What an amazing day at Cultivate Church in LaOtto as Pastor Aaron Lee and his team hosted their 175th anniversary event. The beautiful service began with video greetings from Dr. Lyon and a video highlighting the core values of the church woven through its history. What an amazing legacy!
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This compassionate congregation helped hundreds of slaves escape north through the Underground Railroad and continues to be a beacon of hope for their community. Many guests were present including Rev. Lois and Rev. Jim Watkins who served the church for a decade and led the church through its largest building program (completed debt-free). It was an honor to bring greetings from our district team and to share the message from God’s Word. Pastor Lee closed the service with communion and a blessing. Following the service, we gathered for the group photo and enjoyed a fellowship meal.
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Our monthly leadership development cohorts led by Dr. Chris Williams (Assistant DS) and Rev. Matthew Trexler met together at The River on Monday. Rev. Yunio Gonzalez, national superintendent of The Wesleyan Church in Cuba, shared an encouraging update from the move of God in his country.
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Last week’s calendar included stops in Lafayette on Wednesday and Anderson on Thursday for our new “Lunch and Learn” gatherings with pastors. We provide free lunch and free books. The pastors provide great fellowship and their shared wisdom from their learning experiences. The discussion for this round was focused on leading change. The upcoming round will focus on pastors as shepherds. There’s still time to sign up for the upcoming sessions at a convenient time and location near you.
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It’s been a few years since we offered ReEquip, a one-day training event for pastors and lay leaders. Pastor Noah Farmer and the team at Gas City Eastview Church graciously opened their doors for more than 80 leaders from across the district on Saturday. We enjoyed workshops on church finances, AI in ministry, youth outreach, and children’s ministry.
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Our largest group came for the workshop led by Assistant DS Grace Lopez and Dr. Norman Wilson. Thank you to every presenter and to each leader who took time from their weekend to invest in their church. When leaders get better, everyone is blessed!
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Pastor Scott and the team at Waterline Church celebrated four more baptisms on Sunday. Every baptism is special, but nothing is more precious to a minister than baptizing their own children. Dr. Joe Harmon attends Waterline when he’s not on the road preaching as one of our district “Circuit Riders.” He was in his home church this Sunday and had the privilege of baptizing his son and daughter-in-law!
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Pastor Paul Van Cise and the wonderful congregation at Bryant Wesleyan Church are rejoicing with 10 baptisms yesterday. They held the baptism service in the community park with around 85 people gathering for this celebration of lives being #MadeNew!
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Rev. Steve Arnett and the team at Mt. Zion Wesleyan Church in New Castle had a record-breaking celebration with 18 baptisms yesterday. More than 200 people gathered one hour early for the baptism service and then stayed for worship. Pastor Steve reports: “God is moving in a powerful way at MZ! We have been inundated with new families with so many kids!” Praise the Lord!

Rev. Nicholas Hect and the team at Tipton Trinity also had an amazing baptism celebration at the close of their morning worship service. They already had 10 people scheduled to be baptized and then two more new believers stepped out to follow Christ in this step of public testimony. Worship attendance has been trending upward with 275 gathering yesterday. God is on the move in Tipton!
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Pastor Noah Farmer and the team at Eastview Wesleyan Church have seen a number of children come to the Lord this year under the leadership of Assistant Pastor Maddie Delgado. They baptized 6 yesterday for a total of 9 young people this month alone. Praise the Lord!
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Our last two churches in the pastoral search process, Chapel Pike Wesleyan (Marion) and Community Life Church (Mt. Etna), are sharing exciting news. Rev. Michael Hofer has accepted the call to pastor Chapel Pike and Rev. Jorden Green accepted the call to pastor Community Life. Jorden and his family currently live in Indianapolis but will be moving to Mt. Etna as soon as possible. Pastor Hofer and his family have been serving in Georgia so they’ll have a longer move. Please keep both of these families and congregations in your prayers as they begin a new season of ministry together.
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Rev. C.K. Chitty and the team at our Crossroads District Senior Adult Ministry (SAM) are inviting you to join them for their Christmas fellowship at Beef & Boards on December 5. If you’re retirement age, they’d love to have you come along. This will be my first time to join them and I can’t wait to see Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” performed live. Here’s the link for more information and registration:
​https://crossroadsdistrict.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2957874
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​Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

​​P.S. – The Wesleyan Church is hosting a regional youth event in Grand Rapids on Friday and Saturday, October 24-25. Our own Andy Riemersma is one of the featured artists. For more information, here’s the link:
​https://wesleyan.org/empoweredtour2025

​​This Saturday, September 27, at Eastview Wesleyan Church in Gas City! You’ve got questions, they’ve got answers! Are you a treasurer with ministerial tax questions, a youth or children’s worker eager to level up, a pastor who is interested in AI tools, or a lay leader who would like to see their church can become more impactful? Then Re-Equip is for you!
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Sunday, September 21, Pastor Andy Riemersma and the team at ONE Church in Westfield gathered for worship at the YMCA. Attendance has been running around 170 in the past few weeks and today was a special celebration with 3 baptisms. That makes 50 new believers baptized since this new church launched back in 2022. It was encouraging to worship with this young congregation in the 9 a.m. service. Michael Wood, our District Administrator, serves on the lead team here and I was able to catch him in action running sound today.
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Pastor Scott Rhyno and his team at Waterline Church in Pendleton offer two morning worship services so I was able to drop in on their 11 a.m. worship service. Attendance at Waterline is averaging over 150 since they’ve moved into their permanent facility and they’ve had first-time guests every Sunday in this new space. One of the most encouraging notes from this visit was learning that they have more than 100 people involved in a small group. Pastor Scott referenced that the baptism tank was left up because they have more baptisms coming soon!
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Monday, many of our district pastors gathered for the homegoing celebration for Rev. William Kinnan, Sr. Pastor Bill gave a lifetime of service to the ministry in The Wesleyan Church, including serving for more than a decade as District Superintendent in the former East Michigan District. Please remember to pray for June, Bill’s beloved wife, and their family.
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Michael Wood and I hosted a “Lunch & Learn” for our Indianapolis pastors at Portillo’s in Fishers on Tuesday. Our focus this month has been on leading change. This week we’ll be hosting “Lunch & Learn” in Lafayette on Wednesday and in Anderson on Thursday. There still time to RSVP for great fellowship, a free lunch, and a free book.
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The Crossroads District Board of Administration met in Marion on Thursday afternoon. Dr. Wayne Schmidt, General Superintendent, joined us to lead the board in a discussion of the district superintendent transition process. A communication will go directly to the pastors later this week. Please keep the DBA in prayer as they seek God’s wisdom and prepare to present a nominee to our district conference delegates in June.
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Our churches have busy doing community outreach events as we move into the fall. I was able to check in on two teams Saturday. Pastor Matthew Trexler and the team at The River Church partnered with Convoy of Hope to distribute groceries to hundreds of people in Marion. Special thanks to the dozens of volunteers who pitched in to serve at this outreach.
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Pastor Jerome Bell and the team at Autumn Hills Church in Pendleton hosted a Fall Fest for their neighbors on Saturday afternoon. It was fun to connect with the team who hosted more than 100 guests for games, food, and fellowship. You may have to look closely but Pastor Jerome is showing his OSU team loyalty with this grilling tool.
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Pastor Ed Friberg and the team at Shiloh Wesleyan Church (near Plymouth) are rejoicing with another teenager publicly professing faith in Christ through water baptism. Praise God for lives being #MadeNew!

