Logansport The Bridge, VBS, Summer Camps, and Baptisms!

Sunday morning, July 18, Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with Rev. Zach and Lindy Szmara’s team at The Bridge in Logansport. After the service, Sherry and I enjoyed hosting the pastoral family for lunch. The Bridge is a beautiful multi-ethnic congregation that launched a national movement called Immigrant Connection. We sang in three languages this morning (Haitian Creole, Spanish, and English) and shared communion with people from many nations. Pray for Zach and Lindy as they continue to lead this terrific team.
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Sunday evening, I was able to attend the 125th Anniversary Celebration service at Fairmount Camp. Dr. Ed Hoover and four generations of the Landis family were on hand to blow out the candles on the ceremonial cake. Services will continue at 6:30 each evening this week with Dr. Jim Lo and Dr. Andrea Summers as the camp evangelists. Please pray that God will move powerfully in the lives of those who gather this week.
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Summer is a great time to connect with children and their families. On Wednesday night, I dropped in on the wonderful VBS held this past week at Lifeway Church. Pastor Rick Fletcher and Associate Pastor Andy Jellison are celebrating a high attendance of over 100 children with 13 decisions for Christ and 7 rededications. Praise the Lord!

The team at Hartford City Wesleyan Church experimented with a new outreach approach called Summer Adventure on the Hill. I enjoyed working with the team in preparation and helping with one of the small groups through the day on Saturday. The two-day event wrapped up Sunday afternoon with a cookout, petting zoo, and slip and slide party. The wonderful team at HCWC are celebrating 7 decisions for Christ, including two parents who attended with their children. God is so good!
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I was excited to connect with Rev. Andrew Kinney (Marion Chapel Pike) last evening and received an update from him on this year’s “Mission Marion” hometown serving experience. Last week, four Wesleyan churches (Brookhaven, Chapel Pike, Fairmount and Lakeview) with about 55 teens and 15 adult sponsors came together to help several nonprofits in Grant County.
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The nonprofits they served this year included the Grant County Rescue Mission (Painted and Cleaned Walls), Open Heart (power washed, mulched, painted and cleaned), Renewed Thrift (organized donations), Habitat for Humanity (built shelves, organized warehouse, painted office, and picked up trash on the street), and Servants at Work (Built 4 wheel chair ramps for disabled Grant County residents.) What a great way for youth groups to build community while blessing the community!
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Nothing is more exciting that rejoicing with our churches that are seeing lives being changed by the Gospel. Pastor Alan Downing and Frankfort Connecting Point Church celebrated four baptisms yesterday. Pastor Scott McDermid and Six Points Church celebrated three baptisms last Sunday and four more at their youth camp. Pastor David Leitzel and the team at Hamilton Wesleyan Church celebrated nine baptisms yesterday. Praise God for these reports of lives being #MadeNew!
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If you’ve not yet scheduled a baptism Sunday and offered the opportunity for new believers in your church to take this step of obedience, there’s still time this summer.
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​Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent