An Invitation to the Free Methodist Health Fellowship Fall 2022 Retreat

September 16-18 2022

The Essenhause in Middlebury, Indiana

In Person and Virtual Attendees Welcome

By: Norman Wetterau

For those who come: the program, fellowship, getting back together, sharing and honoring some who have gone to heaven since we last met. 

For all; a very challenging program: Addressing Same Sex Attraction from a Christian Perspective.

Our board felt that this was a very current issue in our churches, and an issue that has theological, social, psychological, and medical perspectives. We have two speakers, plus a panel of our members who will present medical perspectives and respond to the speakers.

Rodney Bassett: Has a Ph.D. in psychology from Ohio State and taught psychology for 44 years at Roberts Wesleyan College, including courses in Human Sexuality. He has published over 100 articles on a variety of research projects with his students, that shared the common theme of viewing psychology through the lens of Scripture and the Christian Faith.

Rev. Bruce N.G. Cromwell:  A member of the FMCUSA’s Study Commission On Doctrine (SCOD), and Superintendent of the Great Plains and MidAmerica Conferences. He has written a book, ”Loving From Where We Stand”. Here he tackles one of the most pressing issues of the day in this practical guide for Free Methodists. In reviewing the book Dr David Bauer says that “Bruce Cromwell offers a vision of the Church’s response to those who experience same-sex attraction, that is truly biblical, is richly theologically informed, and holds the promise of being pastorally and missionally effective…..  He compellingly insists that we must avoid the false alternative of either loving the homosexual or maintaining the biblical perspective.  This is one of the healthiest and most holistically biblical treatments of this issue that I have encountered.”   During his talks on Friday night and Saturday morning he will present key points from the scripture, suggest positions a church might take and then present what our Free Methodist Leadership has chosen as our position. There are two important parts of our position: whether the activity is right or wrong, and how we treat those who are involved in that activity. He proposes expressing love through a welcoming inclusion with accountability.

Rod Bassett is a psychologist who has taught at a Christian College all of his career. In the Friday night session, he will present an overview of homosexuality through the lens of psychology. Do we know why people become homosexual?  Are there biologic differences between heterosexual and homosexuals? What are some of the possible psychological /biological explanations for why some people become homosexual? As part of this discussion, he anticipates talking about different way to conceptualize same-sex attraction and statistics on frequency.

On Saturday morning’s session he hopes to address changing attitudes he has observed among college students. For many of these students this topic has shifted from a Biblical issue to a social justice issue. He plans to discuss Moral Foundation Theory and to spend time talking about psychologic suggestions for being able to love your neighbor when that neighbor h adopted a lifestyle or views that are contrary to your own

Both speakers, social psychologist Dr Bassett and Theologian Bruce Cromwell will address the theme of loving the sinner but not the sin. Is homosexual activity a sin, and if so, how do we individually and as a church relate to those who practice this. (this is really the theme of Dr Cromwell’s book) Also what aspects of this is a sin: the attraction, any sexual relationship or as in the case of homosexuals, any relationship outside of marriage?  Should we as Christians or a church recognize same sex marriage?

There will be over an hour set aside for questions on any aspect of this topic.  On Saturday afternoon there will be a 2 hour zoom session for just college students and young people. There will be a brief review of what has been covered Friday night and Saturday morning but with a special emphasis on how we view and treat homosexuals. Over half of that 2 hour session will be devoted to questions and discussion. 

Saturday evening the speakers will address the issues of companionship and intimacy. If Christians believe that sexual relationships are only acceptable in a marriage between a man and a woman, then how can single people develop close companionship and intimacy at some level?  Also , churches tend to be made up of married people with children. How can the church promote healthy Christian relationships for those who are not married, which could include people with same sex attraction who choose not to have sexual involvement, as well as single heterosexual people, those divorced or widowed?  On Saturday evening several board members will also address how we as health care professionals should care for those in same sex relationships. Are there special health issues that need to be addressed?

All sessions Friday night and Saturday morning will be available on zoom for those who cannot attend in person.  They will need to register and pay a small fee. In addition, our fellowship wants to reach out to college students.  There will be a special 2 hour zoom meeting Saturday afternoon for students or other young adults who may not be members of our fellowship. We hope that as a result some may join our group. Students can attend all the sessions on zoom, or in person if they wish (some scholarships are available) but many may choose to just attend this special session which will include at least a half hour for questions and answers. There will be no charge for students. Address questions to: normwetterau@aol.com

Mark your calendars and share this information with others.  More information on how to register will be sent out in May and will be available on www.fmhealth.org. By mid May, one can register for both the in person retreat and the online sessions on our website www.fmhealth.org .