Pastor Zack Working and his team at Hope Rising Church in Huntington also celebrated baptisms today. Two young adults went public with their faith in their morning worship service. Thank the Lord for lives being changed by the Gospel!
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​Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

​P.S. – The Wesleyan Church is hosting regional youth events this fall with the closest one coming to Grand Rapids on Friday and Saturday, October 24-25. Our own Andy Riemersma is one of the featured artists. For more information, here’s the link:
​https://wesleyan.org/empoweredtour2025

Sunday morning, September 14, Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church welcomed Rev. Michael Hofer as their guest speaker. The church was nearly full and the sung worship was inspiring. Rev. Hofer brought a challenging message on “Patience” from Galatians 5. I was on hand to bring greetings from the district. It was good to reconnect with retired pastor Rev. Steve Colter who continues to stay active in ministry. The congregation has been blessed by Rev. Mike Helvie who continues to serve as supply pastor during this pastoral search season.
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Last week included our first two “Lunch & Learn” connections. We had a great time with the Marion area pastors on Wednesday. We took time to catch up on the stories of how God is working in our churches and then focused in on leading change. We also enjoyed a delicious meal and lots of laughter!
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We hosted the Fort Wayne area “Lunch and Learn” on Thursday. In addition to free lunch, we also have a free book for each participant. Our conversation on change was supplemented with Doug Paul’s insights in “Kingdom Innovation.” I’ll be hosting our next “L&L” in Indianapolis on Tuesday and then in Plymouth on Wednesday. We cap the group at 8 but there are still a few open seats at these locations. Pastors can RSVP by reaching out to Michael Wood.
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Thursday afternoon, after the “Lunch and Learn,” I met with Rev. David and Carol Leitzel. They were excited to share the news about a prospective assistant pastor to join their team as part of a succession plan. They were also happy to share that they’re purchasing a home of their own. Hamilton has enjoyed a summer of spiritual victories with two more baptisms just this past weekend!
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Saturday, Pastor Michael Hewitt welcomed me to join the party at Rising Hope Church as they cut the ribbon for the grand opening of their community center. This center is a one-of-a-kind pool facility with tables from as far away as China. Special guest at the ribbon-cutting event included Muncie Mayor Ridenour and two world-ranked pool players. Pastor Mike has a long-term record of leveraging these games to reach people for Christ in person and online.
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This time last year Waterline Church was holding their “Grand Opening Sunday” in their first permanent location. This weekend, Pastor Scott Rhyno and the team at Waterline Church celebrated this first anniversary in their new space with a “Welcome Home Sunday.” What better way to celebrate than with six baptisms. In the past 12 months in this new facility, Waterline has welcomed 326 first-time guests, 51 first-time commitments to Christ, and 23 baptisms, with a 54% increase in worship attendance. God is moving at Waterline!
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Pastor Ryan Budde reports that God has been working at Westview Wesleyan Church in exciting ways. In addition to the ministry on their own campus, God has opened an unusual door of ministry for Rev. Brian Holland, youth pastor, to serve in the public schools. They’ve celebrated 11 baptisms in the past month, including two last week. Three more people stepped forward to prepare for this step of discipleship obedience in the next few weeks. Praise God!
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Pastor Jeff Luetke passed along the encouraging report from Fairmount Wesleyan Church. They’ve had the joy of baptizing 10 believers in the past few weeks, 6 of those just last Sunday. It’s wonderful to see one of our historic congregations reaching the next generation and building a bright future!
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More exciting news from Cicero United Family Church where Pastor Allen Gross had the privilege of baptizing 6 new believers this weekend. They averaged 85 in worship last year with 20 professions of faith and 12 baptisms. This conference year is also off to a great start. Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew.
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There’s something very special for ministers who have the privilege of baptizing their children. It’s even more special when you celebrate the baptism of your grandson like Pastor Terry and Lennaire Vaughn were able to do on Sunday at The Bridge Urban Church in Mishawaka. Praise God for the privilege of passing the faith along to the next generation!
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Rev. William (Bill) Kinnan, Sr. was welcomed home to Heaven by his Savior on September 10, 2025. As faithful ministers of the Gospel, Pastor Bill and June served churches in Pennsylvania and Michigan for 27 years. Rev. Kinnan was then elected East Michigan District Superintendent and mentored pastors for the next 15 years. A memorial service will be held Monday, September 15, 1:00 PM at The River Church - 759 Lenfesty Avenue, Marion, IN 46953. A viewing will be held from 11am – 1pm. Please remember June and the Kinnan family in your prayers.
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“Is there an ethical way to use AI in ministry?” “What’s working in youth and children’s ministry?” “What are the best financial practices for our local church?” — We are excited to welcome you and your leaders to ReEquip, our district-wide ministry training day on Saturday, September 27, at Eastview Wesleyan Church in Gas City.
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​Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

First, can we just say “Thank you, Lord” for this beautiful fall weather! I was on the road just after sunrise early Sunday to join Rev. Andy Jellison and the team at Lifeway Wesleyan Church in Fort Wayne for their new two-service schedule. Lifeway has been a healthy, multigenerational church under Rev. Rick Fletcher’s leadership. The growth continues with Rev. Andy Jellison moving into the lead pastor role in the summer of 2023.
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The church averaged 265 last year with 29 professions of faith and 18 baptisms. Their auditorium could hold the current congregation but with growth up 25% from the previous year (211), the leadership team proactively took the step to double their capacity by adding a second worship service. They almost doubled the number of volunteer serving opportunities and created children’s ministry options for both services. Sounds like it was just in time with early reports of nearly 300 in attendance yesterday. Pray for Senior Pastor Andy Jellison and his team (left to right: Rev. Levi Lehman, Rev. Rick Fletcher, Rev. Andy Jellison, and Rev. Kory Christensen) as they lead in this exciting season of growth and impact!
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I was on the schedule to preach in Indianapolis at 1 pm, so there was time to check in on Rev. Jim Weinmann and the multi-ethnic congregation at Evanston Avenue Wesleyan Church. On any given Sunday, the congregation is comprised of Haitians, Hispanics, and Hoosiers. Pastor Jim does an amazing job creating a culture of hospitality. In addition to pastoring the church, Rev. Weinmann leads the team at Wesleyan Pension Fund (his full-time job) and also serves as a volunteer chaplain for the Lawrence Police Department
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Sunday was also a special time at Casa de Dios as Rev. Claudia Ruiz introduced the campus pastors for the newest location in the CASA Network. The CASA Network started with the Richmond campus, and the team Rev. Ruiz leads also serves congregations in Portland, Union City, and now in south Indianapolis. Federico and Maria Falcon will serve on her team as lay pastoral assistants caring for the Hispanic congregation meeting at Southview Wesleyan Church. Rev. Grace Lopez (Assistant District Superintendent for Hispanic Ministries) welcomed the Falcons to The Wesleyan Church and will work with them as they prepare for ordination through the FLAMA program she directs.
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The program concluded with a special time of prayer for the Falcons and a delicious meal. Rev. Dr. Neftali Lopez is always ready to help out in any way he can so it was no surprise when the music audio failed, that Dr. Lopez stepped up to play the piano for the worship team.
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Before the service began for the CASA congregation, I was able to connect with Pastor Benjamin Tuimuk and the congregation of Shalom (comprised of families from Myanmar). This delightful congregation has flourished within the hospitality of Southview Wesleyan Church. They’re now in the process of completing their own worship center with plans to relocate early in the new year. Special appreciation goes to Rev. Nathan Richardson and the team at Southview Wesleyan for their generosity in hosting these startup ministries!
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Last week’s schedule included a delightful Labor Day celebrating Sherry’s (??) birthday with family. I was back on the road Tuesday to meet with Rev. Ben Jones (Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church) in Plymouth. Pastor Ben has been doing a wonderful job leading the church since 2019 but they are facing real challenges with an aging facility. Pray with them for wisdom!

Dr. Steve DeNeff and I met for lunch on Wednesday at College Wesleyan Church in Marion. It was great to catch up with Pastor Steve after his busy summer. One of his ministry assignments was preaching at Beulah Camp (New Brunswick, Canada) which is where I spent summers growing up. He shared encouraging updates from the ministry at College Wesleyan including their continued impact on Frances Slocum Elementary School. The church staff spent a day on site serving teachers and students there again last week. Thank you, College Wes!
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Wednesday afternoon, I caught up with Pastor Aldean Pablo as his team at ARISE Church in Roanoke hosted a back-to-school event to serve their community. They provided a free meal, a worship concert, and games for children. One of the goals was to raise funds to provide backpacks for children who depend on school lunch programs and need meals on the weekend. ARISE Church will be able to provide 51 backpack meals for this school year!
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Thursday, Michael Wood and I were working together proofing the final draft of our grant proposal to the Lilly Endowment Fund. Dr. Chris Williams and Dr. Mark Rennaker also provided invaluable assistance in the process but no one worked harder and longer than Michael. This grant could have significant impact for our pastors and churches so I’m grateful for the investment each of these leaders made in developing this proposal.

Sherry and I are able to worship together each week now that The River Church offers a Thursday evening service. A new believer was baptized this week who just started attending on the first Thursday night and now, four weeks later, was taking this step of faith. #MadeNew
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Friday night, I checked in with Rev. John Hannan and the team at CrossRoads Church in Union City as they opened their doors to serve their neighbors with a free meal and an evening of family fun. You may recall that Pastor John and Beth Hannan planted this new church in 2019, just before the pandemic. Pastor John drives school bus, has a real estate business, and leads this young church. Their motto at CrossRoads is “Where everyone matters!” and that really expresses Pastor John’s heart. Pray as they continue to make disciples in Union City.
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Rev. Eric George serves as a bi–vocational pastor at our Memorial Drive Wesleyan Church in Muncie. I was encouraged to read his post last week on social media: “For the past 5 years I have not only been the pastor of a small church, I have also been a full time Chaplain at one of Indiana’s largest prisons. Two of our inmates saw a publication from Prison Fellowship, a national prison ministry (started by Chuck Colson). So they wrote Prison Fellowship and nominated me for Outstanding Chaplain Award, and I was presented with that award!” Thank you, Pastor Eric, for serving the Lord as He provides the opportunities!
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Pastor Terry Vaughn (The Bridge Urban Church in Mishawaka) sent another praise report this Sunday. They baptized a new believer this Sunday morning and have three more planning to be baptized next week. God is on the move through The Bridge!

​​Check-in begins at 9:00am with the first round of breakout sessions starting at 9:30. There will be a fellowship break to catch up with friends from other district churches. Then the second round of breakouts starts at 11:00. We’ll gather at 11:45 for door prize drawings and a final challenge before we adjourn at 12:00. The price? FREE. Check out the link for more information and registration:
​https://forms.gle/PaW8vrCNatv17ZD87

Time is running out. You can still register today for the Wesleyan Holiness Connection’s Pastors & Church Leaders Day coming to IWU on Tuesday, September 23. Please click here for more information and registration.

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

​P.S. MissionInsite is FREE for your Wesleyan church!
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Wondering how to effectively and ethically use AI in ministry? Do you have questions about best practices in youth and children’s ministry? Are you a church treasurer or pastor with questions on ministerial taxes or financial policies? Are you a church leader who wants to see your church become healthier? Then bring your team to ReEquip, our district-wide ministry training day on Saturday, September 27, at Eastview Wesleyan Church in Gas City.

​Check-in begins at 9:00am with the first round of breakout sessions starting at 9:30. There will be a fellowship break to catch up with friends from other district churches. Then the second round of breakouts starts at 11:00. We’ll gather at 11:45 for door prize drawings and a final challenge before we adjourn at 12:00. The price? FREE. Check out the link for more information and registration:
​https://forms.gle/PaW8vrCNatv17ZD87

Sunday, August 31, I joined Pastor Barry Dixon for worship at Calvary Family Church in Indianapolis. This vibrant congregation will be celebrating their 40th anniversary in January. Pastor Barry and Joyce Dixon have served at Calvary for 15 of those years. They are encouraged by the growth they’ve experienced this past year. Pastor Dixon has welcomed Rev. Richard Miller to join their team as a potential successor. I met with Rev. Dixon and Rev. Miller for prayer before the service. Pray for the continued impact of this vital urban ministry.

My second stop on Sunday was in Lapel to worship with Rev. Andy Cole at Daybreak Community Church. Pastor Andy and his team created a full weekend of fellowship and worship opportunities to take advantage of the Labor Day weekend concluding with an all-church picnic at the Cole family barn.
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The highlight of the worship service was the baptism of two teenage girls who first attended Daybreak during the pandemic. Alicia Cole, Andy’s wife, created a connection event for kids that reached these girls and then their families. Rev. Naomi Small, Family Pastor, and Alicia baptized these two young ladies as they publicly professed their faith in Jesus Christ.
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Last week’s highlights included meetings on Tuesday to connect with Rev. Seth Bye (317 Church) in Avon and then with Rev. Scott McDermid and Rev. Skyler Norton (Sheridan Six Points Church) in Westfield for lunch. Pastor Scott just completed a two-month sabbatical and shared some of the important lessons he learned. If you’re a pastor planning your sabbatical, Pastor Scott would be glad to connect and pass along his insights from this experience.

The highlight of Wednesday was the vision night at The River Church. Pastor Matthew Trexler gathered key leaders of the church, both lay leaders and church staff, to map out the journey ahead as The River makes room for growth and expanded impact.
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Thursday’s highlight was hearing Dr. Kevin Myers teach a leadership lesson for the staff at the Wesleyan Investment Foundation. Dr. Myers, founder of 12Stone Church, serves as ViceChair on WIF’s board. Pastor Kevin (PK) challenged the team to press on through the Q Zone (the quit zone) with principles from the Apostle Peter’s life.
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Pastors received the news last week and I’m now able to share with you more about my next chapter after retiring from being your DS. As Sherry and I prayed through my retirement timing, one question unanswered was “what could I do to stay engaged in Kingdom work even while having more time to invest in our grandchildren?” I’m grateful to Norwood Davis (WIF President) and Greg Brooks (VP of Business Development) for inviting me to join their team in January.

My role will be further developing WIF’s connection with holiness denominations and networks. One bonus is I can work remote (even in Michigan) and have more time with the next generation of Gorveattes. Again, let me say how thankful I am to God and to our Crossroads District team for the past 10 years we’ve served together. I’m glad my new role with WIF will allow me to continue supporting the good work that God is doing in our network of churches!
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Assistant DS Rev. Grace Lopez leads our district in supporting the growing Hispanic team. She and Neftali visit congregations, develop leaders (FLAMA program), and care for our pastors. In addition to leading online prayer gatherings for ministers, Pastor Grace called them to come together in person on Sunday evening for a prayer meeting with special focus on Rev. Nicolas Zarate, leader of the Noblesville Rey de Gloria congregation, as he prepares for cancer surgery. Please keep Pastor Nicolas in your prayers!

We love to hear and pass along your reports of lives being changed. Pastor Scott McDermid arrived back at Six Points Church for his first Sunday after sabbatical and had the privilege of baptizing this family as new followers of Christ. Praise the Lord!
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Pastor Terry Vaughn reported in with 16 people responding to the salvation invitation and one young lady being baptized at The Bridge Urban Church in Mishawaka. Pastor Terry was also excited to share that four more team members have signed up to move to Indianapolis to help with the launch of the new ministry in the Fountain Square neighborhood. #MadeNew
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Pastor Noah Farmer texted me with the good news of three more baptisms at Eastview Wesleyan Church in Gas City. Pastor Maddie Delgado, Assistant Pastor for Children, preached in both services and led in baptizing these new believers. God is moving in Gas City!

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

​​P.S. MissionInsite is FREE for your Wesleyan church!

​MissionInsite is a comprehensive demographic database tool that equips church leaders with insightful information to help them understand how to impact their community (Jerusalem) and beyond (Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth) with the Gospel. The Wesleyan Church has made this resource available, for free, to local churches.MissionInsite has been providing solutions to churches and regional agencies for over 13 years. Today, they serve over 107,000 faith-based organizations and 175 national and regional church agencies across 20 denominations. Their tool integrates multiple premier data sources including Epsilon, Experian, and Synergos, among other quality demographic research studies. 
Recording of MissionInsite Training