Graduates

Special Interest Links

Special Interest groups are a new Link category for CMF members with shared interests. Their purpose is the dissemination of news, information and resources, with the aim of broadening connections and deepening fellowship. Members can now join one of the existing groups – such as secure environments, refugee doctors, North Korea, coaching & mentoring and each of the armed forces – or offer to be a Link in a new category of their choice by contacting julian.churcher@cmf.org.uk.

Graduate breakfasts

Over the last few months, there have been breakfasts for CMF members who work in Rheumatology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Paediatrics, and for the first time, Cardiology. There was also a breakfast for those at the BMA Annual Representatives' Meeting. These breakfasts are great times for those working in the same specialty to share fellowship together and encourage one another. Why not think about organising a breakfast for your specialty? Contact ruth.haley@cmf.org.uk for more details.

London & South-East report

At an evening for healthcare workers near Hastings, Julian Churcher writes, we considered the core issues that underlie consultations, such as trust, mutual respect and consent. The oppressive – sometimes intimidating – environment in which some have to work was evident. The fact we are on the ultimate victor's side, and could encourage each other in solidarity of purpose and prayer, made all the difference. In a south London group we prayed for the success of a high level meeting with implications for inner-city GP funding (and indeed viability) and heard later of a very positive outcome. In Poole, Dorset recently a dozen assorted professionals swapped sea, sand, sail and sun for Saline one Saturday, and a fortnight later in Battersea three of us tackled the same material again. It's different every time depending on the situations and professional experiences of those attending, but always worthwhile and encouraging.

Nursing: 'A wonderful vocation'

Meet Pippa Peppiatt, CMF's new Nurses Student Staffworker

In September, Pippa Peppiatt will be joining the CMF team as our new Nurses Student Staffworker. We asked her a bit about herself:

What do you see as the challenges and opportunities of the nursing profession today?
Nursing is a wonderful vocation. Nurses are in a unique and privileged position caring for people at some of their most vulnerable times, being Christ's hands and feet. At the same time nursing can be tough, isolating and exhausting, and many nurses have lost confidence in practising their faith in the workplace – something I would love to see restored.

What caught your attention about this job?
I felt the job description had been tailor-made for me! It combined many of my passions: pioneering, networking, pastoring, training, mission and writing. To put these to use building up a vitally needed work encouraging Christian student nurses will be a great opportunity and privilege.

What is your vision for building a movement of Christian nursing students?
To support and encourage Christian nursing students to grow in their faith and love for Jesus. To help them connect with, pray for, and be inspired by each other. To help inform and equip these nurses to make godly ethical choices and to offer spiritual care for patients in an appropriate manner. To invest in and train individuals to become leaders who then help mentor younger nursing students.

Can you tell us about your career so far?
I've had a happy and mixed career, from nursing (both in hospitals and as a school nurse) to church and charity work. I've studied at Bible school in Holland and London, worked in the church, been a Friends International student staff worker, and for the last eight years started and led a charity.

Tell us about your experience with church planting?
My husband Tim and I have always had a heart for students. When asked in 1998 to plant a Vineyard church, we first looked at which UK student cities didn't yet have a Vineyard and landed on Cambridge. As we started out with just our own family and the next-door neighbour's cat, we had to attract and identify student leaders quickly to help grow the church. It was hard work, good fun, and we certainly saw God at work.

...and your family life?
Tim is a GP with special interests in dermatology and theology – an interesting combination! We have four children ranging from eleven to 21 years. Our eldest two are at University, one studying medicine.

Junior doctors' NI retreat

This year's retreat, attended by 22 participants, was at Moyallon House near Portadown, Northern Ireland. Rev Dr Harold Cunningham was the main speaker, his theme was 'What makes us human?'. He looked at theology and psychological theories with applications on living for Christ in medicine. Callum Webster (Christian Institute) gave an update on how recent changes to the law might affect Christian doctors. Rev Dr Pat Mollan spoke on God at work through healing ministry. All these topics stimulated plenty of discussion and reflection. To relax, participants held a Saturday afternoon photo challenge in the beautiful Gosford Forest Park.

The Human Journey

So far we know at least 10 groups have run the Human Journey course. Students all over the country are using it in their local meetings, and there are encouraging reports from members running the course in their churches.

Nearly 100 members took away Human Journey Sample Packs from the National Conference bookstall: we hope this will lead to many more churches and local groups doing the course.

We will soon be contacting all CMF Church Links to energise them to explore getting the Human Journey into the teaching programmes of their churches. Please continue to pray for this resource to grow and bless the church. For more info visit www.humanjourney.org.uk