Time to move forward

                                                                                December 2011

Dear CMI partner,

                It is time to move beyond the interim! The time has come to hire a full-time General Director. The application deadline for this position is December 15. Please pray that God will draw the right applicants. Hiring the General Director is the critical next step before proceeding to put our ministry plan into effect throughout the organization.

                It is time to celebrate the coming of Jesus. The Advent season reminds us that we are celebrating the greatest gift that has ever or can ever be given. We must not take this gift for granted. I want to wish you a joyful and encouraging Christmas season.

                It is time to grieve.  The death of Evans Merasty leaves a large hole in our hearts at Thompson Bible Chapel and CMI. Please pray especially for his wife Debbie and their boys. We have been reminded this week that we do not sorrow as those who have no hope. We have also been reminded that we do grieve; and the pain is real. For each of you who are feeling the sting of grief at this time of year, I pray that you will also experience the comfort of the Prince of Peace.

                It is time to give. Enjoy the Christmas season, and cherish the gifts and the opportunities with which you have been blessed.  Respond to those blessings with generosity of your own. Like so many organizations, CMI is faced with a financial shortfall.  Please consider our organization as you plan your “expressions of generosity.”  

                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                Ferlin Abrahamson

                                                                                Interim General Manager

                                                                                Cell: 204-281-2879

                                                                                                 

I hurt people

I hurt people a lot before! So begins the “creative writing confessional” I received recently from an inmate who spent a lot of time on a fairly simple message. He carefully and skillfully crafted each letter to accomplish his purpose. He wanted to state very clearly his awareness that he had blown it pretty bad in life. He seemed a bit amazed that anyone could ever give him another chance after the depth of his failure.

I am impressed by the diligence of his creative writing. I am happy for him as he experiences the ‘surprized hope’ that comes when you are given another chance after failure. But most of all I am reminded of how much I also need forgiveness and another chance. I have never landed in jail or been on the wrong side of the law, but I also have hurt people- a lot.

Even more importantly, I have hurt my heavenly Father. I have disappointed him with my words, actions and thoughts. I have chased after things of this world when He told me to love him with all my heart and soul and mind and strength. I have been apathetic towards things that break his heart even though I know he accused the people of Tyre and Sidon of being worse than Sodom and Gomorrah when they ignored the work of God in their midst.

As I have re-read the simple message in complex writing from the hands of an inmate, I am challenged as I read his closing phrase “People, be strong, not weak.” It really reminds me of God telling Joshua to be strong and of good courage. It is true that these words were given to a great political leader, but here I am reminded how much all of us need this challenge.  As we look around our community and ask God how He wants us to respond to various needs there, I think it is good for us to concur with the inmate.

Certainly, there are differences between you and the inmate, but there are none of us who have not hurt others. All of us need forgiveness, and all of us need the courage to stand up for what is right. Thank God for forgiveness, and let us be known as those who offer it freely to others, as we remember the challenge of Jesus that only those who give forgiveness are eligible to receive it.

Vallinga's resignation

 

Travis & Susan's resignation announcement

September 27, 2011

 

Hello friends,

 

We are enjoying fall colors here in Lynn Lake… mostly shades of yellow.

 

God has been at work in redirecting our family over the past months. After living in an isolated community for the past 5 years we felt that it was time for us to move on.

 

As we looked into the possibilities God directed us to contact a small rural church in Dorion, ON (near Thunder Bay) who were looking for a Pastor. We sent in our resume and other information after which they decided to have us begin the candidate process. We have been communicating with them and recently went as a family to visit the church. We spent 4 days there making new friends, exploring the community and Travis preached on Sunday.

 

On October 25th we received a call from them after the church voted and they have extended a call to Travis to become their new Pastor. We are very excited !!

 

Our house is sold and we have booked a U-Haul truck for the last week of October. It will be nice to move before winter settles in too deeply in the north.

 

Plans have already been made for a follow up Camp Meeting to be held on Saturday October 1 at 2 pm. The campers, their families and friends are invited to sing camp songs, view camp photos and hear a story from the Path Finders Bible Adventure books which we will be handing out to each family. These are from NAIM written using First Nations stories from their own culture which are used to present the gospel and include drawings by First Nations children. They were donated by the Caronport Community Church.

 

We appreciate the prayers and support that many of you have given over our time in Lynn Lake. I believe October is the last month we will be receiving support from Continental Mission. If you have been supporting us regularly you may wish to contact them to transfer your support to another missionary.

