Sunday, March 24, I had the privilege of preaching at Daybreak Church in Lapel. Pastor Andy Cole was running a fever of nearly 102 degrees on Saturday evening so when he called I was glad to rearrange my schedule to pinch-hit. Alex Small stepped up to lead the worship team and Rev. Kevin Bragg, Assistant Pastor, served as host for the gathering. It was good to catch up with Rev. Naomi Small before the service. She and Alex joined the staff at Daybreak a few weeks ago. Rev. Small is enjoying rebuilding the children’s ministry while Alex helps with youth and worship.
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God has blessed Pastor Andy and Elicia Cole’s leadership in revitalizing the ministry at Daybreak. The church, which averaged 79 in worship last year, has baptized 29 people in the last two conference years. Pastor Andy’s fever broke Sunday morning and he’s excited to be back preaching on Easter Sunday.

Yesterday afternoon I received great news from Pastor Aldean Pablo about two Palm Sunday baptisms at ARISE Church in Roanoke. They also welcomed 11 first-time guests yesterday!
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Last week included coaching conversations and a district nominating committee meeting. Two highlights of the week were both on the IWU campus. On Wednesday, over the noon hour, Dr. Eddy Shigley welcomed me to a meeting with undergraduate students in the Kern program at the School of Theology and Ministry. I enjoyed connecting with several of our Crossroads District students and meeting with some prospective church planters.
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Dr. Shigley and Professor Charlie Alcock invited me back on Thursday morning to record what will eventually become two episodes of their podcast titled “Good Days with Eddy and Charlie.” Their podcast covers a range of topics and welcomes guests that they feel would be encouraging to people serving in youth ministry. I am grateful for the many ways these two seasoned leaders continue to invest in the next generation.
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Saturday was a fun day on the road connecting with our district churches who are finding creative ways to make a difference. I stopped in at Waterline’s new location in Ingalls for a progress report. They are working toward the goal of worshiping in their new location in just a few more weeks. Pray for Pastor Scott Rhyno and their team as they make the big move from Wesleyan HQ to this more permanent location.
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My next stop was in Sheridan to connect with Pastor Scott McDermid and his team at Six Points Wesleyan Church. They hosted a wonderful outreach event for their neighbors with hidden eggs, contests, bouncy houses, and, most importantly, the Bible story Pastor Scott shared with the children and their parents. This has become a significant bridge event with the Sheridan community. Pray for the seeds of the Gospel that were planted to bloom!
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My next stop was at Tri-Central High School where Tipton Trinity Wesleyan Church was hosting their annual Easter Egg Drop. Pastor Johnnie Blair and his team pulled off another exciting bridge event that engaged families from across the county. To kick off the festivities, they had a helicopter circle the football stadium and then drop eggs until the total amount on the field hit 20,000 eggs. Pastor Johnnie’s team did a great job of welcoming families and extending the invitation to be part of Easter Sunday at Trinity Wesleyan.
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My last stop of the day was at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. Dr. Chris Williams and his staff hosted a creative EGGsperience on Saturday afternoon to help children discover the real meaning of Easter through a series of EGGsperiments. This is an exciting season of growth at Lakeview with worship attendance regularly over 300 and new friends becoming part of the church family almost every week.
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Pastor Shane Wilson passed along the news of New Hope Wesleyan Church in Columbia City using drama to connect with their neighbors and friends. Musicals have been one of New Hope’s effective outreach tools over the past several years. This year they offered a play entitled “House of Miracles.” Even the pastoral staff participated so you may recognize a few faces in the photo below. They welcomed 651 for the two presentations with 5 people praying to receive Christ and 7 more rededicating their lives!
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Thank you for praying for Rev. Greg Holmes (South Bend Sonlight) and Rev. Dennis Croy (East Liberty). I had conversations with them this week and received encouraging reports as they continue their journey back to health and ministry. Please continue to pray for Dakotah Cecil, a student at IWU and the granddaughter of Rev. George and Tawne Cecil, who is still recovering from multiple serious injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Your prayers are making a difference!
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Rev. C.K. Chitty, Director of Senior Adult Ministries (SAM) for the Crossroads District, reported that 35 paid registrations are in hand for the Branson excursion this May 21-24. The highlight of the trip will be “Queen Esther” the current production of Sight and Sound. There are still a few seats remaining on this bus tour but the deadline is Thursday, March 28, to reserve your rooms. Click Here to register online.
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Crossroads District high school students, it’s almost time for Fusion 2024! An amazing event at a great price, and did we mention Crowder? Register at:
​www.indwes.edu/youthministry/fusion
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​Save the date! Our 2024 Crossroads District Conference will be held on Saturday, June 29th at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. This annual gathering is a wonderful time of celebration, inspiration, and Kingdom connection across our district family. Mark your calendars now and make plans to join us!

​Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!
​
Your servant in Christ,

​Mark Gorveatte

​Crossroads District Superintendent​

Sunday morning, March 17, Rev. Joe Jackson and the team at Anderson United Wesleyan Church welcomed me to bring greetings and share a message from God’s Word. I’m glad to report that Anderson United Wesleyan Church collected over $500 in donations for the Winchester relief efforts. After the service, I met with the LBA and then toured the newly remodeled childcare wing. The church is now hosting a new preschool program that is serving 25 children each week.
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The Jackson family joined me for lunch and it was fun to hear updates from their family members who are in college and high school. In addition to leading worship and partnering with Pastor Joe at the church, Jennifer serves special needs children in the public school system. Continue to pray for Assistant Pastor Nick Wilson in his health rehabilitation journey.
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Sunday afternoon, I had the joy of serving Pastor Gawin Anderson and the team at Indianapolis Divine Direction Church as they are working through the process of relaunching this important ministry on 46th Street. Pastor Gawin and Monique Anderson have stepped up to the challenge of seeing this congregation revitalized and back on the mission making disciples. In addition to pastoring and working a full-time job in the marketplace, Pastor Anderson is also continuing his ministerial studies at Indiana Wesleyan University.
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Last Monday I was able to connect with several of our ministry leaders who are participating in leadership learning cohorts. Rev. Carla Working leads a cohort for women in ministry and Rev. Matthew Trexler is leading two cohorts, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, for pastors. All three cohorts met on Monday at The River Church in Marion. Next year, we are planning to add a Saturday leadership cohort option for our bi-vocational pastors. You’ll hear more about this at the Crossroads District Conference, June 29.
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On Tuesday morning, I accepted the invitation from Pastor Noah Farmer to join his staff meeting at Gas City Eastview Wesleyan Church. Each team member had each taken the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment and we spent a fun hour together learning more about leading from our strengths. The district board provided StrengthsFinder coach training last summer so that I can assist our pastors and their leadership teams with this resource. If you’d like to learn more, you can reach out to the district office and we’ll set up a time to connect.
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From Gas City, I traveled to Indianapolis to meet with Pastor Cary Sanders over coffee and then joined Pastor Barry Dixon later that afternoon. My final stop on Tuesday was with the Anderson Lone Oak Wesleyan Church Local Board of Administration. Pastor Jerome Bell has been helping Lone Oak but will be giving his full attention to Autumn Hills in the new conference year. Lone Oak will be posting their pastor position on the Wesleyan.org/jobs website and hopes to begin interviewing candidates in the next few weeks.
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Wednesday and Thursday were office days with the exception of a quick trip to Lebanon for a coaching conversation over lunch with Rev. Dr. Morris Jones on Thursday. The weather situation grew worse through the day on Thursday and Friday morning dawned with news of the storms' impact in Winchester and the surrounding area.
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Pastor Randy Yaryan, Winchester Wesleyan Church, and Rev. John Hannan, Union City CrossRoads Church, were both involved in the response efforts. We’re thankful to God that our churches were not damaged, but the toll to the community is still being calculated. Volunteers from the church provided more than 400 meals on Saturday to workers and impacted families. The volunteers also helped with clean-up efforts that afternoon.
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I’m grateful to Rev. Yaryan and Rev. Hannan for the way they’ve stepped up and mobilized team members to respond in this crisis. After a meeting in Indianapolis on Saturday morning, I was able to drive to Winchester to thank them personally. Thank you also to each church that has already responded with financial donations. I received word just this morning that the generous Lifeway Church in Fort Wayne received more than $3000 in donations. You can send those offerings through our district office. If you have donations of supplies (water, toiletries, clothing, etc.), the CrossRoads Church in Union City is serving as our staging point for those materials.
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We love to share the stories of how God is at work in our churches and changing lives. Rev. Mark Atkinson has been serving as interim/supply pastor at Elwood Central Wesleyan Church. Attendance has been rebounding from 66 people in January to 96 yesterday, Most importantly, yesterday was a celebration with two people publicly professing their faith in Christ through baptism. Praise God for lives being #MadeNew!

The Heartland Gathering is right around the corner with the full schedule posted on the conference website. We look forward to seeing you in Pigeon Forge, April 2-5!

Join us for the Crossroads KidMin Huddle, Saturday, April 20th, at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church in Marion. For $25, you'll enjoy a full day of learning and networking with fellow children's ministry leaders, volunteers, and pastors. A continental breakfast and lunch is included in your registration. Stephanie Rhyne, Kids Ministry Catalyst for The Wesleyan Church and content creator for David C. Cook (Wonder Ink), will be our guest speaker. Lead pastors who register to attend can bring two additional volunteers for free! Register now at this link:
https://crossroadsdistrict.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2227324

Save the date! Our 2024 Crossroads District Conference will be held on Saturday, June 29th at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. This annual gathering is a wonderful time of celebration, inspiration, and Kingdom connection across our district family. Mark your calendars now and make plans to join us!

​Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!
​
Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

​Crossroads District Superintendent​

Exponential 2024 was an outstanding conference. Dr. Wayne Schmidt, General Superintendent, kicked off the week in Orlando by welcoming the district superintendents on Monday for a pre-conference connection. It was encouraging to hear how God is on the move across our denominational family. We closed our time together in prayer for our GS and our district leaders, including the health concerns of Rev. Aaron Sherman, superintendent of the Kentucky-Tennessee District.
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Tuesday morning, more than 500 Wesleyan leaders gathered for a pre-conference event under the theme Saturate. Dr. Schmidt cast vision for disciple-making and church multiplication. Dr. Ed Love and the team from Church Multiplication and Discipleship did a great job hosting this event and spotlighting the many ways that churches are rising to the challenge of Acts 1:8!
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The full Exponential Conference kicked off Tuesday afternoon and concluded on Thursday. This year’s line-up of keynote speakers and workshops kept the focus on disciple-making. Presenters from across America and around the globe shared anointed messages. If you’ve not been to Exponential, let me encourage you to make plans to join us for the 25th anniversary event next March in Orlando.
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The Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy Conference was also held last week in Dallas, Texas on March 7-9. Rev. Carla Working led a great group from the Crossroads District that joined almost one hundred Wesleyan women clergy and ministerial students among the nearly 800 registered attenders at this year’s event. We celebrate God’s calling and empowering of women as prophesied by Joel (Joel 2:28-29) and pronounced by the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17).
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Congratulations to Rev. Laura and Micah Walls on last week’s arrival of Milo James, their second son! Pastor Laura plays a key role on the pastoral team at Waterline Church. Milo’s grandparents on his mother’s side are Rev. Clifton and Arletta Ashlock. May God continue to bless the faith legacy of this ministry family!
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Sherry and I were able to spend time with members of our family in Grand Rapids, Michigan this weekend celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary. When three little granddaughters under the age of three are at the party, you all end up sitting on the floor. Thank you to so many friends across the district who reached out to extend congratulations. We are grateful for God’s faithfulness over the past 40 years and excited for what He has in store for the future!
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Calling all Crossroads District high school students! Don’t miss Fusion 2024! An amazing event at a great price, and did we mention Crowder? Registration is now open at:
www.indwes.edu/youthministry/fusion
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Save the date! Our 2024 Crossroads District Conference will be held on Saturday, June 29th at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. This annual gathering is a wonderful time of celebration, inspiration, and Kingdom connection across our district family. Mark your calendars now and make plans to join us!

​Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!
​
Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

​Crossroads District Superintendent​

Sunday morning, March 3, I was blessed to be back on the road connecting with leaders in our Crossroads District. My first stop was in Muncie at Rising Hope Church. Pastor Mike and Kim Hewitt just returned on Saturday from visiting Rising Hope’s church planting partners in Spain. I’m grateful for the way that Pastor Mike leads by example and champions church planting in our district.
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Janiel and Leanna Carabello brought the morning message on parenting. The Carabello’s are “church planters in residence” learning from and serving with Rev. Mike and Kim Hewitt as they prepare to launch EXIT Church in Anderson in the fall. It was good to connect with them again today and I’m excited to see what God has planned for the new multi-ethnic church they are planting.

My second stop of the day was in Chesterfield at Parkview Wesleyan Church. Pastor Clifton Ashlock led the baptism as 9 individuals publicly professed their faith in Christ. To the best of their knowledge, this is the most individuals baptized in a single service in the history of Parkview Church. Praise God for lives being #MadeNew!
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Dr. Joe Harmon was the guest speaker for the day at Parkview and he brought a challenging message from Ephesians 6 on the importance of putting on our spiritual armor for the battle we face. Pray for the team at Parkview as their search team seeks the next pastor to lead this church forward in reaching their mission field.
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Speaking of baptisms, Pastor Sam Maddox and the team at Albion Wesleyan Church were excited to celebrate another baptism on Sunday. The woman who was baptized first came to the church through the influence of her granddaughter. We join them in celebrating another new life in Christ!

Pastor Noah Farmer and the team at Gas City Eastview Wesleyan Church welcomed 20 new members this morning. This group was welcomed in the second service. According to the initial report, this is the largest group of new members welcomed on one day in the recent history of the church. God is on the move!
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It was an honor and privilege to travel to Bangladesh with Dr. Aron Willis and Dr. Richard Schenck. Both of these men have invested deeply over the past decade in the Wesleyan work in this mission field. This training event (using church planting leadership materials now translated into the Bangla language) was the culmination of the vision that Dr. Willis had many years ago. Rev. Tom Ensz and Rev. Joshe Bose (pictured below with Dr. Willis) will continue to provide Global Partners oversight to this ministry in addition to their other responsibilities in south Asia. Dr. Rich Schenck and the team at Noblesville Circle of Hope are committed to continuing the focus on church planting in the capital city of Dhaka. Please pray for God’s blessing on these important initiatives.
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Save the date! Our 2024 Crossroads District Conference will be held on Saturday, June 29th at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. This annual gathering is a wonderful time of celebration, inspiration, and Kingdom connection across our district family. Mark your calendars now and make plans to join us!

Please continue to keep our churches preparing for upcoming pastoral votes on March 3rd and 10th in prayer as they discern God’s direction and will during this process.​

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

​Crossroads District Superintendent