Sunday morning, Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with the Elwood Central Wesleyan Church family. It was encouraging to see how the congregation has rallied to support the Capshaw family and each other in this time of sorrow. Before the service, Sherry and I were able to spend time with Amanda, Isaac, and Noah Capshaw. After the worship service, I met with the Local Board of Administration (LBA) to work on next steps. Please pray for God’s blessing on the outreach ministries the church has planned for this fall.
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Sunday evening, I was blessed to connect with two of our newest churches. At 4:00 p.m., I met with Pastor Andy Riemersma and the launch team at ONE Church in Westfield for their first “Foundations” gathering. Andy and Leanza are building a strong team as they move toward their January 23, 2022 launching service.
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I was also able to join Pastor Jerome Bell and his team at Autumn Hills Church in Pendleton for their concert of prayer as they move toward their September 12 launch. Pastor Jerome and his team hosted a funeral service on Saturday for a relative of one of their launch team members with more than 100 present. Several unchurched family members expressed interest in connecting with this new church. Please pray for our church planters!
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Last week’s schedule included Zoom meetings, staff meetings, coaching conversations, and a chance to connect with Assistant DS Mike Colaw as he gathered Region 2 Pastors for a time of worship and prayer on Tuesday morning. Mike and Leslie do a great job networking and resourcing Region 2 pastors. They have a terrific lineup of speakers for this fall.
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The 21 Days of Prayer collaboration between Brookhaven Wesleyan, Lakeview Wesleyan, and The River Church wrapped up with a combined prayer service on Saturday morning at The River. It was good to be together in united prayer and worship with Rev. Tony Bye, Rev. Chris Williams, and Rev. Matthew Trexler. We’re taking next steps to invite more churches across our district to join in with this focused prayer initiative in January 2022.
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Thank you to the many Crossroads District pastors and their spouses who joined us at the Elwood High School auditorium on Saturday afternoon as the church and community gathered to celebrate Pastor Ben Capshaw’s life and ministry. Thank you also to every Crossroads District church that is participating in our matching grant initiative. While funds are still being received, we are well on our way to exceeding the $10,000 mark in giving that will be matched by $10,000 from the Crossroads District Thrive Fund with another $10,000 committed from the denomination’s Thrive Fund. Thank you for your generosity and for your continued prayers for the Capshaw family.
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Our sincere condolences and continued prayers are extended to Mrs. Rachel (Light) Budde on the passing of her father, Rev. Verl Light, an ordained Wesleyan minister. Rev. Light passed away on Wednesday in Indianapolis. The funeral was held on Sunday in Tipp City, Ohio, where Rev. Light had pastored three of the area Wesleyan churches. Rachel’s husband Ryan pastors our Westview Wesleyan Church in Jonesboro. Click here to view the obituary.
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Please join us in prayer for Rev. Bob Van Cise who was hospitalized two weeks ago and continues to make progress in the rehabilitation unit at Marion General Hospital. Prayers are also requested for Rev. Randy Yaryan (Winchester Wesleyan Church) and several family members who are battling through Covid.

​We love to hear how God is on the move in our churches and changing lives! Here are just a few of the stories of lives #MadeNew that are coming in from around the Crossroads District:

Earlier this month, Rev. Martin Furrow and The Cross Church in Rochester had the joy of baptizing four new believers who were reached through their Celebrate Recovery ministry!
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Pastor Dave Leitzel and his team at Hamilton Wesleyan Church celebrated 11 baptisms last Sunday in a wonderful outdoor service!
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Pastors Amanda and Johnnie Blair also celebrated baptisms at Tipton Trinity Wesleyan Church!
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Pastor Scott McDermid and the Sheridan Six Points Church family are rejoicing with three more baptisms last week!
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Pastor David Cox reported in that Laketon Wesleyan Church celebrated another baptism yesterday. This was a young lady who gave her life to Christ at summer camp and wanted to publicly profess her faith in Christ for her family and friends.
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Pastor Allen Gross had the joy of baptizing a married couple at Cicero United Wesleyan Church yesterday morning.
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Pastor Aldean Pablo and the team at SEND Church (soon to be Arise Church) celebrated another baptism yesterday in their outdoor worship service.
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Thank you for being part of a great team working together in God’s strength to reach the more than 3 million people in our state who do not yet have a relationship with Christ and His Church. What you are doing matters for eternity!

​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Our Crossroads District family is grieving with the family and friends of Rev. Ben Capshaw, age 41, who was tragically killed in a car accident on Thursday morning, August 19. Pastor Ben not only served Elwood Central Wesleyan Church faithfully for nine years, but he was a pastor to the whole community. We extend our deepest sympathy and continued prayers to Mrs. Amanda Capshaw, his wife, and two sons, Isaac (age 13) and Noah (age 10). The district, the local church, and the entire Elwood community have stepped up to surround this family with love and support. Here’s the link to one newspaper report:
https://www.heraldbulletin.com/news/beloved-community-chaplain-killed-in-crash/article_9de03250-0133-11ec-b733-0f50d3d4c13b.html
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Dr. Jim Lo preached at Elwood Central Wesleyan Church yesterday morning and ministered graciously to this grieving family and congregation. At the close of the service the congregation gathered around the Capshaw family for prayer and Dr. Lo led in a time of anointing with oil for those who longed to experience a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit.

The Crossroads District Board of Administration met in emergency session on Saturday morning and approved a challenge grant to match the first $10,000 donated by our local churches to meet the immediate needs of the Capshaw family. To participate in the match, churches are receiving love offerings through this coming Sunday. (Pastors received emails with additional information.)
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The Celebration of Life service will take place at 1:00 pm on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at the Elwood High School Auditorium. Rev. Roger Gardner, his mentor, and I will be officiating. Visitation with the family will follow the service from 2 to 5 pm in the auditorium. I am grateful in advance that our pastoral team members will make every effort to be present to support Ben’s family. https://www.copherfeslermay.com/obituary/rev-benjamin-capshaw
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We’re also praying for Mrs. Breanne Merrill, wife of Assistant Pastor Seth Merrill (New Carlisle Wesleyan Church) with news of the unexpected death of her father, Mr. Butch Faulkner. The funeral will be held today, August 23, at the First Church of the Nazarene in Chattanooga. Please remember Breanne and her family in your prayers.
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LifeSpring Church in Richmond graciously invited me to speak on Saturday evening and for both Sunday morning services at their North campus while Dr. Steve and Susan Bray are on their 10-week sabbatical. After the Saturday evening service, I enjoyed connecting with the Brays at our favorite ice-cream stop. Pastor David & Jill Anderson and Marcia and Darrell Shepherd graciously hosted me for lunch on Sunday. Both Darrell and David were on the DBA when I was first called to serve here in Indiana. The LifeSpring worship arts and technical team did a great job, even when I threw them a curveball. Attendance has been rebounding at both campuses and we’re praying with them for a great season of harvest.

Sunday afternoon, I stopped back in Elwood to visit and pray with Amanda Capshaw and her parents, Rev. Matt and Cheryl Miller, before heading on to the closing service of “Old Time Camp Meeting” at Fairmount Camp. Dr. Bud Bence was used of God throughout the services this past week. He closed the camp with a challenge for believers to be fruitful vines (Genesis 49:22) like Joseph. Congratulations to Executive Director Angela Spangler and her team for this encouraging week of ministry. Dr. Bence continues to be a fruitful vine in the Kingdom and I was grateful to learn of his willingness to make some dates available to preach in nearby churches. You can reach out to Dr. Bence directly or through our office.
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Last week included General Board Zoom meetings, staff meetings in Marion and Hartford City, coaching conversations with pastors, meeting with the Elwood Central LBA, and signing legal documents for district churches. It was a real joy to meet over lunch on Friday with Dr. Chris Bounds, the new Dean of the School of Theology and Ministry at Indiana Wesleyan University. Dr. Bounds will be transferring to become a member of our Crossroads team next year but he’s already excited to share in ministry with our pastors and congregations so please reach out and welcome him!

