Continental Mission Appoints a General Director
February 21, 2012
Continental Mission, a Thompson based ministry organization with almost 70 years of history in
“Growing Christian Leaders in the North”, has promoted Morgan Serger to be its new General Director.
Morgan will succeed Ferlin Abrahamson who has been serving in this capacity as interim General
Manager since 2010.
Morgan and his wife Krista initially joined the Continental Mission team in 2007 when they began
serving as volunteer leaders in Midway Bible Camp as well as the HIDEOUT in Christ (a youth drop-in
centre in Thompson). By 2009, they had transitioned from a volunteer role into fulltime leadership role
within Continental Mission as they accepted the role of Director of Children and Youth Ministries.
Morgan is a trained educator with a Bachelor of Arts in History, Geography and Anthropology as well as
a Bachelor of Education which he earned while living in his “Southern home” of Steinbach, Manitoba
attending the Steinbach Mennonite Brethren Church and living in Winnipeg, Manitoba attending the
Christian Fellowship Chapel. Prior to joining the Mission as a fulltime employee, Morgan was a school
teacher in Thompson, Manitoba, the Northern community in which the Serger’s have established their
home and currently attend the Thompson Bible Chapel.
Morgan & Krista bring a contagious enthusiasm to their role as well as a driving sense of purpose which
will serve the organization well as they continue to build on the rich history of Continental Mission.
Together with the board of directors, Morgan & Krista are excited to continue the process of
“unpacking” the organizational mission statement of “Growing Christian Leaders in the North”.
Fred Evans, a veteran member of the Continental Mission team and a Cree radio broadcaster on NCI
provided a personal endorsement of Morgan’s leadership in Fred’s traditionally understated way when
he said, “Morgan has lived in the North long enough that his hair doesn’t stand on end when he sees a
native”.
Bruce Penner, the Board Chair for Continental Mission added, “The Board of Directors has been looking
for someone who can lead our organizational development in a way that values and respects our history
and traditions while understanding and embracing our vision for future. Morgan’s experience as a
former volunteer and leader within the organization as well as his training and experience as an
educator give him a great set of tools to champion our organizational growth.”
When asked about his plans for the organization, Morgan replied, “My first priority is to replace myself
as the leader of the Youth Ministry so that I can broaden my personal focus to grow the Mission’s
mandate of leadership development across the North. I believe that there is a pent up supply of people
and resources which are looking for opportunities to effect change in the North. Our role will be to
provide mechanisms for change which are credible and sustainable.”
CMI
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
General Director hiring
CMI has a General Director!
In Nehemiah 12 we read the happy account of the Israelites celebrating the return to Jerusalem and the rejuvenation of hope and vitality that they felt as they were once again inside the walls of their beloved city. It was indeed a happy day in their history. We read in verse 43 the following description.
“And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given
them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in
Jerusalem could be heard far away.”
There was unstoppable enthusiasm in their midst, and it needed to find ways to be expressed. Hope had been in short supply, and optimism had been depleted during years of adversity, discouragement and captivity, but that was behind them now as they celebrated not just the return of people to a city, but the return of hope to a people.
Continental Mission has faced some serious difficulties over the past several years. There have been times when hope seemed to be almost gone, when optimism was faded and cynicism was easier to find than enthusiasm. The contemplation of closure for the organization was the symbolic low-point that helped all of us to realize the gravity of the situation.
In the last several months there have been a number of celebratory moments of enthusiasm, but none more significant than the recent hiring of our new General Director Morgan Serger. We are so excited to welcome Morgan (and Krista) to this new role within CMI. It is a bright new day in our richly storied history and we invite you to rejoice with us.
Morgan comes to this role after several years serving within the organization as the Director of Children and Youth Ministry. He has a proven commitment to Northern Manitoba and a demonstrated leadership ability working with persons of all age groups. He has a youthful enthusiasm and zest for life that is infectious and there is every reason to believe that where Morgan is, that enthusiasm will spread to others.
Morgan and Krista have a proven commitment to CMI. That commitment was tested severely last fall after Morgan and Krista Serger camp when they were left all alone at the Thompson office
holding the organization together while trying to recuperate from a “crazy busy” summer of camp. It was a difficult time that helped them to wrestle with whether this really was the place that God had called them to. The answer to that question is what allows us to call you to this celebration today.
