Sunday morning, August 27, Rev. Nathan Richardson and the team at Southview Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis welcomed me to bring greetings from the Crossroads District and to preach. Following the morning service, I met with Pastor Nathan and the LBA for an update on their ministry. They are excited to be marking their 56th Anniversary this October and will also be celebrating paying off their mortgage.
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Southview has an active ministry in addition to Sundays with a preschool meeting in their facility and activities like basketball and Zumba classes open to the community. They partner with another local church in serving at the food bank. The church hosts an onsite weekend camping experience for families over the Labor Day weekend. They also graciously host Shalom Church, a delightful congregation of immigrants from Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). In addition to hosting this ethnic congregation, Pastor Nathan is also prayerfully exploring the possibility of hosting a church plant for Spanish-speakers.

I enjoyed sharing lunch with Pastor Nathan and his family and then dropped back to the church to greet Pastor Benjamin Tuimuk, who leads the Burmese congregation. Shalom Church continues to do well and God is blessing their special focus on children and teens.
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My last stop on Sunday was at Hartford City Wesleyan Church to check in on Pastor Joshua Fox and the team as they hosted a back-to-school bash. Pastor Josh is starting his second year at Hartford City and it's encouraging to see the church rebounding under his leadership!
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Yesterday was a good day at ONE Church in Westfield. Pastor Andy Riemersma reported in that their young congregation had the privilege of dedicating 10 babies with 186 people in attendance for this special occasion. God is on the move in Westfield!
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Pastor Lyle Breeding was able to be back in the pulpit at Bluffton Sonlight Wesleyan Church yesterday after his recovery from surgery and the Lord blessed with people lining the altars for prayer. Sonlight also celebrated another baptism. Praise God for lives being #MadeNew!
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Pastor Aldean Pablo and the team at ARISE Church in Roanoke celebrated 3 more baptisms yesterday and expect up to five more new believers will be ready to take this step in September. Praise the Lord for spiritual progress in our newest church in Allen County!
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Pastor Joe Jackson reported in that the team at United Wesleyan Church in Anderson also had a good day with two more baptisms. This has been a summer of outreach at United with a car show in July and the kickoff of their Upward soccer league on August 16.
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Some of you will know that The River Church has a campus in Chesterton lead by Andy Hammonds. They celebrated another baptism yesterday for a total of four in the past two weeks. Praise God for what He’s doing in northwest Indiana!
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Pastor Ben Jones reported in that Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church (North Liberty) had a wonderful baptism celebration on Saturday with eight people publicly professing their faith in Christ!
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And if that wasn’t exciting enough, Pastor Ben and Kirsten welcomed their second child and first son, Leo, early this morning. This handsome baby boy weighed in at 8 lb., 7 oz. and 20.5 inches tall. We extend congratulations and prayers for God’s blessing on this growing family!
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Last week’s schedule included meetings with Dr. Mark Rennaker (Kokomo Southdowns) and then Rev. Jeff Brady (Commoners Church) on Tuesday in Marion. Tuesday evening, I joined the leadership team at East Liberty Wesleyan Church (north of Decatur). Rev. Dennis Croy has accepted their invitation to serve as supply pastor for the remainder of this conference year with the possibility of accepting their call as pastor in the spring.
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Wednesday morning, I met with Rev. Cary and Cindi Sanders to explore next steps toward launching a new ministry in the Fountain Square community in downtown Indianapolis. Dr. Rich Schenck and I met in Noblesville on Wednesday afternoon for an update on the Circle of Hope network of congregations. Dr. Schenck is also providing leadership for multi-ethnic ministry projects this year. Wednesday evening, I joined the LBA at The Branch Wesleyan Church in Lafayette for a planning meeting. They have supply preachers lined up through Christmas. Pray with them as they navigate through this season of transition.
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Thursday morning, I joined Rev. Dan Fisher in Delphi for our annual coaching conversation. After fully remodeling the church, Pastor Dan has undertaken another big project in remodeling the first floor of their parsonage that is more than 120 years old. Thursday afternoon, I jumped in on the vision webinar hosted by Tony Morgan and the Unstuck Group.

