Happy New Year from the Junior Doctors' Committee! As I write this in early January, the National Junior Doctors' Conference seems a distant memory, but back in October we once again enjoyed a fantastic weekend at Hothorpe Hall.
Andrew Nicholls, himself a former medic, led our exploration of the story of Daniel, and his superb teaching was equalled only by the pleasure of enjoying each other's company and fellowship during the weekend. Although we were together for only a few short days, nevertheless we all headed home both refreshed and revitalised. As well as being tremendously grateful to Andrew, as a Committee we would also like to thank all those that made the weekend possible, including those that led worship, and the Office staff who so ably supported the Conference.
The 2007 National Juniors' Conference will once again be at Hothorpe Hall in Leicestershire, this time at the later date of 23-25 November. Please put the date in your diaries now. We have just started planning this so would appreciate your prayers as we put the programme together. As always we welcome any ideas from you.
As a Committee, we are exploring ways in which to develop and enhance both the Pastoral Care scheme and the Open House programmes. At present we are still without a chairperson, but we are grateful for your continued prayers for the smooth running of the Juniors' activities.
CMF is moving increasingly into providing specialty conferences. The psychiatry day conference has been running for several years now and last year's conference for Christians in surgery was a fantastic success. Watch this space for more coming up. In the meantime, if you are in training grades and attending a College meeting this year then do try to make it along to the CMF breakfast (see page 8). In the last two years we have run conferences for overseas doctors with PLAB who were trying to find NHS posts. These have been a great blessing to those who have come. We will not be running one this year because of the change in government policy that has led to thousands of overseas doctors having to return to their home countries. Please do pray for these doctors, many of whom face an uncertain future after committing years training in the UK. There is an increasing need for junior doctors to be available to respond to media requests. CMF can provide suitable training and opportunities, so if you feel that God may be calling you to take a more active role in speaking out on important issues, do keep alert to future media training days.
Finally can I encourage you to contribute generously to CMF's appeal for the new building. Many of us will feel we are just emerging from debt, but by the world's standards as juniors we are very well off. Gifts can be spread which means that, allowing for Gift Aid, just £16 a month for four years will result in £1,000 being added to the appeal total. Which of us cannot afford that? With every blessing from the Committee for 2007.