Continental Mission continues to go through a revisioning process with the goal of focusing more on the training of Native people. Feel free to contact Ferlin Abrahamson (Interim General Manager of CMI) for further information at (204)778-4491

　

Please pray for us as we pack and move. There are many details to be sorted out and a 21 hour drive when we go. Stephen and Bethany are planning to attend the local high school starting in second term but will continue to be home schooled this term. Lance & Cheryl are also planning to move … Lance is already working in Alberta in a year round construction job. Cheryl plans to join him as soon as they can find a home in Alberta or BC.

 

We will be in touch again to give you further information from CMI and to let you know what will be happening with Berge Lake Bible Camp and at least once to update you on how things are going as we settle into our new ministry. We will also give you our new contact information.

 

Blessings,

 

Travis & Susan, Stephen and Bethany

　

This Letter from CMI offfice

 

Dear friends and supporters of the Vallinga family,

     Thank you for the support and encouragement you have provided to the ministry in Lynn Lake through Travis & Susan Vallinga and family. Continental Mission has been pleased to have them serving as the pastor of Lynn Lake Gospel Church for the past 5 years. They have served enthusiastically in church and camp ministry in that community.

    They have come to the conclusion that the time is right to move on to another assignment and have resigned from CMI to accept a pastoral call to Dorion Bible Fellowship near Thunder Bay, Ontario. Though it is hard for CMI to lose staff members, we can see the wisdom of this move and offer them our blessing as they move on to fresh challenges.

    CMI wants to offer some assistance with moving and resettling costs and will be offering Travis and Susan a November pay-check in order to do this. This means that CMI will continue to accept support designated to the Vallinga’s up until the end of November. This support will be passed on to the Vallinga’s.

    After December 1, CMI will not be be continuing the Vallinga fund. We welcome your contribution to other worthwhile ministries or missionaries.

                                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                                Ferlin Abrahamson

 

                                                                                                               CMI general manager

                                                                                                                cell 204-281-2879

Harvest Time

 

                                                                                                                                               

                                       

                                                                                                  September 2011

                                                                 It is harvest time!

Last evening at dusk as I was operating a combine in an area where many combines were busy thrashing grain and the harvest dusk hung like a thick blanket all around, I was reminded again of one reason I get so excited about being part of “bringing in the sheaves.” It is always a privilege to get involved in something that is so much bigger than you, and yet feel that you are also making some significant contribution. |I know that the annual grain harvest is about “making a living,” but it is also meaningful to me to be participating in activity that feeds the world.

Here at Continental Mission, we are also privileged to be a part of the harvest. Many people over many years have been sowing the seed and there is a harvest waiting to be brought in. Though the timing is even less predictable than harvesting grain, the harvest is real and so is the privilege and responsibility to be a part of it.

In “Bringing in the Sheaves” the songwriter, Knowles Shaw, talks a lot more about sowing than he does about reaping, even though harvest is the focus of the song. We often feel that there is need for a lot of sowing, but we never want to lose sight of the reason for it all and the harvest that is to come.

We continue to wrestle with the implications of our new Mission Statement “Growing Christian Leaders in the North.” We are in the midst of finding a new full-time director who can lead us into the future God has in store for us. Your prayers and gifts are appreciated so much.

                                                                                For the harvest,

                                                                           Ferlin Abrahamson         

                                                                           Interim General Manager

                                                                                

Ministry Plan 2011

The CMI Ministry Plan

the “Re-Visioning Project”

7S Planning Framework

Shared Values – “Developing Leadership”

Mission Statement

“Growing Christian Leaders in the North”

This statement has 3 different interpretations (all of them are correct):

1.       Growing “Northern leaders” as we walk alongside them “in the North”

2.       Growing “Northern leaders” as we encourage their voice “in the South” and invite them to walk alongside the global Church

3.       Growing “Southern leaders” as we encourage their voice “in the North” and invite them to walk alongside the people of the North

Motto

“Good Leaders are Great Followers . . . Good Followers are Great Leaders”

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”                  (Mark 10:42-45)

Core Values

Good leaders choose to follow God who is “The Leader”

·         Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name (Matthew 6:9)

Good leaders choose to understand God’s strategy

·         Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10)

Good leaders know that God will provide what they need

·         Give us today our daily bread (Matthew 6:11)

Good leaders choose to forgive . . . Good leaders choose to be forgiven

·         Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6:12)

Good leaders know that pride gets in the way of God’s Protecting Power

·         And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:13)

Statement of Faith

We believe:

·         The only true and living God – infinite, eternal, unchanging

·         The plenary, verbal inspiration of the Old and New Testament scripture, and their final authority for faith and practice.