Friday was another full day starting with 6:00 a.m. prayer at The River Church. Nicole Trexler, Pastor Matthew’s wife, brought the devotional encouraging us to not make prayer so complicated, but to focus on sincerity and embrace spontaneity in our conversations with God.
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My next meetings were at Wesleyan HQ in Fishers. I connected with Rev. Claudia Ruiz who is leading a three-campus network serving Richmond, Union City and Portland. I also met with Rev. Grace Lopez who has been serving as supply pastor at Monte de Sion in Indianapolis. While at headquarters, I was able to briefly observe Rev. Carla Working leading the training for all DBMD leaders in our denomination. We miss having Rev. Working on our district staff but celebrate the wider platform God has entrusted to her for our North American churches.
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Friday evening, Sherry and I were blessed to host three pastoral couples for an evening of fellowship at Thornapple. Rev. Nathan and Jenny Richardson (Indianapolis Southview), Rev. David and Marcie Shafer (North Anderson Wesleyan), and Dr. Rich & Rev. Carol Schenck (Circle of Hope network) honored us with their presence for an evening meal, laughter and prayer. Some fall and spring dates are available but slots are filling up so please reserve the time that works best for you!
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Speaking of dates, there’s still time to take your lifetime date to this year’s Married Couples’ Retreat at Fairmount Camp, September 7-10. You may register at this website:
​https://fairmountcamp.breezechms.com/form/26a0334395555415
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Please place the Follow Conference on your church’s prayer calendar. We’re believing God for a powerful move among our next generation students and their leaders. You will want to attend and bring as many teenagers as possible for this life-changing experience!​
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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

Sunday, August 20, Pastor Nathan Kingsbury and the team at Stoney Church in Detroit welcomed me to preach in their two morning services. Pastor Nate and I have known each other for almost 25 years and it was a joy to serve with him this weekend. The church is flourishing under his leadership. Nearly every seat was full for the 11 a.m. service. The Kingsbury family invited me to join them for lunch as they celebrated their son Micah’s 20th birthday. It’s wonderful to see how God is at work in and through this faithful family.
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On Sunday evening, Pastor Nate gathered the leadership cohort that he had been leading monthly for the past year as they studied the book “Lead Like Wesley.” I shared some of the lessons I’d learned from Wesley’s ministry and then answered questions from the group. I’ll wrap up my time in a meeting with the church staff on Monday morning before heading home.
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Last week, I was in Chicago for certification in StrengthsFinder coaching. Our class included people from Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Philadelphia. Organizations represented included Caterpillar, Paramount, UK Health System, and UCLA. It was a diverse group and an intense learning experience. God also provided two gracious opportunities to share my faith and pray with classmates.

Many of you will be familiar with the Gallup organization and the work of Dr. Don Clifton in developing the research that identified 34 talent themes. Talents, when developed, become strengths. Strengths, when well-utilized, yield great effectiveness and engagement. When leaders and team members know and use their strengths effectively, they enjoy greater connectedness and produce better results.

The DBA approved this certification training and strengths-based coaching as an investment in our pastors and their staff. Every lead pastor will have the opportunity to receive their free CliftonStrengths assessment this year. Then, the annual coaching conversation with the DS will be structured around how their strengths can be deployed in their ministry. I’m excited for us to be able to offer this assessment and look forward to the impact in our churches as more pastors take advantage of this resource.
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To learn more about strengths-based leadership in your ministry context, check out the book titled Living Your Strengths: Discover Your God-Given Talents and Inspire Your Community by Albert Winseman and Don Clifton. Here’s the link: ​https://a.co/jhvEXBW

