The men of Issachar, who rallied tothe cause of King David, ‘understoodthe times and knew what to do’ (1 Chronicles 12:32). The need to

take inspiration from these ancient leaders was thekeynote of Glynn Harrison’s Rendle Short Lecture.

The sexual revolution, declared the EmeritusProfessor of Psychiatry, is ‘rooted in ideas, it didn’tjust happen’. In the situation we now find ourselves in, it ispeople who ‘hold to traditionalvalues who find themselves on the wrong side of popularopinion and sometimes even thelaw’. People of faith are portrayedas promoting a way of life that is‘harmful, implausible…pretended’. Ideologies like radical feminism and queer theory are modern forms of Gnosticism and they are driving the sexualrevolution forward. They are ‘the plausibility structures of a newmoral order’. So Christians need to be confident that they have abetter story to tell. He asked his audience, ‘Where are the Christianapologists and theologians who are grappling with these ideas?’

Lindsay Brown, of the International Fellowship of EvangelicalStudents (IFES), encouraged younger Christian doctors to ask thoseof earlier generations how they combined clinical work and witness,

and about thechallenges they faced,how they overcamethem and how Godhelped. ‘A Christiandoctor without anhistorical perspectivewill be spirituallyimpoverished,’ he said.His three talks on ‘hopein a world of suffering’began with Psalm 73'spiercing lament aboutthe apparent silence or absence of God. He later turned to the book of Job as astarting point for abiblical answer to theproblem of pain andsuffering, and from 1 Peter encouraged

us to stand firm in adversity. For the first time the

conference ran a nurses’ stream.Sixteen nurses from around theUK attended seminars lookingat the Christian basis for the ‘6 Cs of nursing’, an overviewof the Christian history ofnursing and application of thisto nursing today. It was a greattime of fellowship andencouragement and we trustseeds sown will bear fruit withmany more joining us nextyear.

Over 40 student leadersgathered and attended tailoredtraining sessions. Subjectsincluded ‘Why CMF?’ and ‘howto plan a programme’.Needless to say there was lotsof fun and banter. Please prayfor these leaders as they seekto impact and inspire theirlocal groups to live for Jesus.

T he outturn for 2014 was better than budget – a deficit of £36k against a budgeted deficit of £99k. The key factorin meeting our 2015 budget target will be the response

of members to our Spring Appeal where we hope to raise £80k. New approaches being tried this year include: an appeal to

Friends of CMF; team support for staffworkers, especially those inface-to-face ministries; refreshing efforts with grant-making trustsfor projects like the Human Journey and to support medical studentleaders in other parts of the world.

We thank God for the generous support from members,particularly those who give over and above their CMF subscriptions.One of CMF’s strengths is our broad base of support throughsubscriptions, but voluntary gifts make up over 40% of our incomeand make a huge different to the work we can undertake.

newsletter of the Christian Medical Fellowship

No. 207 Summer 2015

Summer 2015 CMF News 1

National Conference: Understanding our times

Finance: Your gifts make a difference

New CMF Chairman

K en Toop has succeeded Peter Phillips as CMF Chairman.Before retirement Ken was a consultant gynaecologistbased at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough,

and he worships at Stockton Baptist Church. OutgoingChairman Peter Phillips gave his endorsement: ‘Irecognise him to be a man of considerable spiritualstrength and wide experience in healthcare.’ We thankPeter for his service as Chairman. Ken Toop

Glynn Harrison

Lindsay Brown

graduates, nurses, communications

Nursing: ‘A wonderful vocation’

CMF News Summer 20152

I n September, Pippa Peppiatt will bejoining the CMF team as our new NursesStudent Staffworker. We asked her a bit

about herself:

What do you see as thechallenges and opportunities ofthe nursing profession today?Nursing is a wonderful vocation.Nurses are in a unique and

privileged position caring for people at someof their most vulnerable times, being Christ’shands and feet. At the same time nursing canbe tough, isolating and exhausting, and manynurses have lost confidence in practising theirfaith in the workplace – something I wouldlove to see restored.

What caught your attention about this job? I felt the job description had been tailor-madefor me! It combined many of my passions:pioneering, networking, pastoring, training,mission and writing. To put these to usebuilding up a vitally needed workencouraging Christian student nurses will be a great opportunity and privilege.

What is your vision for building amovement of Christian nursing students?To support and encourage Christian nursingstudents to grow in their faith and love forJesus. To help them connect with, pray for,and be inspired by each other. To help informand equip these nurses to make godly ethical

choices and to offer spiritual care for patientsin an appropriate manner. To invest in andtrain individuals to become leaders who then help mentor younger nursing students.

Can you tell us about your career so far?I’ve had a happy and mixed career, fromnursing (both in hospitals and as a schoolnurse) to church and charity work. I’vestudied at Bible school in Holland andLondon, worked in the church, been aFriends International student staff worker,and for the last eight years started and led a charity.

Tell us about your experience with church planting?My husband Tim and I have always had aheart for students. When asked in 1998 toplant a Vineyard church, we first looked atwhich UK student cities didn’t yet have aVineyard and landed on Cambridge. As westarted out with just our own family and thenext-door neighbour’s cat, we had to attractand identify student leaders quickly to helpgrow the church. It was hard work, good fun,and we certainly saw God at work.

…and your family life?Tim is a GP with special interests indermatology and theology – an interestingcombination! We have four children rangingfrom eleven to 21 years. Our eldest two are at University, one studying medicine.

GraduatesUpdates Meet Pippa Peppiatt, CMF’s new Nurses Student Staffworker

Special Interest LinksSpecial Interest groups are a new Linkcategory for CMF members with sharedinterests. Their purpose is thedissemination of news, information andresources, with the aim of broadeningconnections and deepening fellowship.Members can now join one of theexisting groups – such as secureenvironments, refugee doctors, NorthKorea, coaching & mentoring and eachof the armed forces – or offer to be aLink in a new category of their choice by contacting julian.churcher@cmf.org.uk.

Graduate breakfasts Over the last few months, there havebeen breakfasts for CMF members whowork in Rheumatology, Dermatology,Ophthalmology, Paediatrics, and for thefirst time, Cardiology. There was also abreakfast for those at the BMA AnnualRepresentatives’ Meeting. Thesebreakfasts are great times for thoseworking in the same specialty to sharefellowship together and encourage oneanother. Why not think about organisinga breakfast for your specialty? Contactruth.haley@cmf.org.uk for more details.

London & South-East report At an evening for healthcare workers near Hastings, Julian Churcher writes, we considered the core issues thatunderlie consultations, such as trust,mutual respect and consent. Theoppressive – sometimes intimidating – environment in which some have to work was evident. The fact we are on the ultimate victor’s side, and couldencourage each other in solidarity ofpurpose and prayer, made all the difference.

In a south London group we prayedfor the success of a high level meetingwith implications for inner-city GPfunding (and indeed viability) and heardlater of a very positive outcome. In Poole, Dorset recently a dozen assortedprofessionals swapped sea, sand, sail and sun for Saline one Saturday, and a fortnight later in Battersea three of us tackled the same material again. It’s different every time depending on the situations and professionalexperiences of those attending, butalways worthwhile and encouraging.

Pippa Peppiatt

Junior doctors’ NI retreatThis year’s retreat, attended by 22participants, was at Moyallon House nearPortadown,Northern Ireland.Rev Dr HaroldCunninghamwas the mainspeaker, histheme was ‘Whatmakes us human?’. He looked at theologyand psychological theories with applicationson living for Christ in medicine. CallumWebster (Christian Institute) gave an updateon how recent changes to the law might affectChristian doctors. Rev Dr Pat Mollan spoke onGod at work through healing ministry. Allthese topics stimulated plenty of discussionand reflection. To relax, participants held aSaturday afternoon photo challenge in thebeautiful Gosford Forest Park.

The Human JourneySo far we knowat least 10 groupshave run theHuman Journey

course. Students all over the country areusing it in their local meetings, and there areencouraging reports from members runningthe course in their churches.

Nearly 100 members took away HumanJourney Sample Packs from the NationalConference bookstall: we hope this will leadto many more churches and local groupsdoing the course.

We will soon be contacting all CMFChurch Links to energise them to exploregetting the Human Journey into the teachingprogrammes of their churches. Pleasecontinue to pray for this resource to growand bless the church. For more info visitwww.humanjourney.org.uk

staff, students, public policy

Meet Hazel Hepner

Summer 2015 CMF News 3

StudentsUpdates

H azel recently joined the CMF team asour new membership administrator.We learnt a bit about her:

What experience have youbrought to the role?Having worked in a GP practice I am aware of the need to supportdoctors. I used to work in a

school office and before then in a GP surgery.Many of the skills learned, especially arounddatabases, correspondence, recording financesand reminder letters I’ve been able to transferto CMF.

Tell us about your churchI attend a multicultural, community-focusedBaptist Church in Hackney. I’ve been part of theleadership team for five years. We are due tomove into a brand new building in the autumn.I’m part of the music group, singing about oncea month. I’ve previously been involved inteaching children and young people.

Your family life? Leisure time? I’ve been married for almost 36 years andhave two sons, one married to a paediatricianand an eleven-month-old grandson.Opportunities for hobbies have been few inrecent years but I enjoy photography, choralsinging, doing jigsaws, swimming, walkingand reading murder mysteries.

Staff changes and volunteersLiz Poppleton (née McClenaghan) has beenappointed as an associate staffworker for thenorth-west, based near Preston, starting inAugust. She has previously served as a CMFintern and chair of the CMF Student Council.She will work with students while continuingto work part time in medicine. Miriam Brandon, an F2 junior doctor, will

join us for one day a week from August for a year to work on the SYD conference and do some writing. Eve Thangaraj, who has been with CMF

on placement through 2014 stayed on untilFebruary seeing through the SYD Conference.She will represent CMF at an ICMDARegional Rep training conference in the US in August.Alice Campbell has been on work

experience with CMF over the summer. SaysAlice: ‘I’ve been working predominately in theInternational and Student departments, withVicky Lavy as my mentor. One of the biggesttasks was helping organise the DevelopingHealth Course. I became acquainted withCMF due to the numerous medics in myfamily. My dad is a local CMF Link inSheffield, so I have often been roped in tohelp at events and conferences, which gaveme the chance to learn more about CMF’sextensive and diverse work.’

Summer teamsThis year’s summer teams head toUkraine, Belarus, Philippines, Estoniaand Russia. Please believe and pray thatthese would be eternally significant tripsin the lives of the students and thosethey reach whilst there.

Student talks draw a crowdSome great recent student events.Laurence Crutchlow spoke at Bart’s on ‘The resurrection’ with over 50 inattendance. John Greenall spoke at St George’s on ‘Why would a loving God allow children to suffer?’ and drewan audience of over 70 in attendance. Alex Bunn has been on the road visitinggroups in locations such as Bristol andNorwich. There are always goodconversation afterwards, not least withMuslim medics – do pray for eternalfruit. If you would like someone to come and speak at your medical school,contact students@cmf.org.uk.

Graduating?If you’re a student, do remember toupdate your contact details online atwww.cmf.org.uk/students/graduating.Everyone who updates their detailsonline will get a free copy of Foundations,a great manual for the Christian juniordoctor.

Praying for studentsDuring the autumn, thousands ofstudents will arrive at medical schools up and down the country. Please pray for boldness and clarity as CMF studentmembers encourage them to sign up to join their campus-based CMF andenthuse them with CMF literature.Please pray for Christians starting atuniversity that they would quickly settlein and make wise decisions early on.

UCCF Forum Several CMF leaders will be attending the UCCF Forum (1–5 September). CMF enjoys long-standing strategic linkswith UCCF and we want to continue tostrengthen our partnership: to evangeliseand disciple students on campus bytraining and equipping our studentleaders. Please put this on your prayer list.

Hazel Hepner

CMF’s new Membership Administrator

Putting faith in global healthcareThe Lancet (7 July) has launched a series ofpapers calling for greater engagement withfaith-based organisations in healthcaredelivery in the UK and globally. The keymessage, writes Steve Fouch, is thatindifference or active hostility towards FBOsin the development and global healthcommunities is, ‘frankly, counterproductive’,since globally 80% of patients have a personalfaith or some form of spirituality. CMFmember Andrew Tomkins is a key player inthe project. Papers and an audio interviewwith Andrew is available at bit.ly/1eBMtdm

Strengthening governanceWith the help of external consultants a newdevelopment programme and governancemanual are being created to strengthen theway CMF is run. Please pray for our Boardand Senior Management Team as they seek to lead CMF effectively.

Call to ActionRob Marris MP has brought a bill to theHouse of Commons Bill aimed at legalisingassisted suicide for mentally competentadults who are terminally ill.

CMF is encouraging healthcareprofessionals to write to their Member ofParliament, urging them to vote against the bill.

The second reading debate of the bill isexpected to take place on 11 September; it isessential that it is defeated at this stage. MPsrise for the summer recess on 21 July andreturn on 7 September, so time available toinfluence them before the vote is short.

‘This bill is probably the most serious legalthreat we have faced in this area in the lastten years,’ comments CMF CEO PeterSaunders.

For information on how to write to your MP,see www.carenotkilling.org.uk/marris-bill

Developing Health Course

international, members

MovementsHelen Sims-Williams (Oxford) from UgandaHugh Sims-Williams (Bristol) from UgandaHelen Shawyer (Sheffield) to Kenya

ObituariesMonty Barker (q St Andrew’s, 1960)John Breeze (q Aberdeen, 1950)Hugh Coleridge (q Bart’s, 1965)George Moles (q Belfast, 1950)Rita Shannon (q 1953)John Wilkinson (q Edinburgh, 1941)

CMF senior staff

Chief ExecutivePeter Saunderspeter.saunders@cmf.org.ukHead of OperationsGraham Sopp graham.sopp@cmf.org.ukHead of Graduate MinistriesPablo Fernandezpablo.fernandez@cmf.org.ukHead of International MinistriesVicky Lavy vicky.lavy@cmf.org.ukHead of Student MinistriesJohn Greenalljohn.greenall@cmf.org.ukHead of CommunicationsJohn Martinjohn.martin@cmf.org.ukHead of Public PolicyPhilippa Taylorphilippa.taylor@cmf.org.ukHead of NursingSteve Fouchsteve.fouch@cmf.org.uk

Dates for your diary

August10–14 STUDENT SUMMER CAMP

Moor Monkton, near York

September5 CAREERS DAY CONFERENCE

CMF, London

October10 MIDLANDS DAY CONFERENCE

The Welcome Centre, Coventry16–18 NORTHERN CONFERENCE

Craiglands Hotel, Ilkley23–25 IRISH CONFERENCE

Durrow, County Laois26-28 RETIREES’ CONFERENCE

King’s Park Conference Centre,Northampton

November6–8 SCOTLAND CONFERENCE

Abernethy Centre, Inverness-shire7 LONDON & SOUTH EAST DAY

CONFERENCECMF, London

13–15 NATIONAL JUNIOR DOCTORS’CONFERENCEHothorpe Hall, Leicestershire

For more details see www.cmf.org.uk

is issued by the CMF Office

Tel 020 7234 9660 Fax 020 7234 9661Email: info@cmf.org.uk Web: www.cmf.org.uk

Items for inclusion in the Winter 2015 issue should be sent to CMF Head of Communications John Martin by 27 October 2015.

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CMFNews

4 CMF News Summer 2015

T his year’s Developing Health Course wasfilled to capacity, with over 75 peopleattending across the two weeks. Over ten

nationalities were represented, with delegates fromas far afield asKyrgyzstan. Onedelegate from Ugandafound the trainingcame in handy soonerthan expected, on hisflight home: ‘Whencommencing descentto Entebbe, a loudshout came from theFlight Bursar, “weneed doctors urgentlyat the back”. Amember of the crewhad collapsed andwas shivering,complaining ofheadache, nausea,slight vomiting andmild chest pain,difficulty in breathingand very anxious. Together with another doctor, I responded and in 20 minutes, he was much better.Dr Giles Cattermole’s session on emergencymedicine was spot on for me!’

Mission FairOn 24 June, 20mission agencies setout their stalls for theCMF Mission Fair,held at Oak HillCollege inconjunction with theDeveloping Health Course. Over 70 eager visitorsof all ages, nationalities and medical specialitiesattended, all united by a common interest ofworking overseas.

The fair is in its fourth year. It has proved aninvaluable networking opportunity for healthcareprofessionals seeking mission opportunities. Lastyear Friends of Mandritsara Trust needed a newdoctor to join their team at the Good NewsHospital. To their great delight, their need was met by a doctor attending the fair.

Richard Morrison, who works for CairdeasInternational Palliative Trust, noticed the vibrantpositive attitude of those attending as they ‘activelyknocked on doors to discover what God is planningfor them’. A big thank you to organisers Ian andHanna Spillman, Mary Hopper and Vicky Lavy fortheir hard work.

Partnering with Christian lawyersCMF appreciates opportunities to work alongside the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship (LCF). LCF sharesoffice space at Johnson House and recentlycollaborated with CMF in the publication of thebooklet Facing Serious Illness. Mark Barrell, CEO ofLCF, took the lead in drafting the latest CMF File,titled Hard cases and the law. Our Student Team iskeen to encourage LCF as it expands its work amonglaw students, with new workers starting in August.

VIDEO: Tackling Ebola in Sierra LeoneDr Sam Dunnet was one ofseveral CMF members whobravely travelled to WestAfrica in 2014 to tackle theEbola epidemic. Setting offwith trepidation butdetermined in her faith, she arrived in SierraLeone to work as a Staff Health Manager. In ashort video, produced by CMF, Sam speaks of thecrisis and desperation she arrived into, and howGod carried her through. She says: ‘I’m not afraidof dying… just because you’re a Christian doesn’tmean you’re not going to die, but I trusted my lifeinto God’s hands that he would look after me.’ Do share the video with those you think it wouldinspire. Available at www.cmf.org.uk/international

Speaking up for volunteersCMF member Rachael Pickering spoke at the BMA ARM in June, raisingconcerns over the difficulties obtainingindemnity for medical volunteers. Herindemnity provider refused to extend

her cover while she volunteered in southeast Asianprisons, because the risks were considered‘incalculable’. However, cover would have beenprovided had she been going to Sierra Leone to helpwith the Ebola crisis. She described this situation as‘ridiculous’. She added: ‘a conversation needs to behad with indemnifiers if the BMA is serious aboutcontinuing to promote medical volunteering.’

Rachael Pickering