s lay leaders, including Elvin Weinmann who has faithfully led our district’s audit team for several years. Pastor Budde and Westview Wesleyan have a goal of 30 baptisms for the coming year! They’ve placed their 30 “#madenew” T-shirts on hangers around the auditorium as a visual reminder to pray and work toward this faith goal.
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Pastor Ryan Budde was away on Sunday with his family caring for his mother. Sue, his mother, suffered a major heart attack and doctors do not expect her to recover. Our prayers are with Rev. Roger Budde, Ryan’s father, and the family members in this difficult time.

Sunday afternoon, I was able to join Pastor John and Beth Hannan in Union City as they met with members of the launch team for CrossRoads Church. They’ve already done two community outreach projects and this week they’ll be participating in a “grace-sharing challenge” that Pastor John learned from Professor Mark Wilson. Pray with Pastor John and his team as they reach out with God’s love to lost people in Union City.
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Sunday evening, I led an online DBA meeting (via ZOOM) to deal with an important and time-sensitive matter. Special thanks to Chris Williams for managing our logistics and for each of the DBA members who were able to carve out time to join us late in the day.

Pastor Paul VanCise sent in this great picture from the baptism celebration at Bryant Wesleyan Church. Pastor Paul and his team have set a goal of 10 baptisms for this conference year. There’s nothing more exciting than celebrating changed lives!
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Last Monday, I worked out of our Fishers office. Dr. Wayne Schmidt hosted a GS-DS Zoom call in the morning for his monthly check-in with us. Monday afternoon, I met with Benjamin Tuimuk, the supply lay pastor, who leads our Shalom Church serving Burmese refugees on the southside of Indianapolis. He reported a wonderful youth camp this summer in cooperation with other Burmese congregations at Frankfort Camp that hosted 174 total registrants and celebrated 52 decisions for Christ, including 4 from Shalom.
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Tuesday morning, I joined Pastor Matthew Trexler and the team at The River Church in Marion for their 6 a.m. prayer gathering before heading to Indianapolis. Pastor Mike Colaw, Region 2 Assistant DS, hosts a monthly leadership development connection for Region 2 pastors and staff at Trinity Wesleyan Church. Steve Becker, Trinity’s LBA vice-chair, shared his keen insights into handling high-stakes conversations in the church. The other highlight of the morning was having the pastors and staff of Region 2 lay hands on and pray for Pastor John Miller as Way City Church moves to their launch Sunday, September 15. We really can be stronger together to reach our 3 million!
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Pastor Eric Roemer and I met in Greentown on Tuesday afternoon for our annual coaching conversation. Pastor Eric was excited about the addition of Mason Rosado to their team at Greentown Wesleyan. Mason will continue as a student at Wesley Seminary while leading the youth ministry and serving as assistant pastor.

Wednesday morning, Pastor Judy Hatt and her team welcomed me to Hope Wesleyan Church in Fowler. I was there for our annual coaching conversation but we also enjoyed a light lunch with their leaders, including John Paul Godbey (pictured here with Pastor Judy), the long-time treasurer for the church. Fowler is a small farming community of 2200 people located 30 miles northwest of Lafayette, close to the Illinois state line.
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Hope Church was about to close its doors when Pastor Judy volunteered to help out. She brings joy, vision, and energy to the team. They’re now seeing as many as 20 in worship, they’ve caught up on all their bills, remodeled the church building debt-free, and are preparing to launch a Sunday morning outreach to children called “The Breakfast Club.” Fowler Hope set a faith goal this year for 8 baptisms. I drove home reminded once again that no person is too old and no place is too small for God to be glorified!

Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Bud Bence met with Chris, Seth and I to work on plans to offer a unique Crossroads District seminar experience of “Wesleyan Church History and Discipline.” There are many convenient options to take this core course for ordination but Bud is leading us in exploring ways to make this a team-building, culture-shaping experience for our students and ministers transferring to us from other denominations.

Thursday morning, Pastor Dave Leitzel and I met via technology for our annual coaching conversation. Pastor Dave has been experiencing back pain so this was a more convenient option for him. I appreciate the renewed focus Pastor Dave has been giving to one-on-one discipleship. Hamilton Wesleyan set a faith goal for 6 baptisms this year!

Rev. Aldean Pablo, church planter for SEND Church in southwest Fort Wayne/Roanoke, met on Thursday afternoon. It was encouraging to hear about the doors that God has been providentially opening as Pastor Aldean reaches out into this new community.
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In addition to building a launch team, Pastor Aldean and Jessie are also adjusting to their healthy baby. Special thanks to our pastors in the Fort Wayne area who are supporting SEND Church with their prayers and financial investment.

