Sunday morning, September 24, I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Don Bayne and the team at New Carlisle Wesleyan Church. New Carlisle is a bedroom community just to the west of South Bend. Pastor Don has served this healthy congregation since 1995. Assistant Pastor Andrew Colaw leads worship and the youth ministry. The youth ministry is rebounding under Andy’s leadership with 25 students attending just this past Saturday.
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Following the service and a brief meeting with the Local Board of Administration, I hosted Pastor Don and Karen, his wife, and Ty, their son for lunch. I’m grateful for the many ways that Rev. Bayne has served in our Crossroads District team over the years and how he continues to provide strong leadership to this important ministry.
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Sunday evening, I was blessed to represent our district for the installation service of Rev. Ed Friberg at Shiloh Wesleyan Church. Pastor Ed had previously served at Plymouth Wesleyan Church but accepted the call to Shiloh Wesleyan earlier this summer. The ministry is off to a strong start with 8 baptisms this month. I’m excited to see what God has in store for the future!
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Last week’s schedule included dropping in to check on Rev. Matthew Trexler’s leadership cohort at The River Church in Marion. Pastor Matthew has been leading a monthly morning group for the past 2 years and agreed to open an afternoon group this year. The two groups overlap for a fellowship over the noon meal. “Iron sharpens iron!”
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Monday evening, I joined my friend Dr. Keith Loy at Taylor University for a special pre-screening of Ordinary Angels, a new inspirational film starring Hillary Swank.” The film is based on a true story from the ministry of Rev. Dave Stone at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville. Kevin Downes, the producer of “Jesus Revolution” and this new movie, was present to introduce the project and answer questions from the film school students after the screening. The film is scheduled to be released in February.

I was back on the road Tuesday for coaching conversations. My first stop was with Rev. Chris Taylor, our new pastor at Plymouth Wesleyan Church. Rev. Jarod Osborne, pastor of Pathway Wesleyan Church in Warsaw, was my second stop. Rev. Martin Furrow, pastor of The Cross Wesleyan Church in Rochester was my final stop of the day. This was the first day of coaching conversations based on the CliftonStrengths assessment and the book “Living Your Strengths” that we’re providing for every lead pastor this year.

Wednesday morning, I met with Assistant DS Dr. Chris Williams in preparation for the six weeks that I’ll be away on sabbatical (October 15 – November 30). I appreciate Dr. Williams’ leadership at Lakeview Wesleyan Church and his willingness to go the second mile in serving our district in this important role. Dr. Williams also leads our impactful church coaching initiative called “Next Level Experience” which will be offered again this fall (November 11).

Wednesday evening, I was in Lafayette to meet briefly with the LBA at The Branch as they manage through this time of pastoral transition. I am grateful to Allan Conley who provides effective lay leadership and to Rev. Naomi and Alex Small who serve respectively with children and youth. In addition to the normal operations, the LBA has also started planning for the church’s 100th anniversary celebration next spring. Dr. Aaron Perry and Rev. Shannon Rodgers have been assisting the church with pulpit supply. The LBA plans to begin the pastoral search process in January.
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On the way back from Lafayette, I dropped in on Pastor Johnnie Blair and his team at Tipton Trinity Wesleyan Church who are engaged in a facility planning process. They are looking at creative ways to utilize current space and options for expanding their worship capacity.
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I took Thursday as a day off and then, on Friday, I was in Indianapolis to connect with Rev. Cary and Cindi Sanders as they work on planting The Fountain Church in downtown Indy. Saturday morning, I connected with two of my heroes, Rev. Grace and Rev. Neftali Lopez in Fishers, where Neftali is the general manager for a new restaurant, Ali’i Poke. Grace leads our FLAMA courses for Hispanic leaders and has also been helping at Monte De Sion. In addition to working as a part-time chaplain for IWU, and working on his doctoral degree with Liberty University, Neftali serves as a circuit rider with our Crossroads District Hispanic churches.
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We celebrate every time someone takes the step of obedience to publicly profess their faith in Christ. Often, these are younger people in our congregation but occasionally someone receives Christ later in life. In addition to the six more baptisms just this past Sunday at Sheridan Six Points Church, Rev. Scott McDermid had the joy of baptizing Rex, an 89-year-old gentleman, on the previous Sunday. As Pastor Scott wrote, “It’s never too late to say YES to Jesus!”
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Pastor Andy Jellison and the team at Lifeway Church in Fort Wayne had another successful VBS this summer with 9 first-time commitments to Christ. On Sunday, Pastor Andy baptized one of those new believers with more to be baptized later this fall. Praise God for lives being #MadeNew!
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The Encounter Assembly on the east side of Indianapolis is led by Rev. Dr. Craig Thurmon. Dr. Thurmon also serves as our Crossroads District Secretary and member of the DBA executive team. He passed along the exciting news that their church celebrated six baptisms on Sunday. Included among those six was Cayden Thurmon, son of Pastor Craig and Tiffany!
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I’m looking forward to hosting our retired ministers and their spouses for our annual fall fellowship on October 6, 10:00 a.m., at College Wesleyan Church. Dr. Joe Harmon will be our guest speaker for this delightful time together. If you’ve not yet reserved your place, you may RSVP by emailing [email protected] or calling the district office at 765-674-8593.
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Rev. C.K. Chitty is leading our Crossroads District Senior Adult Ministry (SAM). He and his team have planned a special event on December 1st at the Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis for our seniors. Here’s the link to register:
​https://crossroadsdistrict.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1933896

Please keep the Follow Conference on your church’s prayer calendar. Would you encourage your congregation to pray for a powerful move of God among our next-generation students and their leaders? Plan to join us and bring as many teenagers and young adults as possible to this life-changing experience!
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Please save the date and begin making plans to join us for the 2024 Heartland Gathering in Pigeon Forge, TN, on April 2-5. The DBA has approved one $300 scholarship for each church to help cover the majority of the registration cost. More information and registration is coming soon.
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Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte
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Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, September 17, Sherry and I had the joy of worshiping with Pastor Andy & Elicia Cole and the team at Lapel Daybreak Community Church on their 25th anniversary. The special service included 3 baptisms and was followed by a fellowship meal. I was welcomed to bring greetings and special remarks on behalf of our Crossroads District team.

Rev. Richard and Debbie Cole founded the church back in 1998 while Richard was still working full-time at General Motors. The church has witnessed more than 500 conversions, more than 200 baptisms, and more than 20 people who have answered God's call to missions or ministry. The church has lived through some challenges and is excited for the next 25 years of making disciples in Lapel and beyond. Congratulations!
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Sunday evening, I dropped in on Pastor Jerome Bell and the team at Autumn Hills Church in Pendleton. They hosted a "Back to Church" event for the community with a great team of volunteers serving the meals and welcoming new families.

Last week's schedule included a day on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University hosted by Dr. Jim Lo. Dr. Lo invited me to present to two of his classes and Dr. Jonathan Morgan was also gracious in allowing me to connect with students in his class. 
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This was also Summit Week at IWU so I was able to attend chapel with Dr. Lo and his students on Tuesday and then returned on Wednesday evening for the closing rally. God powerfully ministered through the preaching of Rev. Mick Veach, pastor of Kentwood Community Church. Altars were lined in response to Mick's challenge of answering God's call to missions and ministry. Pray for our IWU leadership and faculty members, especially those in the School of Theology and Ministry!
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Our Crossroads District Board of Administration (DBA) met on Thursday at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. Thank you to Dr. Chris Williams and his staff for their gracious hospitality. Your DBA handles a wide variety of business on behalf of the district conference. We approved property improvement grant proposals and also approved a $300 scholarship (1 per church) to assist pastors in attending the Heartland Gathering coming this April 2-5.
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Nothing is more exciting for the DBA than commissioning new church planters. We welcomed Rev. Cary and Cindi Sanders (and Grace, their 11-year-old daughter) who have accepted the challenge of launching a new Wesleyan ministry in the Fountain Square neighborhood of Indianapolis utilizing the sanctuary and parsonage of the former Central Wesleyan Church congregation.