Pictured: Essenhaus Inn and Conference Center, Middlebury, Indiana

Future of the FMHF and Our 2022 Retreat

BY: NORMAN WETTERAU, M.D. - FMHF PRESIDENT

In spite of Covid, additional people have been signing up for our newsletter. Our fall retreat was virtual but excellent. Several doctors from Africa attended by Zoom. In the coming year, we want to make more connections to African Doctors. Some will receive our newsletter and I invited them to submit articles.

Photo by Javier Allegue Barros on Unsplash

The board decided to plan on a face-to-face retreat next year. The dates are Sep 16-18 at the Essenhaus in Indiana. More information including the theme and speakers will be sent out in our February newsletter. We plan to have some of the sessions virtual for those on the Westcoast who do not want to travel far and for those overseas, but many of us want to meet in person.

We are also considering some special 1 or 2-hour zoom programs for churches and pastors, or for students. We are a fellowship, but we also have a mission to assist churches in addressing health needs. (those sick, elderly, disabled, mentally ill, or anyone suffering) We have appreciated what the chaplains have taught us and together we want to help our churches. Covid has shown us the importance of this.

If you have comments or suggestions, go to www.fmhealth.org and click on contact and you can leave a message. The messages will be forwarded to our board and one of us will give you a call If you want one and you leave your phone number. We welcome input and also welcome articles for our newsletter but please run them by me before writing.

A Service of Lament at the FMHF Retreat

Comments BY: NORMAN WETTERAU, M.D. - FMHF PRESIDENT
Service By: Dr. Wayne McCown

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

After the presentations and discussions on Lament, Wayne McCown lead a brief service of lament. It was based on Psalm 13. For those who attended, spend some time going over this in a prayerful way. That time with God may be more useful than all the things we can write. If you were not able to attend, read and pray through this. It can be a retreat of Lament with God and lead by the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 13 (NIV), a Psalm of Lament
For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Turning to the LORD with Your Complaint

1 . How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2. How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Bolding Asking the LORD for an Answer:

3. Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

Placing Full Trust in the LORD

5. BUT I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the LORD's praise, for he has been good to me.

After you have read and prayed through this psalm, read Wayne McCown’s comments below and repeat your prayers and readings.

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Introductory comments on Psalm 13

Psalms of Lament (over 50)

• Most have a similar pattern, as represented here

• 1st step = Turning to God, often/typically voicing hard questions such as Why? and/or How long?

  • Here, no less than 4x he says, “How long?”

  • Simply voicing it does not evoke an answer.

  • Addressing it to God does: “How long, LORD?”

  • Lament = turning to the LORD with the hard questions of theology and life.

  • Beyond the pandemic, where else in your life are you pleading with the LORD: “How long?” What are some of your “unanswered” prayers?

• 2nd step = Bolding presenting to God your specific personal struggle

  • What “enemy” or “foe” are you facing today?

  • Physical, mental, psychological or spiritual condition; anxiety, fear, depression?

  • Address it to the LORD and ask for his help.

• 3rd step = Turn away from yourself (and your limited resources) and turn back to the LORD

  • Put your trust – fully – in him.

  • Typical of Lament: conclude with a reaffirmation of faith, introduced by “but” or “yet”

  • In your time of reading this and prayer, Walk through the sequence of steps together.

• Comments by Dr. Wetterau: The evangelical church likes to be positive and triumphant.

  • People have not often shared unanswered prayers or failures. Covid has changed this. We in the health care professions see sickness and apparent failures. Many of us have said Psalm 13, and other psalms of lament but I often do not spend time to really pray through the psalm and through the issues that bother me. In this time of covid and national depression, call on your Christian friends and small groups to share their concerns and lament. The medical profession is very concerned with all the covid depression, the increase in drug overdoses and suicides (deaths of despair). Our churches need to be equally if not more concerned. People are looking for answers. Psalm 13 and others have some answers if we can spend the time to pray and allow God to show himself. The answers will not be found in one sermon or in our back pockets.

