Sunday morning, February 27, I had the privilege of worshiping at Columbia City New Hope Wesleyan Church with Rev. Shane Wilson, lead pastor, and his team. They are making great progress in recovering from the impact of the pandemic. There was strong attendance in both morning services and it was a wonderful time of worship. Before and between services, it was good to reconnect with Pastor Shane and several members of his leadership team.
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Pastor Wilson brought a timely message on the importance of leaving a legacy of faith for the next generations. Another highlight of the day was joining in the circle of leaders for a sending prayer as New Hope blessed a missionary couple that has gone from their church to serve in Peru.
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My next stop was in Fort Wayne to meet with Rev. Mike Henry and the leadership team at Level 13 Church. Pastor Mike transferred into the Crossroads District from Michigan last year and is serving the church bi-vocationally while he continues working as an EMT in Dekalb County. I was encouraged by the positive attitude of the new leadership team and look forward to what God has planned for them.
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The final stop of the day was to host a congregational meeting with ARISE Church in Roanoke. We had a helpful time of dialogue and I’m looking forward to working closely with Pastor Pablo as this team moves from developing church status to established church status in the coming months.

​Last week began with an exceptional opportunity on Monday to sit under the teaching of Lee Domingue, Legacy Pastor at Church of the Highlands. Pastor Matthew Trexler brought Lee in for a consultation with the new Legacy Team that is being developed at The River Church. Lee’s presentation was insightful and compelling. He underscored the principle that pastors set the vision for the church but marketplace leaders help determine the pace of the vision’s fulfillment. He challenged marketplace leaders to discover "what your more is for." Lee encouraged them with the truth that marketplace ministry can be holy and redemptive when done with a focus on expanding God’s Kingdom.

Monday afternoon, Dr. Matthew Stewart, Rev. Carla Working, and I met with Dr. Chris Bounds, chair of IWU’s School of Theology and Ministry. This was a helpful conversation about ways we can better partner with IWU students who are looking for practicum and internship experiences in our local churches. I’m grateful for the initiative that Dr. Stewart is taking to improve this partnership.

Tuesday, I was back on the road for coaching conversations beginning with Dr. Joe Harmon at New Castle Memorial Wesleyan Church. Rev. Ron Ferguson, pastor of Grant City Wesleyan Church, and I met later that morning. My last stop of the day was with Rev. Mike Hewitt, pastor of Rising Hope in Muncie for an exciting conversation about the church planting network that Mike is creating within our district. If you are a church planter or lead a church that is planning to plant in the near future (and aren’t we all?), you’ll want to join in with this new opportunity that will be kicking off in the fall.

Wednesday morning, Rev. Amy Luedtke (Fairmount Wesleyan Church) and I met for a coaching conversation at The Branch coffee shop. It was also good to hear an update on her counseling ministry and involvement with Wellsprings of Freedom. Wednesday afternoon, I met with Rev. Kory Christensen at Impact Church in New Haven for our coaching conversation. I had fun connecting with Rev. Zach Working and Rev. Trevor O’Dell later that afternoon to hear about their collaboration to better reach Huntington County for Christ. My last meeting of the day was via Zoom with ARISE team members.
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My last coaching conversation of the week was on Thursday over lunch with Rev. Jarod Osborne, pastor of Warsaw Pathway Church. Sherry and I took Thursday afternoon and Friday off to spend time with our family in Grand Rapids and then attended the wedding of my nephew David Jones on Saturday.

We love sharing reports of lives being changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Today we’re rejoicing with Pastor Scott McDermid and the team at Sheridan Six Points as they celebrated another baptism yesterday. Praise God for another life #MadeNew!
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We rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. I received word last evening that Dr. Mark Eckart, District Superintendent of the Indiana South District, had passed away very unexpectedly. Dr. Eckart has been a good friend and trusted colleague for the past seven years as we’ve served together here in Indiana. Our sympathy and prayers are extended to Mrs. Debbie Eckart, their family, and the Indiana South District.
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Our next Crossroads District Prayer Gathering will be held on March 13, 6:00 p.m., at Delphi Wesleyan Church, (508 N Union St, Delphi, IN 46923). We are grateful to Pastor Dan Fisher and his team for hosting this prayer gathering. The following month (April 10) we’ll be back in the Marion area to come together for prayer at The River Church. Thank you for making prayer a priority in your church!
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​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. It’s not too soon to make your plans to join us for our Retired Ministers and Spouses Gathering on Friday, April 8. This spring we will be meeting at Wesleyan World Headquarters in Fishers at 10:30. Your RSVP can be sent via email ([email protected]) or you may leave a voicemail reservation with Rev. Carla Working at (260) 224-7252.

Sunday morning, February 20, Pastor Scott McDermid and the team at Sheridan Six Points welcomed me to be part of their morning service. Pastor Scott preached from John 8 while I had the opportunity to greet the congregation and lead in prayer. I had not been in a worship service at Six Points since before the pandemic so it was encouraging to be with them and see the strong attendance of approximately 150, both in worship and children’s ministry, compared to 101 as the average last year.
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Their youth ministry is healthy and growing under the leadership of Andrew Colaw. After a brief meeting with their LBA, the pastoral staff and I shared lunch together. New homes continue to be built in their community and they are welcoming new families almost every month.
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On my way to visit with Six Points, I was able to check in with Pastor Andy and Leanza Riemersma as they were getting ready for their 9 a.m. service. Westfield ONE Church launched on January 23 and their team is encouraged by the positive response they are seeing in their services with about 160 present for in-person worship over the past 4 weeks. They are grateful for the prayers and financial support of the Crossroads District team.
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Sunday afternoon, I met with Pastor Neftali Lopez and the leadership team at Carmel Amistad Iglesia Cristiana. Pastor Neftali and Grace (his wife) have been effectively serving Amistad for the past 6 years. In addition to pastoring, Neftali is a chaplain for military students enrolled with IWU Global and National, he is the operations manager for a growing chain of restaurants, and he is completing his doctoral studies at Liberty University. Rev. Lopez inspires and challenges me!

Pastor Neftali also joined us to help lead the Crossroads District prayer gathering graciously hosted by Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck at Noblesville Circle of Hope Church (formerly Lakeview Wesleyan). Rev. Theo Griffin (Greenfield Browns Chapel), Rev. Andy Riemersma (Westfield ONE), and Rev. Scott Rhyno (Fishers Waterline Church) also helped in leading portions of the prayer service.
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We were blessed to have prayer participants from across Indianapolis and as far away as Winchester (Pastor Yaryan) join us for this one hour of united prayer. Our next district prayer gathering will be hosted by Rev. Dan Fisher and the team at Delphi Wesleyan Church on Sunday, March 13, (6 p.m.). The following month we will be coming back to the Marion area on Sunday, April 10, when we’ll be hosted by Rev. Matthew Trexler and the team at The River Church. We welcome you and your church to join us for these prayer gatherings!
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This was another full week with wonderful opportunities to serve our team. After our Monday staff meeting, Rev. Carla Working and I met with Dr. Jim Lo and Dr. David Smith. We’ve been receiving very positive feedback from the churches where they have ministered this year and have asked them to serve our team again in the coming year as our “Circuit Riders.” Dr. Lo will continue his theme, calling us to be people of prayer, and Dr. Smith will continue his theme, calling us to be people of the Word. We’re looking to add another Circuit Rider to the team this coming year with a focus on personal evangelism.
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Tuesday morning, I met (via Zoom) with the General Board’s Subcommittee on Memorials in preparation for the upcoming General Board meeting. Tuesday afternoon, I met with Brandon Shroyer, youth pastor at Tipton Trinity, for our first coaching conversation. My last meeting of the day was with Rev. Logan Westrick and the LBA at Tipton Ash Street Wesleyan. Please remember Rev. Westrick in your prayers as he deals with serious health concerns.
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Wednesday morning I met with Rev. Clifton Ashlock and Rev. Dan Fisher in Kokomo for a conversation about sharpening our district’s focus on God’s gracious call to holy living in the power of the Holy Spirit. That was followed by an inspiring coaching conversation over lunch with Dr. Steve DeNeff (College Wesleyan Church) that resulted in his generous invitation for College Wesleyan to partner with the Crossroads District to host a “Celebration of Holiness” in the fall of 2022.

The highlight of Thursday was convening our Crossroads District Board of Administration for our third quarterly meeting. Rev. Jeff Luedtke and the staff at The Branch in Fairmount also do a fantastic job of hosting these meetings in their upper room. In addition to our regular business items, Pastor Riemersma brought an update from ONE Church and Dr. Matthew Stewart (Sweetser Wesleyan) brought an update from the NEXT Level revitalization projects that he is coaching. We look forward to continuing this initiative in the next conference year and would love to have your church participate.
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General Superintendent Dr. Wayne Schmidt joined the DBA for the quadrennial review of the DS in preparation for the vote at this year’s district conference. The DBA voted to recommend that the conference consider an extended call. We were also pleased to have Dr. Schmidt join us for the supper meal and a good time of fellowship with our board members.

On Friday, I had a meeting at Gas City Eastview Church in the morning and then met with Rev. Claudia Silva in Muncie on Friday afternoon for an update on positive developments at Richmond Casa del Alfarero. In addition to her full-time employment in a dentist’s office, Pastor Claudia leads our church in Richmond and also ministers to another growing congregation in Union City.
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The highlight of Friday was joining our District Youth President Rev. Jessica Folz along with more than 500 teens and their sponsors at the annual Crossroads District All-Nighter in Fort Wayne. Rev. Lane Sander (Bluffton Sonlight) and Rev. Andy Jellison (Fort Wayne Lifeway) were key leaders in establishing this great event. It was terrific to see our teenagers back worshiping together after the challenges of the past 2 years.
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I was also able to welcome Rev. Josh and Rebecca Bowlin back home to the Crossroads District. After several years serving with the Wesleyan churches in New Zealand, Pastor Josh has accepted the call to succeed Rev. Steve Colter as Lead Pastor for Marion Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church. Rebecca has accepted an administrative position with IWU. Their family is getting settled into their home in Amboy and two of their children were part of the strong delegation from Chapel Pike attending the All-Nighter.
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We love celebrating the reports of new life in Christ that come in from our district family. Pastor Dan Fisher and the team at Delphi Wesleyan Church were rejoicing again yesterday with another baptism, the third in this conference year with more on the way. Attendance is rebounding from last year’s average of 38 with 47 present yesterday. Nearly 50% of their congregation now are people who have become part of the church family since the pandemic started. Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew!
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Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!
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​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

​P.S. – The 2022 FUEL Conference that was snowed out last week is still coming to Muncie but is now rescheduled for April 21-22! Please encourage your youth and children’s ministry leaders to invest in their personal & ministry development by attending. For questions, email District Youth President Jessica Folz at [email protected]. For more info on FUEL, visit:
​www.wesleyan.org/fuel

Sunday, February 13, Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with Dr. Chris Williams and the growing congregation at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. Pastor Chris and his team are leading well and there was a wonderful spirit of worship in the service. Some of you may remember that Dr. Williams was called as pastor for Lakeview Church in April 2020, just as the pandemic hit full stride.

There is encouraging evidence of increased missional engagement and financial stability in this vital congregation that has such a rich history of Kingdom impact. On another happy note, Pastor Chris shared the announcement that Assistant Pastor Jared and Kayla Webb are expecting their first child in August. In addition to leading the church and recently completing his PhD, Dr. Williams also serves as our Assistant District Superintendent with responsibility for the District Board of Ministerial Development. I am grateful for the privilege of partnering with Chris in these key ministries. Following the morning service, Sherry and I hosted the Williams family for lunch.
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The Eastview Wesleyan Church LBA (Local Board of Administration) met at their Jonesboro campus yesterday afternoon. Pastor Mark Atkinson led the LBA through the regular agenda and then turned the meeting over to me as the LBA officially began their search process for their next lead pastor. After a helpful discussion about where this team senses God leading their church in the future, the LBA mapped out next steps with a special emphasis on engaging the congregation in prayer.
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Last week’s schedule included coaching conversations with Rev. Brad LeRoy (Greenfield Harvest Church) on Tuesday and with Rev. Martin Furrow (Rochester The Cross) on Wednesday. Thursday, I met in the morning and afternoon for coaching conversations with lead pastor Rev. Tony Bye and each of the full-time ordained staff members at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church in Marion. One of the highlights of these conversations was Rev. Michelle Henry sharing that they welcomed 98 children to worship at Brookhaven on the previous Sunday.

Another highlight of the week was meeting with five different local boards of administration. The week began with the LBA at New Castle Mt. Zion Church on Monday evening. They look quite serious in this photo but we had a productive and enjoyable meeting as they prepare for their upcoming pastoral vote.
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Tuesday evening, I had the unique opportunity to meet with two of our boards. The first meeting was at 6:00 p.m. with Rev. Gary Bingham and the LBA at Hillside Wesleyan Church in Marion as they prepared for their pastoral vote. The second meeting was with Rev. Lyle Breeding and the LBA at Bluffton Sonlight. Their meeting began at 7:00 and I was able to drop in with them at 7:30 as they prepared for the upcoming pastoral vote and a future-focused conversation about succession planning.
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Saturday morning, I had the privilege of meeting with Dr. Steve Bray and the LBA at LifeSpring Church in Richmond as they prepared for their upcoming pastoral vote. The LifeSpring Church has both a north campus (formerly the Fountain City campus) and a south campus (in downtown Richmond). It was exciting to hear how God is at work in unique ways in both locations.
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We have a great team of pastors but the five LBA meetings this week also reminded me of how blessed we are with so many gifted and dedicated lay leaders who play such important roles in the life of our congregations. Thank you to every board member, every trustee, every worship leader, every Sunday School teacher, and small group leader who makes such a difference for eternity. Please know that you are making a difference and we appreciate you!
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This has also been a week of celebrations of new life in Christ. CrossRoads Church in Union City is one of our newest congregations. They launched last year and continue to see new believers stepping forward to follow Christ in baptism. Pastor John Hannan shared the good news that they baptized two more new believers yesterday.
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Pastor Scott Rhyno shared the wonderful report of 9 baptisms yesterday at Waterline Church in Fishers. Yesterday also marked the 11th anniversary since the church was planted by John and Danielle Freed. There’s no better way to celebrate any church’s anniversary than with fresh redemption stories of lives #MadeNew by the grace of God!
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PRAYER! We’re looking forward to our next Crossroads District (Region 2) Prayer Gathering on February 20, 6 p.m., at Circle of Hope Church, 396 Park Street in Noblesville. Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck will be our host pastors. Assistant DS Mike Colaw and Rev. Neftali Lopez will also be joining me in leading our service. We would love to have you join us for this hour of unified prayer as we seek God and His anointing on our leaders, our ministries, and our nation.
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Just a reminder that the funeral service for Rev. Dr. Wayne Caldwell will be held this Friday, February 18, at 10:00 a.m. at Trinity East Church, 11721 Olio Road, in Fishers. Visitation will be held prior to the service (9:00 - 10:00 am). Dr. Caldwell’s obituary and arrangements may be found here:
https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/23902950/wayne-e-caldwell
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​Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent
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P.S. – The 2022 FUEL Conference that was snowed out last week is still coming to Muncie but is now rescheduled for April 21-22! Please encourage your youth and children’s ministry leaders to invest in their personal & ministry development by attending. For questions, email District Youth President Jessica Folz at [email protected]. For more info on FUEL, visit:
www.wesleyan.org/fuel

Sunday morning, February 6, I had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Ervin Webster and the congregation at St. Stephen Christian Church. Pastor Webster led this independent congregation to become part of the Crossroads District and we’ve enjoyed wonderful fellowship together over the past 5 years. Inner-city churches in Indianapolis have been deeply impacted by the pandemic. I commended Pastor Webster and his team for the way that they have persevered and continued on in their ministry. They don’t have a large membership but they do have a powerful music ministry. Please remember Rev. Ervin and Karen Webster in prayer as they lead this ministry forward on the eastside of Indianapolis.

The worship service at St. Stephen begins at 11:45 so my schedule allowed for me to drop in at the East Fishers campus of Trinity Wesleyan Church for their 10 a.m. service. In addition to a great sermon by Pastor Mike Colaw and excellent music by their team, I enjoyed catching up with Dr. Ed Hoover, former DBA member, and Mrs. Barefoot, widow of Rev. Howard Barefoot and mother of General Conference delegate Sharon Cady.
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​The Trinity Wesleyan Church family is grieving the loss of Rev. Dr. Wayne Caldwell who passed away last Wednesday, February 2. Our prayers are with Mrs. Joan Caldwell, their family, and the broader Wesleyan denominational family who cherish the legacy of this beloved teacher, author, and denominational leader. Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 18, at 10:00 a.m. at Trinity East Church, 11721 Olio Road, in Fishers. Visitation will be held prior to the service (9:00 -10:00 am). You may view the full obituary here:
https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/23902950/wayne-e-caldwell

Sunday afternoon, I drove on to Lafayette to connect with Rev. Joe Park and the Local Board of Administration (LBA) at Evergreen Wesleyan Church. Reverend Park has faithfully pastored his congregation since 1974 and they are experiencing some of their best days of ministry. It was a joy to conduct the extended call review with the LBA and to receive their unanimous affirmation of Rev. Park’s ministry at Evergreen!

Last Monday, I was in Marion to meet with our district staff in the afternoon and then with Pastor Bob McHenry and LBA at Nelson Street Wesleyan Church in the evening. Tuesday included coaching conversations with Pastor Aldean Pablo in Roanoke and with Pastor Mark Atkinson in Gas City. Wednesday, I met with Rev. Mike and Kim Hewitt for lunch and then met with Rev. Rochelle and Travis Jenkins via Zoom for our annual coaching conversation.

Another highlight for me on Wednesday was meeting with the Heartland Region district superintendents via Zoom in the afternoon. Rev. Les Crossfield (Greater Ohio), Rev. Aaron Sherman (KY-TN), and Dr. Mark Eckart (Indiana South) are colleagues and friends. It was good to catch up with these brothers and pray together. Registrations for the Heartland Region Gathering are strong with 359 registered guests, not including our staff. I’m looking forward to our time together in Pigeon Forge on March 22-24.
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We’re looking forward to our next Crossroads District (Region 2) Prayer Gathering on February 20, 6 p.m., at Circle of Hope Church in Noblesville. Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck will be our host pastors. Assistant DS Mike Colaw, Dr. Jim Lo, and Rev. Neftali Lopez will also be joining me in leading our service. We would love to have you join us for this hour of unified prayer as we seek God and His anointing on our leaders, our ministries, and our nation.
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​Pastor Aldean Pablo checked in to let us know that two new families returned from last week’s relaunch service at ARISE Church in Roanoke. He was also praising God for the one person who asked for prayer to receive Jesus Christ as Lord.

Pastor Andy Riemersma passed along the encouraging news that 30 people attended the “Next Steps” class that they offered yesterday. Two more people asked for prayer to receive Jesus Christ as Lord. In-person attendance has averaged 211 for the first three weeks.

Pastor John Hannan called me yesterday with the exciting word that 4 new families visited Union City CrossRoads Church for their first time yesterday. This was as a direct result of the compassion ministry Pastor John has been coordinating for a needy family in the community.
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Let’s keep each other in prayer and make a special effort to remember these church planters and their new congregations that have launched in the middle of a pandemic!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent
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P.S. – The 2022 FUEL Conference that was snowed out last week is still coming to Muncie but is now rescheduled for April 21-22! Please encourage your youth and children’s ministry leaders to invest in their personal & ministry development by attending. For questions, email District Youth President Jessica Folz at [email protected]. For more info on FUEL, visit:
www.wesleyan.org/fuel