As our autumn conference season draws to a close we look back with thanks on a great range of events across the country which stimulated fellowship, delivered good teaching and equipped doctors and students to serve Jesus Christ. There were often two or more events running in a given weekend in different regions and this newsletter will give you some snapshots of what is happening across our various ministries.
CMF continues to be in high demand responding to media enquiries at the interface of Christianity and medicine and we have featured this autumn on the Radio 4 Today programme, 5 Live, Newsnight and a whole host of Christian, regional and international outlets (including Chinese national television) on issues as diverse as euthanasia, abortion, contraceptive implants, NHS changes, doctors' strikes and the Liverpool Care Pathway.
CMF also led within the CNK Alliance to intervene successfully in two key euthanasia court cases this summer, and we provided briefings for MPs at a number of key parliamentary debates. These challenges and opportunities will continue next year.
For me, personal highlights, apart from the Scottish and Juniors' national conferences, have been speaking at the ICMDA Pan-Africa Congress in Lagos, Nigeria, in July, the European Euthanasia Prevention Conference in Edinburgh in September, and the Eastern European Leadership Forum in Ukraine later the same month. These were attended respectively by 1,700 doctors and medical students from all over Africa, 100 delegates from 12 European countries and 300 Christian leaders from Ukraine, Belarus and South West Russia. All this is a wonderful reminder that God is building his church world-wide and calling us to join him by praying for and being involved in his great adventure.
The September 2012 management accounts showed us to be £83k ahead of budget but with little or no development income expected before the end of the year we are projecting an end of year deficit of £150k in line with budget. Overall income is well down on budget but by various means, expenditure has been controlled to match it without so far cutting services.
Next year however will be a considerable challenge. The Development Fund after 24 of 36 months stands at about £360k (just over half of the total £700k extra bridging income required) so if you have not yet responded to the autumn appeal please do consider doing so.
As always we remain thankful to God for his bounteous blessings and generosity to CMF as we seek, as Christian doctors and medical students, to live and speak for Jesus Christ in this generation.
'Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous;be strong. Do everything in love.'em> (1 Corinthians 16:13,14)
Peter Saunders is CMF Chief Executive.
