Sunday morning, July 26, Rev. Seth Bye was representing the Crossroads District at Albion Cornerstone Wesleyan with Rev. Dale Munsell and I had the privilege of preaching in both services at the New Castle Mt. Zion Wesleyan Church. Pastor Steve Arnett has led the church through significant changes in the past few years. They are currently having about 50% of pre-Covid worship attendance.
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​With their flexible seating providing social distancing, Mt. Zion offers two service times with the first requiring masks and the second making masks optional. They are also launching a new group Bible study next month on eight Sunday evenings in which they’ll view episodes of “The Chosen” (https://studios.vidangel.com/the-chosen) and then work through discussion questions.
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Later on Sunday afternoon, I met with leaders in the Kirklin Wesleyan Church for an important conversation about their future direction. Please pray that God will grant His wisdom and peace in this congregation.

Last Monday, I met with the Hartford City Wesleyan Church staff on Monday and the Crossroads District office team on Tuesday. Dr. David Smith, chair of the District Board of Ministerial Development, joined our staff at Lakeview Wesleyan Church for a planning meeting as we prepare for the August 15 ordination service. Ordained ministers will gather at 12:30 and the service will begin at 1 p.m. with Dr. Wayne Schmidt presiding.

Wednesday, I joined Dr. Ed Love at Wesleyan HQ in Fishers for the Wesley Seminary course he was teaching on church multiplication. Dr. Love does a great job investing in these students who not only complete the academic experience but who are also actively engaged (or exploring the opportunity) in planting new churches.
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Wednesday afternoon, I met with Aldean Pablo and Jon Wiest, his coach, for an update on the church planting project in Roanoke/southwest Fort Wayne. God is opening doors and we’re praying with Aldean, Jessie, and their team as they stay focused on making disciples who make disciples.

Thursday over Saturday, Sherry and I were in Grand Rapids to celebrate Jordan’s marriage. You may recall that Covid-19 interrupted Sam and Jordan’s original wedding plan, as it did for so many others. We hosted a small wedding at our home on April 18 but the venue that had been booked for the original date was finally able to host the event on Friday, July 24. Sam and Jordan reaffirmed their wedding vows before family and friends gathered from California, Louisiana, and Florida. It was a beautiful evening that honored God and celebrated this new marriage.
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We are always delighted to share reports of changed lives. Pastor Scott McDermid and Six Points Church in Sheridan celebrated baptisms on Sunday, July 19, and Pastors Zach and Carla Working celebrated 8 baptisms yesterday as part of their annual outdoor worship service. Please share pictures from your baptism celebrations!
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We’re rejoicing with Rev. Carol Schenck as her brother Ron was released from the hospital after a battle with Covid-19 that kept him in the hospital for 115 days. Thank you to all who joined their family in prayer for this miraculous recovery. Pastor Carol also passed along word of Jarrett and Caroline Roskey’s wedding on July 21. Jarrett is the communications pastor for the Circle of Hope network of churches. Congratulations to Jarrett and Caroline!
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​Thank you for all you do to advance the Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday afternoon, July 19, I had the joy of worshiping with Pastor Rodriguez and preaching for Templo de Poder Iglesia Wesleyana in Frankfort. Pastor Calimario and Maria Rodriguez both experienced Covid-19 this spring and have fully recovered. The church reconvened public worship gatherings last month and continues to stream their services online with an international congregation. Pastor Alan Downing at Connecting Point Church (formerly First Wesleyan) and Pastor Rodriguez (Templo de Poder) have developed a vibrant partnership. Both churches are growing as they serve their community together.
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Sunday morning, I had the privilege of preaching at Hartford City Wesleyan Church. Attendance continues to be above 50 percent of the pre-Covid numbers. It was a delight to welcome a new member into the church family yesterday. We also announced our first baptism service of the new conference year to be held on August 16. While HCWC is moving through this time of transition while searching for a new pastor, I am meeting with the staff on Mondays, chairing the monthly LBA meeting and preaching once each month with DBA approval. Thank you to our District Board for allowing this opportunity for me to be reminded of the joys and challenges of serving on the frontlines of ministry.
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Tuesday morning, I met with our office team and then we joined Dr. David Smith to review the upcoming year with our new District Board of Ministerial Development, including arrangements for our Crossroads District ordination service on August 15, 1 p.m., at Marion Lakeview Wesleyan Church. We are delighted that Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our General Superintendent, will be presiding and preaching at this year’s event.

Tuesday afternoon and evening we convened our monthly District Pastors ZOOM meeting. We offered two time slots (2 pm and 8 pm.) in consideration of the many bivocational pastors on our team. The afternoon group was larger than the evening group. The best part of these connections is the breakout rooms in which we share praise reports and have an opportunity to pray for one another.
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Wednesday was so much fun as I traveled north across our district connecting and praying with pastors. My first stop was in Rochester at The Cross Wesleyan Church with Pastor Mike Cloud. Mike just returned from a refreshing break. He was glad to show me the progress they’ve made in building on and remodeling their sanctuary.

Dr. Ollie Dongell and I met at Plymouth Wesleyan Church. Ollie and his family had gathered for vacation earlier this month in South Carolina. Plymouth Wesleyan is one of the host sites for Covid-19 testing in their county.
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Pastor David Cox and I met at his antique mall in Warsaw. David serves the Laketon Wesleyan Church as a bi-vocational pastor. He and Suzanne have done a great job in revitalizing that congregation through community outreach.

Pastor Shane Wilson and I met at Columbia City New Hope Church in his office. The church has responded well to the pandemic. Shane and Jill are in a new stage of life with their first child heading off to college this fall.

Pastor Thomas and Julie Beck welcomed me to their home on Smalley Lake, near Kimmell. Thomas is another of our bi-vocational pastors. He has faithfully served the Larwill Wesleyan Church since 2000. Last year, they baptized 14 new believers.

Rev. Eliorgy Guerrero and I met for supper in Elkhart where he leads the Cielos Abiertos Iglesia Wesleyana. Eligory and his family are among a growing number of Venezuelan refugees who have settled in near Elkhart. He is a gifted leader and I am grateful for our partnership in the Gospel.

My final stop of the day was with Rev. Dale Munsell at Cornerstone Wesleyan Church near Albion. Dale and his team have been busy during the pandemic with a major remodeling of their entryway. He is also encouraged by a promising young adult connection in their community who is helping with their technology.
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We have a wonderful team of pastors and it is such a privilege to pray with and encourage them as we work together to reach 3 million people here in the Crossroads.

Thursday, our office team met at Abbey Coffee in Marion to review our website with Michael (Woody) Wood, our communications director. It can be a painful experience to see how quickly your social media can become outdated. We would welcome your input on ways we can improve our online footprint. When was the last time your team reviewed and refreshed your website?

Thursday evening, I chaired the LBA meeting at Hartford City Wesleyan Church. They are experiencing the same challenges that many of you are facing. One of those challenges we are all working on is rebuilding in-person ministry to those who gather in your building while continuing to improve ministry to your online congregation.

I was on the road again on Friday. Pastor Marc Ulrich and I met for prayer at ReThink Church in Merrillville. Marc continues to find open doors in serving the community as they plant this church. Marc has been active in the Chamber of Commerce and works with the career development program at their city’s high school. Saturday, they had a great time hosting the Merrillville Student Business Expo in the church building.
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My next stop was with Rev. Judy Hatt in Fowler where she serves as pastor for Hope Wesleyan Church. Judy is not our youngest pastor but she has more energy than most of us. Lately, she and her team have been busy making masks for the community.

Lafayette was my next stop. Pastor Joe and Nancy Park welcomed me into their home. For the past few months, Nancy has been working from home. Pastor Joe and I enjoyed catching up and sharing in prayer together. Rev. Park is the longest tenured pastor in our district. I am grateful for the faithful leadership that Joe has provided to Evergreen Wesleyan Church since 1974.

Dr. Morris and Anita Jones were having a yard sale when I arrived at their home late on Friday afternoon. Dr. Jones is another of our bi-vocational pastors who also serves as a student advisor for IUPUI. It was good to hear how God has been faithfully providing through the pandemic.
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Friday evening, I was blessed to be able to worship with Phil & Diane Foley at Frankfort Family Camp. Pastor Bob Van Cise brought a helpful message from God’s Word on the question “Do You Want to Get Well?” Though the crowd was much smaller than previous years, it was good to connect with familiar faces. This week, there will be morning Bible studies offered at Fairmount Camp but there will be no drive-in evening services.

This week, Sherry and I will be in Grand Rapids (Thursday over Saturday) for Jordan and Sam’s wedding reception. Rev. Seth Bye will be covering for me but I will be available for emergency calls. Sunday, July 26, I look forward to being with Rev. Steve Arnett and his team at New Castle Mt. Zion Wesleyan for their two morning services.

Congratulations to two of our pastoral families who celebrated weddings this weekend. Rev. Michael and Kim Hewitt’s (Muncie Rising Hope) daughter Brianne married Mark Flanagin in Muncie Saturday. Rev. David and Stevie Dignal (Edgerton Wesleyan) celebrated the marriage of their daughter Bekah to Evan Gustin in Fort Wayne on Saturday. Congratulations to these newlyweds and their families!
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This was in last week’s update but this is a great opportunity. This year, due to the current circumstances surrounding COVID-19, Church of the Highlands will be hosting their Grow Conference as a free online event on July 28 -29. You will be able to learn the heart behind all that Grow has to offer, as well as how to practically implement essential systems and structures into your church, through live main sessions and an opportunity to connect with the Highlands staff team to get your questions answered. This dynamic online event will empower and refresh you, as well as provide you with the practical ministry tools and resources you need to help your church grow.
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Pastors in Region 1 are invited to be part of the online event hosted in Marion by Assistant DS Matthew Trexler and The River Church. Pastors in Region 2 are welcome to join the event hosted in Indianapolis by Assistant DS Mike Colaw and Trinity Wesleyan Church. Pastors in Region 3 are welcome at either location or may find it more convenient to participate online. Lunch will be provided both days. Please register by Wednesday, JULY 22ND, so our host churches can get an accurate number for lunch. 

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. Crossroads District Ordination Service, August 15, at Lakeview Wesleyan Church. All ordained ministers will gather at 12:30 for group photo and directions. The service will begin at 1 p.m. and will be live-streamed. Reservations are required for seating in the auditorium. A reception will follow.

Sunday morning, July 12, Sherry and I had the joy of worshiping with Pastor Neftali & Grace Lopez and their team at Carmel Iglesia Amistad Cristiana. Amistad was the first of the Hispanic congregations in our district and they have built an effective ministry to Spanish-speakers from across the Indianapolis region. They were approved for the Lilly Tech grant and will be upgrading their online ministry over the next few weeks. They also just completed repaving and painting their parking lot.
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After the worship service, Sherry and I enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with Pastor Neftali and Grace over lunch. Grace has finished the ministerial course of study and will begin her supervised ministry this fall. Pastor Neftali serves as a bi-vocational pastor with a strong leadership team that includes Dr. Norman and Kim Wilson. In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, Neftali serves in the US Navy Reserves, minsters as a chaplain for IWU in Indy, manages a restaurant, and is working on his doctoral degree.

Among the highlights of last week’s ministry, Sherry and I were invited to the LBA and staff outing at River Church on Monday evening. Last year, River Church averaged 717 in worship with 91 professions of faith and 57 baptisms. It was good to hear the stories of how God has faithfully continued working through the pandemic. I appreciate Pastor Matthew Trexler’s willingness to serve again this year as our Region I Assistant DS.
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Tuesday, I led our district staff meeting in the morning and the Hartford City Wesleyan Church staff meeting in the afternoon. Wednesday, I joined two Zoom meetings before heading to Anderson to connect for prayer with Pastor David and Marcy Shafer (North Anderson Wesleyan Church). My final meeting of the day was with another prospective church planter. Keep on praying for God to send laborers into the Harvest!

Thursday afternoon, I was in Fort Wayne for a meeting with UMC leaders about a possible church planting partnership. Thursday evening, Sherry and I hosted Rev. Bob and Cheryl McHenry for supper and prayer. Pastor Bob accepted the call to Marion Nelson Street Wesleyan and they began their ministry there this month. It was encouraging to hear how God opened this door of ministry and we’re praying for a wonderful new chapter of ministry in the life of this historic congregation. Pastor Bob is another of our bi-vocational ministers who will lead the church while continuing to serve as a Case Coordinator with Grant-Blackford Mental Health Center.
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Rev. Carla Working has agreed to join the Crossroads District staff. Pastor Carla and Pastor Zack Working have been leading the exciting turnaround at our church in Huntington (now known as Hope Rising). Carla completed her undergraduate ministerial program at Indiana Wesleyan University and holds the M.A. in Church Leadership from Wesley Seminary. She will be working part-time with Dr. David Smith, chair of the DBMD, and assisting me with projects while she continues to serve on the pastoral staff at Hope Rising. I am also delighted that she has agreed to host a leadership cohort for Crossroads District women in ministry.
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Congratulations to Brandon Shroyer (youth minister at Tipton Trinity Wesleyan Church) and Jessica, his wife, welcomed their second child last week with the birth of Sadie Ray Louise Shroyer (6 pounds, 12 oounces, and 20 inches long). Mrs. Elicia and Rev. Andy Cole (Lapel Daybreak Church) are proud grandparents.
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Fairmount Camp announced last week that they will not be hosting regular Family Camp evening services due to state restrictions but that camp will be open and morning services will be held for those staying on the grounds. Here’s the official announcement:
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​This year, due to the current circumstances surrounding COVID-19, Church of the Highlands will be hosting their Grow Conference as a free online experience. At Grow Conference, you will be able to learn the heart behind all that Grow has to offer, as well as how to practically implement essential systems and structures into your church, through live main sessions and an opportunity to connect with the Highlands staff team to get your questions answered. This dynamic online event will empower and refresh you, as well as provide you with the practical ministry tools and resources you need to help your church grow.
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There is no limit on how many people your church can register, so feel free to spread the word to your ministry friends, staff, teams, volunteers, and more! Please keep in mind that the content from this conference is specifically designed to impact leaders within the local church.

​Pastors in Region 1 are invited to be part of the online event at The River Church (759 S. Lenfesty Avenue, Marion, IN 46953) for both days, July 28th & 29th. Lunch will be provided both days. We will need you to register BY JULY 22ND so that the River team can get an accurate number for lunch. You can register by using the link below:
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GROW Conference – Crossroads District link

Thank you for all you do to advance God’s Kingdom in these challenging days!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. Just a reminder that we’re hosting two Zoom calls for Crossroads District pastors tomorrow, Tuesday, July 14, with the first at 2 p.m. and the second opportunity at 8 p.m.  Details for connecting to the Zoom event have been sent to your email.

This is an abbreviated July 4th holiday edition of the Crossroads District Team Update.

I trust that you and your loved ones were able to have some time off to celebrate America’s birthday. Sherry and I were able to take a few days to reconnect with our children in Michigan. We came back Saturday evening so that we would be able to join Josiah and Elizabeth, his fiancee, as he led worship at Harvest Church in McCordsville on Sunday morning, This was the first Sunday for Harvest Church to worship together in the building since March. We enjoyed hosting the LeRoy family for lunch after the service. Founding pastor Brad LeRoy has done a great job leading his team and the congregation through this challenging season.
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Before leaving town, I joined the staff meeting at Hartford City on Monday afternoon. Tuesday, I was on the road visiting pastors in the Indianapolis area. I dropped in for prayer with Pastor Rick Matthews (Southview Wesleyan), Pastor John Miller (Way City Church in Speedway), Pastor Ben Thomas (Avon Nehemiah Church), and Pastor Scott McDermid (Sheridan Six Points Church). Wednesday morning, I met with our district staff in Marion and then signed out for a few days of vacation with family.

This was also a week for transitions. Mrs. Hannah Searcey Brown joined the district office staff on July 1 and will be serving as Executive Assistant to Rev. Seth Bye. Hannah is an IWU graduate (Christian Ministries and Christian Worship majors) who also brings graphic design skills to the team. Hannah grew up in the Chesapeake District of The Wesleyan Church (some of you may know Rev. Marilyn Searcey, Hannah’s mother). Hannah will be working remotely from Danville where she and Ross Brown, her husband reside. If not before then, many of you will have the opportunity to meet Hannah at our August 15th ordination service. I know you’ll join me in welcoming her to the district team.

After a thorough search process, the members at Wabash New Journey Community Church voted unanimously to extend a call to Rev. Rob Tippey to become their senior pastor for this new season of ministry. Pastor Rob officially accepted that call this weekend. Rob has most recently been serving on staff with Rev. Jeff Luetke’s team at Fairmount Wesleyan Church. New Journey is one of the newer churches in our team and Pastor Rob brings a wealth of experience from planting Level 13 Church in Fort Wayne. Pray for both churches and for the Tippey family in this time of transition.
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Congratulations to Dr. John Bray who retired last week from serving as Dean of the Chapel for Indiana Wesleyan University over the past 5 years. John and Patty Bray have had an incredible ministry together serving the students at IWU after pastoring at Heritage Wesleyan Church in Illinois for more than 40 years. We’re glad to announce that John will begin a new part-time assignment this summer with Rev. Matthew Trexler’s team at The River Church. Patty will continue teaching at IWU.
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Two reminders:
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1. July 14, Tuesday, we will be hosting our ZOOM call check-in for the Crossroads District pastoral team. We are offering two time slots to better accommodate the schedules of our bi-vocational pastors. All pastors will receive an email with links to the two options. Thank you in advance for joining us for a brief update followed by prayer groups meeting in breakout rooms.
   
   
2. August 15, we will host our annual Ordination Service with special guest, General Superintendent Dr. Wayne Schmidt, at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. Ordained clergy will gather for instructions and our group photo at 12:30. The Ordination Service will begin at 1 p.m. and will be followed by a reception for the 15 newly-ordained ministers and their families. All ordained ministers of the district are expected to attend this significant event in the life of our district.

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Rev. Pete Benson, is an ordained Wesleyan minister and exceptional financial advisor. In cooperation with the Department of Education and Clergy Development, Pete has released a series of timely videos to help pastors with their personal finances. Thank you, Pete, for making a difference!

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent
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