New Student Secretary

Mark Pickering joined the CMF staff as Student Secretary (part-time) on 11 February.

Mark, many CMF members will already know you as a past student editor of Nucleus and as a London student staffworker but what does this new post involve?
My main task will be co-ordinating CMF’s central student activities, particularly the national conference, international student preconference, students’ co-ordinating committee (SCC) and Nucleus (as managing editor). I’ve been involved with all these before but this gives me a new level of responsibility (and catecholamines!). As I’m working half-time it won’t leave much time for travelling around and speaking at CUs, which is a pity, but it gives us yet more incentive to develop the regional staffworker network in order to accomplish more ‘on the ground’ support for local groups.

What’s your medical background?
I graduated from Guy’s, Kings & St Thomas’s (GKT) in 1999. I was an A&E SHO in Lewisham last year and am currently back in the same department as a clinical fellow. My plan is to head for general practice, making up my own rotation as a flexible trainee. It will be important for me to stay involved in medicine and not lose touch, particularly as a recent graduate.

So why CMF and why now?
Involvement with CMF as a student has been a huge influence on me. I’ve seen the benefits in myself and others, enjoying everything I’ve done with them. It’s a privilege to give something back to God in this way and to help another generation of students get the help that I had. I’d been thinking for a while that I’d like to do this job at some point, but the recent decision to appoint a new Student Secretary made me think seriously about it sooner rather than later. Looking back it’s easy to see God’s guiding hand, although I couldn’t have predicted the way I’ve taken.

You are also very involved in our international ‘umbrella organisation’, ICMDA. How did that come about and what is your role there?
I was sponsored by CMF to attend ICMDA’s last world congress in South Africa, in 1998, in me becoming student representative on the executive committee the following year, and later Student Secretary. This ‘spare-time’ role involves encouraging and networking of student groups across the world, mainly via e-mail and conferences. I write a quarterly student newsletter and recently helped revamp the website (www.icmda.net). There is a huge amount going on, with new groups forming, organising their own national conferences and building links with neighbouring countries. We have begun to appoint regional student secretaries to help co-ordinate some of this. The upcoming world congress in Taiwan promises to be a real catalyst and we covet your prayers.

And I gather you have quite an interest in Islam too?
I met many Muslim students at medical school and have been repeatedly struck by how much they need to see the authentic gospel both proclaimed and lived out. From involvement in Ishmael my Brother conferences I have been part of outreach at Hyde Park Speakers’ Corner on Sunday afternoons since 1997, helping to set up the Sunday training workshops at All Souls over a year ago. These have been instrumental in helping people get involved, learn apologetics and reach out in this unusual environment. Due to time constraints I have recently stepped back from the work at Speakers’ Corner. Jay Smith continues to lead the team and we give thanks that there is a good core of others who are helping shoulder the burden.

How do you have time to fit all this in?
If I ever find out I’ll let you know! It’s a constant struggle that I don’t always win.

Tell us about your family.
Rachael is currently a middle grade in A&E at Woolwich. She also plans to be a GP. Zoe has just turned one and continues to charm us with her antics.

What do you see as the major challenges facing Christian medical students today?
Some of the big ones are presenting the gospel in an increasingly pluralistic society, maintaining a godly lifestyle amongst their peers and rigorously applying a biblical worldview to their studies and work, particularly in the pro-life area. Discipline and time management are needed more than ever as students get busier and it’s easy to prioritise studies and social activities above serving God.

How do you see the job at CMF developing?
To begin with I’m keen to keep things going and find my feet. If I can help maintain the cutting-edge focus of Nucleus and the years, I’ll be more than pleased.

How can we pray for you?
That I will manage my time and not be overbusy, that I will have the courage to speak out on issues where it’s easier to stay silent, and that in all this my relationship with God will be more important than jobs and deadlines.

New Student Staffworkers

Richard Collins was appointed as London student staffworker at the beginning of March, and is working two days per week with CMF for six months supporting Christian medical students at three London medical schools: Barts and the London (BTL), Guy’s, Kings’ and St Thomas’s (GKT) and Royal Free and University College (RUMS). Richard qualified MBChB from the Royal Free in 1998, and like his wife Ruth, also a Royal Free graduate, is currently a GP trainee in Bedford.

Chris Downing has been appointed as South England student staffworker, working two days per week for two years from the beginning of August 2002. Chris will be based in Oxford and will be supporting Christian medical students in Oxford, Southampton, Imperial College and St George’s. Chris qualified MBChB in Leeds in 1995 and gained MRCSEd in 1999. For the last two years he has been a full-time theology student at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. His wife, Sarah, is a teacher.

We will interview Richard and Chris in later editions of CMF News. They join our current student staffworker team of three: Ruth Selwood (West UK), Tim Lewis (Ireland) and Malcolm Savage (North England). Please pray for them and Mark as they take up their new posts. If you would like to receive their prayer letters regularly then please contact the CMF Office.