Level 13, Waterline, and Baptisms

Sunday morning, December 3, Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Mike Henry and the team at Level 13 Church. Level 13 has experienced lots of change in the past few years and is experiencing God’s blessing as the church moves into a rebuilding phase.
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Pastor Mike is another one of our faithful bivocational pastors. In addition to leading the church, he works several days per week driving an ambulance. It was fun to meet two new families that have come to Level 13 through Pastor Mike’s participation in a nearby pickleball league. Following the service, I met with the LBA for an update on their plans to relaunch this spring. Sherry and I hosted Pastor Mike and Hannah for lunch and met more of the community members with whom they are building relationships.

I was back on the road from sabbatical on December 1. I stopped in at New Castle Memorial Wesleyan Church to check on our new pastor, Rev. Mark Wooten. He and Pam are getting settled into their new community and church family. Over lunch, I met with Rev. Ron and Fay Ferguson who are serving our Grant City Wesleyan Church congregation.
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My next stop was in Ingalls to see the progress that Waterline Church is making on the facility into which they’ll be moving in a few months. In addition to the build-out of their new space, they are making a spiritual impact through prayer walking the nearby neighborhoods.

Friday evening, Sherry and I were in Fort Wayne to connect for supper with Rev. Sam and Jen Maddox (pastoring Albion Wesleyan Church). It was encouraging to hear how God is at work in their family and ministry.

Saturday, Rev. Grace Lopez (FLAMA Coordinator) and I met with the leadership team at Monte de Sion Iglesia Wesleyana in Indianapolis. I’ll be back at Monte de Sion on December 17 as the church celebrates the faithful ministry and retirement of Sister Tomasa Granados. She and her husband (now deceased) were instrumental in the launching of the Wesleyan Hispanic ministries in the Indianapolis area. Rev. Lopez has been providing valued leadership in this time of transition.
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We love sharing the stories of how God is moving across our district. Rev. Mike Hewitt and the team at Muncie Rising Hope had a wonderful baptism celebration last month and shared these photos of the five new believers who publicly testified to their faith in Christ.
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Pastor Dan Fisher and the team at Delphi Wesleyan Church celebrated 6 baptisms on Sunday, November 26. This photo captures the moment that Pastor Dan and Amy, his wife, baptized Amy’s sister for whom they’d been praying for more than 30 years!
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Pastor Matthew Trexler and the team at The River Church in Marion now schedule the first Sunday of each month for a baptism Sunday. Praise God for these new believers who testified publicly to the change that Jesus Christ is making in their lives!
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Sherry and I can’t wait to see so many of our pastors and their spouses at one of our four Christmas gatherings coming up beginning tonight in Fort Wayne and in three more locations next week. We’ll also be meeting with our Crossroads District Board of Administration in Marion on Thursday for our quarterly session and for our Christmas fellowship.

Please join us in prayer for our Follow ‘23 Youth Conference happening in Cincinnati later this month. Pray that our next generation leaders will powerfully encounter God at this dynamic event!
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Registration is open for the 2024 Heartland Gathering, April 2-5, 2024, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee! The DBA has approved one $300 scholarship for each district church, designated to cover a significant portion of the registration cost for one pastoral family per church. Details regarding the scholarship were sent to lead and solo pastors. If you are a lead or solo pastor and did not receive that email, please reach out to us at [email protected]. For more information and registration, visit gathering.heartlandregion.org. 
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​Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,
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Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent