Sunday morning, March 19, I had the privilege of ministering with the team at Carmel Amistad Iglesia Wesleyana. This vibrant congregation has been the anchor church for much of our district’s Hispanic ministry. Rev. Lilly Madga Kurker is the pastor of this growing church family. Pastor Lilly has been away for a few weeks caring for family in Mexico, but the congregation is excited to welcome her home later this week. They are launching into 21 Days of Prayer leading up to their Easter celebration. Amistad has helped develop leaders who have gone on to help in other ministries and the church hosted the most recent FLAMA course with 14 students gathering from across our district. Before the service, I was blessed to be prayed over by the intercession team pictured below.
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Sunday afternoon, I was in New Castle to meet with the LBA at Memorial Wesleyan Church as they begin their pastor search process. Following the meeting with the search team, I dropped in on Dr. Joe & Kathy Harmon and the team hosting a family fun night in their gymnasium. Dr. Harmon has done a terrific work in revitalizing this congregation. Pictured below are Dr. Joe and Kathy with two of the teenagers who’ve come to Christ under their ministry. Pray with the church as they seek the next leader to build on this momentum.
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Sherry and I flew back from Arizona last Monday and then I hit the road here in the district on Tuesday. Pastor Andy Riemersma and I had a productive meeting with Kevin Batman, General Treasurer of The Wesleyan Church, in his office in Fishers. Kevin also serves as local church treasurer and as prayer team member for ONE Church in Westfield, the new church that Pastor Andy and his team are planting.

Wednesday morning, I connected with Rev. Shane Wilson, pastor of New Hope Church in Columbia City. It was encouraging to hear the good report of how God is on the move at New Hope. Wednesday afternoon, Rev. Michael Hewitt, pastor of Rising Hope in Muncie, invited me to spend time with Marcos Cruz, Rising Hope’s campus pastor in Sevilla, Spain. It was inspiring to hear how God is at work through this partnership with two campuses already launched and the next one getting ready to start in Madrid. The picture below shows Pastor Michael on the left, Pastor Marcos in the center, and Alberto, one of the new believers who is helping to lead the first Bible study in Madrid. If you’ve not yet met Marcos, you’ll have the opportunity in December when he returns as a guest artist for the Follow ’23 Youth Convention in Cincinnati.
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Thursday, Rev. John Hannan and I met for our annual coaching conversation. Pastor John and Beth Hannan planted CrossRoads Church in Union City. Last year, this new church welcomed 7 new professions of faith and baptized 8 new believers. Their baptism rate was one of the highest in our district at 18.6% of their weekend worship attendance!

Thursday afternoon, I met with Larry Moore, vice-chair of the LBA at Harvest Church, as they move forward in the search for their next pastor. In addition to his leadership role at the Wesleyan Investment Foundation, I am grateful for the way that Larry serves and leads in his local church. Our acquaintance dates back around 40 years to the time when his father, Rev. Fred Moore, hosted my father for a week of evangelistic services in Falconer, New York. We are both blessed by the legacy of godly fathers who served the Lord so well.
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Friday morning, Dr. Jim Lo brought the closing sermon in the Cox Holiness Series at Indiana Wesleyan University. Dr. Lo’s message was anointed and many students responded to the invitation for God to begin His revival in their hearts. Following the chapel service, I joined Dr. Chris Bounds, chair of IWU’s School of Theology and Ministry, for an exciting conversation about a new initiative to place interns and residents in smaller churches. You’ll be hearing more about this initiative at district conference.

Friday evening, our home was blessed by the presence of amazing pastors and spouses who gathered for food, fellowship, and prayer. Rev. Phil Carder (Lafayette The Branch Wesleyan Church), Rev. David and Suzanne Cox (Laketon Wesleyan Church), Rev. Michael and Liana Gallant (Mt. Etna Community Life Church), and Dr. Matthew and Jennifer Stewart (Sweetser Wesleyan Church) all shared encouraging praise reports of how God is at work in their families and in their congregations.
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Saturday afternoon, I joined the leadership team at Lancaster Wesleyan Church as they mapped out their pastor search process and conducted an initial interview with a prospective candidate. Pray that God grants wisdom and unity for these important decisions.
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One of the highlights of this coming week is a meeting in Ohio on Tuesday with the other three district superintendents serving together in the Heartland Region (Greater Ohio, Indiana South, and Kentucky-Tennessee).

Please make plans to attend and join us in praying for move of God among our next generation of Wesleyan leaders who will be gathering in Cincinnati this December. There will also be seminars and workshops for pastors and parents so make every effort to attend!
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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
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Sherry and I were away this weekend celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary by visiting our daughter and her husband in Phoenix. We flew out on Friday and will be back later on Monday. Jordan and Sam attend Sun Valley Community Church and we enjoyed worshiping with them today in their home church. Their home church baptized 186 new believers across their several campuses last weekend. God is so good!
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Last week began in Orlando as Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our General Superintendent, hosted a meeting on Monday morning with district superintendents gathering before the Exponential Conference kicked off. It was good to catch up with colleagues and to learn more about new initiatives and upcoming events, including FOLLOW ’23.
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I flew home Monday evening to join more than 100 pastors and lay leaders from our Crossroads District who attended the GROW Leader seminar on Tuesday in Indianapolis. Pastor Chris Hodges did a great job unpacking the principles that have helped Church of the Highlands (Birmingham, Alabama) become one of the largest churches in America. Special thanks to the Wesleyan Investment Foundation for co-sponsoring the event and providing us with a block of tickets. Thank you, also, to each of our leaders who brought team members to experience this exceptional learning opportunity.
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Tuesday evening, I chaired the district nominating committee meeting. I’m grateful for these committee members and the many volunteers who make our Crossroads District a great team!

Wednesday, I was on the road for coaching conversations with Rev. David Cox (Laketon Wesleyan) and Rev. Michael Gallant (Mt. Etna Community Life Church). The final meeting of the day was with Rev. Ben Jones and the leadership team at Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church. Beaver Creek is one of our churches participating in the Next Level initiative.
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Thursday morning, I was in Muncie to meet with a prospective church planter and then I met with Rev. Andy Cole (Lapel Daybreak Church) for our annual coaching conversation. My final meeting of the day was back in Marion with Dr. Paul Garverick, professor and administrator at Wesley Seminary.

It’s always encouraging to be able to pass along praise reports as they’re submitted by our pastors. This week’s good news includes a report from Pastor Scott McDermid that Sheridan Six Points Church is officially debt-free after making their final mortgage payment!

Pastor Dan Fisher shared the good news of another baptism at Delphi Wesleyan Church. We’re joining in rejoicing with Heaven over another life #MadeNew by the grace of Jesus Christ!
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Pastor Brent Miller and the team at Gas City Southside Wesleyan Church shared the good news that they welcomed 8 new members on Sunday, one by transfer and seven joining by their profession of faith!
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Pastor Nicholas Zarate passed along the good news that Rev. Adriana Zarate has relaunched her online Bible study for women. They’re off to a strong start with 21 ladies joining from Indiana, Nevada, and Mexico.
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Congratulations to Rev. Emily Hines and Rev. David Hines on the birth of their second child, Simon! Simon joins his sister Petra and his parents who serve on staff at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church.

Congratulations to Rev. Ben and Katie Wade on the birth of their second child, Gracie! Gracie joins her big sister Myla. Pastor Ben is on staff at Greenfield Brown’s Chapel Wesleyan Church.
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Our prayers and condolences are extended to Mrs. Teri Downing, wife of Rev. Alan Downing (Frankfort Connecting Point) on the passing of her mother last week.

​Please mark your calendar for December 28-30 and add the Follow 2023 Wesleyan Youth Convention to your prayer list. Let’s believe God for a fresh outpouring at
​www.followconference.org

Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday, March 5, Pastor Paul VanCise and the team at Bryant Wesleyan Church welcomed me to bring greetings from the Crossroads District team and to bring the morning message. Attendance has rebounded well from the pandemic with 121 in worship last weekend. It was encouraging to hear how the church family reaches out to serve their community.
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Angelyn Van Cise, Pastor Paul’s wife, has been used of God to launch a release-time Bible class serving 11 students from their local public school. Pastor Paul has been entrusted by the community to lead the park development project to better serve their neighbors. The church is also reaching out internationally with their second team headed to Honduras later this month. After the service and a brief meeting with the Local Board of Administration, Pastor Paul and some of his team members joined us for lunch. 

Last Monday morning, Pastor Matthew Trexler hosted his monthly leadership cohort for area pastors. They’ve been working through the book “Pray First” by Chris Hodges (pastor of Church of the Highlands). Before heading over for our district staff meeting, I dropped in on the beginning of their session as they were sharing praise reports. WOW! It is exciting to hear how God is at work in their churches! 

Tuesday, I was back on the road for a coaching conversation with Pastor Jarod Osborne (Pathway Community Church in Warsaw). We met in the Kosciusko County Jail where Pastor Jarod and his team have been developing a strong ministry to prisoners. The ministry is called “Peace Force” and the program includes helping inmates transition back into the community. This has included several new believers who have been welcomed as part of the Pathway church family.
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On the way back to home, I was able to connect with Pastor Sam Maddox for an update on the ministry at Albion Wesleyan Church. They are continuing to build momentum and are preparing for their Easter outreach.

Wednesday, Pastor Scott McDermid (Sheridan Six Points) and I met for our coaching conversation. They are seeing good growth in their youth and children’s ministry. My next stop was with Rev. Rochelle Jenkins. Pastor Rochelle is concluding her ministry at Circle City Church so that she and Travis and Atlas can move to Wisconsin later this month. We are grateful for her commitment to making disciples in the hospital where she’s been serving and are excited to see how God will bless her ministry in this new location.

My next stop was with Rev. Gawin Anderson, our new pastor at Divine Direction Church in Indianapolis. In addition to holding down a full-time job and leading the church, Pastor Gawin is continuing his ministerial coursework at Indiana Wesleyan University. My last stop of the day was with Rev. Duane Summit at Fishersburg Wesleyan Church. After our coaching conversation, Pastor Duane welcomed me to join their evening Bible study.

Michael Wood and I met in Fishers on Thursday morning and interviewed a prospective team member to help our district team. After a denominational task force Zoom meeting, I headed back north to meet with Dr. Bob Hallett. Dr. Hallett is leveraging his considerable ministry experience in a new initiative to pastor pastors. I’m grateful for Dr. Hallett’s investment in pastors of every denomination. 

My final stop of the day was with a group of former Methodists who invited me for a “question and answer” session. This was a precious group of saints but these are difficult days for our brothers and sisters who are disaffiliating from their denomination.

Rev. John Hannan (CrossRoads Church) and Rev. Claudia Silva Ruiz (Richmond Casa del Alfarero) hosted a combined bi-lingual service in Union City this morning with 160+ in attendance. Praise the Lord for the two people who prayed to receive Christ!
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The team at Marion Lakeview Wesleyan Church, pastored by Dr. Chris Williams, celebrated another baptism on Sunday. Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew!
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I’m looking forward to seeing approximately 100 of our district pastors and lay leaders at the GrowLeader regional conference led by Pastor Chris Hodges (Church of the Highlands) at Heartland Church in Indianapolis on Tuesday. There may still be tickets available through GrowLeader if you’d like to join us!  Register at this link:
​https://brushfire.com/highlands/glregional22/536187/register

Thank you for all you’re doing to advance the Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

​Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Pastor Tony Bye and the team at Marion Brookhaven Wesleyan Church welcomed me to preach for the closing services of their month of missions. Brookhaven has a wonderful missions team led by Assistant Pastor John Walton and they go all out to focus on missionaries and global impact in their February services.
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Following each of the two worship services, I convened the Local Church Conference and the members voted overwhelmingly to extend the call of Pastor Tony Bye. After the last service, it was fun to catch up with Pastor Tony and Amy over lunch.

Sunday afternoon, I chaired the LBA of Lancaster Wesleyan Church in a meeting to begin their pastoral search. Rev. Trevor O’Dell has been a blessing to many in his first experience as a lead pastor. He and Allison have sensed God calling them back into a staff ministry role so Trevor announced his transition to the LBA on Saturday and to the congregation this morning. Pray for the O’Dell’s as they follow God’s calling and for Lancaster Wesleyan as they seek God’s direction for this next chapter.

Sunday evening, I joined with Rev. Jeff and Dr. Heather Brady for Commoners’ Church, the house church that they host with a weekly meal, Bible study and communion. In addition to serving these families, Pastor Jeff is in the process of completing chaplaincy training at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.
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Last Monday, I concluded my time at Asbury University and drove home with a thankful heart. Praying that the good work God has begun will carry on and spread across our nation!

Tuesday, I was back on the road for a coaching conversation with Rev. Don Bayne at New Carlisle Wesleyan Church and then met with Rev. Martin Furrow at The Cross Wesleyan Church in Rochester. Rev. Furrow is completing his initial call as lead pastor so I also met with the local board of administration in preparation for their upcoming pastoral vote.
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Following my time in Rochester, I joined the LBA meeting already in progress at Shiloh Wesleyan Church. Rev. Rich VanVuren resigned earlier this month, so the Shiloh team met with me to map out the next steps for their pastoral search process.
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Wednesday was another highlight as I spent the day on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University with Dr. Jim Lo. Dr. Lo invited me to guest lecture in two of his ministry classes 1) Ministry in Context, and 2) Evangelism and Discipleship. It was a joy to serve alongside Dr. Lo and to interact with these passionate students. Dr. Chris Bounds, chair of the School of Theology and Ministry (STM), also arranged for me to have a luncheon with several of the STM faculty. We are grateful for the faithful service of these faculty members. The Crossroads District has approximately 40 students in the undergraduate ministry program at IWU. Pray that God will continue preparing these students to answer His divine calling on their lives.
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Wednesday evening, I joined Rev. Terry Vaughn for supper and for a walkthrough of the facility that they’re leasing for the ministry of The Bridge Urban Church. Pastor Terry and Lennaire are doing God’s work making disciples in South Bend. It was encouraging to see the progress they’ve made in renovating this building and impacting their community.
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Thursday morning, I was back at IWU to join Dr. Matthew Stewart in his Wesleyan Church History and Discipline class. In addition to teaching at IWU, Dr. Stewart also leads the Sweetser Wesleyan Church. As much as I enjoyed meeting with this class, I was even more excited to celebrate with Dr. Stewart sharing that two men were saved at Sweetser today!

After that class, Dr. Yamil Acevedo and I met over coffee at IWU. Over lunch, I had the joy of connecting with a prospective church planter who will be graduating from IWU this year. Thursday afternoon, I met with Micah Walls in Noblesville to hear more about the men’s ministry called “Fight Club.” Micah and other men from Waterline Church have participated in this ministry. Rev. Mike Hewitt and the team at Muncie Rising Hope will be hosting a chapter later this spring. My final connection for the day was with Rev. Wayne Richards who has graciously agreed to serve as an interim pastor for Harvest Church.
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On behalf of our Crossroads District team, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to Rev. Brad LeRoy and his family. Pastor Brad and his family stepped out in faith 15 years ago to launch Harvest Church in McCordsville. In spite of battling health challenges for the last 10 years, Rev. LeRoy has led the church to have significant impact in their community. We are praying as he steps away from Harvest Church to focus on recovering his health. We’re also praying for the future that God has in store for Harvest. Thank you, Brad and Heidi!

Sherry and I took Friday and Saturday off to visit with family in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Yes, I’ll gladly share pictures of our beautiful granddaughter if you request via direct message.
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Pastor Martin Furrow shared the exciting news that 14 people were baptized and one baby was dedicated at The Cross Wesleyan Church in Rochester on Sunday, February 26! Praise the Lord for spiritual victories!
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Assistant Pastor Dan VanDuyne passed along photos from the previous weekend at LifeSpring Church. Between the two campuses, they baptized 15 people. Praise God for lives being #MadeNew!
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​God is on the move so let’s keep in step with the Holy Spirit and press forward in the cause of Christ!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday, February 19, Rev. Eric George and the team at Muncie Memorial Drive Wesleyan Church graciously welcomed me to bring greetings from our district and to share the morning message. Memorial has been rebuilding from the past two years. They had a good group out for worship yesterday. After the morning service, I met with the LBA (Local Board of Administration) in preparation for their upcoming pastoral vote. Rev. George is another of our faithful bi-vocational pastors. He serves as a chaplain in the New Castle correctional facility. I’m grateful for the faithful witness that Memorial Drive Wesleyan Church is having in the heart of Muncie.
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Sunday afternoon, Rev. Randy Yaryan and the LBA at Union Street Wesleyan Church met with me in Winchester. Pastor Randy was one of our fearless leaders who drove a group of teenagers to Fort Wayne for the youth all-nighter and stayed awake the whole evening, even playing laser tag. Rev. Yaryan, another of our bi-vocational pastors, has served the church in Winchester for 26 years!

Sunday evening, I traveled to Wilmore, Kentucky to take part in the evening service at Asbury University. Many of you have read or heard reports of the gracious reviving work that God started here two weeks ago, a reviving work that is spreading to other college campuses across America. If you’re on Facebook, you can read more about it from Pastor Michael Colaw’s visit (Indianapolis Trinity Wesleyan Church) with his family or from several postings by Dr. Jim Garlow. As I approached Wilmore, the traffic on the main route into town was being turned back. Here’s the sign that welcomed me:
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Fortunately, there is more than one way to get to Asbury and I was able to join the overflow crowd worshiping in Asbury Seminary’s McKenna Chapel. There was an obvious sense of God’s presence on the campus. I appreciated the students’ clear desire to keep the focus on Jesus and the thoughtful restraint of celebrity. I also commend President Brown’s administration for the wise and gracious way in which they are stewarding this historic moment. May God empower this rising generation for Great Commission ministry!
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Monday evening, Rev. Andy Jellison and Rev. Rick Fletcher welcomed me to Lifeway Church in Fort Wayne. Rev. Fletcher has served the church as lead pastor since 1998. Over the past few years, Pastor Rick has led the LBA in a pastoral succession process that will be completed this spring when the church votes to call Rev. Jellison as their new lead pastor. Pastor Rick has been serving part-time for much of the past year and will continue to be part of Pastor Andy’s team going forward.
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Tuesday found me back on the road for coaching conversations in New Castle with Rev. Ron Ferguson (Grant City Wesleyan Church) and with Rev. Dr. Joe Harmon (New Castle Memorial Wesleyan Church). Rev. Eric George (Muncie Memorial) and I met in Muncie later that afternoon in preparation for his upcoming vote and my visit on Sunday.

Wednesday morning, Dr. Mark Rennaker (Kokomo Southdowns) and I met in Marion for our annual coaching conversation. Rev. Lyle Breeding (Bluffton Sonlight) met with me over lunch in Marion and then I drove down to Anderson. Rev. Carla Working and Michael Wood joined me at Madison Park Church of God for a second walk-though of the facility. We will be holding our 2023 District Conference on this site due to the generous hospitality of Pastor Heather Kinnan Semple and her team. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, June 24, and plan to join us in Anderson!
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Thursday afternoon, the Crossroads District Board of Administration met in Tipton. We had a full agenda including the board’s review of the DS evaluation. Thank you to the 51 pastors who participated in the evaluation and provided feedback that will help me serve you better.

The DBA was blessed with our two guest presentations. Rev. Seth and Cassidy Bye brought an encouraging update from 317Church, the relaunching project in Avon. Rev. Andrea Shaull (pictured below) brought an inspiring report of the work that she and Austin, her husband, are doing in planting The Table, a new Wesleyan micro-church network in Indianapolis. Continue to pray for these projects and keep asking God to send more workers into His harvest field here in Indiana.
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Sherry and I were blessed to host another gathering of lead pastors and their spouses at our Thornapple retreat on Friday night. Not only was this group a lot of fun but they also provided the musical highlight of the year with this old quartet song:
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These evenings of fellowship, laughter, and prayer have been a blessing to our district team. Hearts are encouraged, new friendships are formed, and our partnerships are growing stronger. There are still a few slots open for the remaining evenings this spring if you’d like to join us.
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The last stop for Friday was with our amazing team of leaders who hosted this year’s Crossroads District Youth All-Nighter in Fort Wayne. I love this picture of Rev. Jessica Folz (Marion Lakeview), our District Youth President, Rev. Lane Sander (Bluffton Sonlight), and Rev. Andrew Kinney (Marion Chapel Pike). Even though they’re all smiling, Pastor Andy is still keeping an eye on his teenagers. Thank you to the 83 youth pastors and sponsors who provided this amazing event for 427 junior and senior high school students!
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Saturday morning, I met with the LBA at Harvest Church in McCordsville. Rev. Brad LeRoy, founding pastor, is stepping away from his leadership role at the end of this month to focus on his health. We’re praying for Pastor Brad’s full recovery. The LBA worked with me to map out next steps as they lead this transition. Rev. Wayne Richards has agreed to help the church in this interim season. Pray with Harvest Church as they seek God’s best for their future.

Later than morning, I joined Rev. Seth Bye and our district building committee on a conference call as they complete work on a checklist for our churches to use in their annual review of facilities. They’ve done great work on this project and I appreciate the investment they’ve made to help our churches.
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My last stop on Saturday was in Anderson. Rev. Mike Weller, church planter and pastor of Restoration Church joined me for lunch. He shared that one of their recent Sunday evening gatherings fed over 50 people with at least 40 staying for the sermon, table discussions and prayer time. Pray with Pastor Mike and their team as they consider the possibility of purchasing the building in which they’ve been meeting.

I love to share stories of how God is working across our district family and Rev. Mike Hewitt (Muncie Rising Hope) passed along the good news of 3 more baptisms this Sunday. Pastor Mike also shared the story of evangelist Gypsy Smith who said the secret of revival was to “Go home. Take a piece of chalk, Draw a circle around yourself. Then pray, ‘O Lord, revive everything within this circle.'” Pastor Mike passed our pieces of chalk at the close of the service and dozens of people took time to draw circles and pray for revival in their lives, their families, and in their circles of influence.
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Pastor Matthew Trexler reported that The River Church in Marion celebrated more baptisms on Sunday with more than 1100 in attendance. The children and student ministries alone had over 300 present. Pray that God will continue to guide and guard the team at The River in this season of explosive growth.
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Pastor Joe Jackson sent along this photo and an encouraging report of the most recent missions team from Anderson United Wesleyan Church. Ten people from United spent last week in Cuba where they ministered to 15 pastors and local churches through construction, preaching, and other serving projects.
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Thank you, Crossroads District team, for all that you are doing to advance the Kingdom of God!

​Keep on making a difference in this cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. If you’ve not yet read it, here’s the link for Dr. Tom McCall’s article on the Asbury Revival.

Sunday morning, February 12, I had the privilege of worshiping at College Wesleyan Church in Marion with Dr. Steve DeNeff and his team. Children’s Pastor Stephanie Freemyer led in the child dedication liturgy with four young families participating.
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Dr. DeNeff preached a powerful message about “The Ghosts of Pharaoh.” I was able to bring greetings from our district team and it was good to connect with Pastor Steve and key leaders before and after the services. I’m grateful for the many ways that Pastor Steve and College Wesleyan impact their local community and also partner with our district to reach Indiana for Christ.
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After my visit to College Wes, I traveled to Fairmount Back Creek Wesleyan Church to meet with Rev. Ben Parker and his LBA. Pastor Ben is completing 20 years of leading the church and the LBA voted unanimously to affirm his continued service under the extended call. After the LBA meeting, I stopped over at the annex to greet members and to offer the blessing for their fellowship luncheon.
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Last Monday, I joined a Zoom meeting with Wesleyan district superintendents. Dr. Devon Smith, DS from TriState District, is convening a roundtable of district superintendents in Nashville for later this spring. I appreciate the learning and encouragement from this terrific group of colleagues.
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Dr. Chris Williams, vice-chair of the DBA, and I met over lunch for a debrief on the DS evaluation that we invited pastors to participate in last month. Thank you to the more than 50 pastors who provided their feedback. The next step will be for the DBA to review the feedback in our meeting this week.

On Tuesday morning, I met with Rev. Matthew Trexler, our district treasurer, as we prepare the financial reports and preliminary budget outline for the DBA meeting. I traveled on to Westfield for a coaching conversation with Rev, Darrell Herring who serves as supply pastor at Indianapolis Central Wesleyan Church. Rev. Seth Bye and I met at 317Church in Avon for our coaching conversation. Pastor Seth and I toured fast-growing nearby communities where Seth is praying for church planting possibilities.

My last stop on Tuesday was at Southview Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis. I chaired a meeting with the LBA in which they voted unanimously to recommend Rev. Nathan Richardson for an extended call.
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Wednesday, I started the day in Fort Wayne meeting with Rev. Aldean Pablo (Roanoke ARISE Church) for our annual coaching conversation. I drove on to met with Rev. Kory Christensen at Impact Church in New Haven for our coaching conversation. My last stop of the day was in Elwood to meet with the LBA at Main Street Wesleyan Church. The LBA voted unanimously to affirm Rev. Tim Becker’s continued service on an extended call.
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On Thursday morning, Rev. Duane Cragun (Brinker Heights) and I met for our annual coaching conversation. I met with Rev. Randy Yaryan (Union Street Wesleyan Church) in Winchester for our coaching conversation and a slice of pie at Mrs. Wick’s. My last stop of the day was in Fishers to connect with Rev. Scott Rhyno, pastor at Waterline Church, to catch up on their ministry.

Saturday was another highlight as I joined Dr. Chris Williams and leaders from seven churches who gathered at Lakeview Wesleyan Church for the Next Level workshop. This was a full-day experience with insightful presentations followed by strategic conversations in the table groups. Each participating church will have follow-up coaching provided for the next six months and will be eligible to apply for a $1000 outreach project matching grant. We’ll be offering this opportunity again in the fall and would love for your church to take advantage of this valuable resource.
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We always love to rejoice and pass along the good news of how God is at work in our churches. I was delighted to hear from Pastor Matthew Trexler that The River Church celebrated 14 more baptisms today! Praise the Lord for these lives being #MadeNew!
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It was also exciting to hear from Pastor Theo Griffin and the team at Greenfield Brown’s Chapel Wesleyan Church. They’ve had several financial miracles in the past year and this weekend they are praising the Lord for another blessing. An anonymous donor provided funding to purchase and install this 4×8 digital sign that they dedicated today. Praise the Lord for answered prayer.

Please pray for our 2023 Crossroads District Youth All-Nighter in Fort Wayne on Friday, February 17. Click the image below for more information or to register your youth group. Thank you to Rev. Jessica Folz, our District Youth President, and Rev. Lane Sander for leading a great team that provides an incredible experience for our youth groups. I hope to see you there!
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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

Sunday morning, February 5, I participated in the morning worship service at Brinker Heights Wesleyan Church in Marion. It was my first time to be with Rev. Cragun at Brinker Heights since he became their pastor last year. It was also good to reconnect with Rev. Harvey and Rachel Herring. Mrs. Herring played the organ for the hymn and I was glad to help out by playing piano. Following the morning worship service, Pastor Duane led a brief congregational meeting with an update from the outreach team. Join me in praying for the team at Brinker Heights as they share Christ with their neighbors.
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Sunday afternoon, I met with the LBA (Local Board of Administration) at Southside Wesleyan Church in Gas City. The LBA participated in a feedback process with Rev. Brent Miller and unanimously recommended his continued service under the new extended call (2022 Discipline). The church is experiencing attendance growth both for their in-person worship services and their online ministry.
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Last Monday I was in Marion for a meeting with our district office staff and then joined the Executive Committee of the DBA online as we prepare for next week’s meeting. Sherry and I had the privilege of hosting Chris and Tamara Granados for supper in Fishers. Chris is the supply pastor at Monte de Sion Iglesia Wesleyana in Indianapolis and it was encouraging to hear how God is moving in their ministry.
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Tuesday, I was on the road for a coaching conversation with Rev. Dan Clark, pastor of Colfax Wesleyan Church. Later that morning, I met with Rev. Brad LeRoy, pastor of Harvest Church in McCordsville. Pastor Brad has been persevering through years of health challenges. After the most recent setback, Brad and Heidi prayerfully made the difficult decision that it was time for Brad to step away from his ministry at Harvest Church. They made that announcement to the congregation yesterday. I know you’ll join me in thanking Pastor Brad and Heidi for the amazing ministry they’ve had in planting and leading Harvest Church. Let’s also keep lifting them in prayer as Pastor Brad seeks to recover his health and strength for whatever God is planning for their future.

On Wednesday, I met with Pastor Brent Miller (Southside) in preparation for our Sunday LBA review. Then I met Rev. Ryan Budde, pastor at Jonesboro Westview Wesleyan, in preparation for his upcoming LBA review. My last meeting that afternoon was with Rev. Mark Atkinson for an update on his ministry as district “circuit rider.” Pastor Mark hosted a Zoom call on Tuesday evening for several of the pastors he’s been serving. The focus of their meeting was preparation for personal evangelism in the weeks leading up to Easter. Pastor Mark has developed a two-hour learning experience for local churches called “The Fishing Expedition” that will help pastors and members become more effective in connecting and leading people to Christ. You can reach Pastor Mark directly or through our office.
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Thursday, I was on the road for a pre-vote review with Rev. Tim Becker, Elwood Main Street Wesleyan, and then on to Greenwood to meet with Rev. Nathan Richardson, Southview Wesleyan Church, in preparation for his LBA review. Thursday afternoon, I connected with Michael Wood at Tipton Trinity to record a video congratulating Circle of Hope on their mortgage burning. My last stop of the day was with the LBA at Jonesboro Westview Wesleyan Church for their pre-vote review. The LBA unanimously affirmed Rev. Budde’s continued service under the new extended call (2022 Discipline).

Saturday morning, I dropped in at Greentown Wesleyan Church where Rev. Eric Roemer and his team were hosting the “No Regrets Men’s Conference” simulcast. In addition to a strong group from Greentown, there were attendees from Marion, Indianapolis, and this happy staff team with Pastor David Shafer from North Anderson Wesleyan Church.
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From Greentown, I traveled on to Carmel Amistad Iglesia Wesleyan to connect with Rev. Grace Lopez and the students attending our Spanish-language ministerial courses known as FLAMA. This session on Wesleyan Church History and Discipline was led by Rev. Edison Camacho from the South Carolina District. Fourteen students were attending this course from around Indianapolis and from Richmond. Rev. Neftali Lopez, district circuit rider, led the class in worship to open the session.
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For many years, we were blessed by the leadership that Rev. Adriana Zarate gave to FLAMA and now Rev. Grace Lopez has agreed to serve our Crossroads District Spanish-language ministry students. I am also grateful for the ministry that Revs. Neftali and Grace Lopez are having as they travel to encourage the Hispanic leaders and congregations across our district.
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Speaking of Hispanic ministries, I was excited to receive word from Revs. Nicolas and Adriana Zarate that they welcomed 4 more members yesterday at Gloria del Rey. God is on the move!
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And speaking of new members, Rev. Aldean Pablo and the team at ARISE Church in Roanoke welcomed 13 new members yesterday morning. Rev. Mark Atkinson, circuit rider, sent along this photo. Praise the Lord for the growth that we are seeing in many of our churches!
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Here’s one more example of how God is at work. I received this praise report from Rev. David Cox, pastor at Laketon Wesleyan Church: “I was almost halfway through my sermon and voiced a concern how we are often so prideful that we fail to use our altars, when this young lady stands up and states how she needs to get her life right with God and recommitted her life to Christ, (at the altar), of course I stopped preaching and allowed the Holy Spirit to move and He did, another woman came forward who has smoked for 40 years and we anointed her as well as two others for healing, one 91 year old lady who physically could not come up stated she felt so empty, we prayed for her and she received the filling of God’s Holy Spirit. I was unable to finish the sermon due to so many testimonies and the work of the Holy Spirit. Just wanted to report that God is on the move!”

​Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. We’re counting down the days until the 2023 Crossroads District Youth All-Nighter in Fort Wayne on Friday, February 17. Click the image below to register your youth group. Rev. Jessica Folz, our District Youth President, along with Rev. Lane Sander are a great team, always providing an incredible experience for our youth groups. I hope to see you there!
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Sunday morning, January 29, I was blessed to worship at Connecting Point Church in Frankfort. Pastor Alan Downing leads this team in ministering in the historic First Wesleyan Church building just north of the campus of what was then the Frankfort Pilgrim College. Rev. Downing has served the church since 2014 and he’s another of our faithful bi-vocational pastors. The church has a unique and growing ministry to families of children with special needs. After the worship service, I met briefly with the local board and then joined Pastor Alan and Teri Downing for lunch. Pray for their continued outreach.
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I drove on from Frankfort to Noblesville to worship with Revs. Nicolas and Adriana Zarate at Rey de Gloria Iglesia Wesleyana. Rey de Gloria is part of the network of congregations known as Circle of Hope led by Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck. Rey de Gloria is growing again after overcoming a series of setbacks including health challenges in the Zarate family. Please keep them in your prayers.

Sunday was also a special day at Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church in Marion. Pastor Josh Bowlin and Assistant Pastor Andrew Kinney had the joy of baptizing six teenagers and affirming the infant baptism of a seventh. Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew!
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Last Monday, I met with our district staff and then joined a Zoom call led by DS Jerry Lumston with the study committee tasked by General Conference with further consideration of Memorial 857. This group is making progress in developing recommendations that will be presented to the General Board in May.
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Monday evening, I had the joy of connecting with Dr. Steve DeNeff and the LBA (local board of administration) at College Wesleyan Church to review the extended pastoral call. Pastor DeNeff had the board break out into future-focused discussion groups to wrestle with some of the exciting challenges ahead for their church. Dr. DeNeff began pastoring College Wesleyan back in 2001 and continues to lead this ministry with excellence in his 22nd year.
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On Tuesday morning, I met with the district budget team in preparation for our upcoming DBA meeting and then met with Pastor Rob Tippey at Wabash New Journey Church for our annual coaching conversation. Tuesday evening, I met with Pastor Rich VanVuren and the LBA at Plymouth Shiloh Wesleyan Church for their pastoral review.

Wednesday morning, our district team hosted a Zoom call for local church leaders who were interested in learning more Discipline changes from General Conference 2022. We offered this webinar on Wednesday morning and again on Saturday morning. The Wednesday call was recorded and you can access the video at this link:
​https://youtu.be/KE8AA-G48pg
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Wednesday afternoon, the snow was continuing to fall so Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck joined me via ZOOM for our annual coaching conversation.

The roads were still unpredictable on Thursday morning so I worked from my home office again. The day included a call from one staff pastor considering the possibility of transitioning to a lead pastor role, another call with a lead pastor considering the possibility of trans-local ministry, and I was also able to join the webinar that Wesley Seminary hosted featuring Dr. Chris Williams on “Self-Leadership.” Chris always delivers great content so if you weren’t able to catch that webinar, here’s the link:
​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ykf85yWBR9A
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I met with an IWU graduating ministerial student on Friday afternoon. If your church has job openings, please share those opportunities via our free denominational website:
https://www.wesleyan.org/jobs

For the past 3 weeks, many of us have been participating in the 21 Days of Prayer initiative led by Pastor Chris Hodges and the Church of the Highlands. I joined their online prayer meetings (6 am CST) through the week and enjoyed the closing prayer rally that they hosted on Saturday morning. If you’ve not yet discovered their prayer ministry resources, I encourage you to visit their website:
​https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/resources

Saturday evening, I was able to join with Rev. Zachary and Rev. Carla Working in Huntington as they led Hope Rising Church in the final gathering of their 21 Days of Prayer. Thank you to the Working's and every Crossroads District pastor who is making prayer a priority in 2023!
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Pastors, we have two slots available for local church leaders who are ready to take the next step in ministry effectiveness. Call today to register your team for the Next Level Church Experience led by Dr. Christopher Williams. This experience includes the opportunity for your team to develop an updated action plan and receive a $1000 matching grant for your next outreach initiative. Check out the link below for more information:
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We’re counting down with just two more weeks until the 2023 Crossroads District Youth All-Nighter in Fort Wayne on Friday, February 17. Click the image below for more information or to register your youth group. Rev. Jessica Folz, our District Youth President, along with Rev. Lane Sander are a great team, always providing an incredible experience for our youth groups. I hope to see you there!

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

​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S.: Main session and seminar recordings from The Gathering are now available! Click here to access those resources: ​https://resources.wesleyan.org/g23resources

Sunday morning, January 22, Sherry and I had the joy of worshiping with Rev. Kory Christensen and his team at New Haven Impact Church. Pastor Kory and I had the privilege of serving together back in West Michigan District as he was answering his call to ministry. It is always good to hear how God is working in his ministry and family. The in-person attendance was down due to the weather but there was a good spirit in the worship service. We also shared in communion as they do every Sunday.
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After the service, Kory and Becky joined us for lunch along with their son, Peyton, and his fiance, Bailey. It was encouraging to hear how God is blessing their outreach and disciple-making in the community, especially to learn how God is working through Becky’s public school leadership.

Pastor Brent Miller (Southside Wesleyan Church in Gas City) shared the best news of all from this weekend. A woman prayed to receive Christ on Friday, then she asked about baptism on Saturday, and Pastor Brent had the privilege of baptizing her on Sunday morning. Praise God for lives being #MadeNew by Jesus Christ!
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Last Monday, before our district staff meeting, I dropped in on the leadership cohort led by Pastor Matthew Trexler. This team has been journeying together each month both in learning and prayer for the past couple of years. I appreciate the investment that each leader makes in participating and I salute Pastor Trexler for pouring into this team.
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Tuesday morning, I met with Dr. Matthew Stewart in Marion in preparation for a Thursday evening meeting with the LBA at Sweetser Wesleyan Church. Over lunch, I met with Pastor Steve Arnett (New Castle Mt. Zion Wesleyan Church) in Muncie for our annual coaching conversation.

Tuesday evening, I met with Rev. Tony Bye and the LBA at Marion Brookhaven Wesleyan Church as they prepared for the upcoming vote to renew the pastoral call. Brookhaven is rebounding well from the pandemic and it was exciting to hear the testimonies of life change that they shared in the meeting.
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Wednesday included meetings with Rev. Ashlyn Luttrell, pastor of Wabash North Wesleyan Church, a coaching conversation in Huntington with Rev. Zack Working (pastor of Rising Hope), and a meeting with Rev. Trevor O’Dell (Lancaster Wesleyan Church) in preparation for an upcoming LBA meeting.

Thursday morning, I made a quick trip up to Monon Wesleyan Church to connect with our new pastor, Rev. Dr. Bradford (Brad) Snyder. Pastor Brad and I had served together in West Michigan District over a decade ago so it was fun to hear how God has been blessing Brad and Peggy in their semi-retirement. We’re glad they’ve joined the Crossroads team and Pastor Brad is already making a difference in Monon.

Thursday evening, I met with Dr. Stewart and the LBA at Sweetser Wesleyan Church. They’ve been making upgrades to their facility and they continue to find creative ways to minister to their community.
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Friday morning, I was invited to lead the devotional to begin the 6:00 am prayer service at The River Church in Marion. We have several district churches participating in the “21 Days of Prayer and Fasting” initiative led by Pastor Chris Hodges and the team at Church of the Highlands. Thank you for every way in which you call your church to prayer!
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We had planned to host several pastors and their spouses for supper in our home but cancellations due to illness made rescheduling the best option. Since we had the evening open, Sherry and I drove to Fort Wayne to share a meal with Rev. Mike and Hannah Henry. Mike is one of our newest pastors. He serves Level 13 Church bi-vocationally. While leading the church, Mike and Hannah serve as EMTs.

Saturday afternoon, I dropped in on Rev. Logan Westrick, pastor at Tipton Ash Street Wesleyan, and then drove up to Lancaster Wesleyan Church to meet with Pastor Trevor O’Dell and the LBA. Saturday evening, Sherry and I were invited to enjoy a delightful meal and fellowship with Tim and Gillian Swanson. Gillian is the youth director at Hartford City Wesleyan Church and I had the honor of performing Tim and Gillian’s wedding last year.

Speaking of youth ministry, please plan to bring your teens to the 2023 Crossroads District All-Nighter in Fort Wayne on Friday, February 17. Click the image below for more information or to register your youth group. Rev. Jessica Folz, our District Youth President, along with Rev. Lane Sander are a great team, always providing an incredible experience for our youth groups. I hope to see you there!
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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

P.S. – There’s still time to register your team for the Next Level Church Experience led by Dr. Christopher Williams. This experience includes the opportunity for your team to develop an updated action plan and receive a $1000 matching grant for your next outreach initiative. Check out the link below for more information.
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Sunday morning, January 15, 2023, Rev. Allen Gross and the Cicero United Family Wesleyan Church team welcomed me to preach and bring greetings from our district family. The worship team (including Pastor Gross on the bass guitar) led us in a powerful time of worship and it was good to see the growth in the church since my last visit.
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The church is active in serving the community, including hosting a free after-school tutoring program and providing community meals every third Friday evening. Pray with Pastor Gross and their team as they work toward becoming an established church before the end of this conference year.

On Monday, after meeting with our district staff, I headed north to Columbia City. Rev. Shane Wilson and the Local Board of Administration (LBA) at New Hope Wesleyan Church welcomed me to their regular meeting for a conversation about the new extended call for pastors. I enjoyed connecting with this team and hearing more about the fun they had at their recent LBA Christmas party.
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Rev. Sam Maddox and the LBA at Albion Wesleyan Church welcomed me to drop in toward the end of their Monday evening meeting. Pastor Sam is in the second year of his initial call and the board unanimously recommended him to the Local Church Conference for an extended call.

I was off the road Tuesday through Thursday for medical leave but was able to connect with pastors via email and phone calls while working from home. I also attended two webinars, one on leading breakthroughs featuring Shawn Lovejoy and the other on church revitalization featuring Thom Ranier.
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Rev. Carla Working, chair of the District Board of Ministerial Development, led our team in interviewing ordination candidates and ordained ministers in process of transfer at College Wesleyan Church through the day on Friday. Members of our DBMD team had the special privilege of interviewing with and praying for Rev. Dr. Jon Kulaga, our new president at Indiana Wesleyan University. Just a reminder that our ordination service this year will be at 10:30 on Saturday morning, June 24, at Madison Park Church of God in Anderson.
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Saturday morning, I dropped in at Marion Lakeview Wesleyan Church as Dr. Christopher Williams (Senior Pastor and Assistant District Superintendent) continued to lead the congregation through “21 Days of Prayer.” Pastor Chris arrived earlier that morning (around 3:00 am) to pray with the short-term missions team that was heading out to Mexico.
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Pastor Matthew Trexler (senior pastor and district treasurer) is also leading the congregation at The River Church through the “21 Days of Prayer” and I was glad to drop in on their Saturday morning prayer gathering before heading on to Indianapolis.
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Saturday afternoon, I represented our district family at the funeral of Rev. Arthur Davis, father of Dr. Randy Davis and Gary Davis, and stepfather to Dr. Carl Shepherd and Jerry Shepherd. Rev. Davis passed away last week at age 93. He was an effective pastor and evangelist with a special heart for mentoring younger leaders. Rev. Mike Summers brought the sermon and Don Cady led the singing. Our prayers are extended to the family of this faithful servant of God.
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Revs. Zach and Carla Working shared the news that the congregation at Huntington Hope Rising Church celebrated two more baptisms on Sunday morning. Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew!
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Rev. Noah Farmer, senior pastor at Gas City Eastview Wesleyan Church, reported that they were back up over 200 in worship attendance this weekend (205) and celebrated another baptism. Praise the Lord for every Kingdom advance!
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Save the date and plan to bring your teens to the 2023 Crossroads District All-Nighter in Fort Wayne on Friday, February 17. Click the image below for more information or to register your youth group.
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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

P.S. – There’s still time to register your team for the Next Level Church Experience led by Dr. Christopher Williams. This experience includes the opportunity for your team to develop an updated action plan and receive a $1000 matching grant for your next outreach initiative. Check out the link below for more information.
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