Autumn conferences
Autumn is traditionally the time when CMF holds most of its regional conferences for graduate members; and this autumn conferences reflect the wide range of activities in which members are involved. The theme of the Northern Weekend Conference ‘What’s so Amazing about Grace?’is also the title of Philip Yancey’s challenging book in which he asks ‘If grace is so amazing why don’t Christians show more of it?’ Sessions explored the issue of the tension between forgiveness and justice in society as a whole, in the lives of our patients and colleagues and in working through our calling to be Christ-like in the context of a post Christian society. Grace must season our responses to the pressures of our work and family life.
The Oxford Day Conference is titled ‘Dying well: decision making at the end of life’.Very few Christians would sanction the introduction of legalised voluntary euthanasia. However, as healthcare workers, we are all keen to relieve suffering and ensure that our dying patients have dignified deaths. Although the area between these two positions is often painted as being clear-cut, there are also grey areas in which Christians disagree that the conference explores. On a similar theme a Scottish Day Conference ‘Concerns about Legalising Assisted Suicide’is aimed at establishing a coalition protecting the human dignity and promoting the compassionate care of dying people.
The South East Weekend conference has the theme ‘Fit to serve?’ God shapes us through various life events within our churches, in our work and in our personal and family lives. He also continuously works in our inner lives. He is a master recruiting consultant and many are trained, but not all come forward to serve. This conference is aimed to help people identify and develop their calling.
How do we view our place of work and the colleagues and patients we come into contact with – as something to survive or as an opportunity to demonstrate God’s love? ‘Reflecting Christ in the workplace’is the theme of the Midlands Day Conference. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:13-14 that we are salt and light. Do our colleagues and patients see something different about us – in our attitudes, in what we do and in what we say? In the busyness of our lives we often feel that we are not as salty or as bright as we would like to be and that we offer a very poor reflection of Christ. This conference is aimed at challenging, encouraging and empowering doctors to reflect Christ more effectively in their daily lives.
‘What does the Lord require of us?’is the question that precedes God’s own answer given in Micah 6:8, ‘to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ But how do we live up to these expectations as Christian doctors in the 21 st Century? This year’s CMF Scottish Day Conference explores the implications for our discipleship today. There are also several Saline Solution day conferences coming soon. (see page 4)
We hope you can join us at one of these events, or if not, benefit from CD recordings available from the CMF Office. Full details of all conferences are available on the CMF website at www.cmf.org/events and dates and venues are listed on page 8.