Saturday morning, I joined with three of our churches for the second weekly gathering as they partner for “21 Days of Prayer.” This Saturday’s gathering was hosted by Pastor Tony Bye at Brookhaven. Last week was hosted by Rev. Chris Williams at Lakeview, and the final Saturday gathering will be hosted by Rev. Matthew Trexler on August 28, 8 a.m., at The River Church. Something special happens when pastors and churches share together in ministry!
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We continue to celebrate the way that God is changing lives across our district. If you have baptism reports, please email or text me so we can share the good news with our team. This week, I am excited to report that Pastor Matthew Trexler and The River Church baptized two new believers and that Rev. Gary Bingham and the Hillside Wesleyan Church also baptized two new believers. Praise God for these four who publicly professed their faith in Christ on Sunday. We are rejoicing with Heaven for these lives #MadeNew!
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In weeks like this, I am reminded of Richard Baxter’s personal sense of urgency and this challenge to we who serve as pastors. Baxter was a Puritan pastor (1615-1691) who was effectively used of God in his generation. He wrote:
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Please, God, stir us with urgency and anoint us with power of your Holy Spirit so that we make this week count for your Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent​

Sunday morning, August 15, I had the privilege of connecting with Pastor Michael Colaw and the multi-site congregations of Trinity Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis. I joined the team for prayer and then brought greetings in the first of three services.
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Currently, Trinity hosts services at 9:00 and 11:00 on their Allisonville Road campus, and a 10:00 service at their Olio Road campus. Pastor Mike was on the schedule to preach at all three campuses so I enjoyed being his shuttle driver. Attendance has been rebounding and the Olio Road campus had to bring in additional seats this month.
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The youth ministry has been making progress through the summer as evidenced by two more baptisms yesterday of teenagers. Trinity Church continues their vibrant inner city ministry in Garfield Park with their Burmese congregation and the Hispanic congregation is now holding regular 1:00 pm Sunday services at the Allisonville location.
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Pastor Mike and Trinity are also playing a key role as the sending church for Pastor Andy Riemersma and the team who are planting ONE Church in Westfield this year. In addition to leading his growing family, Pastor Mike serves as Assistant DS for Region 2 and is completing his DMin through Wesley Seminary. Pray that God will continue to bless this ministry and the Colaw family!
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Last week included staff meetings, leading the board meeting at Hartford City Wesleyan Church, and more coaching conversations. It was great to connect over coffee with Pastor Steve Colter on Tuesday. I was encouraged to learn more about how God is helping them through this year of transition as they prepare to welcome Rev. Josh Bowlin in January as the incoming senior pastor at Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church.

Wednesday, I was in Fort Wayne to meet with Pastor Kyle Horton (Fort Wayne Three Rivers) and then with Pastor Rick Fletcher and Associate Pastor Andy Jellison (Fort Wayne Lifeway Church). My last stop was with Pastor Aldean Pablo at our newest church in greater Fort Wayne. Attendance has been growing with four new guests on Sunday, one of whom prayed with Pastor Aldean to receive Christ on Sunday. Pray as they continue to build momentum with a new name to be announced this coming Sunday.
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Thursday, I made a quick trip to Indy to check on Rev. Craig Thurmon’s recovery from surgery. It was good to catch up with Pastor Craig and Tiffany for fellowship and a time of prayer for their ministry at The Encounter Assembly. (Craig also serves as District Treasurer)

Friday morning, I was in Fairmount at The Branch to host a debriefing with senior pastors who brought their teams to the GROW Conference. One consistent theme across all the churches represented was that they appreciated the way that Church of the Highlands places the priority on prayer. Three of our Marion area churches (Brookhaven, Lakeview, and The River) are sharing together in the 21 Days of Prayer initiative prompted by Church of the Highlands. Other learnings included the simplicity and intentionality of the ministry systems at Highlands, the high value of small groups for pastoral care (ask about ESPN), and the investment in their Dream Team.
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Friday evening, I was back in Indianapolis to support Pastor Andy and Leanza Riemersma as they held their first public connection opportunity for people interested in learning more about ONE Church. They welcomed 50 people for food and fellowship. Pastor Andy did a great job casting the vision for this new church. Pray that God will continue to grant His favor and open the hearts of people to join the launch team for ONE Church.
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Saturday morning, I enjoyed the opportunity to meet with ViceChair Darrell Shepherd and the Local Board of Administration at LifeSpring Church in Richmond. Dr. Steve Bray, their senior pastor, is away for a well-deserved sabbatical. I appreciated connecting with this team in their new LifeSpring South campus and I am looking forward to being with them this weekend to preach at LifeSpring North.
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Two of our lead pastors completed graduate degrees this past week. Rev. Dr. Matthew Stewart (Sweetser Wesleyan Church) successfully defended his dissertation and was awarded the PhD from Columbia International University and Rev. Lee Miller (planting Crossover Church in Muncie) graduated with his MDiv from Wesley Seminary on Saturday. Congratulations on these significant accomplishments!
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Nothing brings us greater joy than celebrating lives being transformed by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! In addition to the two baptisms at Indianapolis Trinity, we are rejoicing with Pastor Lyle Breeding and the team at Bluffton Sonlight as they baptized another young woman this weekend. #MadeNew
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We also praising the Lord with Pastor Scott McDermid and the team at Sheridan Six Points Church as they dedicated four children and baptized two new believers yesterday! #MadeNew
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I’m looking forward to “Old Time Camp” coming up this week at Fairmount Camp with Dr. Bud Bence as the camp evangelist. Services will be held each evening at 6 beginning on Wednesday and concluding on Sunday night. Executive Director Angela Spangler and her team extend a warm welcome to all!
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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

Welcome to Pastor Samuel Maddox, Jr. who answered the call of Albion Wesleyan Church and transferred into the Crossroads District from the Great Lakes District. Sam and Jennifer, his wife, have settled into the former Cornerstone parsonage and are getting to know the Albion community.
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Last evening, I had the privilege of leading the official service of installation on behalf of the Crossroads District. It was encouraging to see the positive response of the congregation including several former members of Cornerstone who have joined in for this new chapter of ministry in Noble County.

It was also a delight to reconnect with Rev. Sam Maddox and Rev. Becky Maddox, Sam Jr.’s parents, with whom I had the joy of serving for 10 years in the West Michigan District. The congregation enjoyed a pie and ice cream social after the installation. Pray for Pastor Sam, Jennifer, and their daughters as they embrace this new ministry opportunity in Albion!
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Sunday morning, Sherry and I worshiped with the team at Hartford City Wesleyan Church where I’ve been assisting as interim pastor during the pandemic. One of the core values at Hartford City is training up next generation leaders. I have the privilege of working with interns, three from Taylor University this year, who are assisting us in ministry. Nathan Peters, our youth ministry intern, brought the message from Haggai as we continue reading and preaching through the Bible in one year. This was Nathan’s first sermon ever and he did well in pointing out the importance of making God’s Kingdom our first priority.
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Congratulations to Rev. Lyle Breeding and the team at Bluffton Sonlight Wesleyan Church on the successful completion of their project to become debt-free. The last payment on their mortgage was paid on July 15 and yesterday morning, August 8, Pastor Lyle led the congregation in the mortgage burning celebration. Well done!
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Rev. Chris Williams, Assistant DS and pastor of Lakeview Wesleyan Church, did a great job leading our annual training session on Saturday for members of our District Board of Ministerial Development (DBMD) at College Wesleyan Church on Saturday. Chris, as Chair, and Rev. Carla Working, Vice Chair/Secretary, will be leading the charge this year as our DBMD helps 87 ministerial students prepare to answer God’s calling to ministry in The Wesleyan Church. Thank you to every DBMD member who takes this responsibility seriously and invests in the lives of our emerging pastors!
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Last Wednesday, the district’s StratOp facilitation team gathered at Lakeview Wesleyan Church for a debriefing. We celebrated the progress of our churches that have engaged in this strategic planning process. I am grateful for the work that Jason Tash, Matthew Trexler and Chris Williams have done with so many of our leaders. While we will continue to offer these services on a limited basis, our energy this year is going into the “Next Level” workshops that will enable pastors and key leaders to assess the current reality of core ministries and build ministry action plans to move those ministries to the next level.
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I value the opportunity to connect with each of our pastors throughout the year for coaching conversations. Last week, I had the privilege of meeting with Rev. Eric Roemer (Greentown Wesleyan) on Tuesday, Rev. Theo Griffin (Greenfield Brown’s Chapel Wesleyan) on Thursday, and Rev. Andy Riemersma (Westfield ONE Church), also on Thursday. Pastor Andy and the team at ONE Church are counting the days until launch. Check out this video that they released last week:
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Nothing is more exciting than celebrating lives being made new by Jesus Christ! This week, I received reports from Pastor Dan Fisher at Delphi Wesleyan where two men were baptized. Pastor Steve Colter from Marion Chapel Pike Wesleyan shared the good news that he baptized two of his grandchildren! The team at LifeSpring Wesleyan Church, led by Dr. Steve Bray, baptized three more with another three preparing for the next opportunity! Praise God for lives being #MadeNew!
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Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

