Lakeview, Pastors’ Fellowship, and DBA

Sunday morning, Sherry and I worshiped with Dr. Chris and Marietta Williams at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. The poor weather may have discouraged some but there was still strong attendance for their morning worship service. I was impressed with the growing number of young families since my last visit. Following the morning service, I met with the Local Board of Administration. Bob Burchell and Lori Moore were unable to join us but I was glad for a few moments with this team to express our appreciation for their leadership in our district. This year’s ordination service and annual conference will be held at Lakeview, June 27-28.
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Monday evening, February 10, Pastor Steve Cox and the leadership team at Dublin Gospel Mission (near Cambridge City) welcomed me for a follow-up conversation as they are continuing to explore the possibility of joining the Crossroads District. They were formerly part of the Evangelical Church of North America, a sister holiness denomination that disbanded a few years ago. The picture below is from their historic sanctuary that features hand-hewn beams. Pray that God will make His will clear to all of us in this conversation.
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Tuesday, I was back on the road for meetings in Marion with Chuck Vernon, Eric Roemer, and Dr. Chris Williams. That evening, I joined Pastor Brian Williams and the LBA at Sims Wesleyan Church for their quadrennial pastoral review. On my way home, I dropped in on Rev. Josh Bowlin’s Brazilian jujitsu club in Swayzee. This has become a connecting point for Pastor Josh to share his faith and make disciples in their neighborhood.

On Wednesday morning, I met with Pastor Ben Jones (Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church) in preparation for an upcoming meeting with his board. Pastor Matthew Trexler (The River Church) and I met on Wednesday afternoon. In addition to leading a fast-growing church, Pastor Trexler also graciously leads two learning cohorts for pastors in our district.

Thursday, the Crossroads District Board of Administration met at The River Church in Marion. The agenda included the presentation of a potential memorial from College Wesleyan Church to the 2026 General Conference, an update on the church planting project that Terry and Lennaire Vaughn are leading in downtown Indianapolis, and preliminary budget conversations. The DBA also conducted the annual performance review of the district superintendent. Thank you to every pastor who took the time to participate in the online evaluation survey!
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​Friday afternoon, I was grateful for the opportunity to connect with Mrs. Jill Anderson and other members of Rev. David Anderson’s family at LifeSpring Church. Pastor Jacob Gibson and Dr. Jim Dunn led the funeral service on Saturday. I was unable to attend but appreciate Dr. Chris Williams, our Assistant District Superintendent, being present. Pastor Gibson graciously read a letter from the district in the service. If you were unable to attend, you will appreciate this video that was shared:
https://www.facebook.com/stevemathewsfcwc/videos/647745997689794

​Saturday morning, Sherry and I traveled to ARISE Church in Roanoke (southwest Fort Wayne) to host the area pastors’ and spouses’ fellowship brunch. We had lots of food, laughter, and prayer during our time together. We also awarded another $1000 scholarship for the Harvest Foundation Pastors’ Retreat in the Dominican Republic next fall. Congratulations to Pastor Sam and Jennifer Maddox (Albion Wesleyan Church). Thank you to Pastor Aldean Pablo for hosting us and to Michael Wood, assisted by Darah Martin, for coordinating our meal.

​One of the fun connections at this gathering was learning that Pastor Dennis Croy (East Liberty Church) has a member in his congregation who led the building program to construct the formerly UMC facility in which Pastor Aldean Pablo and ARISE now worship. East Liberty has also blessed ARISE Church with investments from their 1% multiplication matching fund to bless the new congregation.
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​This is the week! Please join us in prayer for the Crossroads District All-Nighter meeting this Friday night, February 21, in Fort Wayne. Pray for safe travel, for fun times and, most importantly, for spiritual impact in the lives of our students. Rev. Andy Riemersma (pastor of Westfield ONE Church) is our rally speaker. I hope to see you there! Details may be found at this link: https://crossroadsdistrict.churchcenter.com/calendar/event/174593782

And it’s not too early to make plans to bring your students to IWU for FUSION, April 4-5. Thank you to Professor Charlie Alcock and his team for creating this opportunity for students to experience the IWU campus and the impact of worshiping with 1500 other high school students from across Indiana. (“Never Too Young,” the middle-school event is scheduled for May 2-3.) https://www.indwes.edu/academics/youth-ministry-events/fusion/
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Rev. CK Chitty, Senior Adult Ministries Director, invites all senior adults (55+) to this year’s trip to Branson, May 13-16, 2025! Enjoy great fellowship, top-tier entertainment, delicious food, and deluxe accommodations—including exciting shows, a scenic dinner cruise, and classic Branson attractions. Register by March 1 to save $25 per person! Help spread the word to the senior adults in your church. More details and registration are available at this link:
https://crossroadsdistrict.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2680279
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​I love hearing how our churches find creative ways to connect with their community. Pastor Scott Rhyno (District Treasurer) sent a fun report from Waterline Church in Pendleton. They hosted a “Nerf Guns and Nachos” party for their neighborhood on Saturday night. They connected with 15 new families and over 100 participants for this evening of family fun.
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They invited these new friends back for the church’s 14th anniversary party on Sunday morning. Despite the weather, 10 first-time guests showed up. This coming weekend, Waterline will host their fourth baptism service since moving into their new facility in September. Well done!

​Thank you all for making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent