Chris Summerton writes:

I joined CMF in 1977 as a first year medical student and a recent convert to Christianity. I wanted to be involved with a movement concerned with bringing Christian values into healthcare. However, there were things that frustrated me. As a new Christian with radical leanings, I found the fellowship to be rather conservative! I longed for an organisation where:

• Leadership might spring from Spiritual passion and maturity, not simply from worldly title and qualifications
• People would be committed to treating the ills of the whole person, whether that be in body, mind or spirit
• We could speak out clearly on issues of moral importance in a society adrift from God’s standards

Looking at CMF in 2004, I feel that we have moved closer to these personal dreams and aspirations. I have been warmed and inspired by the faith of Executive members and staff. People are making bold decisions to follow where they feel God is leading. One example of this was the decision to increase our offi ce space threefold. People have also been able to hang onto God in times of frustration and diffi culty, such as in the aftermath of the death of our offi ce manager John Alford.

I am particularly excited that CMF is engaging the issue of sharing faith with patients. We have always stressed the importance of sharing faith with colleagues. But our new constitution widens our responsibilities ‘to all those that we meet’. We have taken the Saline Solution training course (developed by our US sister organisation CMDA) and are currently running a roadshow around the country. This is a hugely helpful and practical tool to give ideas and pointers for the spiritual care of our patients.

CMF has always been good at producing high quality publications and papers on issues of medical ethics and practice. In many circumstances, we know what we should say, but now our challenge now is to learn how to speak out. Our website is an effective means of communication with the computer generation and we are being aided in our work with the Media by a consultancy run by the Evangelical Alliance. We are also developing a network of representatives around the country who are equipped through media training courses and available to the press at short notice as issues arise.

More than that through our extensive links with ICMDA, and our merger with MMA Healthserve we have opportunities to help build God’s Kingdom in a hurting and broken world, ‘to the very ends of the earth’.

I would particularly encourage you to bring CMF’s various ministries to the place of prayer. I do not want the CMF to be an organisation that relies solely on its personnel and fi nancial resources. If we stay within those boundaries, we may do much but we will not do all that God intends for us.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV)