Church planters are my heroes! Pastor Marc and Heather Ulrich moved to Merrillville, just 30 minutes southeast of Chicago, back in 2016 to plant ReThink Church. They experienced what is sometimes known in church planting circles as a “parachute drop” with no existing core team to help launch the ministry. The Crossroads District, especially Pastor Matthew Trexler’s team at The River Church, backed them with prayer, finances, and the use of an abandoned church building. The Ulrichs faced the daunting task of starting from scratch but they were held steady by their clear calling from God. Today they are celebrating a growing multi-ethnic church that is making disciples who make disciples.
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Sherry and I had the privilege of connecting with Pastor Marc and Heather over supper on Saturday evening. They shared the stories of God opening doors in the business community and how they are both now serving in the public schools. Heather works in central services with personnel while Marc teaches life skills and mentors students. Sunday morning, we worshiped with their church family and then hosted the Ulrichs, including their sons Shad and Carson, for lunch. Pray that God will continue to bless this committed church-planting family!
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Last week’s schedule included our office staff meeting on Monday, a pastoral care visit to check on Rev. Craig Thurmon in Indy on Tuesday (he’s recovering well), coaching conversations through the week with Rev. Jerry Alexander (Anderson Circle of Hope), Rev. Caleb Wakeman, Rev. Amy Biegel, and Sam Kueraug (Marion The River Church), and Rev. Chuck Moorer (Indianapolis Divine Direction Church).

The district nominating committee met on Tuesday evening at Gas City Eastview Wesleyan Church. That was a good reminder that our district conference is less than 3 months away. Please plan to join us in Marion on Friday evening, June 24, for the ordination service and on Saturday, June 25, for the conference. We will have a full agenda with reports and action items from our General Conference.
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Wednesday afternoon, Assistant DS Matthew Trexler and I went to Westfield for a meeting with Rev. Andy Riemersma and a consultant who helped us explore options for expanding the capacity at the present location for ONE Church. Pastor Andy and his team are encouraged with the progress in these first three months since launch and are making plans for continued growth as God blesses.

Friday morning, I met with John Bonham, administrator, and Rev. John Davey, TIPS interim pastor serving our Hartford City Wesleyan Church, for an update on their pastoral search process. Continue to pray for our congregations who are still seeking God’s direction as they seek new pastoral leadership.

Friday evening, April 1, Sherry and I had the joy of hosting another terrific group of pastors and their spouses in our home. Every one of these evenings is a special time of fellowship but it seems like God is deepening these relationships in our district team as we share one another’s joys and prayer concerns.
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I love hearing how God is working across our district family. Here are some examples from this past week:

“Mark, I just want to share what the Lord is doing here in Delphi. We started out in January running a steady 32 in attendance. However, God is on the move and is raising our Lazarus. We have been increasing every Sunday, with new people arriving every week. We have more new people than we have older attendees. Today, we had 68 in attendance, with three families watching on Facebook live. This is merely the result of God showing us grace in answering prayer and fulfilling His promise. It would not surprise me that we will have 100-150 in attendance on Easter. The Lord alone gets all the glory.” – Pastor Dan Fisher, Delphi Wesleyan Church

Pastor Rick Fletcher checked in from Fort Wayne Lifeway reporting an “upswing in attendance and new folks coming to Lifeway–and getting involved. 90 K-6th graders on Wed. nights. Youth attendance is up. God is moving here and we are grateful…three (new) couples are in discipleship, volunteering and reporting to us that they have never before heard about the work of the Holy Spirit and transformation. Being made new!”

​Pastor Mike Colaw reported that Indianapolis Trinity Wesleyan Church had 32 new friends attending membership classes last month including their first membership class that was totally in Spanish. “I can’t believe how God is blessing….It’s crazy!”

Let’s praise God for the powerful ways that He is working in our churches and let’s keep praying. Join us this Sunday evening, 6:00 p.m., April 10, at The River Church in Marion for our monthly Crossroads District prayer gathering. We will be focusing this hour of prayer on seeking God’s anointing for the evangelistic opportunities in our Easter weekend services.

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte
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Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. There is still time to register your youth and children's ministry leaders to be part of this helpful gathering on April 21-22 in Muncie, Indiana at Union Chapel Church. Zach Coffin and his team are committed to making this a profitable time of renewal and resourcing. Look here for more info: Fuel

Sunday morning, March 27, Pastor Tony Bye and the congregation at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church welcomed me to bring greetings from our Crossroads District team. It was a joy to worship with them in both services and Pastor Tony’s message was powerful. I was also able to attend Dave Tippey’s Bible class between the services. I was reminded once again how blessed our churches are to have so many gifted and committed lay leaders.

The 11 a.m. gathering had a good group of IWU students attending. Brookhaven has been rebounding well and momentum is growing as they build toward Easter. I’m excited to see what God has in store as Pastor Tony and his team continue to make disciples who share the hope and freedom of Christ!

