Easter 2024…Baptisms!

Easter 2024 was a day of eternal impact for many here in the Crossroads District! We’ll be offering a special Easter edition later in the week so more churches have an opportunity to share their praise reports, but early updates are very encouraging. We’d love to hear from your church. Just send us a brief paragraph (at [email protected]) with the details and share a few photos.
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Easter Sunday, March 31, was a wonderful opportunity for me to drop in on four of our congregations in the northern part of our Crossroads District. My first stop was with Rev. Chris Taylor and the team at Plymouth Wesleyan Church. This was the first Easter for Pastor Chris and the church is responding well to his ministry. Attendance is rebounding and PWC just updated their worship center with new carpeting and video to welcome guests for Easter.
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Rev. Greg Holmes, pastor at Sonlight Fellowship in South Bend, was able to preach on Easter Sunday morning. This is an answer to prayer since he fell on ice earlier this winter resulting in a concussion and fractured back. He will continue to be in a back brace as he heals but what a joy to be with him, his family, and the Sonlight congregation on Easter. Thank you to our churches who have been praying and also responded generously to the financial challenge.
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Pastor Terry and Lennaire Vaughn are doing an incredible job building a multi-ethnic ministry known as The Bridge Urban Church serving the greater South Bend area. I was able to join them for their 12:00 p.m. worship service which featured hip-hop music, anointed praying, and powerful preaching. Keep praying for The Bridge as they focus on developing disciple-makers.
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My last stop of the day was with Cielos Abiertos Iglesia Wesleyana in Elkhart. Led by Lay Supply Pastor Jose Cardenas, this congregation has a growing ministry to the primarily Venezuelan refugee community. I was encouraged by the beautiful spirit of prayer and worship. Jose welcomed me warmly and I was glad to bring greetings from our district team.
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Pastor Zach Working and his team at Hope Rising Church in Huntington offered a Maundy Thursday evening service again this year. It was good to worship with them and I was glad to see the significant improvements they made to their front entry. Hope Rising was one of the churches award a property improvement project challenge grant last year. Well done!

Friday evening, I joined Rev. Joshua Fox and the team at Hartford City Wesleyan Church for their Good Friday service. It was a delightful surprise to hear Dr. Ed Love, Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship for The Wesleyan Church, bring the message from God’s Word. Twenty years ago, I sat with Ed and Emily Love in their small apartment at Asbury Theological Seminary and dreamed with them about church planting. It is wonderful to see how God has blessed their family and ministry as they’ve stepped out in faith.
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Saturday morning, I dropped in on Rev. Gary and Karen Bingham at Hillside Wesleyan Church in Marion. They were preparing to welcome families in their neighborhood for an Easter egg hunt and gospel presentation. Pastor Gary and Karen are ministry heroes who have served effectively at Hillside Wesleyan Church since 1992.
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Rev. Rob Tippey has been leading the team at New Journey Church in Wabash since 2020 (he started in the middle of the pandemic). I enjoyed connecting with the New Journey team members as they welcomed families for their Easter egg hunt. The young adult ministry launched their new Italian soda fundraising project for community outreach events.
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My last stop of the day was at the The River Church in Marion for the 4:30 service, the first of five weekend services. Pastor Matthew Trexler brought the Easter message but with a heavy heart knowing that his father was just hours away from eternity. Early Monday morning, Larry Trexler entered into his eternal reward. Thank you for joining us in prayer for the Trexler family. We will share funeral arrangements with our pastors as more information is available.
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You won’t want to miss the special Easter edition of our Team Update on Friday which will feature every praise report we receive from our churches by Wednesday, 5 p.m, but here’s a sneak preview with just the first church reporting. Pastor Andy Jellison and the team at Lifeway Wesleyan Church in Fort Wayne welcomed more than 300 for worship and celebrated a record of 14 baptisms. Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew by the power of the Cross and Resurrection of our King!
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On April 11-13, 2024, College Wesleyan Church will host their first-ever Marketplace Multipliers Conference. The goal of this conference is to inspire and empower ordinary people to effectively live out their faith in the workplace. You will hear from clergy and laity alike—practitioners on the front lines of this movement. You can learn more about the conference and register for the event at this website.
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You are invited to join us for the OCHLOS Conference, April 13-14, 2024 at Southview Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis. Speakers include Santes Beatty, Director of Next Gen for The Wesleyan Church; Yamil Acevedo, Executive Vice President of Wesley Seminary; Zachary Szmara, Executive Director of Immigrant Connection and Pastor of the Bridge Church in Logansport; and Meg Puello, Executive Director of ASPYRE Inc. Click Here for more information and registration.
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Join us for the Crossroads KidMin Huddle, Saturday, April 20th, at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church in Marion. For $25, you’ll enjoy a full day of learning and networking with fellow children’s ministry leaders, volunteers, and pastors. A continental breakfast and lunch is included in your registration. Stephanie Rhyne, Kids Ministry Catalyst for The Wesleyan Church and content creator for David C. Cook (Wonder Ink), will be our guest speaker. Lead pastors who register to attend can bring two additional volunteers for free! Register at this link.
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​Save the date! Our 2024 Crossroads District Conference will be held at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion on Saturday, June 29th. Mark your calendars now and make plans to join us!

​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​