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Sherry and I had a great time getting away to celebrate our 35th anniversary. (Our anniversary was back in March but one of the few inconveniences of being married to a CPA is adjusting your vacation schedule to accommodate the IRS and April 15.) Special thanks to Rev. Matthew Trexler, Assistant DS, who chaired the DBA in my absence and to Rev. Chris Williams, Assistant DS, who directed daily operations.. We had a terrific adventure over our three weeks away, but we love coming home to an amazing team here in the Crossroads District doing work together that matters for eternity!  We’re still hearing exciting reports about Easter outreach and follow-up. I spoke with Rev. Andy Cole last night and heard that Lapel Daybreak Church welcomed 148 for Easter Sunday. They use an assimilation process, adapted from a program developed at Church of the Highlands called Growth Track, and have had more than 30 people take these first steps in the past 3 months. It’s a new day at Daybreak!  Pastor Zach Working shared that Hope Rising in Huntington is continuing to experience God’s blessing in their revitalization process. Their men’s group hosted a breakfast on Easter morning with 106 in attendance at the church and also shared that meal with the fire and police departments, and the local soup kitchen. They had 150 in attendance for worship with 3 Salvations. They are planning for a baptism service in June with 10 commitments so far. They welcomed 18 new members in February and have 16 enrolled in their current membership class. Hope is rising in Huntington!  Pastor Carol Schenck passed along an encouraging report from the first annual Local Church Conference for the Circle of Hope network of churches (Anderson, Bangladesh, Beech Grove, and Noblesville) with 50 members meeting at IWU’s Keystone facility. Dr. Rich and Pastor Carol are leading a growing and increasingly diverse team in reaching these communities. We’re learning with them as they explore new ways to leverage the combined strengths of these smaller churches for increased Kingdom impact.  I spoke with Pastor Tim McClellan last evening as he and Cynthia were traveling to Ohio. Tim is having a consultation at the Cleveland Clinic today to look into potential treatment options. He continues making progress in recovery from the surgery but there is uncertainty about whether the cancer may have spread further. Tim and Cynthia are grateful for the love and continuing prayers of their Marion Lakeview Wesleyan Church family and the Crossroads District team. I would also welcome your prayers this week as I represent our team at the General Board meeting of The Wesleyan Church in Indianapolis (May 6-9), and represent the North American General Conference at the International Conference of The Wesleyan Church meeting in Barbados beginning on Sunday through Wednesday, May 12-15. These are exciting and challenging days for which The Wesleyan Church desperately needs God’s anointing and direction. May we be fully committed to doing what He is blessing!  You are invited to join us at The Crossroads District Conference which will be held on Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22 at the Phillippe Performing Arts Center on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University. Our Celebration of Ministry Service, where we ordain new ministers and honor those ministers who are retiring, will be held on Friday, June 21 at 7:00 pm. All ordained ministers in the Crossroads District will gather at 6:30 pm for pictures and to line up for the processional into the service. Our Annual Business Session will be held on Saturday, June 22, 9 am to 4 pm. We will spend time in worship and hear vision updates from our General and District Superintendents. We will also elect officers and discuss General Conference memorials. The theme for this year’s conference is Multiply. Together, we will be exploring the multiplication of services, campuses, and new kingdom communities as a key strategy in closing the “Gospel Gap” in our region. Here’s our conference website: http://conference.crossroadsdistrict.org. Your year-end reports are due by May 15, 2019. Final CSF payments for the 2018-2019 fiscal must be received no later than May 10 to be recorded for the current fiscal year. All payments received after May 10 will be recorded for the 2020 fiscal year. If you have questions or if you need assistance with year-end reports, please contact Roxene Lo in the district office ([email protected] or 765.674.8593). Thanks in advance for your prompt attention and timely submission of your reports as we prepare for District Conference 2019.  Do you wish your outreach ministry, both locally and globally, was more intentional? The Festival on Outreach will be a great opportunity for your whole team to network and interact with other churches, Global Partners, World Hope, and World Gospel Mission and learn how to go beyond projects to building missional partnerships. The Festival on Outreach will be held on May 20-21, 2019 at College Wesleyan Church. Cost is $35 or $25 for groups 5 and over. We hope you can attend this great event, you will leave inspired and challenged Register now at www.collegewes.com/festival. It is a joy to serve with you in the cause that counts for eternity! Your servant in Christ, Mark Gorveatte Crossroads District Superintendent Comments are closed.
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