From Ralph Sinn, ICMDA General Secretary
ICMDA continues to expand in relevance around the world. The work of the many ICMDA Regional Secretaries is coming to fruition, including, amongst others, the Regions of West Africa, East Africa, South America, and Central America. Mark Chandra, the new ICMDA Student Secretary, has begun his role in forging the work of the Student movements. Please pray for development of fellowship groups in the Caribbean Region. CMF UK continues to be a driving force in the growth of the Christian Medical and Dental movements around the world. Many thanks are to be expressed by ICMDA for the faithfulness of the membership and leadership of CMF UK.
With Daryl Hackland taking over from me as ICMDA General Secretary (see below) the international office moves from Canada to the Republic of South Africa. The contact details of the new office are available on the ICMDA website (www.icmda.net).
Personally I would like to thank you for your fellowship and for your prayers for me over the past year. I will continue to serve our worthy Father in my practice, and anticipate learning much about the growth of ICMDA over the coming years. The plans for the July, 2006 ICMDA World Congress in Sydney, Australia, are well under way. Hope to see you there!
Ralph Sinn ICMDA General Secretary
Email: icmda@telus.net Website: www.icmda.net
From Peter Pattison, ICMDA European Regional Secretary Christian Dental Fellowship
CMF's sister organisation, the Christian Dental Fellowship, is the only exclusively dental organisation that is a member of ICMDA. (Many national organisations include both doctors and dentists). They held their annual family conference at High Leigh in October. They are a warm and friendly group benefiting from the intimacy of a smaller membership than CMF. They are actively involved in support of Dentaid, supplying dental equipment overseas and in the encouragement and support of dental missions, both short and long term. In Scotland the dentists join the CMF Scottish conference. Perhaps we could learn from them in other regions of the UK.
Area Student Representatives
With the rapid growth of student work in the medical and dental schools, ICMDA has now established a full team of area student representatives across Europe. It is good that CMF members feature prominently in the team; in due course some of these will be replaced by emerging local leaders. With one exception all are young doctors with a heart for the students. They deserve our prayers and support.
ICMDA 6th European Conference Theme: 'Who Cares?'
5-12 September 2004 Krelingen nr. Hannover, N.Germany
Notice of this major conference and its associated activities was given in the last CMF News. The students and junior doctors meet from 5 September; the main conference begins 8 September. We are expecting 500-600 participants from right across Europe and are extending invitations to selected delegates from several Middle Eastern countries. With more than 50 countries in Europe and 14 of them due to join the EU in 2004, this promises to be a great celebration of European Christian unity!
ACM (The German CMF) held their planning committee at the end of October. The combination of German business-like approach with prayerful dependence on God was impressive. They already have regular prayer meetings for the conference; perhaps we should do the same in UK. ACM's roots are in the SMD (The German UCCF equivalent) and they say that they look on Douglas Johnson (CMF's founding General Secretary) as the midwife of their movement.
The final announcement with registration details is available now through CMF or from the ICMDA European Office. On-line registration is also available through the ICMDA web site at www.icmda.net. This is the time to think seriously about joining the conference.
Bursary Fund. Conference fees will be heavily discounted for those from Eastern Europe, but many will still face substantial travel costs. CMF members have traditionally been generous in their support of the bursary fund. We estimate that an average bursary grant will be around 100 euros; we hope to help 200 people. Attendance at a conference like this can be a lifechanging experience for a student or young doctor. Would you like to help one or more to attend? Gifts can be sent to the ICMDA European office. They will be receipted and can be 'gift aided'.
Peter Pattisson ICMDA European Secretary
Email: icmda@ukonline.co.uk
New ICMDA General Secretary
Daryl Hackland is the new ICMDA General Secretary taking over from Ralph Sinn in January, 2004. Daryl is a medically qualified Methodist minister from Durban, South Africa and was formerly General Secretary of the Christian Medical Fellowship of South Africa, Medical Superintendent of Bethesda Hospital, Director of Health and Secretary for Health in the KwaZulu Government and Chief Medical Officer for the Province of Natal. Daryl has been active in ICMDA for many years as South African Representative on the ICMDA Executive Committee and on the steering committee for the 11th World Conference in Durban in 1998. Please pray for Daryl as he takes up his new responsibilities.
Daryl Hackland is the new ICMDA General Secretary taking over from Ralph Sinn in January, 2004. Daryl is a medically qualified Methodist minister from Durban, South Africa and was formerly General Secretary of the Christian Medical Fellowship of South Africa, Medical Superintendent of Bethesda Hospital, Director of Health and Secretary for Health in the KwaZulu Government and Chief Medical Officer for the Province of Natal. Daryl has been active in ICMDA for many years as South African Representative on the ICMDA Executive Committee and on the steering committee for the 11th World Conference in Durban in 1998. Please pray for Daryl as he takes up his new responsibilities.
