December 2011
No birth in all of history will ever eclipse the
significance of the one we celebrate at this season of the
year. And, the guests we serve at Fairhaven are given the
awesome responsibility of leading the church in giving out and
living out the story that unfolds with the birth of the Christ
child.
At Fairhaven, we want to commit ourselves to the work of 1
Thess. 5:12,13,
“And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who
work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of
urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them
with appreciation and love!”(The Message)
These leadership guests that we receive are so often a great
inspiration to us. Many faithfully serve in challenging
circumstances, facing numerous competing demands and
expectations. They serve sacrificially, with love for our Lord
and for His Church. What a privilege it has been over these
past 14 years to provide a safe place of encouragement for some
of them.
Task Force
In October, a group of leaders from Alberta and BC gathered
on our site to explore the opportunities for
communicating the story of Fairhaven more widely and more
effectively. We are so grateful for our faithful partners in
this ministry and are aware of the need for a growing community
support base from which to expand the impact of our mission.
Our board of directors has examined and supported the report
that has come from this task force.
Action steps will be implemented shortly.
As the task force met, we were reminded that God has been
the Builder of Fairhaven. As we rehearsed the miracles of the
past 14 years, we acknowledged the need to listen and trust as
we move forward in faith. There is so much for which to give
thanks!
Lodge Update
There is a special date I would like to have you mark on
your calendar. We will be dedicating the Charles Shepson Lodge
on Sunday, June 10, 2012. Dr. Charles and Colleen Shepson plan
to be with us for that exciting event. We would invite all who
are able to attend, to join us for the celebration. This
dedication will replace the annual dinner that we hold in the
Okanagan. More details will follow in the next newsletter.
It is our hope to have the first phase of the lodge entirely finished by June. There is much work yet to be done and funds needed to complete this work, but we are certainly confident that God can provide what is needed for this to happen.
Remembering Our Purpose
Guests regularly remind us of why Fairhaven exists.
One guest who spent time with us this fall has been
processing deep pain and finding new hope and peace in Jesus.
He wrote:
“I just wanted to thank you so much for your service to the
Lord and your ministry to me. The setting and
cottage and trails were exactly what the Lord knew I
needed for the deep healing God is doing in my life…
know that everything you do, seen and unseen, is a part
of this vital ministry.”
Thank you for helping us in this great work of encouraging
health, restoring HOPE, and watching God transform lives. We
believe in miracles for we believe in God!
On behalf of our faithful Board of Directors, and our
dedicated staff—I wish you a peace-filled and joyful
Christmas season.
Gratefully,
Len Frank
Fall 2011
As fall arrives, we reflect back on a very rewarding summer
of ministry. Our cottages were full of wonderful guests which
meant that staff and volunteers were experiencing a heavier
than normal load. With that reality in mind, I was recently
struck by a reading from Canadian author Ann Voskamp in her
book, “One Thousand Gifts”. She puts our work in proper
perspective as she writes:
“When service is unto people, the bones can grow weary, the frustration deep. Because, agrees Dorothy Sayers, ‘Whenever man is made the centre of things, he becomes the storm-centre of trouble. The moment you think of serving people, you begin to have a notion that other people owe you for your pains…You will begin to bargain for reward, to angle for applause’.
…But when Christ is at the centre, when dishes, laundry, work, is my song of thanks to Him, joy rains. Passionately serving Christ alone makes us the loving servant to all…The work becomes worship, a liturgy of thankfulness.” (p. 194)
I am powerfully moved as I watch staff and volunteers
conscientiously and diligently serve in our village. As I see
the ladies lovingly and generously give careful attention to
minute details in preparing each cottage for coming guests,I
experience the awe and joy of the gift they are offering.
Cleaning toilets, bathtubs and ovens, vacuuming floors,
removing garbage, doing laundry, cutting grass…these are not
the responsibilities we dream about as we envision a fulfilling
future.
Ann Voskamp reminds us that our work, whatever it be, is an
act of thankful worship.
May our guests at Fairhaven always be served generously and
lovingly, remembering they are the beloved bride of Jesus. They
have not arrived here “accidentally” but have been led here to
be the recipients of His amazing grace.
Fairhaven is not a hotel which guests use as a convenience.
It is a “haven” prepared and staffed by Jesus to minister to
His bride.
At times, guests let us know if our purpose is being
accomplished. Following is a note from one of our summer
couples.
“We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all you do. It was very obvious to us as we settled in that you bathe this place in much prayer. We know that (prayer) is a labour of love that often goes unnoticed. We felt a deep sense of peace, more than that…it was a sense that there were “protectors” stationed around this place. We felt totally safe. And to our housekeepers: thank you.
Your labour of love has also touched us and aided in our ability to relax. We noticed your special attention even to the tiniest detail (ie. the way things are neatly placed in the cutlery drawers!!).”
Construction Update
It is very encouraging to see the lodge progress.
- Garry has completed much of the painting between his counselling sessions.
- Ron Spohr has been working on the sound system.
- A quality mason has completed stonework on the fireplace.
- This fall, some of the stonework will be done outside.
- Jay Wiens has done an amazing job of grinding down the concrete floor on the lower level, then staining it and polishing it. This provides a beautiful and low maintenance finish.
- Much of the electrical is completed.
- Gerry is finishing the woodwork around the many windows.
- We are hoping to install flooring on the main level and
the mezzanine this fall. Perry Hildebrand, owner of
Flooring Canada in Kelowna, has been our supplier for most
of our buildings. In the midst of our discussions with him
regarding our flooring needs for the lodge, his store
burned to the ground. While this has been a huge setback
for him, he is already back in business having missed one
day of work. Perry has been a good friend to Fairhaven and
I am sure he would appreciate your prayers during these
challenging days.
Volunteers
Space does not allow for comment on all of our valued
volunteers. They have done so much good work and encouraged us
greatly.
In September, Larry and Eileen Dent, who live on Vancouver
Island, will be back for the fifth time this year!
On each stay, they have used their skills and energy to
accomplish many needed tasks. This time, Larry will be working
on the cabinets for the lodge. One other couple I will mention
this time is Kevin and Faith Jalving from Calgary. They
generously gave up part of their vacation to serve at Fairhaven
this summer.
How much we appreciate each volunteer!
Concluding Thoughts
And how much we appreciate you! How greatly our guests
benefit from your prayers, your giving, your service and
partnership in this work. We can never fully express how much
you bless Fairhaven.
Let me share one need in closing that sits large in my heart. We are planning to dedicate the Charles Shepson Lodge in early June of next year. We long to see it entirely completed by then. Charles and Colleen Shepson will be joining us for that great event. Would you pray with us that the funds and other resources will be available to have the project wrapped up and ready for use in the next few months?
With much gratitude,
Len Frank
Executive Director