New nurses' student staff worker

Annie Leggett starts in October, and shares about herself:

Annie, what is your professional background?
I trained as a nurse in the late 70s at the Middlesex, staffed in three London hospitals, did oncology at the Royal Marsden, staffed in palliative care, moved to the Westminster to pioneer day chemotherapy, and finally returned to the Royal Marsden.

What you have been doing for the last few years?
For the last ten I have been working as the female pastoral worker for City Evangelical Church in Birmingham. My role has been to encourage and teach women, through Bible studies, 1-2-1s, and in larger groups, as well as heading Christianity Explored. Along the way I offered lots of food! I have seen the power of the gospel as people are drawn into believing, and seen others grow in their faith, sustained through tough and sometimes ongoing situations.

What will you be doing with CMF?
Mainly starting a work among student nurses along the lines of the student work for medics. Initially, this will be making contact with student nurses and possibly other health care students, teaching the Bible and encouraging them to think through ethical issues, helping them be a light in their profession, and being a friend. We hope to run day conferences and weekends. I am keen to establish good links with churches, UCCF, and existing volunteers who have been supporting nurses. We are all praying God will provide others to help, and that from student work a vibrant qualified work will grow.

Annie, how can we pray for you?
That I will know Jesus better; that he will give us his wisdom as we set out; that he will open doors for nurses to be built up in Christ and for many others to hear the gospel; and that I will discern the pressures students face. Please pray for my departure from Birmingham, for settling back into London, and for wisdom to know which church to join.

NCFI conference in Romania

Eighty nurses from 18 nations, 36 from Romania itself, gathered in Transylvania for four days of seminars and meetings. The Romanians launched their first national Christian nursing association, and appointed a new leader in Monica Pascu from Cluj. Please pray for this new fellowship to grow and have vision, and to link in with the CMA of Romania and other Christian networks there and internationally.

PRIME/NCFI links

A pilot course in Yerevan with the nursing branch of the Armenian CMA was organised through PRIME but led by three nurse tutors from NCFI and NCF Scotland. Out of this module (which looked in particular at leadership, whole person care and spiritual care) there are plans to run a three year comprehensive advanced nursing practice programme with a strong biblical and professional basis, and to explore running similar courses elsewhere.

Christian Therapists' Network renamed

Christian Nurses and Midwives and Christian Therapists' Network (now re-named the Allied Health Professionals' Christian Network or AHPCN) plan a national conference for spring 2011 in the Midlands. CNM and Nurses Christian Fellowship Scotland (NCFS) are also looking at joint events.