Fall Retreat – Improving Practice Through Emotional Intelligence and Lament

BY: Susanne Mohnkern - FMHF Board Member

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

Have you ever been in a situation where emotions got out of control and you wished you had been able to handle it better? Attendees at this fall’s FMHF retreat were able to reflect on just such a situation and learn more about emotions and the related topic of lament. After careful deliberation, the Fall 2021 Retreat was moved to a fully online event on Sat. September 18th The Rev. Larry L. Lyons, Manager of Spiritual Care Trinity Health System in Livonia MI, provided those in attendance with two seminars - Emotional Intelligence: Patient-Centered Care and Lament: A Journey in Resilience. In his role as hospital chaplain over the past 18 months, Rev. Lyons has been privileged and challenged to work in some of the most extreme conditions seen in the past 100 years in health care as the nation dealt with the global pandemic that strained hospital capacity and exhausted health care providers at all levels.

Emotional Intelligence: Patient-Centered Care - Rev. Lyons provided an overview of emotional intelligence (EI) from Ted. A. James, MD, MHCM at Harvard Medical School. EI consists of self-awareness (knowing your emotions, strengths, weaknesses), self-management (the ability to stay calm when emotions are running high), empathy (identifying with & understanding others); social skills (managing relationships). As such, EI helps individuals outperform those with only high IQ leading to better clinical outcomes via improved communication & teamwork, ability to respond well under pressure, increased empathy, better quality of care & career satisfaction. Chaplain Larry added that EI helps one to recognize the emotion within those for whom we care. He suggested that with increased emotion, the caregiver needs to slow down, recognize the emotion in the room, and perhaps take an emotional time out. Physicians and nurses are striving for positive patient experiences with good patient satisfaction ratings. “Being there” and taking time to sit down and listen are important to patients. Larry quoted a study from the University of Kansas where seated visits took statistically no longer than standing visits but the patient perceived the seated encounters as being almost 2 minutes longer (statistically significant). The related topic of spiritual care during the healthcare encounter was also discussed. According to a multi-site study, a substantial minority of patients desire spiritual interaction in a routine office visit. In the hospital setting, when patients are presumably more severely ill, addressing spiritual & emotional issues is one of the most important parts of care. Since nurses are with the patient and family after the M.D. leaves the room, they play a critical role in provision of spiritual care. A breakout session with small groups helped attendees have a more in-depth discussion. Many practical suggestions offered were thought-provoking and helped practitioners imagine incorporating them in future patient encounters.

Lament: A Journey in Resilience - Continuing with the theme of how our emotions affect our practice, lament was defined for us as a passionate expression of grief/sorrow often expressed in a physical manner. Although painful, lament is essential to psychological health and is often the main pathway to personal growth, compassion, and wisdom. Rev. Larry shared some insights from the Book of Lamentations including how this literary work is a compelling testament to the resilience of the human spirit’s will to live. What followed was a look at the topics of: 1. models of biblical lament; 2. recovery of biblical lament; 3. biblical response to grief and pain is not denial; 4. experiencing lament in not spiritual weakness; 5. feeling distant from God in the midst of lament; 6. the possibility that feelings expressed during lament may not seem very spiritual (e.g. Psl. 13 where King David yelled at God); 7. we can completely trust God and engage in lament; and 8. honest pain turns to honest trust. Honest biblical lament will bring healing and resilience, unity to the church, point us to Jesus/Comforter/Father and move us to action. Attendees were encouraged to question why the Holy Spirit is called the comforter if we were not intended to grieve. With the emphasis on praise and worship, is there space for lament in our churches today? How can increasing our own EI bring healing and comfort to those we encounter? Throughout both seminars, Chaplain Larry used illustrations from his practice to facilitate our understanding of EI and lament. We thank Chaplain Larry for sharing with us such important topics pertinent to our world and our practice as we continue to navigate a global pandemic and healthcare worker shortage.

Lament: For the Coronavirus and Beyond

BY: NORMAN WETTERAU, M.D. - FMHF PRESIDENT

Our churches could not meet in person. Our friends and relatives have been ill, and some have died. We have been isolated.  For many American Christians, we have been in a state of sadness and lament over the coronavirus. Some have also been sad because of our political situation.  Both sides are upset at our inability to agree on solutions to our national problems. Finally, our national life expectancy has decreased by two years even before coronavirus due to drug-related deaths and suicide. These are deaths of despair. Christians need to lament, turning the issues over to God and seeking his help and wisdom, and asking him to take away our anger and hopelessness.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

This is not something we are good at. Soong-Chan Rah in his IV Press book on Lamentations, Prophetic Lament: A Call for Justice in Troubled Times, points out that many evangelical churches focus on celebration and triumphalism. He is critical of this as expressed in some white suburban evangelical churches, especially large prosperous ones. He calls on us to look at the inner city, the poor rural areas, and our overseas church and lament, not just for them but for ourselves. Revival will come through lament and honest repentance, rather than through great programs, celebration, and triumphalism.

We will explore lament at our fall annual conference which will be virtual on Saturday, September 18.  In making the decision to hold this virtual, rather than meeting in person, our board experienced sadness and lament. Let us come together on zoom and explore this together with our speaker, Chaplain Larry Lyons.  His first session, starting at 9:30, will be a follow-up of his talk at our virtual retreat last year. This pandemic on other social issues has gone on and on. How are we to react, not just to the disease but to what our different opinions are doing to families and churches. Where is God in all of this?

His second session will be on emotional intelligence and creating the patient experience. How do we as healthcare professionals build empathic skills and create emotional support? We may be in lament but many of those who are hurting look to us for help, whether the problem is coronavirus itself, unemployment, or the death of a family member from alcohol or a drug overdose. We then have the opportunity to meet one another virtually in two one-hour chat sessions, giving an opportunity to reflect, listen and share. After these two sessions, Pastor Wayne McCown will lead a 30-minute devotional. The meeting will be kept open for all of us to socialize and share what has been happening in our lives.

But our problems at home are not the only problems. As I have been reading about what has been happening in Haiti, Ethiopia, and the Congo, I have been brought to tears. These human realities make our problems seem small. Are we aware?  Do we and our churches pray for these countries? The problems are beyond human solution, but we have Free Methodists in all these countries. We cannot forget them. Mathew 25 calls on us to help those in need. I am afraid that some American Christians not only have no interest in helping but do not even want to know what is happening.   Even if we cannot solve these problems, we need to call our friends and churches to pray.

At the last General Conference Bishop Lubunga from the Congo attended. He is Bishop of one of the largest Free Methodist Conferences, not one of the poorest but the very poorest country in the world and a country that is still in tribal conflict, a continuation of the civil war that took the lives of 5 million people 20 years ago. At general conference, the Bishop was introduced and there was a prayer for Congo. It was an important moment for our General Conference and for Congo. Let us speak out in our churches, conference, and even at a general conference if that is necessary. We must know what is happening, lament and pray. Nothing is too horrible to pray about.

Join us for our virtual conference but also join us for lament and prayer for what has been happening.  We cannot change all of this but God can and maybe God will even use us to help.

Future Plans and Ways to Become Involved

Our virtual retreat in September on the Coronavirus was a big success. Many more saw it than would have come physically to a weekend retreat, although we really missed the in-person meeting and fellowship. Many Chaplains watched and have complimented us on the program. Please share the link with others.

There are many Christian Health Professionals in our churches who have never heard of our group. Encourage them to go to our website, sign up for this newsletter, and watch the video of our conference, or Email a link to this newsletter and our website. We have added over 25 people to our subscribers since June 1. We currently over 300 subscribers. but want to add even more.

The virtual meeting showed us that we can do more than just have an annual retreat. Our purpose is fellowship, but also to help our churches address important health issues, including mental health, addiction, outreach to the elderly, and topics such as suffering and the coronavirus. Through virtual meetings, we can include people who might not be willing to travel to our annual retreats. Our board is also thinking of one or two one hour zoom programs in 2021.

At this point, we are planning on a face-to-face retreat at the Essenhaus in Indiana. We have reserved the dates of September 17-19, 2021. A final theme and speaker have not been determined yet but we are considering a follow-up on our coronavirus meeting with an emphasis on lament. Please email any thoughts you have to our president, normwetterau@aol.com

Many believe that God can speak to us during the pandemic, and by next September we can look at that theme, and see what we have learned.

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Fall Virtual Conference:

We want to thank all the presenters and all those who attended.

• Rebecca Taylor: video and video host and NE Seminary

• Chaplain Larry Lyons

• Chaplain Rick Kerr

• Chaplain Kathy Petteys

• Dr. James Boal

• Steve Noblett

• Richard Reynolds

• Tim and Patricia Porter

Our January 2020 Newsletter has a copy of Kathy Pettey’s presentation. It brought me and others to tears when she presented it. Read it or listen to it again. I wrote a summary of Steve Noblett’s talk. All the other talks were equally good and we encourage you to go to events and listen to all the presentations. Larry Lyons was a chaplain in a hospital that was overrun with cases and deaths. Rick Kerr is a chaplain who works in an ICU. They talked about many things, including helping the staff, not only at the time of the outbreak but in the following months. Dr. James Boal works with Larry Lyons and described the medical situation in the hospital during the height of the problem. Richard Reynolds is a chaplain who works with the homeless, a group that has major problems during this epidemic. To do real justice to these speakers you need to hear what they said.

A Talk with Steve Noblett on Coronavirus and the Church

This summary is a combination of what Steve Noblett said, and Norm Wetterau’s memory and interpretation. Listen to the full presentation under events on our website. Go to 152 minutes or listen to all the talks.

Revival is often preceded by Great Tribulation. Are We and our Churches Ready for this?

We asked Steve Noblett, executive director of the Christian Community Health Fellowship to share his thoughts on how the church might respond to this epidemic. His talk started with a surprise that he had not told me about in the conversations leading up to his agreement to speak. A year ago, he had been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma and told he had only months to live. He had a severe reaction to his first treatment, so treatment was stopped, and he prepared to die, but many people in the CCHF and others prayed. To his surprise, he was totally healed of this, and when asked what this meant, he said he did not know except that 2020 is the scariest and most wonderful year for him to be alive.

In talking to him before the program, he said that the problem is not just coronavirus. The epidemic has shown us that many things we had great faith in were not as good as we thought: the medical system, the economy, our political system, and our society as a whole with great economic and social divisions. Suddenly the effect of racism and poverty on dying from the coronavirus, among other things became clear. Our churches had to be closed but even if they were open what should they say? So I asked, is there any hope or anything to talk about? He did speak, so the answer was a resounding yes.

He started by asking, what is God trying to do? He is doing what he has done in every generation: he is advancing the kingdom of God. This kingdom is tangible and among us. He does this in every generation, but at times there may be special events that allow his purposes to be advanced much more than usual, and he feels that this may be one of those times. One previous time was at Pentecost. Peter quotes the prophet Joel, but this quote has two parts: God’s spirit being poured out on all people and the fact that the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Steve sees terrible trouble and tribulation connected with revival. He thinks this may be one of those times. In a very great outpouring of God, there can be great advancement, but also great collapse. He thinks that is what we may be seeing at this time.

He spoke of Romans 8:19-24 19.

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.  Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?

He did not feel that God sent Covid as a judgment, but it came and it revealed that our medical, economic, and social systems were inadequate systems that we had always depended on, so our reaction is to stop the destruction. We want to make it right again, but it can never be that way. because in a way our economic system and social structures are not that right. Our hope cannot be in what has been, but in what God can bring about. Our medical system is stressed, our economy, social structures, and education system are collapsing. These systems, although not all bad, are not held together by God. and they are collapsing. So, what does this mean? He does not know but said we must turn to God for the meaning. The church cannot receive all that God has if we are simply trying to put together the old: whether medically. socially or in our lives and churches. Do we believe that God has something for us? Will he pour out his spirit? Are we ready? Is this what we want?

The creation is groaning and what do people want? They want freedom, security, health, life, and community. All these things are products of the kingdom, but we have been living in the kingdom without the king. Some of the weaknesses are in the church, so there may be changes in society but there may also be changes in the church. Too often the church has preached a gospel of individualism. We have to capture all aspects of the kingdom as it affects individuals and our society. He talked about labor pains and how in the midst of labor one does not give up. A new child is born, and this is what Paul is referring to. We need to see our current troubles as such. What is coming next? (listen to his talk to get the full and somewhat humorous description of this.)

Our hope is not in a society that is falling apart but in a kingdom that cannot be shaken. This is a time where we can represent hope. We can represent life and we can represent security. We can step into this current situation and proclaim the whole kingdom. Now the walls are down, and people are open to connecting to us and may be open to the kingdom. It is a time to connect. We need to also listen and learn how we walk forward together.

He really believes that if we recognize our role and the churches rise to it, we can see the greatest awaking we have ever seen in our lifetime, perhaps in history, and he thinks it will be global. He encouraged us to take a different world view. Don’t forget the pain and reality, don’t deny the pandemic but step into the situation with unity, humility, and faithfulness to the gospel.

Post-Conference Fellowship Zoom

For those FMHF members who want to fellowship, we plan to have a Zoom call Saturday night, September 19, at 7 PM. EDT. People can briefly share what they are doing and provide a reaction to the earlier talks.

We also want to get your thoughts on future events. Should we plan on more virtual meetings? If we meet next year, where do you want to meet and is there some theme you would recommend?

If you might want to participate in Saturday evening’s Zoom fellowship email normwetterau@aol.com and he will send you the link. The link for the conference, which can be found here, will also be emailed to you. The link for this fellowship will be different and will only be sent to those requesting it.

Other News for our Fellowship

There is no charge for our virtual conference, but we would appreciate $50 dues or a donation to our group. You can give on our website here. Why not do this now?

We are also looking for some new board members. Pray and email normwetterau@aol.com or call norm at 585-705-8811.

FMHF News - August 2020

Free Methodist Healthcare Fellowship is going to do something TOTALLY NEW!

Our fellowship is 60 years old. Initially, medical missions was the main interest. We gathered together for fellowship and to hear a church leader, professor, or pastor minister to us over a weekend. We plan to continue to do that after the Coronavirus is over. Over the years our mission moved more to promote holistic healthcare and being a resource to our churches. It was not just a fellowship, but a group of health care professionals that tried to reach out to our churches. We still had retreats focused on missions, but also on suffering, and one with chaplains on visiting and ministering to those who are ill. We had a session at General Conference on substance abuse. Over one hundred pastors, delegates, and friends attended.

The coronavirus has forced us to cancel our fall in-person conference but is giving us an opportunity to do something new: a virtual conference that is easily available to many more Free Methodist Healthcare Professionals. This will take place Saturday, Sept 19 at noon EDT. The theme will be Holistic Health Care in the Midst of the Coronavirus Crisis. The Free Methodist Chaplains Association will join us in this conference and are supplying most of the speakers. The zoom conference will be live, so those listening will have a chance to ask questions or make comments. People can also post comments on our website. The program will be recorded and placed on our website, so if you like what you hear, you can share it with others.

Chaplain Larry Lyons and Rick Kerr work in hospitals and ICUs. Chaplain Kathy Petteys works in a nursing home in Rochester, NY. They will share the challenges of sharing God’s love with patients, their families, and the hospital staff. Some of the patients might not get better. Staff are exhausted. How does one deal with fear in these situations? Chaplains Richard Reynolds ministers to the homeless. He also got coronavirus, so he will share as a chaplain to the poor who are at high risk and also share as one who became ill. Finally, Steve Noblett, director of Christian Community Health Fellowship will share some of the challenges that Christian office-based practices faced. He will then share his own view as a Christian as to what this epidemic might mean and what our response might be.

At the end, there will be an opportunity for questions and short responses. The total conference will last 2 ½ hours. Longer meetings on zoom can be difficult. so we want to be mindful.

To learn more about the Conference and to find the link, click here.

Just click on the link. You will be asked to give your name but you do not need to sign up in advance. The Zoom access which belongs to Northeastern Seminary can accommodate several hundred people. Please join us. If you have any questions email normwetterau@aol.com

Meet Our Speakers: Steve Noblett

Steve Noblett, Director of the Christian Community Health Fellowship will speak at the upcoming virtual retreat on September 19.

In addition to several Free Methodist Chaplains, Steve Noblett has accepted our invitation as a speaker. CCHF is a fellowship of over 200 Christian community health centers. He will share with us and invite feedback and response.

During the Coronovirus crisis, he has spent hours on the phone with directors and staff of Christian Community Health Centers as they have had to deal with overwhelming stresses and also choices that they have had to make. Whereas other speakers will talk about hospital and nursing home issues, he will talk about primary care and community issues.

In addition, he will share his own vision of the crisis as it involves the church and the opportunity that the church has today. Things are falling apart with a health crisis we cannot control, the closure of schools, massive unemployment, and the protests against racism and police violence. The racism and police violence have been with us a long time, but in the midst of everything that is happening, all this is boiling up and action is demanded, yet all the issues, when taken together, are beyond a human solution.

He points to Romans 8:22, where the creation is groaning as in the pains fo childbirth, yet birth will come and God will act. He believes that what is happening is the result of massive failure of human efforts, but at such a time God can act. Christians need to show Gods love and hope. It can be a time for people to turn to God as they see how Christians have responded to all these troubles (if we are responding in the right ways.)

After his talk, we will open the virtual floor for others to comment on. How do we respond as health care professionals but also as Christians and members of our churches? People can also share their thoughts on our website.

2020 Conference Update

Free Methodist Healthcare Fellowship Fall Conference:
September 19, 2020 - Virtual Conference

Theme: Holistic Healthcare in Times of Crisis

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Change in plans for fall conference. This year, we will be meeting virtually and instead of in-person. Our board made the decision to cancel the in-person fall conference at the Essenhaus due to Coronovirus but we want to try something new and hope you will all participate and invite others to join.

We plan to have an online program on that Saturday, September 19. We plan to have a site where people can ask questions of the speakers and we can include some online discussion rather than just a lecture. We will likely meet for 3 to 4 hours on that Saturday, although we might also try an online fellowship time Friday night.

Our theme will be Holistic Health Care in Times of Crisis. The total program is being developed, but we plan to have several chaplains from the Free Methodist Chaplains Association share their experience with the Coronavirus epidemic. We also plan to invite one or more people from the Christian Community Health Fellowship to share. More details will be forthcoming. We welcome your input at normwetterau@aol.com.

There are some advantages in this. People from the West and East can attend. People can attend without traveling. We do not have to spend a lot of money flying speakers to Indiana and we can have more speakers and panels. Yes, we would prefer to meet face to face, but we can use this situation beyond our control for the good of our society.

More information will be sent out in early July. If people encourage others to join in, more people will know about the Free Methodist Healthcare Fellowship so spread the word.

2019 Retreat Summary

BY: NORMAN WETTERAU, M.D. - FMHF PRESIDENT

Serving God Through the Stages of our Lives
Stay plugged into the Powersource

Around 45 of us joined together with our speaker, Dr. Bill Morehouse, as we examined this topic by examining ourselves. One thinks of young people making important decisions and seeking God’s guidance but as long as God has left us on this earth, we need to continue to examine what we are doing and what God’s calling for us is. Our calling is also not just as a physician or nurse but as a Christian. We need to stay connected to God daily. Dr. Morehouse kept reminding us, not to just seek God's guidance and help but to stay plugged into the powersource through regular prayer. He kept repeating: “stay plugged in” and this requires regular times of prayer.

He provided specific advice for prayer taken from Bob Sorge’s Reset: 20 Ways to a Consistent Prayer Life. A handout on 20 ways to a consistent prayer life and additional materials and notes can be found on Dr. Morehouse’s website (scroll down to Free Methodist Healthcare Fellowship.) This list includes ways to escape distraction, the need to repent, cleanse, praying the scripture, and taking time to listen to God. He encouraged us to journal during our quiet time. The notes from the conference are posted on his website as well.

One of the best parts was dividing into groups that looked at medical practice as a mission, serving the poor, community outreach, mentoring students, and preparing for retirement. Small groups kept lists of ideas that were shared with the larger group. What was interesting was that many of the listed things did not just apply to our profession. We can serve the poor in many ways. We can mentor medical students but also youth in our church and family members.

Retirement is not the end but the beginning of another stage of our life. We do not finish but graduate into retirement. There are tasks to retirement including mentorship, passing the baton, investing in the extended family, and focusing on building His kingdom.

At the end of the weekend, some of us felt that we were just beginning. If we stay plugged into the powersource, God can do great things in our lives and we will not burn out or become exhausted.

FMHF Expands Its Vision

Serving God through Our Professional Lives

We had a wonderful retreat as we examined how we serve God throughout our professional lives. Our board also spent a half day looking at how our organization can give service to God by helping our churches minister more effectively to those who attend our churches. In addition to our newsletter and annual retreat, we discussed the possibility of putting on half or all day meetings at local churches or at our Free Methodist colleges. Subjects could include medical missions, ministering to the sick, Christian understanding of suffering and addictions. We thought that a church could sponsor this and invite other churches to join them, or a conference. The half or whole day could have one theme or several issues addressed although our organization would provide at least one speaker, local speakers could also be involved. For example: if the theme was addiction, Dr Wetterau might be a featured speaker but local substance abuse providers, school officials, and others might be involved. A day could also be set up with more than one theme and people might attend all or choose which ones that interested them. A lot is happening in our mission hospitals and this subject might interest people including Ebola, violence against women, and prevention of violence.

Colleges could sponsor similar meetings but some might want something on how to get into medical school, or do you really want to become a health professional? We did have representation from the Chaplain’s association and would like to have a closer relationship with medical chaplains. We are seeking a medical chaplain to join our board.

Anyone who has an interest in any of these areas can email normwetterau@aol.com with your interest and phone number. Organizing a conference may require more contact than a few emails.

2019 Conference Announcement

Free Methodist Healthcare Fellowship Fall Retreat:
September 20-22,2019 at the Essenhaus in Middlebury, Indiana

Theme: Serving God Throughout our Professional Lives

Speaker: Dr. Bill Morehouse

He has spoken often locally and at the Christian Community Health Fellowship National Meetings. Through his talks and discussion, we will explore Christian calling to students, residents, practicing health professionals and the issue of retirement.

Invite a student, resident, young doctor, dentist, nurse, or someone older or considering retirement. Share this newsletter with them.

Make room reservations directly through the Essenhaus (800) 455-9471 or (574) 825-0052
Cost is around $150 a night, depending on what room you reserve.
Room block is held until August 20. You can cancel without penalty up until then.

Pay registration when you arrive: $125 for one person, $40 for a spouse, which includes Saturday evening banquet. There is student scholarship money available. Also, if we know enough in advance, we can likely fund childcare for the sessions. Contact normetterau@aol.com for questions or to indicate need for child care.

Dr. Bill Morehouse - 2019 Keynote Speaker

By: Dr. Bill Morehouse, MD

I grew up throughout the Northeast after my father’s return from WWII, moving multiple times over the years to follow his career in engineering. With each move we became active in a local mainline Protestant church, including Presbyterian, Methodist, and Episcopal congregations where I became involved in youth work. By the time my undergraduate medical education was complete, I had matriculated at 12 different schools and expanded my religious perspective into a misguided global interfaith belief in the goodness of mankind, coupled with the New Age sense accompanying my emerging liberal “hippie” lifestyle that all religions were basically groping around the same set of truths.

I chose to attend the College of Medicine at the University of Kentucky with its focus on primary care because I wanted to be a personal physician (“a real doctor”) who cared for everyone in the family. I went on to residency in the new Family Practice Program in Rochester, NY because its emphasis on caring for underserved rural and urban populations was in keeping a persistent sense I have had that doctors and communities should focus their attention on the places in society that need the most help, similar to the way we focus more of our attention on the sick parts of a person while protecting and supporting those parts that are healthier.

Following the nationally known prison riot at the Attica Correctional Facility in 1971 I was instrumental in evaluating and recommending major changes to the failed health system there and offered my services to implement them. When my proposal was turned down, I took a job at an OEO poverty clinic in Rochester where my lifestyle and intense commitment to do a God-sized task led me into the personal crisis that culminated in my dramatic conversion to Christ in April 1974, a conversion that reconciled my sin, stress, hopes, fears, and entire church upbringing.

After a year of discipleship, followed by brief stints in emergency and occupational medicine, I met and married my wonderful wife of 43 years. Susan and I felt called together to open a whole person Christian clinic in the heart of the inner city neighborhood where we were living. Susan became a homemaker, community builder, mother of our four children, harpist, and grandmother of our seven grandchildren. What God started in 1978 has grown from a solo practice with one staff member to a multi-provider Federally Qualified Health Center serving two poorly resourced Rochester neighborhoods with numerous providers and support staff.

Over the years I’ve delivered over 1500 babies, cared for thousands of inpatients of all ages, and probably had nearly 100,000 documented “face-to-face encounters” with patients in the office. Training medical students and residents has always been part of it, with many going on into missions at home and abroad to establish similar works in other places. We’re active in the Christian Community Health Fellowship and have overseen the development of student and practicing provider support groups in Rochester that are active at the University Medical Center and broader community, reaching the lives of hundreds over the years.

God is good, and the life He gives us is not only embedded in this fallen world but will go on into eternity beyond it. Susan and I are looking forward to being with all of you in September!

2019 Conference Announcement!

Free Methodist Healthcare Fellowship
Fall Conference

September 20-22, 2019 at the Essenhaus Inn & Conference Center (Middlebury, IN)

Theme: Serving God Throughout our Professional Lives
Speaker: Dr. Bill Morehouse

Dr. Morehouse has spoken often locally and at the Christian Community Health Fellowship National Meetings. Through his talks and discussion, we will explore Christian calling to students, residents, practicing health professionals and the issue of retirement.

Invite a student, resident, young doctor, dentist, nurse, or someone older or considering retirement.

Register by August 20th to get the best rate.

For questions about the conference, student scholarships, or childcare, please email Norm Wetterau (normwetterau@aol.com)