Morgan and Krista are very approachable people who have developed many friendships in Northern Manitoba and throughout the CMI constituency. Please feel free to contact them with your congratulations on their appointment to this new role. They look forward to hearing from you.
The CMI Board of Directors has been working hard at enacting the re-visioning that was started over one year ago. This announcement is obviously a significant step in that process. The board looks forward to the completion of the Ministry Plan which was put on hold awaiting the hiring of our General Director.
The Board is also contemplating the possibility of a name change to our organization that reflects the re-visioning and the renewed passion that comes with our new Ministry Plan and Leadership Development Emphasis. These are exciting days, as CMI looks back on a rich history and seeks God’s will for building upon that foundation to find ways to be the effective and God-honoring in the place and time we now find ourselves.
The Children of Israel likely had moments when they wished that “things could just go back like they were,” and maybe we will sometimes wish for that too. But at Jerusalem the renewal of hope and the visions for the future overwhelmed those nostalgic thoughts and they celebrated together. I hope you can also celebrate with us. This is a happy day at CMI.
Ferlin Abrahamson
Interim General Manager
In Nehemiah 12 we read the happy account of the Israelites celebrating the return to Jerusalem and the rejuvenation of hope and vitality that they felt as they were once again inside the walls of their beloved city. It was indeed a happy day in their history. We read in verse 43 the following description.
“And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given
them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in
Jerusalem could be heard far away.”
There was unstoppable enthusiasm in their midst, and it needed to find ways to be expressed. Hope had been in short supply, and optimism had been depleted during years of adversity, discouragement and captivity, but that was behind them now as they celebrated not just the return of people to a city, but the return of hope to a people.
Continental Mission has faced some serious difficulties over the past several years. There have been times when hope seemed to be almost gone, when optimism was faded and cynicism was easier to find than enthusiasm. The contemplation of closure for the organization was the symbolic low-point that helped all of us to realize the gravity of the situation.
In the last several months there have been a number of celebratory moments of enthusiasm, but none more significant than the recent hiring of our new General Director Morgan Serger. We are so excited to welcome Morgan (and Krista) to this new role within CMI. It is a bright new day in our richly storied history and we invite you to rejoice with us.
Morgan comes to this role after several years serving within the organization as the Director of Children and Youth Ministry. He has a proven commitment to Northern Manitoba and a demonstrated leadership ability working with persons of all age groups. He has a youthful enthusiasm and zest for life that is infectious and there is every reason to believe that where Morgan is, that enthusiasm will spread to others.
Morgan and Krista have a proven commitment to CMI. That commitment was tested severely last fall after Morgan and Krista Serger camp when they were left all alone at the Thompson office
holding the organization together while trying to recuperate from a “crazy busy” summer of camp. It was a difficult time that helped them to wrestle with whether this really was the place that God had called them to. The answer to that question is what allows us to call you to this celebration today.
Morgan and Krista are very approachable people who have developed many friendships in Northern Manitoba and throughout the CMI constituency. Please feel free to contact them with your congratulations on their appointment to this new role. They look forward to hearing from you.
The CMI Board of Directors has been working hard at enacting the re-visioning that was started over one year ago. This announcement is obviously a significant step in that process. The board looks forward to the completion of the Ministry Plan which was put on hold awaiting the hiring of our General Director.
The Board is also contemplating the possibility of a name change to our organization that reflects the re-visioning and the renewed passion that comes with our new Ministry Plan and Leadership Development Emphasis. These are exciting days, as CMI looks back on a rich history and seeks God’s will for building upon that foundation to find ways to be the effective and God-honoring in the place and time we now find ourselves.
The Children of Israel likely had moments when they wished that “things could just go back like they were,” and maybe we will sometimes wish for that too. But at Jerusalem the renewal of hope and the visions for the future overwhelmed those nostalgic thoughts and they celebrated together. I hope you can also celebrate with us. This is a happy day at CMI.
Ferlin Abrahamson
Interim General Manager
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)