Cedar Creek Ministries Offers Peace Of Mind For Church Leaders And Their Families Through Refreshing Sabbaticals

Church is a place where believers connect with God and each other, liberate their souls, and recharge batteries. Most people see the Mass and liturgical services as a once-a-week self-care form. However, for pastors who relentlessly convey spiritual messages and support churchgoers in hardships, the House of God is the center of life. Always ready to answer questions, listen, and offer advice, church leaders often feel burnt out. The sad truth is—90% of pastors work up to 75 hours a week, and 80% of seminary and Bible school graduates will leave the ministry within the first five years.

To alleviate the stress and help pastors strengthen their bonds with families and God, Cedar Creek Ministries offers relaxing sabbaticals that provide a safe space for church leaders and their loved ones. "Leading a ministry is demanding and exhausting. Despite that, pastors rarely get acknowledged for their service. At Cedar Creek Ministries, it's our turn to serve them," says Nickole Perry, Director of Operations.

With an unquenched desire to help church leaders and their families, Nickole and her husband answered a divine calling, moved cross-country, and began offering inspiring, free-of-charge spaces designed to nourish, relax, and connect. Cedar Creek Ministries, a nonprofit established in 2020, offers two properties - in Montana and Pennsylvania - housing around 10 people each. When they're not used for family sabbaticals, the organization rents them as vacation properties, trying to generate profits that allow them to support more pastors.

Rose Valley House: Pennsylvania

"Both properties are booked throughout the summer," adds Nickole. "Every day, we have pastors requesting a place to stay, and we can't offer them anything. I've had to refuse help to so many families, and the pain of having to say 'no' doesn't get any easier. We know how much it affects their mental and spiritual health, and all we want to do is help."

Though pastors are the most recognizable faces of the church, their families are an innate part of their lives. Wives and children suffer as they watch the light slowly disappear from the pastors' eyes, replaced by the daunting gloom caused by burnout. For that reason, Cedar Creek Ministries welcomes the entire family, offering help, advice, and - most importantly - the time to self-reflect and be present.

Hoping to provide serenity, even if just for a few days, to more church leaders, Cedar Creek Ministries is eager to form meaningful partnerships based on a mutual desire to help. Whether through offering rental properties when they're unused or donations of all sizes, everyone has an opportunity to contribute to a better future, where churches - the places where God is worshiped and hearts are unfettered - provide as much tranquility to pastors as they do to churchgoers.

These donations would cover the trip expenses, administration costs, and nourishing food that pastors can enjoy with their families, as, for the first time in months, they are allowed the luxury of a slow morning or family-bonding and cell phone-free evening. "It costs around $100 to cover a one-night stay at one of our properties for one person. If pastors come with families, which most of them do, and stay for 10 days, it adds up quickly," Nickole distresses.

Shiloh House, Montana

Looking into the future, Cedar Creek Ministries plans to own more land, where the ministry will accommodate more pastors and families. "Our long-term objective is to offer facilities where families can be fully independent, have access to kitchen amenities, and don't have to rely on the fixed times we have set for meals. They rarely get a chance to be on their own schedule," Nickole adds. To make that dream a reality, Cedar Creek Ministries started a crowdfunding page where all those who appreciate the ministry's values and mission can help.

"My husband and I moved from California to Montana just to be able to serve those who serve our communities. The move was challenging, but we love our life so much," assures Nickole. "Two years ago, the ministry was nothing but 20 acres of trees and fields. Now, we use two properties and leave a palpable mark on churches, pastors, and their families. We're excited to grow, support more church leaders, and help them maintain a supportive relationship with God through soothing their nerves."