A Place Called Fairhavens

Book excerpt: Max Ritter,a young Montana pastor troubled by self-doubt, tries to re-gain confidence as he looks out onto the endless South Pacific from his vantage point on the southernmost shore of New Zealand. Feeling unfit for parish ministry and a failure in marriage Max has fled as far away from people as possible, after suffering the rejection of both his wife and his congregation. While on the South Island of New Zealand he meets Bronwyn MacKenzie, the young owner of Colac Bay Inn, the bed and breakfast in which he is staying. Her caring concern for him and the loving acceptance he finds in her parish church help him to regain self-confidence. Through a series of experiences Bronwyn helps Max to live and love again, and along with her church encourages him in the long process through which he is restored to ministry and to a deeper understanding of spirituality. He returns to Montana and takes a job as a handyman at Fairhavens, a resort and retreat center in the mountains near Yellowstone Park. While Fairhavens is threatened by a "Disney-like" theme park developing nearby, Bronwyns Colac Bay Inn in New Zealand faces financial bankruptcy. When Max is told of the death of Bronwyns fianc, he returns to New Zealand briefly to help Bronwyn. During this time together a deepening love grows between Bronwyn and Max. Max returns to Montana and once again is involved with Fairhavens. Eventually its problems are resolved when the neighboring development is scaled down. Meanwhile, Bronwyn sells part interest in the inn and is thus enabled to come to Montana where she is given a position on the staff of Fairhavens. Once again the lives of Bronwyn and Max become intertwined. Max becomes the director of Fairhavens after its founder and director retires. His confidence now fully restored, Max begins to carry out various church duties in the region, having regained a renewed sense of Gods call to ministry both through his work at Fairhavens and some of the more traditional ministerial functions.