​Fountain Church, a Wesleyan ministry, will focus on this diverse zip code where nearly 40,000 people live, many of them without any religious affiliation. If you and your church would be interested in investing prayers, service, or matching gifts from your Multiplication Fund (1%), Pastor Cary would be delighted to connect with you.
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I met with Dr. Tim Kellerman, DS for the NorthEast Indiana District of The Church of the Nazarene, over breakfast on Friday. Dr. Tim has been an effective pastor for many years and is off to a great start in his new assignment as DS. I'm grateful for his friendship and prayers.

​Friday evening, Sherry and I hosted another amazing group of Crossroads pastors and their spouses in our home for food, fun, and fellowship. There's something very special about the camaraderie of people who have answered the call to serve Christ and His Church. There are still a few more evenings set aside for this conference year and we'd love to have you join us.
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Praise God for the many signs that He is moving across our district family. Way City Church, in Speedway, is one of our newest congregations. This past Sunday, Rev. John Miller and the Way City Church baptized five new believers, two of whom were Pastor John's own children!

Greenfield Brown's Chapel Wesleyan Church hosted their annual "Back to Church Sunday." In addition to welcoming 15 first-time guests, and praying with four people who wanted to receive Christ, Rev. Theo Griffin had the joy of baptizing three new believers on this special occasion!
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​We're always excited to celebrate lives being #MadeNew here in the Crossroads District but we also rejoice when we hear from our district missionaries who are serving around the globe. Last week we received this note and photograph from Rev. Matt and Caryl Aukerman in Albania:
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"Each week I look forward to reading the district update to keep up to date on some of what's happening back in Indiana. I always look forward to seeing reports of baptisms in our district churches and join in celebrating how God is at work. I just wanted to share the good news that we had the opportunity to baptize three Albanian Christ-followers yesterday here in Durres, Albania, where Caryl and I have been serving with Global Partners for nearly 17 years."

Rev. Titus and Jewel Romdenh (missionaries from our Brookhaven Wesleyan Church) shared this picture from a recent baptism in Cambodia where they serve under appointment with World Gospel Mission. The T-shirts have the words "Made New" in both English and Khmer.
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​Praise God for precious lives being #MadeNew here in Indiana and around the world! (Please send photos and notes from your baptism services to praise God and encourage the team.)
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Please keep the Follow Conference on your church’s prayer calendar. Would you encourage your congregation to pray for a powerful move of God among our next-generation students and their leaders? Plan to join us and bring as many teenagers and young adults as possible to this life-changing experience!

It’s not too soon to save the date and begin making plans to join us for the 2024 Heartland Gathering in Pigeon Forge, TN, on April 2-5.
​

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte
​
Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, September 10, Rev. Jim Weinmann and the team at Evanston Avenue Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis welcomed me to bring greetings in their morning service. Pastor Jim and Angie, his wife, have deep roots in this community. Jim has lived in this neighborhood of Indy for 48 years and has served as pastor at Evanston Avenue for the past 28 years. In addition to pastoring the church, Jim works at Wesleyan HQ as the Assistant Director of Operations for the Wesleyan Pension Fund.
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In his spare time, Jim serves as a volunteer chaplain with the Lawrence Police Department which includes a monthly ride-along with patrol. The church hosted an appreciation cookout for first responders, both police and firefighters, on Saturday, September 9, with more than 30 officers stopping by for the free lunch and to connect with neighbors.
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On the way to Evanston Avenue, I was able to drop in on Pastor Barry Dixon and the team at the Calvary Family Church for their 9 a.m. worship service. Rev. Barry and Rev. Joyce Dixon have been faithfully serving the people of Calvary for 14 years. It’s always a joy to experience their worship service and to hear Pastor Barry preach the Word.
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Sunday evening, I joined Pastor Jon Noggle at Elwood Central Wesleyan Church for a congregational meeting. The congregation has experienced some unique challenges over the past few years. They are looking forward to a vision planning retreat on Saturday, October 7.

