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.

Obituary: Dr. Bruce Davenport, M.D.

Dr. Bruce Nelson Davenport

One of FMHF founders Dr. Bruce Davenport, age 93, joined Jesus on July 10, 2021. He was a medical missionary, as well as a pastor, and continued seeing patients into his 80s, specializing in house calls. He always brought some inspiring thoughts at our annual retreats and planned to attend this one with his wife, Harriet, and his brother and his wife Edward and Shirley. I remember he would pray through his appointment schedule daily before starting. His voice was soft but his messages were powerful.

The following was copied from his obituary:

Dr. Davenport attended the Saranac Free Methodist Church where a missionary came to the church and talked about missions. Bruce felt a strong calling to go to Africa as a medical missionary. After graduating from Lowell High School, he went to junior college in Spring Arbor where he met Mildred Avis. They were married on August 29, 1947. They moved to Adrian where he was appointed to Pastor of the Petersburg/Townline Churches. A year later they were appointed to the Sherwood Free Methodist Church. While he was there, he felt a renewed call to medical missions, so they moved to Seattle, WA where he finished his pre-med and medical school. After finishing his internship, they moved to Spring Arbor in 1958. In 1967, he worked at the mission hospital in Greenville, South Africa. In 1982, he was able to return to South Africa. After a miraculous deliverance in 1986, it became clear that they should return to the United States. On October 19, 2012, his wife Mildred Avis Davenport passed away. They had been married for just over 65 years. Later, he married Harriet Wheelock, a former missionary who served in Central Africa.

We hope we can all meet in person at next year’s retreat and celebrate his life with his family and all of his friends who are part of our group.

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.

Living Life with Purpose

By: Tim Kratzer, M.D.

I find myself thinking a lot about Nundu where a Free Methodist rural hospital is located. Nundu is where we raised our family and lived out our missionary call to provide healthcare in the name of Jesus. How did we end up in South Kivu, a province of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, far away from family and friends?

God works in amazing ways, calling us to serve him and transforming us to be the people we were created to be. As a 6th grade student, I very clearly heard God calling me to be a missionary doctor. I even wrote a grade school term paper on the Belgian Congo, as it was known in that day. It’s a long journey from being a 12-year-old to being a 75-year-old retired missionary doctor. Connie was also being called to be the wife of a missionary doctor, even before she met me at Greenville College. As I entered medical school, it was not just me but it was us. How did we complete the course?

Family, friends, and faith in God have guided us along the way. Christian faith was modeled for us in my family. The fellowship of believers nurtured us. God has been with us each step of the way. The Free Methodist Medical Fellowship, as it was known when I was a medical student, came along to encourage us in only the way a group of healthcare professionals could. I met with folks who understood where I was in my journey of faith and professional development. In that fellowship, I met folks who encouraged me to follow the call into medical missions and supported me with their prayers as my wife and I were appointed as Free Methodist missionaries.

The journey is not yet complete. We continue to be a part of what is now known as the Free Methodist Healthcare Fellowship. I fellowship with others who continue to see healthcare as more than a career. For each of us, it is a calling. Our time at Nundu was interrupted when we left Central Africa during a time of civil unrest. By God’s grace, the Deaconess Nundu Hospital continued to minister, and now we have the blessing of encouraging the work of the church as it continues to provide healthcare in South Kivu.

The mission of the Fellowship is to encourage healthcare professionals to pursue their careers as a calling, a calling to minister in the name of Jesus. I am encouraged in that calling. We as a Fellowship continue to reach out to young people as they respond to God’s call on their lives. What a blessing to live life with a purpose.

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

Special Newsletter: Coronavirus Pandemic

(Our regular spring issue is ready to go but will be sent out in May)

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

An issue of Wholeperson Health Care was ready to go out in March but as the epidemic spread, I waited. We will send the issue out soon and it will include information on our retreat planned for Sept 18-20, plus an article by Frank Ogdon, and one by Tim Kratzer.

What can we say about this epidemic? What do we say to our family, our friends, and our church? I have been asking God. For me, I have had a pretty easy life. I was drafted but not sent to Vietnam. I have had the same job in the same community and good health. I have had good Christian Friends and seen God work in our community and many lives.

On the other hand, I have been aware of disaster overseas, especially in Congo and problems in the US among the poor in our own community. My neighbor lost two children last year: one age 15 to a car accident and 6 months later his older brother who no longer lived at home, to a drug overdose. I visited my neighbor, prayed for many of these situations and contributed money, but was never in such a painful situation.

Some of you have been in even worse situations: riots, civil war, and overwhelming disease with little to do for the disease. Now we are not on a mission station that lacks supplies and treatment but in the US. We have no treatment except respirators but not enough. We do not have enough gowns. Some of our mission hospitals are chronically in that position.