I returned home on Friday in time to be with Rev. Mark Atkinson, one of our Crossroads District Circuit Riders, as he hosted Old Time Camp Meeting at Fairmount Camp. Rev. Ken Dykhoff led the singing and Rev. Gale Janofski, former pastor at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church, brought the evening message. It was a beautiful evening to gather for worshiping the Lord. I’m grateful for this ministry provided by the dedicated team that leads Fairmount Camp.
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Saturday morning, I was able to drop in at The River Church in Marion as they continue in their 21 Days of Prayer. Thank you to every pastor and congregation across our district that is purposefully moving deeper into gathered prayer. Missionary Hudson Taylor was right when he said “When we work, we work. When we pray, God works.”
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And God is working! Pastor Terry and Lennaire Vaughn can testify that God is on the move at The Bridge Urban Church in Mishawaka. They hosted their first overnighter on Friday for neighborhood children and 62 showed up. They’ve been hosting monthly “Bless Our Block” days to better engage with their immediate community. Yesterday, they welcomed more than 100 for worship with 8 new believers publicly professing their faith in Christ through baptism!

God is on the move in the student ministries at The River Church. Rev. Sam Kauerauf, youth pastor, had the privilege of baptizing four more teenager just last evening. Praise God for these young lives being #MadeNew!
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Dr. Ed Love, Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship for The Wesleyan Church, attends Hartford City Wesleyan Church with his family when he’s not traveling for the denomination. Yesterday, they welcomed their church family and friends to their pond for the special opportunity of baptizing their two oldest children, Josiah and Jennah. Praise God for the legacy of faith that is being passed on in this family!
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Speaking of the next generation, thank you in advance for your prayers on behalf of the Follow Conference coming up in just over four months, December 28-30. Plan to attend and bring as many teenagers from your church as possible for this life-changing experience!

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

​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

​Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, August 13, Pastor Marc and Heather Ulrich welcomed me to bring greetings from our district team to the growing fellowship at ReThink Church in Merrillville, our most northwesterly congregation. This church was planted in 2016 and averaged 80 in worship last year with six professions of faith. The ReThink team is ministering in a community that has often been labeled as “gospel-resistant” but their faithful, persistent witness is bearing fruit.
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We had the joy of witnessing baptism of a young father and Pastor Marc preached a strong challenge for us to follow Christ reaching people “on the other side.” Following the service, I had the privilege of hosting the Ulrich family for lunch. Pastor Marc and Heather both serve in the public school system as well as ministering at ReThink. They’re also the proud parents of two young men, Shad and Carson, who have made an impact serving alongside their parents in this new church.

On my way to Merrillville, I took a quick detour through Chesterton to check in on our team serving at The River campus. Campus pastor Andy Hammonds shared about the effective back-to-school outreach the church hosted on Saturday. Sonny and Cody, Andy’s sons, were helping with the worship team. I first got to know Sonny (pictured in the middle) when he was still a student in the class I taught at IWU so it was fun to see how he’s jumped in to make a difference in planting this campus.
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Last week was the the first week of this summer’s 21 Days of Prayer. I was able to connect with three of our churches in person. On Monday evening, I joined Pastor Zach Working and the team at Huntington Hope Rising Church.
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Tuesday morning, I joined Pastor Matthew Trexler and his team at The River Church in Marion for their 6:00 a.m. prayer gathering.
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Saturday morning, I joined Dr. Chris Williams and his team at Lakeview Wesleyan Church for their prayer service at 9:00 a.m. This week was a good reminder that it doesn’t matter what time of day or how many people gather, the church is at her best when she prays!
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I enjoyed fellowship over a meal with Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our General Superintendent, on Monday evening, with Dr. David and Angie Smith on Tuesday evening, and with Rev. Naomi and Alex Small on Wednesday evening. I was in Lafayette to meet with the LBA at The Branch as they move into a season of pastoral transition. After the LBA meeting, I caught up with Alex and Naomi as they hosted a back-to-school kickoff with the youth group.
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Coaching conversations last week included Rev. Tim Becker (Elwood Main Street Wesleyan) on Tuesday, and with Rev. Brent Miller (Gas City Southside) and Rev. Joe Park (Lafayette Evergreen) on Wednesday. Then, on Thursday, I caught up with Dr. David Wright and Dr. Judy Crossman to present their retirement awards from district conference.
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You may already know this but church planters are my heroes. Last week, Rev. Mike Hewitt (our champion for church planters) and Rev. Matthew Trexler (District Treasurer) joined me in spending time with Rev. Cary Sanders as we pray about another new church plant in Indiana. The Crossroads District is blessed with so many amazing team members!
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Thank you for praying for our little ones! Simon Hines arrived home safely on Friday after his successful heart surgery, much to the joy of Petra and his parents.
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Eden, our granddaughter, returned home from her heart surgery on Sunday. All of these parents and grandparents are grateful for the many prayers and expressions of love!
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God is on the move and here is another example of what happens when we pray. This report comes in from Pastor David Cox in Laketon: “Some great things to report from Laketon, we started a new series titled ‘Revival Fire’ we had commitments from the entire congregation to pray for revival. We have had 6 baptisms in the last two weeks, last Sunday we had one young man walk in and tell us he needed a life change and came forward and accepted Christ, the altar was full with others seeking recommitments…'” Below is a picture from one of the three baptisms on this Sunday.
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God is also on the move in our Hispanic churches! Rev. Claudia Ruiz, Rev. Joe Schmit, and Rev. John Hannan baptized two new believers from the Casa network of churches on Saturday at a combined church picnic. Praise God for these lives #MadeNew!
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Pastor Scott McDermid and the team at Sheridan Six Points are celebrating as another teenager, the third in three weeks, publicly professed faith in Christ through baptism!
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Pastor Tony Bye and the team at Brookhaven Wesleyan in Marion had a wonderful evening of celebration on Sunday with six baptisms! Praise God for lives being transformed by the Gospel!
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Don’t forget that this is the week for Old Time Camp Meeting at Fairmount Camp. Rev. Gale Janofski will be preaching and Rev. Ken Dykhoff will lead the hymn sings. Services are held each evening, 6 p.m., August 16-20, and all are welcome!
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​https://www.fairmountcamp.org/old-time-camp-meeting.html

Thank you for praying with us for the Follow Conference this December. You will want to attend and bring as many teenagers as possible for this life-changing experience!
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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

P.S. I will be in Chicago this week (Monday through Friday) for training and coaching certification in the Clifton StrengthsFinder resources. Michael Wood (Woody), our district administrator, will be available to you and can contact me in case of emergencies.

Sunday, August 6, Rev. Theo Griffin and the team at Greenfield Brown's Chapel Wesleyan Church welcomed me to bring greetings from our district team and to preach the morning message. After the service, I enjoyed the opportunity to connect with members of their board.
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​This has been an encouraging season of ministry at Brown's Chapel. Their summer sports camp has grown from 40 children in year 1, to more than 70 in this third year. The church has seen miraculous answers and financial blessing in response to a dedicated team of prayer warriors. It was a special treat to meet Jason, the Griffin's first grandchild, who was making his first visit at Brown's Chapel.
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Sunday evening, I joined Pastor Mike and Elizabeth Weller for the service with Restoration Church in downtown Anderson. Each month during the summer, Restoration Church hosts their service in the park next door to their regular meeting space. A good group gathered last evening in spite of uncertain weather. Pastor Mike and Elizabeth are making a difference in the inner city while they both work other jobs to support this ministry. Please keep Restoration Church in your prayers!

​Last week's schedule included a wide-variety of appointments and ministry opportunities. On Monday, I joined Dr. Chris Williams, Assistant DS, for an online debrief from our district conference, before heading to a meeting at Taylor University, and then wrapping up the day at Central Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis. The last meeting was the most surprising. The leaders at Central Wesleyan voted to close and move together as a congregation to become part of an ultra-conservative holiness church in the area. I'll be working with our DBA to make plans for a new ministry serving the mission field in the Fountain Square neighborhood.

Tuesday included coaching conversations in Marion and connections with two prospective church planters. Pray that God will continue to send laborers into His harvest.
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Wednesday, I was in Kokomo for two meetings concerning a leadership transition at The Branch in Lafayette. Rev. Phil Carder announced his resignation on Sunday (August 6) and will conclude his service to The Branch early in September. I'll be meeting with the LBA this Wednesday to work on the transition and a pastoral search process.

​Wednesday afternoon, I met with Rev. Nate Thomas who continues to be active in a ministry to motorcyclists. He was packing for a quick ride to Louisiana for a special church service. Pastor Nate brings a whole new meaning to the concept of circuit rider.

​Wednesday evening, I met with the LBA at New Castle Memorial Wesleyan Church as they prepared to interview a candidate to become their new lead pastor. The team has been diligent in their search process because Dr. Joe Harmon has been such a blessing to the church in his interim ministry. They did vote unanimously to recommend the candidate and we anticipate an exciting announcement in the near future. Please keep Dr. Harmon in your prayers for his continuing health concerns and an upcoming surgery.
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My last stop of the day was in Ingalls where Pastor Scott Rhyno and the congregation of Waterline Church had gathered for an evening of praise and prayer. They were meeting in the unfinished warehouse space that will rent and build out for their future growth. There was a strong turnout for this midweek service which included powerful testimonies and baptisms.

Thursday morning, I had the honor of welcoming and praying for the leadership cohort that Rev. Carla Working (chair of our DBMD and Director of Clergy Care for The Wesleyan Church) is leading this year for women in ministry in our district. This a growing group that will be meeting once each month for leadership development, encouragement, fellowship, and prayer.
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​Thursday afternoon, I was blessed to connect with Rev. Dr. Tim Kellerman, who leads the Church of the Nazarene here in northeast Indiana. It was inspiring to hear his story of effective local church leadership and how God is now blessing his ministry as district superintendent.

Later in the afternoon, I drove to Ann Arbor (Michigan) to check in on Eden, our youngest granddaughter, who is recovering from open heart surgery. It was good to be with Eden and her parents for a visit that evening and again on Friday. Thank you for the many prayers that have been extended to Eden and our family.

May I encourage you to also be praying for Simon, son of Rev. Emily and Rev. David Hines, who will be undergoing a similar surgery on Wednesday morning, August 8. While we all are grateful for the amazing advances of medical technology, our faith rests in the Great Physician, the source of all healing.
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Pastor Brent Miller and the team at Gas City Southside Church had an all-church camping weekend cut short by the weather. They were not discouraged but quickly moved their meals and activities back to their facility. I celebrate the creativity and resiliency of our pastors!
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Nothing brings greater joy than to hear stories of life transformation from our district churches. Pastor Paul Van Cise and Bryant Wesleyan celebrated two baptisms this weekend.
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Dr. Steve DeNeff and the team at College Wesleyan Church celebrated two more baptisms this past Sunday.
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​Pastor Josh Fox and the team at Hartford City Wesleyan Church celebrated five baptisms. This was extra special for Pastor Josh as his two oldest children were baptized.

​Pastor Scott Rhyno and the team at Waterline Church celebrated five baptisms on Wednesday evening at their new gathering space.

​Pastor Matthew Trexler and the team at The River Church in Marion celebrated 12 more baptisms on Sunday. They've baptized 70 new believers so far in this calendar year.

​Praise the Lord for these reports of spiritual victories across our district in churches both older and newer, larger and smaller. God is on the move and lives are being #MadeNew!

Our prayers and condolences are extended to Rev. Chris Taylor, pastor of Plymouth Wesleyan Church, on the passing of his father on Friday afternoon. He had just been placed in hospice care and Rev. Taylor was able to make it home in time to be with him before he passed.

Today marks Day #2 for the 21 Days of Prayer focus that several of our district churches are leading. Dr. Chris Williams reported that Lakeview Wesleyan Church had 41 people gather at 6:00 this morning. If you'd like to participate online, Church of Highlands livestreams their prayer service through their app and website at 7:00 a.m.
https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/

​Please pray with us for the Follow Conference this December. I encourage you to attend and bring as many teenagers as possible for this life-changing experience!

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

​Crossroads District Superintendent