​Your servant in Christ,
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Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, August 1, I was blessed to worship with Pastor Rick and Debbie Fletcher at Lifeway Church in Fort Wayne. Associate Pastor Andy Jellison and his family were on a well-deserved vacation break. I brought greetings from the district team and shared a message in their series on the attributes of God. Attendance has rebounded well after last year.
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The church recently completed a record Vacation Bible School with 118 children registered. Lifeway is a warm, welcoming multi-generational church with a big heart for the community. The church is in a planned succession journey with a pastoral vote upcoming to call Rev. Jellison as the new senior pastor while Rev. Fletcher steps back to assist. After the morning service, I enjoyed connecting with the LBA for a brief meeting and then hosted the Fletchers for a delightful lunch at one of their favorite restaurants.
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Sunday evening, I presided over the pastoral installation of Rev. Martin Furrow as the new senior pastor at The Cross Wesleyan Church in Rochester. After several years as assistant pastor, Rev. Furrow accepted the call of the church to succeed Rev. Mike Cloud. Pastor Martin and Misty, his wife, have three children. The two younger ones, Anna and Aaron, are still at home but their oldest child, Abraham, is serving in the US Air Force. Following the installation service, the congregation gathered for fellowship and refreshments. The Cross expanded their foyer and completely remodeled their worship center during the Covid lockdown. They have a growing Celebrate Recovery ministry and serve hundreds of individuals each month from their food bank. Pastor Furrow is leading the search for a new full-time Family Ministries Pastor. Here’s the link for more information: https://secure.wesleyan.org/job/frame/8289

Last week, I joined nearly 90 leaders from the Crossroads District in Birmingham, Alabama at Church of the Highlands for the three-day GROW Conference. Pastor Chris Hodges and his team did an amazing job of hosting this practical and inspirational learning experience. In addition to the keynote presentations from Pastor Hodges, key staff members shared learning labs on everything from finances to small groups. A highlight of the conference was the Wednesday evening worship service with Dr. John Maxwell preaching. Wesleyans were well-represented and Crossroads was the largest single group attending. This event sells out every year (one year, every ticket was gone in the first 30 minutes) so we are grateful to Dr. Craig Dunn and WIF for their assistance in making this happen. The powerful prayer meeting on Thursday morning was worth the drive.
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If you weren’t able to attend GROW this year, grab coffee with a friend who did and ask them to share their insights. The heart of the conference was captured in this thought: “Growth is essential as long as heaven and hell are realities.” That’s why Highlands focuses on helping people to Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, and Make a Difference. You might ask your friend about Session #2 on Structure, Systems, and Spirit. Pastor Chris reminded us that our systems are perfectly designed to deliver the results that we are currently producing. Or you might ask them about the acrostic “ESPN” that frames their small group ministry coaching. Here’s one last take away, “Excellence is not always having the best, excellence is doing the best with what we have.”
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If you’ve not yet planned a baptism service for this summer, there’s still time. Pastor Mike Hewitt and the team at Muncie Rising Hope had a wonderful celebration Sunday on August 1 with 4 professions of faith and 4 baptisms. They also had 37 out last evening for their youth event. Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew!
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Thank you for all you’re doing to make disciples who make disciples and multiply churches!

​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent