This weekend (October 24-25) I had the privilege of preaching at Eastview Wesleyan Church in Gas City. Many of you have been praying for Pastor Mark Atkinson’s recovery and it was a joy to have him present for the Saturday evening service and for both services on Sunday morning. The church designated this as a “Pastor Appreciation Celebration” and honored the staff members with special gifts as part of a month-long initiative to express their gratitude and support for this leadership team. Pastor Mark is excited to be able to preach this coming weekend and is grateful for all your prayers!
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Sunday evening, I dropped in on Pastor Brent Miller and the team at Gas City Southside Wesleyan Church for their second monthly “Thrive!” service. This is a high energy, intergenerational service. Southside is also continuing to update of the facility with the auditorium currently being remodeled. Pray for Pastor Brent, Naomi, and their team!
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Saturday morning, I joined Pastor Matthew Stewart and a team of his leaders at Sweetser Wesleyan Church for a renewal of their StratOp plan. Rev. Chris Williams and I facilitated their first StratOp retreat back in the spring of 2019. Pastor Matt has been leading the turnaround project at Sweetser with patience and persistence. They’ve made measured progress even through the pandemic and have a great heart to connect with their community. We still have a few weekends available in the spring if your team is ready to take a next step in focusing your ministry for greater impact.

Last week was a delightful few days away for our family as we gathered at Oak Mountain State Park near Birmingham, Alabama to celebrate the wedding of Josiah and Elizabeth (Scotch) Gorveatte. Josiah, our second son, is the worship leader on staff with Pastor Brad LeRoy at Harvest Church. Elizabeth is an equine therapist with Agape Therapeutic Riding Resources. https://www.facebook.com/agaperiding
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Halloween and All Saints Day provide another opportunity for our churches to be creative in connecting with their communities. Pastors Dr. Richard and Rev. Carol Schenck led the Noblesville Circle of Hope campus in hosting an outreach event for a variety of community groups on their property. More than 700 visited their campus to take part in the various activities. Pastor Rich was even more excited to report another baptism in their network campus in Beech Grove. Praise God for lives being #madenew

There are three free tickets left for the Exponential Roundtable that The River Church is hosting in Marion on Wednesday. Reach out to Seth Bye at our district office if you’re hoping to join us for these important conversations.

​​Prayers are requested again this week for Rev. Ervin Webster (Warren Park St. Stephens Wesleyan Church), Rev. Mark Atkinson (Gas City Eastview), Pastor Steve Arnett (New Castle Mt. Zion), Pastor Dan Clark (Monon Wesleyan), and Mrs. Cheryl Laws (Rev. Allen Law’s wife) as they lean on the Lord for their journey toward healing. Pastor Jeff Brady, who is planting Commoners Church, shared on Facebook that he has been diagnosed with Covid-19. He is self-quarantining at home but was able to lead their Thursday evening service online. Thank you for praying for our pastors!

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. There’s still time left in October to let your pastors know how much you appreciate them. I’ve been helping out at Hartford City Wesleyan Church and two times this month we’ve have been blessed with pickup truck loads of fuel for the coming winter by the generous folks at HCWC. Nothing says “Pastor Appreciation” better than free firewood.
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Sunday morning, October 18, Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with our friends at Hartford City Wesleyan Church. I’ve been helping out in the interim with the unexpected resignation of their pastor earlier this summer. We celebrated communion together and rejoiced with four teenagers who were baptized as a public declaration of their faith. Attendance has been rebounding since reopening in May with 166 in attendance this morning. John Bonham, administrator, and the staff team have done a great job serving the church in this time of transition.
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Sunday afternoon, I joined Dr. Robert Hallett and the leadership team at Lancaster Wesleyan Church for a follow-up meeting from their recent Vision Defining Retreat (VDR). I’m grateful for the leadership that Dr. Hallett is bringing as interim pastor for Lancaster Wesleyan in this time of transition.
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Sunday evening, I met with the congregation at Avon Nehemiah Church. Rev. Ben and Tiffany Thomas planted the church over 11 years ago. Pastor Ben announced this morning that he was stepping down from leading the church. He completed chaplaincy training this past year and will be employed full-time with a local agency. We are grateful for Ben and Tiffany’s faithful service to Nehemiah Church. Please pray for the Thomas family and the church in this transition season.

Pastor John Hannan reported in from Union City CrossRoads Church on this their fourth Sunday of public worship. They are rejoicing with 2 people who prayed to receive Christ this morning and with the four individuals who were baptized. In the first four weeks, CrossRoads Church has celebrated 8 baptisms. Thank you to every leader and congregation who has partnered with our newest church plant!
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Pastor Jeremy Armiger and Assistant Pastor Jim Lo had the privilege of baptizing another new believer at Chesterfield Parkview Wesleyan Church. This was a powerful story of a man who was reconciled with his parents after 25 years. Dr. Lo described it as a “teary, glorious service.”
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Last week’s schedule included LBA meetings at Rochester The Cross on Tuesday night, Fort Wayne Level 13 on Wednesday night, and Hartford City Wesleyan on Thursday night. I come away from these meetings with deep appreciation for the lay leaders who generously invest their time, treasure and talents in advancing the work of God through their local church. The Cross in Rochester is preparing to launch their pastoral search process with the announced retirement of Rev. Mike Cloud who has faithfully served the church for the past five years.
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Coaching conversations last week included Rev. Daniel Fisher (Delphi Wesleyan), Rev. Alan Downing (Frankfort Connecting Point), Pastor Allen Gross (Cicero United), Rev. Ben Capshaw (Elwood Central Wesleyan Church), Rev. Dr. Richard and Rev. Carol Schenck (Noblesville Circle of Hope).

On Thursday morning, I joined an online roundtable of district superintendents who met to review some of the proposed memorials headed toward General Conference 2021. The General Board will welcome district superintendents to the March 2021 meeting for a joint meeting before memorial recommendations are finalized.

The final highlight of the week was hosting Indianapolis Zone pastors and spouses at Thornapple Cottage on Friday evening. Mike Colaw, Region 2 Assistant District Superintendent, joined us for this evening of encouragement, laughter, and prayer.
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​Sherry and I will be out of the office this week for the wedding of Josiah, our son, and Elizabeth in Alabama. I should have cellphone service in case of emergencies but Seth Bye will be available all week if you have a concern that needs immediate attention.

Prayers are requested again this week for Rev. Ervin Webster (Warren Park St. Stephens Wesleyan Church), Rev. Mark Atkinson (Gas City Eastview), Pastor Steve Arnett (New Castle Mt. Zion), Pastor Dan Clark (Monon Wesleyan), and Mrs. Cheryl Laws (Rev. Allen Law’s wife) as they lean on the Lord for their journey toward healing.

Thank you for all you do to advance the Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, October 11, I had the privilege of representing our district team at Nehemiah Church in Avon. Pastor Ben and Tiffany Thomas first planted Nehemiah Church in their home. A few years later they merged with an existing Wesleyan congregation (originally planted by Pastor Bern and Kathy Lytle) and Nehemiah Church continued its ministry in this new location.
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I brought the morning message and then hosted Pastor Ben and Tiffany for lunch. The church has faced some challenges, even before Covid-19, and Pastor Ben now serves as bi-vocational pastor while employed full-time as a hospice chaplain. Join me in praying for the Thomas family and Nehemiah Church.

Board meetings filled the agenda last week. Tuesday, I joined President Colleen Derr and her team at Wesley Seminary for the annual fall meeting of the Advisory Board. These are exciting days of progress for Wesley Seminary with record enrollment of 524 in the summer semester including 45 students in the new Spanish language pilot project. We are blessed to have Wesley Seminary in our backyard and I encourage every pastor to take advantage of the high quality and low cost programs they provide.

Thursday and Friday, I joined President David Wright and the Indiana Wesleyan University Board of Trustees online for our annual fall meeting. Dr. Wright and his team at IWU have done a remarkable job responding to the challenges of the pandemic. Pray for Dr. Wright and our university as they navigate the increasing complexities of Christian higher education.
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In addition to board meetings, I was grateful for the opportunity to catch up with pastors for coaching conversations. Rev. Paul VanCise (Bryant Wesleyan Church) and I met on Wednesday morning. Pastor Paul’s summer included a well-planned sabbatical and the celebration of his daughter’s wedding. Rev. Lyle Breeding (Bluffton Sonlight) and I met for lunch and an update on the ministry. Pastor Lyle was encouraged by the way their congregation has held together through the pandemic. Rev. Neftali and Grace Lopez met with me on Sunday afternoon for our coaching conversation. Pastor Lopez leads our Carmel Amistad congregation and shared encouraging news about new attenders. He is leading the congregation in an early morning online prayer service that has been going for 168 consecutive days.

Wednesday afternoon, I was able to check in on Pastor Allen and Cheryl Laws at Warren Wesleyan Church. Cheryl had a significant surgery last month and is now recovering at home. Pastor Allen continues to provide key leadership to the community food bank in Warren. He was able to take time to give me a tour of their facility and well-run operation that serves more than 60 families each week.
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The full District Board of Ministerial Development met on Friday and Saturday under the leadership of Dr. David Smith, chair, and Rev. Carla Working, vice-chair and secretary. This team meets with licensed ministers who are in their final years of preparation for ordination. I was able to join the team for the Saturday interviews. We have a wonderful team of volunteers from each of our three regions who invest in our ministerial students. These final interviews reveal the return on that investment as these women and men share what they’ve learned on this journey.
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The 12 candidates we interviewed this year ranged in age from their 20s to their 60s. Some have been life-long Wesleyans and others have more recently found their home in our denominational family. Are there individuals in your congregation that God may be calling? Rev. Carla Working is available in our office to help them take their first steps toward ministerial credentialing with The Wesleyan Church.

Another highlight of the week was meeting with prospective church planters who are prayerfully considering two new projects with us in 2021. There are still 3 million or more Hoosiers to be reached with the Gospel. Pray that God will send workers into His harvest field as He has faithfully done in the past. It was 125 years ago this fall that Rev. and Mrs. Charles Billheimer led a tent revival on the south side of Marion. From that tent meeting was born the congregation first known as the South Marion Wesleyan Methodist Church. Today, we celebrate the legacy of that church planter and the first members of what is now College Wesleyan Church.
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​Congratulations to Dr. Steve DeNeff and the members of College Wesleyan Church on the occasion of their 125th Anniversary! Pastor Steve DeNeff and his team led the church in a wonderful anniversary celebration concluding this past Sunday with an inspiring look at their history and the opportunities before them. You can find the link to that service and Dr. DeNeff’s message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPEdOiiytZU&feature=youtu.be

​Our newest church plant is CrossRoads Church in Union City led by Rev. John and Beth Hannan. Yesterday, on their third Sunday of public worship, they celebrated four baptisms. We join them in praising the Lord for these lives that are #MadeNew

Pastor Ben Jones and the team at Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church in North Liberty are also praising the Lord for a family of three who were baptized this past weekend. This would be exciting for any congregation but it is a special blessing for this church that had no one baptized last conference year. Pastor Ben is doing a wonderful job leading the turnaround at Beaver Creek.
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We have had several pastors sidelined by illness over the past few months. While we understand the physical reality, there is also a sense of spiritual warfare as our pastors are leading congregations through this pandemic. Prayers are requested for Rev. Ervin Webster (Warren Park St. Stephens Wesleyan Church) who was hospitalized over the weekend. His wife, Karen, confirmed today that he has been released to recover at home. We are continuing to pray for Rev. Mark Atkinson (Gas City Eastview) and Mrs. Cheryl Laws (Rev. Allen Law’s wife) as they each trust the Lord for a full recovery.

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sherry and I had the joy of worshiping with Pastors Zack and Carla Working at Hope Rising Church in Huntington on Sunday morning, October 4. The Workings have been a blessing to the church since accepting this appointment in 2018. The church has grown from averaging 47 in worship in 2018 to averaging 108 last year. They also celebrated 24 baptisms in the past conference year.

The Hope Rising congregation returned to worshiping in person with nearly as many as before the pandemic. Yesterday, for example, they welcomed 112 in worship attendance. In addition to co-pastoring the church with Zack, Rev. Carla Working works with our district office staff and is ViceChair of the District Board of Ministerial Development. After the service, I met with their leadership team and then we enjoyed hosting Zack and Carla for lunch.

Last Monday, I represented our district family in Kokomo at the funeral visitation for Pastor Duane Summitt’s mother before joining with Dr. Wayne Schmidt and the General Board Executive on an afternoon Zoom call. Monday evening, I joined the LBA and pastoral search team from Waterline Church for an online meeting. They have received many resumes but are continuing to pray for the right leader to move them forward. Special thanks to Rev. Scott Rhyno who continues to provide interim pastoral ministry.

Tuesday morning, our district office team met and then I was able to represent our district team at the funeral service for Mrs. Jackie (DeNeff) White at College Wesleyan Church. Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our General Superintendent, hosted a Zoom call for district superintendents on Tuesday afternoon. I appreciate these opportunities to learn from my colleagues and to hear how God is at work across our denominational family. My last meeting for the day was with the staff team at Hartford City Wesleyan Church.

Wednesday, I was on the road again for coaching conversations. I enjoyed catching up with Rev. Mark and Sharie Schnell for an update on their ministry at Albion Wesleyan Church. Rev. Dale Munsell and I met over lunch for an update on his ministry at Cornerstone Wesleyan Church. Later in the afternoon, I met with one of our younger ministers who is exploring pastoral ministry opportunities. My final meeting of the day was Pastor Kyle Horton and Assistant Pastor Kalina Smith who are both nearing completion of their ordination preparation.

Thursday, I was in Anderson to connect with Pastor Bernie Haddad for an encouraging update on the ministry of Eden Unleashed, our church plant in New Castle Correctional Facility. You can read more about this wonderful ministry in this article that was published by Wesleyan HQ: https://www.wesleyan.org/discipleship-is-flourishing-in-indiana-correctional-facility
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I met with Pastor Joe Jackson over lunch for our annual coaching conversation and an update on Anderson United Wesleyan as they prepared for their StratOp retreat. My final meeting for Thursday was with Pastor David and Marcy Shafer for an update on their ministry at North Anderson Wesleyan Church.

Friday morning, I had two meetings with prospective pastors in Marion before meeting with Dr. David Wright and Dr. Carl Shepherd at Indiana Wesleyan University. As many of you will know, these are challenging times for Christian higher education. President Wright is grateful for the support and prayers of our district team. If you ever have questions or if IWU can serve your church in some way, please reach out to Dr. Wright and allow the opportunity for IWU to respond.

Rev. Jason Tash facilitated the StratOp planning retreat for a group of leaders at Level 13 this past weekend. I dropped in on the Friday evening session and appreciated the opportunity to connect with their committed lay leaders. Thank you to Rev. Jeff Brady for providing interim preaching ministry since Pastor Heath Croft left in the summer to serve a church in Alabama. Pray for Level 13 as they move on with their StratOp planning and prepare to launch their pastoral search process later this fall.
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Pastor Joe Jackson and his team at Anderson United Wesleyan Church welcomed Rev. Chris Williams to lead them through a StratOp planning retreat. Pastor Joe and Jennifer Jackson have helped the church rise to the challenge of the pandemic. I dropped in on their Saturday morning session and enjoyed connecting with their team. Pray as they continue to press forward to reach their community for Christ.

Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church (Marion, IN) has launched their pastoral search as part of a planned succession with Rev. Steve Colter transitioning toward retirement. Please keep Chapel Pike in prayer as they seek the Lord’s direction. For more information on this opening, follow this link: https://secure.wesleyan.org/job/frame/8099

Congratulations to Rev. Bill and June Kinnan! Family and friends gathered at The River Church this weekend to honor them as they celebrated 70 years of marriage! Bill and June have a tremendous ministry and that continues in Tom and Bill, their sons, and with David Kinnan and Heather (Kinnan) Semple, their grandchildren.
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We are always excited to join our churches in celebrating changed lives. Pastor Scott McDermid and the Sheridan Six Points Church baptized three more individuals this past weekend. Praise the Lord for lives #madenew!
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We are requesting your prayer for two of our pastors who are undergoing surgery this week. Pastor Dan Clark (Monon Wesleyan Church) and Pastor Steve Arnett (New Castle Mount Zion) are both facing serious conditions that required immediate surgery. Please remember these pastors in your prayers and continue to pray for Rev. Mark Atkinson (Gas City Eastview Wesleyan Church) as he is working through physical rehabilitation.

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent