Continental Mission Inc

Press Release General Director

2012-02-22T12:26:00.000-08:00

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.”

General Director hiring

2012-02-15T17:41:00.000-08:00

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

Director announcement coming soon

2012-01-24T13:41:00.000-08:00

The CMI board is negotiating with a director applicant. An announcement of the outcome is expected sometime next week.

General Office Manager Position

2012-01-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

Continental Mission Incorporated

(“the Organization”)

Position Description for General Office Manager

Job Title: General Office Manager

Reports To: General Director

Term: Initial term of 2 years

Position Overview:

The Board of Directors has completed phase I of a Re-Visioning Project for The Organization which has defined the Mission statement as “Growing Christian Leaders in the North”.

The General Office Manager will be expected to provide the day to day managerial support for the General Director.

· Keeping regular office hours

· Completing day to day paperwork,

· Ensuring that communication and bookkeeping are up-to-date

· Other tasks as assigned

The General Office Manager will work as a part of the Organization’s leadership team with a primary focus on efficient administration.

Responsibilities

· As a senior administrator of the Organization, the General Office Manager is responsible for

o Assisting in the administration & oversight of all current programs specifically as regards accessing grants, communications and public relations media

o Finances

§ Managing the annual budget

§ Being sure that all financial affairs are adhering to legal requirements

§ Providing financial reports to the General Director on a monthly basis.

o Providing the General Director with regular reports on the status of ongoing public relations plans and communications

o Edit and manage the major public relations campaigns of the organization

· As an asset manager, the General Office Manager will manage the payment of bills, property maintenance and play the role of landlord for rental groups using the organization’s assets.

· As a team member, the General Office Manager will be personally involved in “Growing Christian Leaders in the North”

· As an ambassador for the Organization, the General Office Manager will be responsible for communicating with other organizations as necessary.

· As a servant of the General Director, the General Office Manager is expected to respond with flexibility and collaboration to the needs of the Organization (both internally and externally) when directed by the General Director.

Skills & Characteristics

· Strong personal faith and testimony

o Ability to achieve a healthy balance between vocation and personal life

· Demonstrated leadership qualities

o Planning

o Organization

o Bookkeeping

o Independent Work Ethic

· Strong communication skills

o Excellent verbal communicator

o Comfortable with multiple media forms

Employment Model

· The head office of the organization is in Thompson, Manitoba

· Target compensation for this position will be $3,750 per month

§ Initial month salary would be drawn from General Fund, with active increments negotiated to move toward a split salary with an increasing portion coming from support raised funds to decrease the burden on the General Fund.

§ Travel and home office expenses will be identified to provide legitimate tax-advantageous treatment of total compensation

Happy New Year

2012-01-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

It’s a New Year January, 2012

What a privilege to experience another new day in another New Year. It is easy to forget what a privilege it is to have life and hope. This New Year will bring some joys and some sorrows, but it is our privilege to be a part of it and we should thank God for that. It is also important to remember with the Apostle Paul that departing to be with the Lord is far better.

Here at CMI we are starting the New Year with some New Life and New Hope. I am thrilled to see a full van load of youth going with Morgan and Krista Serger to a Youth Retreat at Camp Cedarwood this weekend. The teens are so excited. I am pleased to hear of the exuberance at Steinbach Bible College as the students prepare to come north next Tuesday.

The new General Director is almost here! We ask you to pray with us for the board and candidates as the hiring process moves forward. You can expect an announcement of the successful candidate by this time next month.

We have chosen a new date for the CMI Annual Meeting. After quite a few years of having our annual meeting on May Long Weekend, we are going back to an older tradition of having it in March. We are actually blending traditions since we are hosting the meeting at Hilbre rather than in the North as used to be done years ago. I encourage you to mark March 17^th on your calendar and plan to join us for an informative meeting and supper at Eagle Bay Camp and Retreat Center.

We are choosing a new financial target. We are so enthused about God’s faithfulness and the generosity of his people that allowed us to meet our target of repaying the $27thousand borrowed from reserved funds as we close the books on 2011. It is such a privilege to be a part of God’s people. As we finalize plans for the 2012 budget, we want to do so planning carefully, trusting God fully and communicating to our supporting constituency graciously.

CMI is looking for new staff. We are looking for a General Office Manager to work closely with the General Director. See the job description under that tab on CMI Home page.

May God give you wisdom and joy as you embark on this New Year.

Ferlin Abrahamson

Interim General Manager

204-281-2879

Time to move forward

2011-12-08T06:42:00.000-08:00

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

2011-10-18T16:27:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

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.

Margaret Jane Bee

2011-04-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

What a wake! What a woman! What a testimony! What a God!

Last night we gathered at Thompson Bible Chapel to hold a wake for Margaret Bee, a faithful Christian who has been a part of TBC for the last number of years. Her battles (plural) with cancer have been hard, her pain has been extreme, her parenting stresses real; but as family and friends gathered to grieve together, the emphasis was not on the shortness or unfairness or the difficulty of her life. All of those things are real and they were not denied, but last night the big focus was all about remembering a life well-lived and especially her home-going to be with Jesus.

One after another friends and family responded to Bert’s invitation to pay tribute to Margaret. With song and with spoken word, Margaret was remembered as a great friend and relative who made her life count for eternity by living for Jesus each and every day. She was remembered as someone who always wanted to live each moment to the fullest, and had encountered Jesus in a way that gave her “life abundant” as well as a deep-seated desire that her family would also embrace her faith. I

I have only known Margaret for a few months, but what I saw in this woman of faith was affirmed by many others who have known her much longer. When Laverne Spence got up to share some “words of encouragement with the family,” I was so impressed with the spiritual comfort and admonition he brought. (Bruce, it is no wonder you call him “friend”) The whole evening was a time of rich encouragement to me and a great reminder of the importance of a real and meaningful testimony. Thank you, Margaret Jane Bee, for leaving us that kind of legacy. Thank you for being the kind of person who calls us to Christian oneness and encouragement. Thank you for “shining the light” in your generation, as you had opportunity.

Though just a few years older than I, Margaret’s race is over and her journey on Earth is done. I picture her hearing the words “Enter into the joy of your Master” and running with a smile on her face and tears streaming down her face to be with Jesus. There she can dance on the streets of heaven as she joins that “great cloud of witnesses” cheering us onward.

Spring Update

2011-04-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

There is excitement in the air!

Spring has announced its arrival, and the thought of warm sunshine and new life and growth is bringing a bit of bounce to the step and making smiling even easier to do.

New life is always worth celebrating and Easter reminds us again that the God of Life is encouraging us to celebrate.

Continental Mission Inc. is excited about the Spring season in which we find ourselves. In the re-visioning process, we are reminded of the Resurrection and of new life, and our thoughts are drawn away from the cold darkness of the decision last year to prepare for the dissolution of the Mission.

As the re-visioning process continues, and as many friends of CMI have added their viewpoint and advice, the board has been courageously listening and working through the implications as they look for the role God would have CMI focus on at this time. Board members have heard from many supporters and current and retired staff, but have also been putting extra effort into hearing the voice of Christians in northern Manitoba.

While listening to so many voices takes time and effort, Proverbs 11:14 reminds us it is worthwhile: “In the multitude of counselors there is safety” (KJV) or “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure” (NIV).

The board continues to seek God’s direction and to use the wisdom He has given to clarify the focus of CMI, and it prepares to present this new focus to the Mission family at Annual Conference on May long weekend. Your prayers for them and the rest of the mission family are very much appreciated at this time.

It has been a great blessing to experience the generosity and trust of God’s people who continue to support the mission through this time of uncertainty and change. It has been especially exciting to hear from those with a desire to become a part of the CMI family as staff or as members.

We trust that God will lead us together in unity as we look to a future “as bright as the promises of God.” May God bless you this Easter as you proclaim the resurrection wherever you find yourself!

Ferlin Abrahamson

Interim General Manager

Continental Mission Inc.

778-4491 or 281-2879

Responses are rolling in

2011-03-15T10:43:00.001-07:00

CMI Family is responding

The re-visioning questionnaire that was sent out has brought an enthusiastic response.

There have already been many excellent observations about the current state and future aspirations of the mission. If you have not had a chance to respond yet, we still want to hear from you. We have heard from some who are new to the mission and some who are early pioneers. Each of you have valuable insights that we want to hear

Do you need a copy of the questionnaire? Email cmi@mts.net or call 204-778-4491 and we will get one to you. It is not too late to add your voice.

We had hoped to begin looking at these responses this past weekend, but God had another schedule in mind as the highways were closed and the board meeting had to be cancelled. The board now plans to meet the last weekend in March. and would like to have as many responses as possible in by then.

The latest edition of Continental Reflections is now at the printers. This full color magazine tells exciting stories of what God is doing in Continental Missions Inc. If you want your name added to the mailing list, please email cmi@mts.net or call 778-4491

Ferlin Abrahamson

Interim General Manager

February 24, 2011

2011-02-24T07:14:00.000-08:00

CMI has experienced change

What a positive change has happened in the past few months! Many of you are aware that CMI was considering “closing up shop” last summer. Then the board of directors became invigorated when representatives from new ministry partners formally joined it. These partners are the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference, Evangelical Mennonite Missions Conference, and Evangelical Mennonite Conference. This new board consists of members Bruce Penner, Leonard Hiebert, Gerald Barkman, and Mel Friesen. This Board appointed Ferlin Abrahamson as Interim General Manager and determined to work hard at establishing the direction and focus for this new chapter of CMI history. It is their desire to build on the rich history and generous donor base that characterize CMI’s past. It is also their desire to move boldly into future ministry that honors God and blesses people in similar ways to what past ministry has done. It is our desire to be an effective vehicle for God’s people to be a part of what he is doing “in the north.”

CMI re-visioning is underway

The Continental Mission Board is excited to get the re-visioning project formally underway. Now that the leg-work “behind the scenes” is taken care of, the questionnaire is being sent out to various stakeholders of the mission. We are looking forward to some interesting and diverse responses that will help guide the board through the next part of the process. If you would like to add your perspective, please send an email to cmi@mts.net or call us at 204-778-4491 and we’ll be glad to send you a copy. We hope to conclude this part of the project in March so there is time to work with the results and begin to build on the emerging focus in April.

CMI family is getting together

Plans are being made for our annual conference to be held at Eagle Bay Ministry Centre near Hilbre, Man., on May long weekend. There is significant excitement in the air as we look forward to a progress report and celebrate the new life and opportunities that have come in the past year. Everyone is welcome, though you need to book in advance for meals or lodging.

Plans are also underway to partner with Thompson Bible Chapel to plan a family camp for June 24-26 at Midway Bible Camp. We are looking forward to a great time of singing, sharing, fishing and laughing together as families gather “in the family of God.” We are expecting some very special guests to travel in to join us and also the most special guest of all who has promised to be in our midst when we gather in his name.

CMI needs you

We continue to seek new harvesters to join with the 12 staff members who now serve. The need for additional office help is real, and we would love to hear from you if you are interested in this challenging, dynamic role where you will work in a team environment in Thompson. As we clarify our focus of ministry and the emphasis that CMI will pursue for the future, we believe God will draw together more staff members who share our passion for the place God has called us to be. We are also excited about the new prayer and financial support that God is bringing together as He reminds us repeatedly that we are involved in a team effort.

If you have any questions, please email, call, fax or write us and we will do our best to get you answers.

Ferlin Abrahamson

Interim General Manager

February Letter

2011-02-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

February 2011

“It was totally a God thing”!

That’s probably the best way to describe a meeting between strangers that had very good reasons for never happening. But God chose to use the horrible experience of personal pain, and the weakness of battling illness, to bring consolation to this stranger who had lost a son. It sure brings to mind the truth of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

God has been doing some exciting things in our midst!

-Reaching down with a special touch for a long time Christian brother who has wandered,

-Coming powerfully into our midst as we cried and prayed with a grieving woman

bemoaning the murder of her son and the devastation of so many young lives

caught up in the web of drugs and gangs,

-Showing me little glimpses of his desire for unity and oneness in the church, and proving

that he is still drawing his children together, even those that have been estranged

for far too long,

-Reminding me how diligently our staff members are applying themselves to serving the

King of Kings,

-Encouraging me with the prayers and passion of the local “pastors prayer group” for the

physical and spiritual needs of people in Thompson and area

-Showing me in multiple ways that there are many of you who really do pray for and

support the kingdom work we are involved in here in the North,

-Teaching me what a privilege I have to be a part of what Jesus called “building my

Church”, as I follow paths blazed by pioneers and also look to a future that is “as

bright as the promises of God,”

-Encouraging me daily with the desire that so many of you have to be a part of the great

work that God is doing.

On behalf of Continental Mission, thank you so much for your prayers and gifts that fuel the work that we have the privilege to be involved in.

Wishing you God’s blessing,

Ferlin Abrahamson

General Manager

New Years 2011 Letter

2011-01-17T10:10:00.000-08:00

New Year’s 2011

Faithful supporters and friends,

As we stand at the threshold of another new year, we look back at the year of difficulty and change that the Lord saw fit for us to experience. Through last summer’s decision that dissolution may be necessary and through the times of fervent prayer seeking God’s provision to keep CMI thriving; as well as in the efforts invested to develop new partnerships, the goal of reaching out with the gospel remains the central desire and focus. As the new General Manager, I am very pleased to be working together with the rejuvenated Board to renew the vision and mandate of this cherished mission. We will be looking for your help these next few months as we go through in this re-visioning time.

Many of you are aware that this year has seen several staffing changes. Bill & Anna Penner have relocated to Steinbach where they continue to serve as CMI missionaries. Zack and Lilly Beardy have retired after many years of faithful service. These staff changes have meant that the soup kitchen needs to be closed for now. Besides those significant changes, Bert and Liz Genaille have resigned from CMI in order to serve full-time as a pastor with Healing Hearts Ministries in Nipawin Sask. In all of these changes, there has been mutual good-will and a strong desire to see the blessing of God in each other’s lives. We are also happy to see Andrew Harder taking an education leave to study at Steinbach Bible College this semester.

While we will miss ‘the way things were’, we are very excited about what the Lord has for us in the next chapter of life. At this New Year and at this new ‘fresh start’ for CMI, we look forward optimistically to the surprises and miracles God has in store for us. It is so evident that God himself has put together the partners and events that bring us to today, and we are sure that he has ‘more in store’ for 2011. Thank you to each of you who pray for and give toward the work of CMI. Without you, there would be no front lines work to report on. Without you the doors of CMI would indeed be closed and boarded up.

Your gifts are very much appreciated and will be used carefully as we seek to be faithful before God to this task He has called us to. We are counting on your continued support as we move through the re-visioning process and seek out new partners, supporters and staff to help carry forth the gospel message though a re-focused CMI.

With a grateful heart for all that God is doing,

Ferlin Abrahamson, Interim General Manager

Email- fabraham@mts.net Cell- 204-281-2879

Dec 15 Letter

2011-01-17T10:06:00.001-08:00

December 15, 2010

Dear friends of CMI,

As the new general manager, I have great anticipation (and a little apprehension) about what God has in store for me and this mission with all of its rich history and tradition. God has done some amazing things in the history of our mission, and each of you who pray for and support us in other ways are a very significant part of that. God does not limit himself to the past, and we are excited about what he is doing in our midst right now. On Monday of this week, the CMI board planned a Christmas feast to celebrate Christmas, honour our staff and volunteers, and install our general manager. What a beautiful time we had together as we ate, sang, shared and celebrated God’s goodness to us. Today, Morgan, Andrew and I were out to Midway Bible Camp to make plans for camp upkeep and to consider bold dreams for future ministry there. Tonight as I write this letter, I listen to young people downstairs in the Hideout singing camp songs and asking questions about camp, God, and life. It is exciting to be a part of what God is doing here, and I hope we can count on your continued prayer and financial support as try to refine our vision for what we believe God wants us to do as we look expectantly for what he will do in our midst in the future. Past, present and future are all a part of God’s great work around the world and also here in Continental Mission. Thank you again for your support, and I wish you a blessed Christmas.

Sincerely,

Ferlin Abrahamson

Interim General Manager

Dec 1 2010 Letter

2011-01-17T10:03:00.001-08:00

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