Calvary Family, Lapel Daybreak, and Baptisms

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!

Have you registered 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.
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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
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​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