Friday morning, Assistant DS Chris Williams and I met for our weekly briefing. Chris is doing an incredible job balancing family life and ministry while tackling a Ph.D. program in organizational leadership. I am grateful for his partnership in district leadership!

Pastor Neftali Lopez met me in Fishers for lunch and an update on his ministry at Carmel Iglesia Amistad Cristiana. Amistad celebrated their 19th year of ministry this past weekend. This has been the flagship multiplying church that helped launched other Hispanic congregations in our district. We are grateful for their impact for Christ!

Friday afternoon, I had the honor of hosting Dr. Morris and Sonia Liana for their visit to Wesleyan headquarters and visit with Rev. James Winn (Global Partners). Dr. Liana is the President of the Union Biblical Seminary in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and also serves as the General Secretary for the Evangelical Christian Alliance of Myanmar.
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General Secretary Janelle Vernon and her team also gave the Liana’s a very warm welcome and generously passed along some Wesleyan resources to share with the Bible college students in Myanmar. Dr. Liana and I first met nearly 20 years ago when he was studying at Asbury Theological Seminary. We were blessed to have Dr. Liana preach in both of our district’s Burmese congregations during his visit.

With summer vacation over, Sherry and I are looking forward to resuming our schedule of zone fellowships for pastors and spouses at Thornapple. Our first gathering of the fall will be on Friday (6:30-9:00), September 6, as we host Rev. Dan Fisher and the team from Region 3 South Zone. Our second gathering will be on Friday, September 20 (6:30-9:00), with Rev. Don Bayne and the team from Region 3 North Zone. Rev. Seth Bye will be sending reminders.

Thank you for all you do to advance God’s Kingdom in our district and beyond!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent
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​Don’t miss the International Wesleyan Youth Conference (Dec. 28-31, 2019)

​Pastors and youth leaders can sign up now at www.followconference.org to get free resources and updates on all FOLLOW details.

Sherry and I were privileged to worship with Rev. Lyle Breeding and his team at Bluffton Sonlight Church on Sunday morning. Rev. Lane Sander, our District Youth President, is a key member of the staff and he led in the altar prayer time during the service. It was a joy to bring the message and then to meet with the LBA following the service.
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Pastor Lyle and his team have been hard at work implementing their Maximizing Impact prescriptions from last year and preparing for their StratOp planning consultation this fall. Sherry and I enjoyed hosting Pastor Breeding and his team for lunch.

Angela Spangler, Executive Director, and her team at Fairmount Camp hosted another successful Old Time Camp Meeting this past week. I was able to take in the Thursday morning Bible study session led by Rev. David Vardaman and the closing rally on Sunday evening. Rev. Alex Mandura did a great job leading the services.
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Pastor Ken Dykhoff brought his enthusiasm in leading the music, and Rev. Joe Kelly preached a helpful series on the faithfulness of God. Rev. Ashlyn Luttrell rounded out the team by leading the afternoon prayer studies. Mark your calendar for next year’s “Old Time Camp Meeting” (August 12-16, 2020) with Dr. Bud Bence as the camp evangelist.

It is always encouraging to be able to share reports of spiritual victories. Pastor Dale Munsell shared this photo of their first baptism celebration for this conference year at Albion Cornerstone Wesleyan Church. They are believing God for 15 baptisms this year!
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Dr. Craig Dunn and the Wesleyan Investment Foundation team generously provided an exceptional learning opportunity for our Wesleyan district superintendents last Tuesday and Wednesday at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama. We heard from the executive leadership of the church, from an expert in counter-terrorism and church safety, and from Lee Domingue, the point leader for the Legacy Team at Highlands. Lee shared some key insights from the strategic funding at COTH. Their Legacy Team has 901 members (about 2% of their worship attendance of 50,000+) but contributed 25% of their financial resources. Lee talked about their intentionality in developing a sustainable culture of generosity. One of the principles he shared was that “the pastor determines the vision, the business leaders determine the speed.”
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Highlands owns approximately $300 million of facilities and property debt-free. Pastor Chris Hodges and Highlands Church helped to create ARC (The Association of Related Churches) and they have helped plant 900 churches in the past 18 years. Highlands is fueled by a culture of prayer with 1500 people gathering at 6:00 a.m. in the Birmingham location as part of their 21 Days of Prayer to launch into the fall season. They also generously provide their resources free of charge at this website: www.growleader.com

Summer is a great time for our churches to "get ready for company." Good stewardship includes not just maintaining the facilities with which we’ve been entrusted, but also improving them to create the most welcoming environment possible for our guests. Pastor Jeff Luedtke invited me to Fairmount Wesleyan Church last week to see the wonderful improvements they’ve made to the children’s ministry areas and the auditorium. They’ve done a great job preparing to welcome guests!
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Please continue to pray for Grace, the daughter of Pastor Jon and Katie Wiest (Indianapolis Trinity Wesleyan Church), who has been diagnosed with leukemia. The family has created a webpage where you can lend them your support and prayerfully follow their journey: Caring Bridge link for Grace

Thank you for all you do to advance the Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte
​

​Don’t miss the International Wesleyan Youth Conference (Dec. 28-31, 2019)

​Pastors and youth leaders can sign up now at www.followconference.org to get free resources and updates on all FOLLOW details.

Sherry and I will be attending a Wesleyan Investment Foundation training event in Birmingham, Alabama on Tuesday and Wednesday this week so we left a few days early to connect with Josiah, our 2nd oldest son, who leads worship at Crosspoint Church in Niceville, Florida. We enjoyed being with him yesterday as he led his team and the congregation in worship.
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Crosspoint Church is a strongly-evangelical, multi-site UMC congregation of about 4,000. This dynamic ministry is led by Pastor Rural Ausley, who serves with Dr. JoAnne Lyon on Asbury Seminary’s Board of Trustees.

Last Monday morning, Sherry and I were with Pastor Wes and Claudia Dupin at Daybreak Church in Michigan. Sherry has been the CFO at Daybreak for more than 10 years and I had the privilege of doing staff development with Pastor Wes and his team on the leadership concepts from “Lead Like Wesley.”
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Tuesday morning, I met with our Crossroads District staff for our weekly connection. I am thankful for Mrs. Roxene Lo, Rev. Seth Bye, and Rev. Chris Williams, Assistant DS. They serve our district team with diligence and grace. They love God and they love our pastors. I am grateful for the blessing it is to serve you with this team.

On Tuesday afternoon, I met with Dr. Jim Lo, Pastor Armiger (Chesterfield Parkview) and Pastor Steve Binns (Anderson Lone Oak). It was good to be with them as they entered into a conversation about ways that their congregations might collaborate to more effectively serve their respective communities.

On Tuesday evening, I met with Pastor Duane and Cindy Summitt over supper in Noblesville for Duane’s annual coaching conversation. Pastor Summitt (Lapel Fishersburg) is another one of our committed bi-vocational pastors who works more 40+ hours per week outside of his ministry calling.

I met with Pastor Brent Miller (Gas City Southside) on Wednesday morning for our annual coaching conversation. We also did a walk-through of their building and the kitchen remodeling project that is close to completion. It was good to stop and celebrate the progress they’ve made under Pastor Brent’s leadership. They are also praising the Lord for spiritual victories with 8 baptisms so far this conference year!
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Our Crossroads District StratOp facilitators met over lunch on Wednesday in planning for the coming year. I’m grateful for the leadership that Chris Williams gives to our team that also includes Rev. Matthew Trexler and Rev. Jason Tash. If your congregation is hoping to engage in this planning process, there are still a few weekends left but the schedule is filling up fast. Please contact Rev. Chris Williams to book your team.

Sherry and I have been hosting Rev. Bryon Scott, pastor of Engage Church in California, for the last few sessions of his M.Div program at Wesley Seminary. It was good to have supper with him and hear his testimony of God’s calling and faithfulness in his church planting journey.

Thursday, August 8, marked the 10th anniversary celebration for Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University. President Colleen Derr and her team put together a wonderful day of memory and vision-casting. Dr. John Perkins, founder of the Christian Community Development Association, was the featured guest in both the morning service and the concluding evening event. Wesley Seminary announced a new partnership with the Perkins Family Foundation that will continue Dr. Perkin’s legacy of Christ-centered ministries of justice and compassion.
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The Global Leadership Summit, hosted by Pastor Craig Groeschel, was live on Thursday and Friday. Pastor Mark Atkinson and his team at Eastview Wesleyan Church in Gas City made it possible for me to join them for several sessions on Thursday and again on Friday. (Fountain City Wesleyan Church also hosted the GLS simulcast.) The sessions I took in were outstanding. One of the most challenging talks came from Todd Henry, author of Herding Tigers. He reminded us that we have to earn the right to lead every single day. He closed by asking: “How are you growing?” “How are you changing?”

