January 1, 2001

Association builds cottages for ministers
___By Dan Martin
___Texas Baptist Communications
___POTTSBORO--Ministers get tired, disheartened, discouraged, defeated and wounded, Milfred Minatrea said as he commended Grayson Baptist Association for building two cottages strictly for the use of pastors and staff.
___The two 20-foot-by-20-foot fully furnished cottages overlook Lake Texoma at the association's camp north of Pottsboro. The pastoral setting--trees, grass, flowers, water--and quietness exemplify the purpose of the buildings.
___"Ministers get tired," said Minatrea, director of the church ministries department at the Baptist General Convention of Texas. "Solomon said words go down deep and sting."
___He talked of the pressures of the ministry and said ministers often try to do "today's work out of yesterday's relationship with God."
___As he helped dedicate the two cottages--built with a $24,000 grant from the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas missions--Minatrea said he has a three-point prayer for the cottages, named Hope and Faith.
___"The first is to quote the words of Jesus, when he urged his followers to 'Come away and rest.' Sometimes there is no more spiritual activity ministers can do than just rest."
___The second point is to pray that the cottages will be "a place where individuals, couples and families will experience renewal with one another and with God," he said.
___The third point is to pray that those who use the cabins will return to their ministries excited about doing "the work of the Lord," Minatrea said.
___Other participants in the dedication service were Robert Parrish, who heads resort ministries for the BGCT; Grayson Baptist Association Director of Missions Carol Norton; and Moderator Roger Tidwell of Howe.
___"Most people are not in jobs where they are on-call 24 hours a day for a crisis," Norton said. "Most of our pastors have churches with under 100 in attendance, so they are the only ones available to respond in times of need. But the ministers also need to take time for themselves. We wanted to make that possible."
___Volunteers from the association and elsewhere did the construction work.

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