Focus on the Family contemplates Manitoba retreat centre
EAST BRAINTREE, MB—Focus on the Family Canada is currently exploring the possibility of building a retreat centre in East Braintree, east of Winnipeg.
A donor, who at this point is remaining anonymous, approached the organization about potentially giving them 200 acres of land in the area, says Randy MacDonald, director of church and community relations for Focus on the Family (FOTF) Canada.
While nothing has been finalized yet, MacDonald says there has been local interest for FOTF Canada to replicate in Manitoba what it is doing with Kerith Creek, the retreat centre it owns and operates near Calgary, Alberta.
Kerith Creek hosts weeklong retreat events in an effort to strengthen marriage and family relationships, as well as contribute to the spiritual restoration of those in ministry.
"It's a five-star treatment for them," MacDonald says. "It's a beautiful setting with beautiful rooms that are separated from each other so that couples can go there and get away from the everyday understanding of ministry and get to a place where they're really being pampered.
"We just really want to pamper them, but in the midst of that, they're going to sessions with other couples to talk about things that have happened in [their] ministry and how it affected them."
MacDonald says that the church leaders he's spoken to in southern Manitoba have been receptive to the idea.
"We're hearing great stories from denominational leaders and churches in the [Manitoba] area who are saying yes, we really want to invest in the life of our clergy and their families, and we see a need for this," MacDonald says. "So, they've been very open and excited about it."
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