Pastor Albert Tate helped to host the GLS and we’re excited to announce that he’ll be joining us for the Heartland Regional Gathering in Pigeon Forge, March 10-12, 2020.
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We’re always excited to pass along baptisms updates! Brookhaven Wesleyan Church celebrated the baptism of several teenagers last Sunday evening. Pastor David and Pastor Emily Hines led the service and passed along this great picture with their students.
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Lifeway Wesleyan Church celebrated baptisms this Sunday. In addition to two of their teenagers being baptized, Pastor Andy Jellison had the incredible joy of baptizing Kate, his daughter. We celebrate with Pastor Andy and Sarah as they mark this significant milestone in their daughter’s spiritual journey. Here’s the link to the video from this special occasion: Video link to Kate Jellison’s baptism

Please continue to pray for Grace, the daughter of Pastor Jon and Katie Wiest (Indianapolis Trinity Wesleyan Church), who has been diagnosed with leukemia. The family has created a webpage where you can lend them your support and prayerfully follow their journey: Caring Bridge link for Grace

Fairmount Camp is hosting their “Old Time Camp Meeting” this week, August 14-18. There is a morning Bible study at 10:30 and the evening rallies begin at 6:30. For more details, you can follow Fairmount Camp’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FairmountCamp/

​Thank you for all you do to advance God’s Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sherry and I had the joy of worshiping with Pastor Kory and Becky Christensen at New Haven Impact Church. There was a full house this morning including some first-time guests. I was privileged to bring greetings from our district team and to share the morning message. After the service, Pastor Kory and I met with the LBA.
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We enjoyed lunch together with the Christensen family before heading north for a family gathering in Grand Rapids. We were able to surprise Jordan, our daughter, and Sam, her fiance at a Sunday evening dinner to congratulate them on their engagement. Sam is a graduate of Calvin College and his parents are church planters in San Jose, California. We are happy to welcome Sam An to our growing family and pray for God’s blessing as they make plans for a bright future.
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Pastor John Hannan and the team at CrossRoads Church in Union City had a busy weekend. They haven’t met yet for their first Sunday morning worship service but the launch team decided to enter a float in the community’s Heritage Days parade on Saturday. They gave away 600 bottles of water and 400 cups with their name and theme “CrossRoads Church: Where Everyone Matters.” Sunday afternoon, they welcomed 34 people for a vision casting fellowship and cookout in the park. Continue to pray with Pastor John and Beth as they build a team to launch this new church in the fall.
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Last Monday, I was pleased to join with Angela Spangler, Executive Director of Fairmount Camp, and the dedicated team who helped her lead this year’s youth camp. Angela is providing strong leadership to the camping ministries at Fairmount and it is always encouraging to sit in with a group of leaders who are committed to pouring into the next generation.

Tuesday morning, I met briefly with the Lakeview Wesleyan Church staff before connecting with the district office team. I was in Anderson on Tuesday afternoon for two more meetings. On Tuesday evening, I joined Dr. Norman Wilson, Rev. Neftali Lopez and Rev. Eliorgy Guerrero via Zoom to thank them for the leadership they are bringing to our growing team of Hispanic leaders and their congregations.

Wednesday morning, I joined Dr. Ed Love and a cohort of Wesley Seminary students for a class on Church Multiplication that he was teaching at Trinity Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis. I enjoyed the questions and interaction with the students.
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It was a special delight to hear from Pastor Bernie Hadad and learn more about the work she is doing multiplying disciples in our prison system. Pastor Hadad was excited to share about a breakthrough at the prison in New Castle where she’s been granted permission to plant a church among prisoners. Pray that God will send more laborers into His harvest field!
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​Wednesday afternoon, I met with Pastor John Miller in Speedway. We toured the rental facility that he’s been able to secure for the fall launch of Way City Church and spent time in prayer for God’s blessing on this new work.

On Thursday and Friday, I joined representatives from the four districts of the Heartland Region in a strategic planning retreat at Wesleyan HQ. Doug Slaybaugh, the former executive pastor with Rick Warren at Saddleback Church, led our two-day retreat to consider a range of possibilities for more intentional collaboration between our districts.
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It is an honor to serve alongside DS Les Crossfield (Greater Ohio), DS Mark Eckart (Indiana South) and DS Aaron Sherman (KY-TN). Our next step is a combined meeting of our four district boards of administration in November. This will also be in preparation for the Heartland Region Gathering, a retreat for pastors and their families, to be held in Pigeon Forge, March 10-12 2020. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us.

Baptism reports keep coming in! This week’s picture of people being #madenew comes from Pastor Lee Miller and the Muncie Memorial Drive Wesleyan Church. Pastor Miller also had the joy of dedicating two children in their morning service yesterday.
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Please pray for Grace, the daughter of Pastor Jon and Katie Wiest (Indianapolis Trinity Wesleyan Church), who has been diagnosed with leukemia. The family has created a webpage where you can lend them your support and prayerfully follow their journey: Caring Bridge link for Grace

Prayer is also requested for Rev. Seth Bye’s grandfather, Amy’s dad and Pastor Tony Bye’s father-in-law, who was hospitalized last week in critical condition but has begun to show some signs of recovery.