Last week, Tuesday through Thursday, Sherry and I joined with more than 300 Wesleyan pastors, spouses, and children for the Heartland Gathering. This was the second event that our districts have collaborated to offer for ministers and their families in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. One of the best features of the Heartland Gathering is the programming track for children and the nursery staffed with registered nurses so that parents could relax and enjoy the services.
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Jordan Rife and her gifted worship team from College Wesleyan Church led us in anointed musical worship times. We also had a great lineup of speakers including Dr. Ed Stetzer, Carlos Whittaker, and Dr. Kevin Myers who shared from their hearts and brought words of encouragement. Our Crossroads team had a special seminar featuring Dr. Pete Benson on financial freedom for pastors that we offered as part of our Thrive initiative. I was encouraged that so many of our pastors and their spouses took advantage of the Heartland Gathering as an opportunity to laugh, learn, and grow together.
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The Heartland Region is currently comprised of Crossroads, Greater Ohio, Indiana South, and the Kentucky-Tennessee districts. Dr. Mark Eckart, recently deceased DS for Indiana South, was honored in our first rally for his contribution to this event and to our partnership. I want to say special thanks to Rev. Les Crossfield, Greater Ohio District Superintendent, who has chaired our regional leadership team for the past 4 years. Rev. Crossfield, Rev. Aaron Sherman, and I are committed to continuing our collaboration over the next 4 years and are working on plans for our next Heartland Gathering in 2024.
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I love hearing stories of lives being changed by the Gospel! This past Sunday, Pastor Matthew Trexler and the team at The River Church in Marion celebrated 3 more baptisms. Praise God for these lives #MadeNew! Pastor, if you’ve not yet planned a baptism service for April, you still have time to provide that opportunity in the Easter season.
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Thank you to each one who has been praying for peace and helping with relief efforts for Ukraine. The Wesleyan Emergency Relief Fund received $154,000 last week from Wesleyan churches and individuals to resource our ministry teams serving with refugees in Poland and the Czech Republic.
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​Would you prayerfully consider what gift you can give to bring relief and hope to Ukraine? Donations can be made online here. Checks should be made payable to The Wesleyan Church with a note in the memo line for WERF Ukrainian Refugee Relief. Gifts should be mailed to The Wesleyan Church Corporation, c/o General Treasurer’s Office, 13300 Olio Road, Suite 100, Fishers, IN 46037.

Please remember Rev. Craig Thurmon, our district treasurer, in your prayers. Pastor Craig and Tiffany are church planters with us leading the Encounter Assembly in Lawrence, Indiana. Craig was at the Heartland Gathering and had to be hospitalized for what turned out to be a heart attack. After a successful procedure on Saturday, Craig is hoping to return home today. Please join us in praying for Pastor Craig’s full and speedy recovery!

Thank you for all you do to advance God’s Kingdom!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte
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Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, March 20, Rev. John and Beth Hannan welcomed me to worship with them and bring the morning message at CrossRoads Church in Union City. CrossRoads is one of our newest churches having launched on September 27, 2020. Some of you may know the story, but John and Beth had returned to Union City, their hometown, from Virginia to care for aging parents with declining health. John had done some interim ministry in the area but really wanted to be back in pastoral service in The Wesleyan Church.
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Rev. Hannan considered openings that would have required moving away from their hometown but he became increasingly convinced that God had a better plan. He and Beth accepted the challenging call to plant this new church not knowing that a pandemic was coming. Confident of God’s call, they stepped out in faith as bi-vocational church planters with a vision to start a church “Where Everyone Matters.” They averaged 38 in worship last year with 12 baptisms. Praise the Lord!
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God has blessed their ministry in so many wonderful ways, the most recent of which was the unexpected donation of a handicapped-accessible van that will enable them to bring up to three persons in wheelchairs. Pastor John made the first run on Sunday bringing two members of their church family and has recruited a driver who will care for this ministry going forward. It was a joy to join hands around the van for a prayer of thanksgiving and consecration. Please remember Pastor John, Beth, and the CrossRoads team in your prayers!

Sunday afternoon, I joined Pastor Claudia Silva and the growing congregation at Richmond Casa del Alfarero (The Potter’s House) for their worship service. In addition to leading this ministry, Pastor Claudia also leads a Hispanic congregation in Union City which has Saturday evening and Sunday morning services. She has been praying that God would raise up a campus pastor to work with her in Richmond. God has answered her prayer and I was pleased to participate with Rev. Silva in the consecration service for Carlos and Yesy Cruz who will be leading the Richmond campus under her direction. Rev. Silva is praying that God will continue to provide wisdom as more ministry doors are opening in the area.
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Last week began with our district office staff meeting in Marion followed by a District Conference planning committee meeting led by Rev. Carla Working. Monday evening, I met with Dr. Wayne Schmidt, General Superintendent, and the other members of the General Board’s Executive Committee of The Wesleyan Church in preparation for our General Board meeting.

The full General Board of The Wesleyan Church met last week on Tuesday and Wednesday. Among other items of business, the General Board nominated general officer candidates for the next quadrennium. Incumbent general officers Anita Eastlack (Church Multiplication and Discipleship), Dennis Jackson (Global Partners), and Janelle Vernon (Communication and Administration) are being recommended to the 14th General Conference for reelection to their current posts. General Treasurer Kevin Batman is elected directly by the General Board and continues serving his present term.
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​The most exciting development in nominations was that Rev. Johanna Rugh, The Wesleyan Church’s Director of Spanish Ministry Education and Formation, has been recommended as the new Executive Director of the Education and Clergy Development (ECD) Division. When elected, Rev. Rugh will be the first Hispanic Executive Director in the history of The Wesleyan Church.

The final recommendations on proposed memorials (resolutions) to be considered at the 14th General Conference will be made available on April 1 at this website:
www.wesleyan.org/unleashed/memorials 

On Wednesday afternoon, I connected with Pastor Barry Dixon at Indianapolis Calvary Family Church and then met with Pastor Andy Riemersma at Westfield ONE Church. Thursday’s schedule included coaching conversations with the pastoral staff at Marion Lakeview Wesleyan Church. My final two meetings of the day were with ministers from outside The Wesleyan Church who were interested in exploring pastoral opportunities in the Crossroads District.
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On Friday, Sherry and I had the joy of hosting three of our pastoral couples for an evening of fellowship and encouragement. We have a great team and evenings like this are a wonderful reminder that we are stronger together!

More than 300 Wesleyan pastors and their families from across Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee will be meeting in Pigeon Forge, TN, on Tuesday through Thursday this week for the Heartland Gathering. I am grateful for our partnership with the leadership teams in Indiana South, Greater Ohio, and KY-TN districts that collaborated to provide this event. Pray that God will make this a powerful time of refreshment and spiritual renewal for our frontline leaders!

Speaking of prayer, for those of you who live within an hour or so of Marion, please make plans to join us on Sunday, April 10, for our next Crossroads District prayer meeting as we prepare our hearts for Easter weekend. Thank you to Rev. Matthew Trexler, Assistant DS, and the team at The River Church for their willingness to host this gathering. We will begin promptly at 6 p.m. and plan to conclude the scheduled service by 7 p.m., with time available for those who want to continue in prayer or fellowship.
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​The Wesleyan Emergency Relief Fund (WERF) has been activated to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. You can assist our Global Partner missionaries and partners in the Czech Republic and Poland. To read more about Wesleyan engagement, access this most recent update from HQ which includes a link for you or your church to donate:
https://www.wesleyan.org/werf-activated-for-ukrainian-refugees

Our prayers and sympathies are extended to the family and friends of Mrs. Bonnie Weinmann who went to be with the Lord this past Thursday, March 17. Bonnie was mother to Rev. Jim Weinmann who pastors our Evanston Avenue Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis and works with the Wesleyan Pension Fund. Jim pastors this same church that his father and mother pastored for many years. Visitation will be at Flanner & Buchanan in Broad Ripple tonight, Monday, March 21, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The funeral will be at Evanston Avenue Wesleyan Church, tomorrow, Tuesday, March 22, at 11:00 a.m.

Congratulations to Rev. Duane Cragun who has accepted the initial two-year call to lead the ministry at Marion Brinker Heights Wesleyan Church. Please pray for several of our churches who are continuing their pastor search process. For a listing of these and other ministry opportunities in The Wesleyan Church, check out: https://www.wesleyan.org/jobs

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

P.S. You still have time to register your youth and children ministry leaders to be part of this important gathering on April 21-22 in Muncie, Indiana at Union Chapel Church. More info: Fuel
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Sunday morning, March 13, I had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Brad LeRoy and preaching at Harvest Community Church. Harvest is another one of our district churches that is regaining ministry momentum after the challenges of the past two years. Brad and the Harvest team have been blessed in this season by their new partnership with 12Stone Church, especially the coaching of Dr. Dan Reiland. Pastor LeRoy continues to battle with health concerns and is grateful for the many prayers on his behalf.
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Sunday afternoon, the LBA at Carmel Amistad Iglesia Wesleyana invited me to join them for consultation as they prepare to launch the search for their next pastor. Rev. Neftali Lopez has resigned after a very effective tenure as their lead pastor. Neftali will continue to serve in his chaplaincy role with IWU National and Global. He will also continue his growing prayer ministry on Facebook Live. The church is well-positioned for this transition and we’re praying with them that God will bring us another excellent leader for this dynamic bi-lingual and multi-cultural ministry.
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Sunday evening, Pastor Dan Fisher and the team at Delphi Wesleyan Church hosted the quarterly prayer gathering for Region 3. The largest group joined us from South Bend Sonlight with their pastor Rev. Greg Holmes. Pastor Marc Ulrich (ReThink Church) came the farthest, driving 90 minutes from Merrillville. Pastor Don Bayne, Pastor Ulrich, and Pastor Dan Clark (Monon) joined me in leading this one hour prayer service. We’d love to have you join us next month, April 10, at The River Church in Marion.
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Last Monday, Dr. Wayne Schmidt, General Superintendent, convened a session with the district superintendents who were in Orlando for the Exponential Conference. Dr. Schmidt and his team from HQ shared about upcoming events including, most notably, General Conference. It is always good to connect with these colleagues who serve our district, but we were conscious of the absence of Dr. Eckart who was such a good friend and encourager to so many of us.
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Tuesday morning, Dr. Ed Love and the CMAD team hosted a pre-conference for nearly 500 Wesleyans who gathered from across the US and Canada to attend Exponential. Dr. Love’s sessions featured church planters who had launched during the pandemic, including Rev. Andy and Leanza Riemersma’s work planting ONE Church in Westfield. We were also blessed to hear from Dr. Ralph Moore, founder of the Hope Chapel network that has planted more than 1700 churches in the past 30 years.
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The Exponential Conference started on Tuesday afternoon and continued through Thursday. The event was sold out again this year with 5000 on site and many more joining online. The conference has a terrific balance of inspirational rallies and practical breakout sessions for leaders of every size and style of ministry. The uniting theme of the conference was ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit. We had a good representation from the Crossroads District this year but we’ll have an ever stronger group next year. If you’ve never been to Exponential, let me encourage you to make plans now to attended next year’s conference, March 6-9.

Before heading to Monon on Saturday afternoon to meet with Pastor Dan Clark and his LBA, my first stop of the day was with Rev. Mike Hewitt (Muncie Rising Hope) and his new ministry partner Marcos Cruz who is a church planter from Spain. We had a great conversation, with help from an interpreter, as Marcos and Banesa, his wife, shared about the churches they’ve already planted and the vision that God has given them for their next project in Seville. Marcos and his family joined Mike for the Exponential Conference and then came to Muncie to lead worship and share their testimony at Rising Hope on Sunday. It was a blessing to fellowship with this passionate family and to be be reminded of the many ways that God is on the move around the world.
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One of the special joys of being a pastor is to celebrate spiritual mile markers in the lives of your congregation. Nothing is better than having the opportunity to celebrate the spiritual birth and baptism of your own children. Rev. Noah Farmer, assistant pastor at Gas City Eastview Wesleyan Church, had that privilege on Sunday as he baptized Caleb, his youngest son. Praise the Lord for lives #MadeNew!
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Are you looking for a resource that your church could use to help people discover and live out their God-designed missional calling? Jon Wiest and his team have partnered with Dr. Ed Love and CMAD to create a resource that any church can use at any time. “Live Sent” helps people clarify who they are in Christ and how they can use their gifts to pioneer a new mission that will reach people who are far from God. (https://www.groundswellmovement.net/)
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In this five-session course, participants learn how to discover their calling and discern the voice of God for their lives and ministries. Jesus told his disciples in John 20:21, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Every true follower of Jesus Christ has a desire to discover their calling and “live sent!”
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This DIY resource is FREE for individuals and groups within a local church setting. Simply download the PDF leaders guide, personally invite your participants, craft a timeline for connection/coaching, and link your participants to the online platform. The Leaders Guide and details can be found here:  https://resources.wesleyan.org/live-sent-discover-your-calling

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

​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Nothing is more exciting to our Crossroads District family than celebrating lives #MadeNew by the gospel of Jesus Christ. We’re rejoicing this week with Pastor Shane Wilson and the team at New Hope Wesleyan Church in Columbia City as they baptized four more new believers. Praise the Lord!
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Sunday, March 6, I was in Orlando, Florida for a GS/DS meeting preceding the Exponential church planting conference. The schedule allowed for me to worship at Brooksville Wesleyan Church where I once again had the privilege of sitting under the preaching ministry of Dr. H.C. Wilson, General Superintendent Emeritus. It was an unusual event in that Dr. Jerry Pence, former General Superintendent, is the pastor of the church and Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our current General Superintendent, closed the service in prayer. I also had the joy of sitting with my father in the worship service.
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After the service, it was good to connect with Crossroads District friends like Jim & Martha Blackburn, Mrs. Kathy Benson, and Bob Vardaman. Please remember Suzanne Vardaman, Bob’s wife, in your prayers for continuing health concerns.

Sunday afternoon, Sherry and I joined Dr. Wayne Schmidt for the first session of the GS/DS meeting in Orlando. This was the first time many of us had been together since the outbreak of Covid just after Exponential 2020. We will continue in a working session on Monday and then, on Tuesday join with approximately 500 Wesleyan leaders who have traveled to Orlando for this church planting conference.
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Tuesday, I was in Richmond for coaching conversations with members of the LifeSpring staff and then stopped in Hartford City Wesleyan Church to check in with interim minister Rev. John Davey. My coaching conversations on Wednesday were with Rev. Scott McDermid (Sheridan Six Points) and Rev. Tim Becker (Elwood Main Street). Wednesday evening, I was able to make it back in time to join Pastor Steve DeNeff and the team at College Wesleyan Church for their Ash Wednesday service.
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Thursday morning, I joined Dr. Matthew Stewart (Sweetser Wesleyan Church) for the Wesleyan Church History and Discipline class he is teaching at Indiana Wesleyan University. It was fun to connect with Dr. Stewart and his students to discuss developments in our district and the denomination. Pastor Jose Cardenas (Cielos Abiertos Iglesia Wesleyana) and I met in Elkhart for our coaching conversation on Thursday afternoon.
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Friday morning, Sherry and I traveled first to Paoli Wesleyan Church for the funeral of Dr. Mark Eckart before driving on to Atlanta. The service for Dr. Eckart was a moving tribute to this humble servant of God. Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our General Superintendent, was one of the key speakers. Dr. David Wright, president of IWU, closed the funeral service with a compelling invitation and prayer for those who had not yet put their faith in Jesus Christ. Please continue to remember Mrs. Debbie Eckart and the family in prayer.
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Our next Crossroads District Prayer Gathering will be held this coming Sunday, March 13, 6:00 p.m., at Delphi Wesleyan Church, (508 N Union St, Delphi, IN 46923). We are grateful to Pastor Dan Fisher and his team for hosting this prayer gathering. Please plan to join us. Thank you for making prayer a priority in your church!

If you are a retired minister in the Crossroads District, we would love to have you join us for our Retired Ministers and Spouses Gathering on Friday, April 8. This spring we will be meeting at Wesleyan World Headquarters in Fishers at 10:30. Your RSVP can be sent via email (office@crossroadsdistrict.org) or you may leave a voicemail reservation with Rev. Carla Working at (260) 224-7252.

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

Sunday morning, February 27, I had the privilege of worshiping at Columbia City New Hope Wesleyan Church with Rev. Shane Wilson, lead pastor, and his team. They are making great progress in recovering from the impact of the pandemic. There was strong attendance in both morning services and it was a wonderful time of worship. Before and between services, it was good to reconnect with Pastor Shane and several members of his leadership team.
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Pastor Wilson brought a timely message on the importance of leaving a legacy of faith for the next generations. Another highlight of the day was joining in the circle of leaders for a sending prayer as New Hope blessed a missionary couple that has gone from their church to serve in Peru.
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My next stop was in Fort Wayne to meet with Rev. Mike Henry and the leadership team at Level 13 Church. Pastor Mike transferred into the Crossroads District from Michigan last year and is serving the church bi-vocationally while he continues working as an EMT in Dekalb County. I was encouraged by the positive attitude of the new leadership team and look forward to what God has planned for them.
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The final stop of the day was to host a congregational meeting with ARISE Church in Roanoke. We had a helpful time of dialogue and I’m looking forward to working closely with Pastor Pablo as this team moves from developing church status to established church status in the coming months.

​Last week began with an exceptional opportunity on Monday to sit under the teaching of Lee Domingue, Legacy Pastor at Church of the Highlands. Pastor Matthew Trexler brought Lee in for a consultation with the new Legacy Team that is being developed at The River Church. Lee’s presentation was insightful and compelling. He underscored the principle that pastors set the vision for the church but marketplace leaders help determine the pace of the vision’s fulfillment. He challenged marketplace leaders to discover "what your more is for." Lee encouraged them with the truth that marketplace ministry can be holy and redemptive when done with a focus on expanding God’s Kingdom.

Monday afternoon, Dr. Matthew Stewart, Rev. Carla Working, and I met with Dr. Chris Bounds, chair of IWU’s School of Theology and Ministry. This was a helpful conversation about ways we can better partner with IWU students who are looking for practicum and internship experiences in our local churches. I’m grateful for the initiative that Dr. Stewart is taking to improve this partnership.

Tuesday, I was back on the road for coaching conversations beginning with Dr. Joe Harmon at New Castle Memorial Wesleyan Church. Rev. Ron Ferguson, pastor of Grant City Wesleyan Church, and I met later that morning. My last stop of the day was with Rev. Mike Hewitt, pastor of Rising Hope in Muncie for an exciting conversation about the church planting network that Mike is creating within our district. If you are a church planter or lead a church that is planning to plant in the near future (and aren’t we all?), you’ll want to join in with this new opportunity that will be kicking off in the fall.

Wednesday morning, Rev. Amy Luedtke (Fairmount Wesleyan Church) and I met for a coaching conversation at The Branch coffee shop. It was also good to hear an update on her counseling ministry and involvement with Wellsprings of Freedom. Wednesday afternoon, I met with Rev. Kory Christensen at Impact Church in New Haven for our coaching conversation. I had fun connecting with Rev. Zach Working and Rev. Trevor O’Dell later that afternoon to hear about their collaboration to better reach Huntington County for Christ. My last meeting of the day was via Zoom with ARISE team members.
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My last coaching conversation of the week was on Thursday over lunch with Rev. Jarod Osborne, pastor of Warsaw Pathway Church. Sherry and I took Thursday afternoon and Friday off to spend time with our family in Grand Rapids and then attended the wedding of my nephew David Jones on Saturday.

We love sharing reports of lives being changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Today we’re rejoicing with Pastor Scott McDermid and the team at Sheridan Six Points as they celebrated another baptism yesterday. Praise God for another life #MadeNew!
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We rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. I received word last evening that Dr. Mark Eckart, District Superintendent of the Indiana South District, had passed away very unexpectedly. Dr. Eckart has been a good friend and trusted colleague for the past seven years as we’ve served together here in Indiana. Our sympathy and prayers are extended to Mrs. Debbie Eckart, their family, and the Indiana South District.
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Our next Crossroads District Prayer Gathering will be held on March 13, 6:00 p.m., at Delphi Wesleyan Church, (508 N Union St, Delphi, IN 46923). We are grateful to Pastor Dan Fisher and his team for hosting this prayer gathering. The following month (April 10) we’ll be back in the Marion area to come together for prayer at The River Church. Thank you for making prayer a priority in your church!
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​Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

P.S. It’s not too soon to make your plans to join us for our Retired Ministers and Spouses Gathering on Friday, April 8. This spring we will be meeting at Wesleyan World Headquarters in Fishers at 10:30. Your RSVP can be sent via email (office@crossroadsdistrict.org) or you may leave a voicemail reservation with Rev. Carla Working at (260) 224-7252.

Sunday morning, February 20, Pastor Scott McDermid and the team at Sheridan Six Points welcomed me to be part of their morning service. Pastor Scott preached from John 8 while I had the opportunity to greet the congregation and lead in prayer. I had not been in a worship service at Six Points since before the pandemic so it was encouraging to be with them and see the strong attendance of approximately 150, both in worship and children’s ministry, compared to 101 as the average last year.
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Their youth ministry is healthy and growing under the leadership of Andrew Colaw. After a brief meeting with their LBA, the pastoral staff and I shared lunch together. New homes continue to be built in their community and they are welcoming new families almost every month.
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On my way to visit with Six Points, I was able to check in with Pastor Andy and Leanza Riemersma as they were getting ready for their 9 a.m. service. Westfield ONE Church launched on January 23 and their team is encouraged by the positive response they are seeing in their services with about 160 present for in-person worship over the past 4 weeks. They are grateful for the prayers and financial support of the Crossroads District team.
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Sunday afternoon, I met with Pastor Neftali Lopez and the leadership team at Carmel Amistad Iglesia Cristiana. Pastor Neftali and Grace (his wife) have been effectively serving Amistad for the past 6 years. In addition to pastoring, Neftali is a chaplain for military students enrolled with IWU Global and National, he is the operations manager for a growing chain of restaurants, and he is completing his doctoral studies at Liberty University. Rev. Lopez inspires and challenges me!

Pastor Neftali also joined us to help lead the Crossroads District prayer gathering graciously hosted by Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck at Noblesville Circle of Hope Church (formerly Lakeview Wesleyan). Rev. Theo Griffin (Greenfield Browns Chapel), Rev. Andy Riemersma (Westfield ONE), and Rev. Scott Rhyno (Fishers Waterline Church) also helped in leading portions of the prayer service.
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We were blessed to have prayer participants from across Indianapolis and as far away as Winchester (Pastor Yaryan) join us for this one hour of united prayer. Our next district prayer gathering will be hosted by Rev. Dan Fisher and the team at Delphi Wesleyan Church on Sunday, March 13, (6 p.m.). The following month we will be coming back to the Marion area on Sunday, April 10, when we’ll be hosted by Rev. Matthew Trexler and the team at The River Church. We welcome you and your church to join us for these prayer gatherings!
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This was another full week with wonderful opportunities to serve our team. After our Monday staff meeting, Rev. Carla Working and I met with Dr. Jim Lo and Dr. David Smith. We’ve been receiving very positive feedback from the churches where they have ministered this year and have asked them to serve our team again in the coming year as our “Circuit Riders.” Dr. Lo will continue his theme, calling us to be people of prayer, and Dr. Smith will continue his theme, calling us to be people of the Word. We’re looking to add another Circuit Rider to the team this coming year with a focus on personal evangelism.
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Tuesday morning, I met (via Zoom) with the General Board’s Subcommittee on Memorials in preparation for the upcoming General Board meeting. Tuesday afternoon, I met with Brandon Shroyer, youth pastor at Tipton Trinity, for our first coaching conversation. My last meeting of the day was with Rev. Logan Westrick and the LBA at Tipton Ash Street Wesleyan. Please remember Rev. Westrick in your prayers as he deals with serious health concerns.
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Wednesday morning I met with Rev. Clifton Ashlock and Rev. Dan Fisher in Kokomo for a conversation about sharpening our district’s focus on God’s gracious call to holy living in the power of the Holy Spirit. That was followed by an inspiring coaching conversation over lunch with Dr. Steve DeNeff (College Wesleyan Church) that resulted in his generous invitation for College Wesleyan to partner with the Crossroads District to host a “Celebration of Holiness” in the fall of 2022.

The highlight of Thursday was convening our Crossroads District Board of Administration for our third quarterly meeting. Rev. Jeff Luedtke and the staff at The Branch in Fairmount also do a fantastic job of hosting these meetings in their upper room. In addition to our regular business items, Pastor Riemersma brought an update from ONE Church and Dr. Matthew Stewart (Sweetser Wesleyan) brought an update from the NEXT Level revitalization projects that he is coaching. We look forward to continuing this initiative in the next conference year and would love to have your church participate.
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General Superintendent Dr. Wayne Schmidt joined the DBA for the quadrennial review of the DS in preparation for the vote at this year’s district conference. The DBA voted to recommend that the conference consider an extended call. We were also pleased to have Dr. Schmidt join us for the supper meal and a good time of fellowship with our board members.

On Friday, I had a meeting at Gas City Eastview Church in the morning and then met with Rev. Claudia Silva in Muncie on Friday afternoon for an update on positive developments at Richmond Casa del Alfarero. In addition to her full-time employment in a dentist’s office, Pastor Claudia leads our church in Richmond and also ministers to another growing congregation in Union City.
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The highlight of Friday was joining our District Youth President Rev. Jessica Folz along with more than 500 teens and their sponsors at the annual Crossroads District All-Nighter in Fort Wayne. Rev. Lane Sander (Bluffton Sonlight) and Rev. Andy Jellison (Fort Wayne Lifeway) were key leaders in establishing this great event. It was terrific to see our teenagers back worshiping together after the challenges of the past 2 years.
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I was also able to welcome Rev. Josh and Rebecca Bowlin back home to the Crossroads District. After several years serving with the Wesleyan churches in New Zealand, Pastor Josh has accepted the call to succeed Rev. Steve Colter as Lead Pastor for Marion Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church. Rebecca has accepted an administrative position with IWU. Their family is getting settled into their home in Amboy and two of their children were part of the strong delegation from Chapel Pike attending the All-Nighter.
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We love celebrating the reports of new life in Christ that come in from our district family. Pastor Dan Fisher and the team at Delphi Wesleyan Church were rejoicing again yesterday with another baptism, the third in this conference year with more on the way. Attendance is rebounding from last year’s average of 38 with 47 present yesterday. Nearly 50% of their congregation now are people who have become part of the church family since the pandemic started. Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew!
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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

​P.S. – The 2022 FUEL Conference that was snowed out last week is still coming to Muncie but is now rescheduled for April 21-22! Please encourage your youth and children’s ministry leaders to invest in their personal & ministry development by attending. For questions, email District Youth President Jessica Folz at jfolz@lakeviewwesleyan.org. For more info on FUEL, visit:
​www.wesleyan.org/fuel

Sunday, February 13, Sherry and I had the privilege of worshiping with Dr. Chris Williams and the growing congregation at Lakeview Wesleyan Church in Marion. Pastor Chris and his team are leading well and there was a wonderful spirit of worship in the service. Some of you may remember that Dr. Williams was called as pastor for Lakeview Church in April 2020, just as the pandemic hit full stride.

There is encouraging evidence of increased missional engagement and financial stability in this vital congregation that has such a rich history of Kingdom impact. On another happy note, Pastor Chris shared the announcement that Assistant Pastor Jared and Kayla Webb are expecting their first child in August. In addition to leading the church and recently completing his PhD, Dr. Williams also serves as our Assistant District Superintendent with responsibility for the District Board of Ministerial Development. I am grateful for the privilege of partnering with Chris in these key ministries. Following the morning service, Sherry and I hosted the Williams family for lunch.
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The Eastview Wesleyan Church LBA (Local Board of Administration) met at their Jonesboro campus yesterday afternoon. Pastor Mark Atkinson led the LBA through the regular agenda and then turned the meeting over to me as the LBA officially began their search process for their next lead pastor. After a helpful discussion about where this team senses God leading their church in the future, the LBA mapped out next steps with a special emphasis on engaging the congregation in prayer.
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Last week’s schedule included coaching conversations with Rev. Brad LeRoy (Greenfield Harvest Church) on Tuesday and with Rev. Martin Furrow (Rochester The Cross) on Wednesday. Thursday, I met in the morning and afternoon for coaching conversations with lead pastor Rev. Tony Bye and each of the full-time ordained staff members at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church in Marion. One of the highlights of these conversations was Rev. Michelle Henry sharing that they welcomed 98 children to worship at Brookhaven on the previous Sunday.

Another highlight of the week was meeting with five different local boards of administration. The week began with the LBA at New Castle Mt. Zion Church on Monday evening. They look quite serious in this photo but we had a productive and enjoyable meeting as they prepare for their upcoming pastoral vote.
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Tuesday evening, I had the unique opportunity to meet with two of our boards. The first meeting was at 6:00 p.m. with Rev. Gary Bingham and the LBA at Hillside Wesleyan Church in Marion as they prepared for their pastoral vote. The second meeting was with Rev. Lyle Breeding and the LBA at Bluffton Sonlight. Their meeting began at 7:00 and I was able to drop in with them at 7:30 as they prepared for the upcoming pastoral vote and a future-focused conversation about succession planning.
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Saturday morning, I had the privilege of meeting with Dr. Steve Bray and the LBA at LifeSpring Church in Richmond as they prepared for their upcoming pastoral vote. The LifeSpring Church has both a north campus (formerly the Fountain City campus) and a south campus (in downtown Richmond). It was exciting to hear how God is at work in unique ways in both locations.
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We have a great team of pastors but the five LBA meetings this week also reminded me of how blessed we are with so many gifted and dedicated lay leaders who play such important roles in the life of our congregations. Thank you to every board member, every trustee, every worship leader, every Sunday School teacher, and small group leader who makes such a difference for eternity. Please know that you are making a difference and we appreciate you!
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This has also been a week of celebrations of new life in Christ. CrossRoads Church in Union City is one of our newest congregations. They launched last year and continue to see new believers stepping forward to follow Christ in baptism. Pastor John Hannan shared the good news that they baptized two more new believers yesterday.
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Pastor Scott Rhyno shared the wonderful report of 9 baptisms yesterday at Waterline Church in Fishers. Yesterday also marked the 11th anniversary since the church was planted by John and Danielle Freed. There’s no better way to celebrate any church’s anniversary than with fresh redemption stories of lives #MadeNew by the grace of God!
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PRAYER! We’re looking forward to our next Crossroads District (Region 2) Prayer Gathering on February 20, 6 p.m., at Circle of Hope Church, 396 Park Street in Noblesville. Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck will be our host pastors. Assistant DS Mike Colaw and Rev. Neftali Lopez will also be joining me in leading our service. We would love to have you join us for this hour of unified prayer as we seek God and His anointing on our leaders, our ministries, and our nation.
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Just a reminder that the funeral service for Rev. Dr. Wayne Caldwell will be held this Friday, February 18, at 10:00 a.m. at Trinity East Church, 11721 Olio Road, in Fishers. Visitation will be held prior to the service (9:00 - 10:00 am). Dr. Caldwell’s obituary and arrangements may be found here:
https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/23902950/wayne-e-caldwell
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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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P.S. – The 2022 FUEL Conference that was snowed out last week is still coming to Muncie but is now rescheduled for April 21-22! Please encourage your youth and children’s ministry leaders to invest in their personal & ministry development by attending. For questions, email District Youth President Jessica Folz at jfolz@lakeviewwesleyan.org. For more info on FUEL, visit:
www.wesleyan.org/fuel

Sunday morning, February 6, I had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Ervin Webster and the congregation at St. Stephen Christian Church. Pastor Webster led this independent congregation to become part of the Crossroads District and we’ve enjoyed wonderful fellowship together over the past 5 years. Inner-city churches in Indianapolis have been deeply impacted by the pandemic. I commended Pastor Webster and his team for the way that they have persevered and continued on in their ministry. They don’t have a large membership but they do have a powerful music ministry. Please remember Rev. Ervin and Karen Webster in prayer as they lead this ministry forward on the eastside of Indianapolis.

The worship service at St. Stephen begins at 11:45 so my schedule allowed for me to drop in at the East Fishers campus of Trinity Wesleyan Church for their 10 a.m. service. In addition to a great sermon by Pastor Mike Colaw and excellent music by their team, I enjoyed catching up with Dr. Ed Hoover, former DBA member, and Mrs. Barefoot, widow of Rev. Howard Barefoot and mother of General Conference delegate Sharon Cady.
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​The Trinity Wesleyan Church family is grieving the loss of Rev. Dr. Wayne Caldwell who passed away last Wednesday, February 2. Our prayers are with Mrs. Joan Caldwell, their family, and the broader Wesleyan denominational family who cherish the legacy of this beloved teacher, author, and denominational leader. Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 18, at 10:00 a.m. at Trinity East Church, 11721 Olio Road, in Fishers. Visitation will be held prior to the service (9:00 -10:00 am). You may view the full obituary here:
https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/23902950/wayne-e-caldwell

Sunday afternoon, I drove on to Lafayette to connect with Rev. Joe Park and the Local Board of Administration (LBA) at Evergreen Wesleyan Church. Reverend Park has faithfully pastored his congregation since 1974 and they are experiencing some of their best days of ministry. It was a joy to conduct the extended call review with the LBA and to receive their unanimous affirmation of Rev. Park’s ministry at Evergreen!

Last Monday, I was in Marion to meet with our district staff in the afternoon and then with Pastor Bob McHenry and LBA at Nelson Street Wesleyan Church in the evening. Tuesday included coaching conversations with Pastor Aldean Pablo in Roanoke and with Pastor Mark Atkinson in Gas City. Wednesday, I met with Rev. Mike and Kim Hewitt for lunch and then met with Rev. Rochelle and Travis Jenkins via Zoom for our annual coaching conversation.

Another highlight for me on Wednesday was meeting with the Heartland Region district superintendents via Zoom in the afternoon. Rev. Les Crossfield (Greater Ohio), Rev. Aaron Sherman (KY-TN), and Dr. Mark Eckart (Indiana South) are colleagues and friends. It was good to catch up with these brothers and pray together. Registrations for the Heartland Region Gathering are strong with 359 registered guests, not including our staff. I’m looking forward to our time together in Pigeon Forge on March 22-24.
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We’re looking forward to our next Crossroads District (Region 2) Prayer Gathering on February 20, 6 p.m., at Circle of Hope Church in Noblesville. Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck will be our host pastors. Assistant DS Mike Colaw, Dr. Jim Lo, and Rev. Neftali Lopez will also be joining me in leading our service. We would love to have you join us for this hour of unified prayer as we seek God and His anointing on our leaders, our ministries, and our nation.
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​Pastor Aldean Pablo checked in to let us know that two new families returned from last week’s relaunch service at ARISE Church in Roanoke. He was also praising God for the one person who asked for prayer to receive Jesus Christ as Lord.

Pastor Andy Riemersma passed along the encouraging news that 30 people attended the “Next Steps” class that they offered yesterday. Two more people asked for prayer to receive Jesus Christ as Lord. In-person attendance has averaged 211 for the first three weeks.

Pastor John Hannan called me yesterday with the exciting word that 4 new families visited Union City CrossRoads Church for their first time yesterday. This was as a direct result of the compassion ministry Pastor John has been coordinating for a needy family in the community.
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Let’s keep each other in prayer and make a special effort to remember these church planters and their new congregations that have launched in the middle of a pandemic!

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent
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P.S. – The 2022 FUEL Conference that was snowed out last week is still coming to Muncie but is now rescheduled for April 21-22! Please encourage your youth and children’s ministry leaders to invest in their personal & ministry development by attending. For questions, email District Youth President Jessica Folz at jfolz@lakeviewwesleyan.org. For more info on FUEL, visit:
www.wesleyan.org/fuel

Sunday morning, January 30, marked the launch day for ARISE Church in Roanoke. Pastor Aldean Pablo was sent out from Gas City Eastview Church to plant a new church in this growing community in southwest Allen County. God opened doors for a small UMC group to join with Aldean’s team last year. Both groups had names and their identity but they were committed to relaunching under the new name, ARISE.

​Gas City Eastview sent a good delegation to support the launch. IWU President Dr. David and Helen Wright, lifelong friends of the Pablo family, were also present. Pastor Aldean’s middle name is Wayne, in honor of Dr. Wayne Wright, David’s father and missionary pioneer in the Philippines. I joined the ARISE team at 9 for pre-service worship and then they prayed over every seat and every corner of the building. The worship service began at 10 with 145 in attendance. What a wonderful start to this new church. Please keep the Pablos and ARISE Church in your prayers as they make disciples in Roanoke.

Sunday afternoon, I joined Rev. David Leitzel and the Local Board of Administration at Hamilton Wesleyan Church for their review in preparation for the upcoming pastoral vote. Pastor Dave and Carol are dearly loved by this church family. One of the highlights of their ministry is the annual concert series that they host in their Life Center.
​https://www.facebook.com/hamiltonlifecenterhlc

Rev. David Anderson, who led Fountain City Wesleyan Church from a congregation of 90 to averaging more than 1000 on two campuses, announced his retirement last Sunday. One of the many expressions of appreciation for his 38 years of effective ministry was being awarded the honorary title of Pastor Emeritus. Rev. Anderson will officially complete his service to the church in May. Dr. Steve Bray became the senior pastor after serving as the executive pastor for Pastor Anderson. Now known as LifeSpring Church, the ministry continues to have a strong regional impact under Dr. Bray’s leadership.
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Praise the Lord for lives being #MadeNew! Pastor Tony Bye and the team at Marion Brookhaven Wesleyan Church celebrated 4 baptisms yesterday. Pastor Matthew Trexler and the team at The River Church had the privilege of baptizing two new believers last Sunday. Have you scheduled your next baptism service for Palm Sunday or Easter?
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Several of our district churches joined together for a focused initiative called “21 Days of Prayer” to launch into this new year of ministry. Special thanks to Rev. Tony Bye (Brookhaven Wesleyan), Dr. Chris Williams (Lakeview Wesleyan), Rev. Matthew Trexler (The River), and Rev. Johnnie Blair (Tipton Trinity) for their collaboration in providing videos for each day of the week. This past Saturday, each church gathered in their own sanctuary to conclude this season of prayer with worship and testimonies. I joined Pastor Tony Bye at Brookhaven for their closing session on Saturday morning and was blessed to hear the testimonies, especially the encouraging word from Rev. Bob Van Cise.
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SPECIAL NOTE: To maximize participation, the Region 2 Prayer Gathering has been rescheduled to February 20, 6 p.m., at Circle of Hope Church in Noblesville. Dr. Rich and Rev. Carol Schenck will be our host pastors. Assistant DS Mike Colaw and Rev. Neftali Lopez will also be joining me in leading our service. We would love to have you join us for this hour of prayer as we seek God and His anointing on our ministries.
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​The Crossroads District Youth All-Nighter is back and once again open to all of our 100+ churches and youth ministries across the district. The All-Nighter will be held Friday, February 18, 2022 at Pathway Community Church in Fort Wayne with registration beginning at 6:30pm. For more information and to register, visit: https://districtallnighter2022.eventbrite.com
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Congratulations to Melissa and Michael Wood (staff pastor at Tipton Trinity and also with the Crossroads District) on the safe arrival of Oliver James Wood, born on Monday, January 24, 2022. Mother and son are safely home and doing well. We can’t wait to meet Oliver!
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​Our prayers and sympathies are extended to Rev. Ken Dykhoff (Gas City Eastview) and Rev. Shawnda Dykhoff Bilbee (Marion Brinker Heights) on the passing of Ken’s mother and Shawnda’s grandmother, Mrs. Esther Vermillion, on Wednesday, January 26. Esther was a member of Lakeview Wesleyan Church and worked for 26 years with World Gospel Mission, retiring in 1995.

Our prayers and sympathies are also extended to Rev. Dr. Colleen Derr, president of Wesley Seminary, on the passing of her brother, Rev. Stephen Wilson, on January 29. The son of Dr. Earle and Sylvia Wilson. Steve was a gifted communicator who enjoyed a long and effective ministry leading the Greeley Wesleyan Church in Colorado. Please remember Rebecca, his wife, and their family in your prayers.

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

Your servant in Christ,

Mark Gorveatte

District Superintendent