Over 700 Drs, nurses and health workers attend online conference for Christians in health care
The 'National Online Gathering,' organised by the Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) included a talk on Saturday morning by renowned international speaker and futurologist Dr Patrick Dixon, who this week told Premier that churches who have adapted their ministries and embraced technology will see long term growth as a result.
Dr Dixon spoke on 'Life in a post-COVID-19 world' and Jonty Allcock, pastor of the Globe Church in London, taught from the biblical book of Habakkuk on how to lament in a time of national crisis.
The regular conference was supposed to have happened this weekend. However, social distancing and lockdown measures led to a last-minute change.
CMF's CEO, Dr Mark Pickering, told Premier: "For those of us who are working medically, it's strange, it's weird, it's distressing - everything is up in their air, so coming together is massively important.
"We want them to have hope and encouragement and feel part of a national and international community of people who love the Lord Jesus, want to glorify him and can stand strong together for him in the coalface of the NHS or whatever health service they are working in."
The conference normally has around 300-400 members but this event saw the biggest ever online gathering of Christians in the healing and caring professions in the UK.
Dr Pickering added: “it's not just health professionals from the UK that are joining us - health workers from all over the world will gather with us for the day. This reminds us not only that this is a worldwide crisis, but also that the church is truly global."