Thank you for all you do to advance the Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this Thursday, August 8. Many of you will have already received announcements directly, but I want to remind you of the special opportunity to hear Dr. John Perkins on Thursday evening, 7:00, at College Wesleyan Church. Here’s the link for additional information:
Wesley Seminary’s 10th Anniversary

Sunday, July 28, was another great day in the Crossroads District! My morning began with a drop-in visit at Harvest Church in McCordsville. It was good to catch up with Pastor Brad LeRoy and his team. They are welcoming a new youth pastor this year, Jenn Munsell, and are in the searching process for a full-time worship leader.
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Mike Morgan, who also works full-time at Global Partners, has served with excellence in this role for the past 3 years in a part-time capacity. Pastor Brad and the congregation honored Mike and Joni for the servant-hearted leadership as part of the Harvest team. Dr. Joe Harmon was the guest speaker for the day and brought a challenging message about being on mission with God. Pastor LeRoy has some new health concerns and we want to continue to stand with him in prayer.

I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Ervin Webster and the wonderful folks at Saint Stephen Church in Warren Park for their 11:30 service. Pastor Ervin and Karen Webster serve so well in difficult circumstances with limited resources. The testimonies of life transformation through the power of the Gospel were inspiring. Addicts are being set free, prostitutes are being redeemed, and families are being restored. It is always a delight to preach to this responsive congregation and to affirm the good work that God is doing through this team. Rev. Webster is a self-employed bi-vocational pastor who is also a licensed plumber. He would welcome the opportunity to assist you or your referrals.
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Sunday evening, we had a wonderful turnout to officially install and welcome Rev. Joe and Jennifer Jackson to United Wesleyan Church and our Crossroads District team. Rev. Clifton Ashlock has retired after 20 years of effective ministry with this Anderson congregation. His gracious spirit and wisdom have helped make this a positive transition. Joe and Jennifer and their talented family are returning home to Indiana after serving as church planters in Florida. Members, friends and Jackson family members joined together for the service and the fellowship meal that followed. I am grateful to the strong showing of our Madison County pastors who came out to welcome the Jacksons.
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Fairmount Family Camp concluded last evening. I was blessed to join in on three of the evening services. Rev. Christy Lipscomb and Rev. Nathan Metz were anointed for this week of ministry. Josh Lavender is a gift to the church in his worship leading.  It was a personal joy to reconnect with Pastor Adam and Pastor Christy Lipscomb. They are two of my heroes. They planted City Life Church while we served together in Michigan and Pastor Christy blessed our team by becoming my Assistant District Superintendent. I was also able to connect with Josh Delph, the new chair of Fairmount Camp’s Board of Trustees. I am encouraged by the passion and wisdom that he is bringing to this key role.
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Last week’s appointments included a meeting with Pastor Duane Seitz for an update on Silver Lake’s revitalization journey, a meeting with the staff at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion, a meeting with our district staff, a meeting with Pastor Logan Patriquin in Lafayette to explore the possibility of hosting a new Hispanic ministry launch at the Branch, a site visit to the River Church campus in Chesterton with Pastor Matthew Trexler and campus leader Andy Hammonds, and a conference call with my 3 superintendent colleagues in the Heartland Region as we prepare for the upcoming planning retreat and our joint ministerial gathering in Pigeon Forge, TN, on March 10-12, 2020.
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Two of our district families were touched by grief in the last several days. The funeral for the mother of Rev. Duane Cragen, assistant pastor at Lancaster Wesleyan Church, was held on Thursday morning with Rev. Gary Bingham presiding. The funeral for Rev. Tim McClellan, senior pastor at Lakeview Wesleyan Church, was held on Saturday afternoon with Dr. Steve DeNeff preaching. I’m thankful for each of the Crossroads District ministers who joined me in showing our support for these families by attending these services. Please continue to remember these families in your prayers.

