Welcome to 2018!

​The verse for January 1, 2018 on Bible.com was “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the the dry wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:9)

That’s a great verse to begin this new year and it was the same verse that Pastor Ken Dykhoff shared with the congregation on Sunday morning at Jonesboro Main Street Wesleyan Church as they gathered for their final worship service before merging with Gas City Eastview Wesleyan Church. A prolonged downturn in attendance and declining financial support at Main Street convinced the members to consider a new path forward.
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The leaders at Main Street Wesleyan approached Pastor Mark Atkinson and the Eastview leadership team to explore possibilities. Eastview will welcome the members and Rev. Ken Dykhoff to become part of their ministry in Gas City with the intention to restart ministry in Jonesboro in the future. The final service was well-attended and the highlight of the day was celebrating 4 baptisms! I expressed appreciation from the district for the faithful pastors and lay leaders who served through the 95 years ministry at Main Street.
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​Baptisms were also the order of the day for at least two other Crossroads District churches on the last Sunday of 2017. Pastor Alan Downing reported that Frankfort First Wesleyan baptized one new believer and welcomed 2 new members. Pastor Steve Colter and the team at Marion Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church baptized 6 new believers and celebrated their partnership with Habitat for Missions that raised $10,000.

​We received news last week of the passing of Rev. Dr. Wingrove Taylor, founding General Superintendent of the Caribbean General Conference and beloved holiness evangelist. The funeral service will be held at Trinity Wesleyan Church located at 9709 Allisonville Road, Indianapolis, on Saturday, January 6, at 2p.m. Viewing of the body will be on Friday, January 5, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. and on Saturday, January 6, from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m., prior to the start of the service.
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The ministers of The Wesleyan Church have been invited to serve as an honor guard lining the aisle at the close of the service as the body is moved from the church to the graveside service. All Crossroads District ministers who are able to participate are asked to meet me at the church by 1:30 for further directions.

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You are invited to join us as we begin this new year with a Crossroads District prayer gathering led by Dr. Jim Lo at College Wesleyan Church in Marion on Friday, January 12, from 1-3, as we seek God’s face and His favor together for our lives, our families, our churches and our mission field here in Indiana.

•  “God does nothing except in response to believing prayer.” John Wesley
• “Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still.” E.M. Bounds
• “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.” Oswald Chambers

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​Thank you to those who have been praying for Pastor Brad LeRoy and Rev. Lloyd Moore. Pastor Brad was released from the hospital on Friday and Rev. Moore has been able to return to work after his successful transplant. Praise God for answered prayers!

There’s still time to register for the leadership seminar with Karl Vaters in Fort Wayne on January 24 (9 a.m. – 4 p.m.) presented by the Center for Congregations: Small Congregations: Having a Healthy Mindset  Karl Vaters is the author of the book The Grasshopper Myth: Big Churches, Small Churches and the Small Thinking That Divides Us. He’s also the founder of NewSmallChurch.com, a ministry that encourages, connects and equips innovative Small Church pastors. (The cost of $30 per person includes the continental breakfast, lunch and a copy of the book Dirt Matters by Jim Powell.)
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REGISTER HERE FOR THIS WORKSHOP.

Let’s make 2018 a year to remember as we pursue God’s heart and His calling here in our mission field. We have 3 million reasons. May God help us to never be content while there is even one more we can reach!

Your servant in Christ,
Mark Gorveatte