Staffworkers

We say a fond farewell to Charlotte Hattersley, who has been a wonderful, faithful and effective staffworker and team leader in the north and Scotland for several years. The student team's loss is the graduate team's gain however, as she takes on a new CMF role among junior doctors. We wish her well!

In January, Adrian Cheung joined the team as a student staffworker for Ireland, based in Dublin.

The office

Also in January I took over the reins in the office from Alex Bunn. Alex returns to being southern team leader, and Laurence, Laura, Lizzie and Noel continue in their current roles.

Urgent accommodation need

Having recently returned to the UK from Hong Kong, I am looking for somewhere to live, within commuting distance of central London. If anyone knows of an available shortterm, furnished let that would accommodate a family of six – please email giles@cmf.org.uk. Thanks!

International student preconference

8-12 February saw 13 students, from eight countries in the former Soviet Union and the Middle East, come to London for a week of superb teaching, a tour of the 'Bible in the British Museum', and a chance to experience real English fish and chips. Our links with sister organisations in these countries continue to develop, and we hope and pray these students will be able to help build this work back home, often in very isolated or difficult circumstances. The support we can offer these countries through these conferences and summer camps is immensely valuable: long may it continue!

National student conference

Our biggest annual event took place at Swanwick, 12-14 February with well over 300 students. Terry Virgo spoke eloquently from Hebrews and Exodus about Moses' encounters with God, and students were encouraged and excited by the passion and enthusiasm of the seminars and talks. Please pray that what they learned, and the motivation that inspired them, will continue as they live and speak for Jesus in their medical schools. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, but it's probably best to let one of the students speak for themselves:

I came to the CMF weekend last year. At that time I hadn't yet committed my life to Christ, although I was desperately seeking him.

I spent the whole weekend absolutely terrified, and spent the whole time trying to avoid talking to anyone for any length of time.

I came away from the weekend with the lasting impression of 400 intelligent medical students all believing the same thing. Returning this year, having committed my life to Jesus and been baptised in December, has been amazing. To be able to celebrate the way my life has changed over the last year and to spend the weekend praising God has been one of the best experiences of my life so far.

Thank you for helping me on the way to finding Jesus last year, and being able to celebrate that this year! It has been awesome.

Training

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others (2 Timothy 2:2).

Our evangelism and apologetics courses continue to equip students to work for the growth of God's kingdom throughout the UK.

The most recent Answering other faiths was held in Birmingham in January, and Confident Christianity in Newcastle in March. This June we plan to run our first Summer School since 2003. It's a week of Bible teaching, talks and seminars, and we hope this will be a regular part of our training of CMF students. Please pray for the preparation, the speakers, and the students who attend.