Broom Tree Pastor's Retreat Available

Chris Hay, former pastor of the Leesburg, Indiana, Grace Brethren Church, and his wife, Dawn, are now with Broom Tree Ministries. Their e-mail address is chrisdawnhay@gmail.com and they send along this invitation:

Dear Friends,

How important is your pastor in your life and the life of your family? God has called and installed these men of God to shepherd us and continually point us to Jesus. They have a huge job and tremendous responsibility. The jobs they perform are numerous; the burdens they bear are continuous.

They are on the front lines of spiritual battle and attack. But they are just men with all the frailties and weaknesses and strengths and joys as anyone else. They simply have a different calling. I hope you pray for your pastor and his wife and family on a regular basis—their spiritual well-being depends on it!

They also need rest, refreshment, and renewal. They need extended time to be alone with God and allow Him to minister cool water to their thirsty souls. They need a broom tree to crawl under, curl up, and go to sleep (see 1 Kings 19:1-6). That is what God has called Dawn and me to do—provide a "broom tree" setting for the pastors and wives of our churches in the West.

God has led us quite intentionally to a wonderful facility about two hours from our home. This is a strategic location as it is within a six-hour drive of millions of people and numerous churches and pastors including: Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, etc….

Collins Lodge is set in a beautiful valley on the grounds of Forest Home Ministries. It is a restored old lodge with seven B&B style rooms. It has a cozy library and a warm and inviting great room. The surrounding grounds offer a lot of room to hike or find a quiet spot to be alone with God. It is frankly perfect for a Broom Tree Retreat! (see the attached photo)

Our immediate goal is to conduct two Broom Tree Retreats per year—one in February and one in October of each year. Each retreat costs about $5000 and includes five nights of lodging and 14 meals—all at no cost to pastors. A typical retreat includes 6 pastor/wife couples and one host couple.

Now for the really good news: God has provided full underwriting for our first retreat, already scheduled for October 25-30, 2009! We have also seen some donations that have allowed us to begin buying books and CDs that will stock a resource basket for each room. Boxes of books are beginning to pile up in a corner of our dining room!

Information specifically about Broom Tree West should be on the website in the next couple months. This will allow pastors and wives to make reservations for our fall retreat. God is at work!

Now we need people who will commit to praying regularly for Broom Tree. Pray for God to prepare the way for pastors and wives to experience renewal, refreshment, and have a fresh encounter with God.

There is need for some additional funding for resources and training. We are currently praying for God to provide the funding for the February 2010 retreat. Ask God how He would have you participate in this strategic ministry. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or email us. We would be glad to share our passion for this ministry with you.

You can contribute to Broom Tree West at the main Broom Tree website (www.broomtreeministries.org )using your credit card or PayPal account. You can also send a check to the address below. Be sure and specify your donation is for Broom Tree West.

If you use the website, let us know via email so we can be sure and designate your contribution for Broom Tree West. If you are committed to praying for BTW, send us an email and let us know you are out there standing (or kneeling!) with us!

Thanks for partnering with us!

For His Glory Alone,
Chris & Dawn Hay