Dec 1 2010 Letter

Dec 1 2010

Dear Friends of Continental Mission:

                Over the past 45 days, Continental Mission has taken a number of significant and exciting steps to strengthen and focus our work in the North.  As a kid who grew up in the shadow of the pioneers who initiated the work of Continental Mission in the North, it gives me “goose bumps” to now be asked to chair our Board of Directors and play an active role in shaping and supporting the future work of the Mission they founded.

After only one month in this role, I can point to some early steps which have given me growing confidence about the work to which God has called us. 

1.           As of December 1,  Ferlin Abrahamson , a former Board member and active member of Continental Mission, will take the role of Interim General Manager.  This will provide leadership at Head Office in Thompson, and free the mission staff to focus on the roles to which they were originally called. 

2.           At our transitional meetings in Thompson in late October, the missionaries and board members of Continental Mission were overwhelmed with the messages of support from four different church groups that met with us during those two days

·         The senior leaders of three Mennonite conferences traveled North for these two days of meetings and “fell in love” with the work of the North, the people, and history of Continental Mission.  It was an opportunity for them to see this ministry through the eyes of our Aboriginal friends as well as the missionaries.

·         Bert Brown, and the Thompson Bible Chapel leadership team, were very gracious in hosting us and opening our eyes to the “Native way” of thinking and learning and teaching.  Their demonstration of support for God’s work in the North helped us to remember that, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ” I Corinthians 12:12

3.           The Board of directors is already looking forward with anticipation to the “Re-Visioning Project”, where we will talk with all of the stakeholders of Continental Mission to refine the Mission’s focus.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank you for your role in supporting Continental Mission.  Your prayers and your gifts are used by God to bring His message of redemption and renewal to the people of the North.  Our prayer is that many of them will join us this Christmas season in saying:  “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  Matthew 2:2

Sincerely

Bruce Penner, Chairman of the Continental Mission Board