After enjoying a break for Labor Day, I was back on the road for coaching conversations on Tuesday. Rev. Tim Witte and I met in Marion at Lola’s Coffee Shop for a chance to catch up as he leads the revitalization project at Nelson Street Wesleyan Church. Pastor Tim was on his way to spend the day recruiting ministry interns and resident pastors at Indiana Wesleyan University so he had a special shirt made for the occasion.
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My next stop was in Indianapolis. I was able to drop in on the staff meeting that Pastor Mike and Leslie Colaw were leading at Trinity Wesleyan Church. They are also ramping up their commitment to providing residency and internship opportunities at Trinity. After the staff meeting, Pastor Mike and I caught up on some of his ministry adventures. Mike is on the home stretch for completing his Doctor of Ministry degree with Wesley Seminary. He also represents our Crossroads District as a member of the Board of Trustees for Indiana Wesleyan University.
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My last stop on Tuesday was with Rev. Allen Gross, pastor of United Family Wesleyan Church in Cicero. In addition to leading the church, Pastor Allen serves as a supply teacher in the community schools and was the featured speaker at this year’s Frankfort Camp Men’s Retreat.

Wednesday morning, I met with Rev. Josh Fox, our pastor at Hartford City Wesleyan Church. Pastor Josh and his family joined us from New England last year and are off to a strong start at HCWC. Candace, his wife and an RN, has roots in the Gas City Eastview Church.

Wednesday afternoon, I met with Rev. Michelle Henry. In addition to serving on Rev. Tony Bye’s staff at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church, Rev. Henry serves as champion and coach for children’s ministry directors in our district. It was exciting to hear about her plans for a children’s ministry leaders workshop coming up in the spring. Stay tuned for details.

Wednesday evening, I worshiped with Rev. Claudia Ruiz and the congregation of Casa del Alfarero in Richmond. Pastor Claudia leads the ministry at this location while also serving the Casa del Oracion campus in Union City and the new Casa del Esperanza campus in Portland.
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One of the keys to Rev. Ruiz’s effective ministry is raising up and empowering other leaders. This is PreacHer month in The Wesleyan Church, so I asked Pastor Claudia for this photo of the women in ministry at Casa del Alfarero who are taking FLAMA classes and being developed under her leadership.

Rev. Carla Working, our DBMD chair, and monthly cohort meeting of women in ministry that she’s leading invited me to join them for lunch in Marion. Following our luncheon, I joined Rev. Kalina Carlson and Michael Wood for our district staff meeting. My last stop of the day was in Anderson for the initial meeting of a team exploring a Habitat for Missions project. Rev. Wayne Richards does a wonderful job of leading this ministry. Pastor Joe Jackson and several pastors from the Anderson area are looking at the possibility of partnering to do a house rehab and flip project in the coming year to raise money for missions.
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Friday included a DBMD preparation meeting with Rev. Carla Working in Huntington. Many of you may know that Rev. Working is now serving at Wesleyan HQ as the Director of Clergy Care and Development. We’re grateful that she continues to lead the Crossroads District Board of Ministerial Development. While she was still working in our district office, Rev. Working accepted the invitation to preach at North Anderson Wesleyan Church. Pastor David Shafer and several of their team members had special shirts printed to show their support.
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Friday evening, I dropped by Fairmount Camp to check in on some of our friends attending the Married Couples Retreat. The friends in this photo came from Lafayette The Branch, Marion Brookhaven, and Sweetser Wesleyan Church. Thank you to the leadership of Fairmount Camp for offering this impactful ministry!
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This week, we received the best news of all from several of our churches who celebrated baptisms! Rev. Dan Van Cise and the team at Marion West 8th Street are rejoicing with two decisions for Christ last moth and one baptism!
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Pastor Michael Henry and the team at Fort Wayne Level 13 celebrated another baptism this past Sunday.
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Pastor Andy Riemersma and the team at ONE Church in Westfield are celebrating more changed lives with five baptisms this past weekend. That makes 18 people since ONE Church launched!
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Praise God for these lives being #MadeNew! (Please send along photos and notes from your baptism services to give God praise and to encourage the team.)

It’s not too soon to save the date and begin making plans to join us for the 2024 Heartland Gathering in Pigeon Forge, TN, on April 2-5.
​

Please keep the Follow Conference on your church’s prayer calendar. Would you encourage your congregation to pray for a powerful move of God among our next-generation students and their leaders? Plan to join us and bring as many teenagers and young adults as possible to 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, September 3, I joined the team at Tipton Trinity Wesleyan Church as they welcomed Pastor Johnnie Blair home from his sabbatical. The auditorium and parking lot were filled to capacity and the congregation welcomed Rev. Blair home with a standing ovation.
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It is always good to be at Trinity to catch up with friends like Maxine Robinson, Bev Hudson (former DBA member), Michael Wood (Woody) who is also a member of the Trinity staff, and Mr. Ken Ehman who was elected as a member of our Crossroads District Board of Administration this summer.

I made it over to The River Church in Marion in time to hear my friend Dr. John Ott preach in their third service. Pastor John played a key role in Pastor Matthew Trexler’s life beginning as a mentor while serving together at Roanoke Parkway Church. When Pastor Trexler stepped out to plant The River Church, Dr. Ott and the team at Parkway Church invested financially to make the dream a reality. Pastor John continues to be a mentor and prayer partner to this day. It was inspiring to see this well-deserved honor and appreciation extended to Dr. Ott.

Last week was a mix of emotions. We were saddened to receive word on Tuesday that Rev. Logan Westrick, former pastor at Ash Street Wesleyan in Tipton, had passed away. His funeral service was held in Ohio on Saturday. Our condolences and prayers are extended to Mrs. Nancy Westrick, his widow, and the family he loved so well.

Friday evening, I joined the family and friends of Rev. Richard Cole who gathered to celebrate his 70th birthday. Though semi-retired, Rev. Cole continues to serve actively at Daybreak Community Church in Lapel, the congregation that he and Debbie planted 25 years ago.

Saturday afternoon, I joined the family and friends to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of Rev. and Mrs. Duane Summitt at Fishersburg Wesleyan Church. Pastor Duane and Cindy are pictured here with some of their grandchildren.
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The Wesleyan Church is celebrating PreacHer Sunday this month. Pastor Aldean Pablo may have the record for bringing his guest speaker the farthest. Rev. Alfel Pablo, Aldean’s mother, was visiting from the Philippines and preached at ARISE Church in Roanoke on Sunday.
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The best celebration in the life of the church are baptisms when people publicly profess their trust in Christ! Pastor Gawin Anderson and the team at Divine Direction in Indianapolis celebrated two baptisms this past Sunday. Praise the Lord!
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Monte de Sion Iglesia Wesleyana celebrated six baptisms at their church picnic last weekend. Special thanks to Rev. Grace Lopez for providing leadership as the supply pastor this summer.
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Rev. Terry and Lennaire Vaughn have been leading The Bridge Urban Church in monthly neighborhood outreach events called “Bless the Bloc” in their new location in Mishawaka. This past weekend they celebrated four baptisms! Praise God for lives being #MadeNew!
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This is the weekend for the 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 keep the Follow Conference on your church’s prayer calendar. Pray for a powerful move of God 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!
​
​Your servant in Christ,

​Mark Gorveatte

​Crossroads District Superintendent