Discipling students, growing leaders

John Greenall tells us about the new CMF volunteer programme.

I am generally not an excitable person - a raised eyebrow or small fist pump is about as far as it goes. But I am excited by the launch of four different opportunities to volunteer with the Student department from August 2016 - under the umbrella 'Deep:ER'. Discipling student leaders, writing, speaking, growing as a leader and more. This is a great opportunity to combine faith and medicine, putting roots down deep and helping students to do the same. Volunteers will access our CMF training programme and there is also the opportunity to study with one of eight partner organisations.

Deep:ER Trainee: For F3 year or other year-out opportunities, a minimum of two days a week for a year.

Deep:ER Student Trainee: For intercalating students who can give approximately one day a week for a year.

Deep:ER Impact Volunteer: To volunteer during your holidays or other short period.

Deep:ER Associate Staffworker: To disciple students and juniors in your region, usually alongside less than full time training or 'drop a day' for CMF.

Look out for our promo videos and visit www.cmf.org.uk/students/volunteer for more information and to apply. Applications are open now so please spread the word.

'So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him...' (Colossians 2:6-7)

New groups for nurses

Pippa Peppiatt, our new Student Nurses Staffworker blends time at the CMF office with a growing portfolio of 'fieldwork', which includes meeting with students, nurses, UCCF and church workers, as well as speaking at new nursing groups and conferences. She writes, 'Praise God that he has provided graduate hosts and student nurse reps in the four cities I'm focusing on: Southampton, Oxford, London and Leeds. I have personally met and gone through their roles with most of these lovely nurses and midwives. Now I am working on resources and content for use in groups. Each of these four groups had their first meetings which have gone well. I'm speaking at the second month's meetings on "How to Survive Nursing School".'

Presently Pippa's contacts tend to fall into five main categories: student nurses and midwives, graduate nurses/midwives willing to act as hosts and mentors, student workers local to group locations, church workers who are local to locations of new groups and resource speakers - largely graduate nurses who have a particular passion or experience to impart and speak about at a group.

Please pray:

• That God will bless these new groups, help relationships to form and each student nurse and midwife to be encouraged.
• That God will continue to grow the work, open doors, and bring along key people for Pippa to recruit and train.

If you are interested in supporting nurses/midwives and students in your area or workplace, or setting up or hosting a local meeting group, email: Steve Fouch or Pippa Peppiatt.

NCFI World Congress 2016

The Nurses Christian Fellowship International (NCFI) World Congress is taking place 6-11 June 2016 in the Philippines. The theme will be 'Healthy Lives in a Broken World: A Christian nursing response'.

Find out more and book online at ncfi.org/conference/congress-2016. We will be sending a small delegation from the UK - do let us know if you are planning to go as well.

Saline sows seeds

Jane Kay tells how Saline seeded a prayer meeting in her workplace:

I knew the Lord had given me my role at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) and I wanted to be a witness there for him. When I attended Saline Solution I sensed the Lord wanted me to 'have a go'. So I asked the chaplains if I could start a weekly prayer meeting - they said I could! A small group began with nurses who had been through Saline. We pray for the success of the Trust in every department, for patients (without breaking any confidentialities), and for all staff, visitors and volunteers. The group remains small, sometimes only myself, sometimes two or three of us; one time there were seven of us.

Two of the chaplains have approached me with prayer requests for patients and offered to follow up any patients during the week that we reach. God is at work in the Trust and we never underestimate the power of God or underestimate the power of our prayers. It's an exciting time in the presence of the Holy Spirit and we love it.

Conference roundup

Over 40 applications have been received for 25 places from international student leaders to attend the 2016 Sydenham Conference in London (8-12 February) which is end-on with the weekend Student Conference (12-14 February) where we expect a sell-out. Tim Chester will open up the book of Revelation, explaining its relevance to our times. Another fascinating speaker will be Adrian Warnock (social media and new technology). In the seminar line-up: healing (Andrew Fergusson), issues in psychiatry (Nick Land), and answering other faiths (Alex Bunn & Mark Pickering). The recent Irish student conference (23-25 October) attracted a good turnout from both sides of the border.