·         The virgin birth and true deity and humanity of Jesus Christ, Son of God, and his physical resurrection from the dead.

·         The personality and deity of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead.

·         The infilling of the Holy Spirit for the child of God.

·         The personality of Satan as the enemy of God and God’s people.

·         The fall of Adam and the guilty, depraved and lost condition of all men everywhere outside of Christ.

·         Salvation alone by faith in the substitutionary blood atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ

·         The personal and visible return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

·         The physical resurrection of all men – the saints to everlasting joy and bliss, the lost to everlasting, conscious torment.

·         The Body of Christ composed of only those born again by the Spirit of God.

Style – “Walking Alongside”

“Walking Alongside” our fellow Christian Leaders

Hebrews 13:7,17

⁷Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

 ¹⁷Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. 

 “Walking Alongside” Families

Matthew 19:14

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Malachi 4:6 (also Luke 1:17)

He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents

3 John 1:4                                                                                                                                                           

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

“Walking Alongside” hurting People

I Corinthians 1:26-31

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

 “Walking Alongside” the global Church

Romans 12:4-5

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

“Walking Alongside” the local Communities

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Romans 12:18

“Walking Alongside” God’s Creation

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Psalm 19:1-4

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

 “Walking Alongside” each other within Continental Mission

I Corinthians 12:17-20

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

Strategy –Leadership Development through Ministry

Leadership Development with Northern Youth

·         Example “Camp Midway”

·         Example “MissionX”

Leadership Development with Northern Adults

·         Example “Continental Training Centre”

·         Example “MissionX”

Leadership Development with Southern Youth

·         Example “MissionX”

·         Example “Camp Midway”

Structure – “Kingdom Partnerships”

Partnering with the Christians & Congregations of the North

·         Partnership traditions based in principles of “Friendship”

o   Learning to share with each other

o   Learning to understand each other

o   Learning to support each other

o   Learning to invest in our relationship

·         Ministry opportunities based on “Servant Leadership”

o   Teachers who learn . . . Students who teach

o   Servants who lead . . . Leaders who serve

o   Givers who receive . . . Receivers who give

o   Hospitality for guests . . . Gratitude for hosts

Partnering with the Communities of the North

·         Identifying common goals in which we can agree to co-invest

o   Leadership development adds value to any community

o   Positive moral teaching can combat cycles of addiction and abuse

o   Recognizing the inherent dignity of people encourages noble behaviour

Partnering with the Church of the South

·         Cross cultural ministry opportunities based on “Servant Leadership”

o   Teachers who learn . . . Students who teach

o   Servants who lead . . . Leaders who serve

o   Givers who receive . . . Receivers who give

o   Hospitality for guests . . . Gratitude for hosts

·         Several organizations have been identified as candidates for formal partnerships

o   Chortitzer Mennonite Conference

o   Evangelical Mennonite Conference

o   Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference

o   Steinbach Bible College

Partnering with the Members of Continental Mission

·         Providing a connecting point between Continental Mission Members and our Mission Statement

o   Members are people who have resources they wish to invest in “Growing Christian Leaders in the North”

§  Time

§  Giftedness

§  Intercessory Prayer

§  Financial Support

§  Encouragement

o   As partners of CMI, the Membership will appoint a member to the Board of Directors at the annual meeting

Skills – “Leadership Coaches”

·         This will be further developed by CMI leadership over the coming months

·         We will be focused on working with people and organizations who are excellent at demonstrating and encouraging leadership development through ministry

What is a member? by Ferlin Abrahamson General Manager

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

What is a Member?

Membership means different things in different situations, but there is a something in each of us that desires to “belong. At Continental Mission, membership has been a part of our constitution and governance for most of our organizational life. We want to celebrate the concept and the faithful members who have been an important part of CMI over the years.

            Because of new partnerships and some necessary constitutional changes, the meaning of membership has been clarified and a real effort is being made to encourage more people to become members of CMI.

            The following definition of membership comes from the CMI constitution:

·             Members shall:

Have a born again experience and have consecrated themselves to Christ.

Show deep interest in the Mission

Have a willingness to work in harmony with fellow members.

Be in agreement with doctrinal state­ment of mission.

The following statement is also to be conviction of those who wish to be members of Continental Mission:

                        I believe in the mandate of Continental Mission Inc. and I believe that God would be honoured by my commitment of prayer, encouragement, time and /or finances to this aspect of God’s kingdom work.