We continue to receive exciting reports from across our district as our churches celebrate baptisms, one tangible marker of lives made new and disciples making disciples. Baptism reports have come in from Dr. Steve Bray at Fountain City Wesleyan Church, from Pastor David Shafer and Pastor James Stamper at North Anderson Wesleyan Church and from Pastor Zack and Pastor Carla Working at Huntington Hope Rising Church. Our pastors have submitted faith goal cards for nearly 1100 baptisms in this new conference year. Goals like that sharpen our focus and strengthen our faith as we depend on God to empower us to partner with Him in Kingdom expansion.
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​Rev. Dr. Lenny Luchetti was introduced yesterday morning as the interim pastor for Marion Lakeview Wesleyan Church. Dr. Luchetti will continue serving full-time on the faculty at Wesley Seminary but will be the primary preacher and point person for ministry leaders during this conference year. The members of the pastoral search team, including Bob Burchell as chair of the team, were announced yesterday at Lakeview.

Thank you for your prayers and partnership as we work together in the power of the Holy Spirit to advance God’s Kingdom here in the Crossroads District!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, July 21, I had the privilege of worshiping with Dan and Amanda Clark at Monon Wesleyan Church. It was my joy to bring greetings from our Crossroads District team and to officially install Dan as their new pastor. Pastor Dan preached on “Transitions” from the book of Ezra.
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After the service, I hosted them for lunch and was encouraged to hear of the impact that Eastview Wesleyan Church had on their lives when they were college students at IWU. Dr. Joe Harmon and Pastor Mark Atkinson played key roles in their spiritual growth and their call to pastoral ministry. Dan is on track to graduate with his MDiv from Anderson Seminary in May.

Fairmount Family Camp is on this week, July 21-28. The Fairmount Wesleyan Church moved their morning worship service to the campground to help the week get off to a great start. Pastor Jeff Luedtke brought the morning message and the band from FWC led in worship. Services continue each evening this week at 7 p.m. with Rev. Christy Lipscomb (City Life Church) and Rev. Nathan Metz (WGM-Uganda) as our guest speakers and with Josh Lavender (Indy Trinity) leading worship in song.
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Our Crossroads District team is praying for and joining with Cynthia, her family, and the Lakeview Wesleyan Church congregation in grieving the loss of Pastor Tim McClellan who passed from the land of the dying into the land of the forever living on Thursday, July 18, just 4 days after his 68th birthday. Pastor Tim endured an intense battle with cancer after first being diagnosed earlier this year. I was available to share one last time of prayer with Tim and Cynthia in their home on Tuesday afternoon. He was a beloved husband, father, friend, and servant of the Lord. Our team will gather at Lakeview Wesleyan Church this Saturday, July 27, at 4 p.m. for the memorial service. Link here for a full obituary: Chronicle-Tribune Obituary
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I began last week in Columbus, OH, at Cypress Wesleyan Church on Monday for the Greater Ohio District Conference with DS Les Crossfield. I concluded the week on Friday in Lexington, KY with DS Aaron Sherman at the Kentucky-Tennessee District Conference. It was encouraging to hear the exciting reports of progress in these districts, including a new church plant in Ohio and revitalization initiatives in KY-TN. Our Heartland Region is working together to provide our first cooperative four-district Pastor and Family Retreat in Pigeon Forge, TN on March 10-12, 2020. Here’s the link for our shared website: The Heartland Region of The Wesleyan Church

Tuesday included staff meetings in Marion, a site visit with Dr. Max Kingsolver at our Wesleyan church in Michigantown, and the day concluded in a meeting with Dr. Jeffrey Boyce and the LBA (Local Board of Administration) at Lakeview Wesleyan Church. Dr. Boyce and the LBA have carried a heavy load in this season of transition and I’m grateful for the prayerful way they’ve handled this process. On Wednesday evening, I was able to be part of the prayer service that they hosted for the Lakeview congregation. Please join them in prayer for wisdom as they lead the congregation through this time of grieving, into this interim season leadership, and as they begin the pastoral search.
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Baptism reports are coming in!

Pastor Eliorgy Guerrero and the team at Cielos Abiertos in Elkhart are rejoicing in six baptisms last month. Pastor Rich Van Vuren reported a baptism celebration this week at Shiloh Wesleyan Church and Pastor David Cox reported another baptism at Laketon Wesleyan Church on Sunday. There is still time to order additional #MADENEW T-shirts by contacting our office. We’re praying, believing, and working together toward a goal of 1000 new believers baptized across our churches this year. God is on the move!
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We are praising the Lord for answered prayer. Way City Church in Speedway will be launching their public worship services this September in the St. John’s Episcopal Church building (5625 W. 30th Street). Pastor John Miller is excited to be worshipping in a building that he grew up riding his bike past every day of the summer. We are thankful to the Indianapolis Episcopal Diocese for their willingness to lease this strategic space in which to launch a new Wesleyan church.
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Pastor Matt Ohime and the Davis Wesleyan Church (near Plymouth) welcomed lead consultant Paul James and a team for their Maximizing Impact consultation. Pastor Matt and Kendra have done a wonderful job of mobilizing the church in this first year. Maximizing Impact is an opportunity to build clarity, unity, and urgency as the church moves forward to multiplying disciples in their region. The congregation received the team’s report yesterday and now will be engaged in prayerful discernment over the next few weeks before they vote on whether to move forward with the team’s prescriptions.
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We are joining Rev. Randy and Carole Yaryan (Winchester Wesleyan) in praising the Lord this week. Janelle Hill, their daughter, survived a near-death experience while serving as a chaperone for their Bible Bowl team at Houghton College. Pastor Randy was on the spot to deliver CPR until the EMT arrived and rushed her to the hospital. Doctors were amazed to see her recovery but the family has no doubt that God intervened miraculously and spared her life. To read Janelle’s account of this miracle, click here.

​In other exciting news, Bernie Haddad, (a member of Trinity Wesleyan Church and founder of Mercy Unleashed) has received permission to plant a new Kingdom community among inmates inside the Level 1 Dorm at the New Castle Correctional Facility. Their first service is scheduled for August 9. Praise God for the door He has opened for Bernie and pray that God will continue to open hearts to the Gospel.

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sherry and I had the joy of worshiping with Pastor Brian Scramlin and the good folks at New Journey Community Church in Wabash. This church has a wonderful heart for its community and partners in creative ways to make an impact for the Kingdom. They’ve also done a terrific job converting an old school building into a contemporary ministry center. I had the privilege of bringing the morning message and then the LBA (local board of administration) took time for a brief meeting with me after the service. Sherry and I enjoyed hosting Pastor Brian, Jessica, and their two daughters for lunch.

Last Monday, I was in Hartford City to meet with Pastor Barry Taylor for a welcome lunch and an opportunity to learn more about his passion for church planting. Monday afternoon, I met with Bob Burchell to review the progress his team at Lakeview Wesleyan Church has been making on the action initiatives from their StratOp. Monday evening, I met with the StratOp team and was encouraged by the progress they are making on redesigning their process for welcoming guests and multiplying disciples.
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Tuesday morning, I dropped by Fairmount Camp to check in on the staff at the Kids Camp before meeting with the pastoral staff at Lakeview Wesleyan Church. In our denomination, when a church is without a lead pastor, the DS provides more direct leadership until a supply or interim pastor is appointed (Discipline 1310:23) or a permanent pastor is secured. Our district office staff met before lunch and then I connected with another of our pastors over lunch.

Tuesday afternoon was my first chance to visit in Union City with Rev. John and Beth Hannan. John and Beth have sensed God’s call to launch a new ministry in their hometown after several years serving on loan with the United Methodist Church. We shared supper with their family and then John and I drove through the community. We closed the evening in prayer for the seeds they are planting and the vision-casting meeting they had planned for Friday.
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Wednesday morning, I met with Jared Webb at Lakeview on follow-up items from StratOp. My next appointment was in Logansport to meet with Dr. Norm Wilson and Rev. Eliorgy Guerrero. We had a great conversation over lunch about ways to better support our Hispanic pastors and lay leaders, especially as we ramp up our church planting efforts. Dr. Norm Wilson and I were in Frankfort later in the afternoon to meet with Rev. Calemerio Rodriguez and Rev. Omar Gonzales (not related) to hear more about their vision for opening a door for ministry to Hispanics in Lafayette.

Wednesday evening, I was able to participate in the worship service at Frankfort Family Camp. Rev. David Duncan was the speaker of the evening and it was a blessing to reconnect with friends and team members. Many of the key volunteers come from our Crossroads District churches. Phil and Rhonda Foley are doing a wonderful job developing this effective, self-supporting ministry.
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Thursday morning, I was back at Fairmount Camp to connect with Josh Delph, chair of the Board of Directors. I appreciate the way that Josh is stepping into this key leadership role. Josh and his team are working diligently to see the camp achieve its full potential. I was also able to drop in to hear Pastor Andy Cole (Lapel Daybreak Church) leading worship for Kids Camp. He and his team did a great job serving this week. Few things can compare with the pure, passionate worship of children!
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I met with the creative team from Lakeview Wesleyan over lunch and then headed back to Upland to work from my home office. Friday morning, I met with Chris Williams for district planning and then Pastor Matthew Trexler joined us for lunch and follow-up from the StratOp projects that are moving forward.

Friday evening, I was delighted to hear from Pastor John Hannan. He and Beth knew that they had four families, who had expressed interested in the church planting vision, would be out of town. They were encouraged with more than a dozen who came out to learn more about launching a new Kingdom community in Union City.
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Pastor John was invited to partner with Rev. Claudia Silva, our pastor in Richmond, who has been helping an independent Hispanic congregation in Union City. They baptized two new believers at the park and shared a fellowship lunch beside the lake. They are having conversations to explore other possibilities for working together to reach this community for Christ. If you’d like to follow along to hear more about the story that God is writing, you can catch their FaceBook page: CrossRoads Church in Union City
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We love hearing the transformation stories from across the district team. Here’s a picture from Pastor Scott McDermid and the baptism service they celebrated last week at Six Points Church in Sheridan. Please pass along photos from your celebrations as we pray, believe and work together to see 1000 new believers baptized this conference year!
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Churches like yours in the Crossroads District have a deep commitment to global missions. I want to encourage you to take 3 minutes and 24 seconds to watch this video for an exciting challenge from Steve Mathews, one of our district directors for Global Partners. Here’s the link: Steve Mathews – Crossroads GP Partnerships

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Sunday morning, July 7, Dr. Norman Wilson, Rev. Eliorgy Guerrero and I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Franz & Yudlia Gonzalez and the wonderful congregation at Vida y Esperanza (Life and Hope) in Goshen. It was a joy to preach the Word and to join with Dr. Wilson in welcoming this new congregation to our team.
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Pastor Gonzalez and his team first connected with Rev. Guerrero and the Cielos Abiertos Church in Elkhart. Several of the folks in the congregation are here with official refugee status from the tragedy in Venezuela. This congregation has a vision for multiplication in Indiana and Mexico. Please pray for Pastor Gonzalez as he leads this movement!
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Sunday afternoon, Sherry joined me in Anderson to bring greetings from the Crossroads District team as United Wesleyan Church celebrated Rev. Clifton and Arletta’s 45th years of marriage and ministry, with the last 20 years loving and serving this congregation. There was a great turnout for the event with fun memories and laughter. The church surprised the Ashlock’s with a travel voucher that will enable them to visit their friends in Brazil where the Ashlock family had a powerful ministry.

They won’t be slowing down much with Cliff continuing to teach for IWU and serving on the District Board of Ministerial Development but it does sound like they’ll have more time to enjoy their grandchildren. Thank you, Clifton and Arletta for your inspiring example in ministry and marriage!
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Last week afforded a change of pace for many of us with the July 4th holiday falling on Thursday. In addition to enjoying some time off, I was with Pastors Zack and Carla Working to sign loan documents for Hope Rising Church as they continue the revitalization project. On Tuesday evening, I met with the Lakeview Wesleyan Church LBA as they take the first steps on their pastoral search process. Friday morning, I met with Dr. Jeff Boyce, LBA vice-chair, to review options for interim ministry at Lakeview.

Last week may have been a holiday week, but the Kingdom is on the move and lives are being made new! The first baptism picture this week comes from Pastor Mark and Sharie Schnell who serve together at Albion Wesleyan Church. This past week, Pastor Mark had the joy of baptizing C.J., their son, at a family gathering. Praise the Lord!
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The second transformation story comes from The Branch Wesleyan Church in Lafayette. Earlier this spring, Pastor Logan and Shaina Patriquin were out walking in their neighborhood. They met a young girl named Kassie and Shaina invited her to be their guest at their new youth group led by Amber Bass. After one of the group meetings, Kassie prayed to receive Christ. Yesterday, she brought her unchurched family to church with her to witness her baptism. Praise the Lord for lives #madenew!
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Congratulations to Pastor Ben Jones! He shared the announcement this week of his engagement to Miss Kirsten Harmon. Ben recently accepted the call to pastor our Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church (near the town of North Liberty and Potato Creek State Park).
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A warm Crossroads District team welcome to Rev. Barry and Vickie Taylor who officially began their ministry yesterday, July 7, at Hartford City Wesleyan Church where Barry is the new senior pastor. They are settling in and have found their way to Ivanhoe’s.
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Congratulations to the Monon Wesleyan Church on their call to Dan Clark to become their next pastor. Dan has been serving at Middletown Community Church before accepting this call to Monon. I’m looking forward to being with Monon Wesleyan on July 21 as the congregation welcomes Dan and Amanda to this new appointment.

This week, the Fairmount Kids Camp is in full swing under the direction of Rev. Michele Henry. Pray that this will be a wonderful, faith forming experience for these children. Pray for grace and strength for the counselors and staff!

Frankfort Family Camp began yesterday and runs through next Sunday with Rev. Noel Bates and Rev. David Duncan as the camp evangelists. Phil and Ronda Foley do a great job hosting this camp and they’d love to welcome you to their services.

Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent
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