Now everything has stopped. I am not sure what is more frightening, the disease, or the collapsing economy. Will people have food? Where will governments get the money for the relief that is needed? How long will this last?

We read Bible verses telling us that God is in control but still have anxiety. People look to us for treatment and assurance but we are also looking for assurance.

I am asking those who read this to send their thoughts to me so we can post them. I am asking us to pray for each other. Any crisis brings out the best and worst. Some drug addicts in treatment are relapsing but others from the streets now are coming in for help. Those in good marriages end up stronger but for others, the marriage will become worse. Email me your thoughts: normwetterau@aol.com and we might post some of them.

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Christian Community Health Centers

This site has excellent summaries of how some of the urban health centers are addressing the coronavirus epidemic. Much of this is not in the regular press and is worth reading and praying about.

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.

FMHF - Addressing Wholeness

by: Norman Wetterau, M.D. - FMHF President

Our group started out in 1960 as the Free Methodist Medical Fellowship. It was initially a fellowship of doctors and dentist, many whom had been involved in missions. The group supported each other and also our denominational medical missions. Most groups like this do not survive for almost 60 years, but ours has and has expanded our vision and mission. The expansion of our vision and mission goes along with the new vision of medicine which emphasizes holistic care and team-based care involving physicians, PAs, NP, nurses, social workers, and chaplains. Many of the improvements in life expectancy are due to social and public health changes, rather than new treatments. Our biggest medical challenges are now mental health, drug addiction and ageing. Lone doctors working my themselves may have limited impact on these conditions. Even all the health care professions need the help of community groups and social networks such as Churches. Certified patient centered medical homes need to document how they connect patients with chronic diseases to these non-medical groups which could include a church.

But it is not just medical professionals and their patients that need churches. Churches need to know how to respond to those with chronic diseases, developmental disorders, mental health issues and addiction. Note that Jesus healing were not just those with acute illnesses. Leprosy was a chronic, and isolating disease. Jesus touched these people and healed them. Other people were healed of strange behavior or epilepsy.

The woman with the hemorrhage had been suffering for years. Our churches are filled with those who are suffering and as the woman with the hemorrhage they had spent all their money on doctors and were no better. Now can the church minister to these individuals, or to those with chronic pain, or with incurable cancer.

In September 2014 our fellowship hosed a national speaker, Dr Willard Swartley and author of featured InterVarsity Press book of the year in 2012: Health, Healing, and the Church’s Mission: Biblical Perspectives and Moral Priorities. The book is more about the church then health professionals but addressed both. We recommend this book for pastors as well as health professionals. So our fellowship, through our website, retreats and our members, help churches become better healing communities.

Our fellowship has changed in several ways First we have become a fellowship of all healthcare professionals, not just physicians and dentists. We include chaplains and emergency responders. Secondly, we are not a fellowship just for ourselves but a resource for our churches. Our online publication try to address some of these issues. We want our website to be a resource for pastors and churches.

Walking with those in Need without Losing Heart: this was the theme of our September 2018 conference. The speakers, Doctors Eric and Rachel McLauglin, from Kibuye hospital, Burundi, talked about the difficulties of reaching out to those who are hurting in situations where our efforts appear futile .One begins to wonder if God is breaking the promises he made to you when he called you. Although they were using illustrations from their medical work, these issues are present in any church which is addressing seemingly impossible situations in people lives. Our December 2018 Newsletter is a real resource and the McLaughlins book on this topic, when it is published will be a even grater resources. Our fellowship wants those who cannot attend our retreats to still benefit. Check out the article in our December 2018 newsletter.

The December 2017 issue has two articles on Soulcare. Medical science today now recognizes the important of soulcare, and we want to share this with Free Methodists in medical professions but also with pastors and those in our churches who minister to the sick.

Our November 2015 newsletter summarizing our conference which included 7 chaplains who shared how they relate to those who are ill. They also shared valuable insights on how people can effectively visit and support those who are ill. We have posted extensive notes on how churches can more effectively minister to the sick.

Finally, this summer at a General Conference Breakout session, Dr Wetterau will be addressing how churches can aid those who suffer from addictions. His presentation and resources from this will also be posted on our website. Anyone is free to sign up for our newsletter. Let your friends know about these resources including the one produced by our chaplains and the one that will appear after general conference on addiction.

Please share this article with your pastor and others. Go to www.fmhealth.org, read some of the material and sign up to be sent future information. If you are a healthcare professional you can also become a member and support us with fifty dollar annual dues. Thank you.

FMHF Lives on with a Purpose

by: Tim Kratzer, M.D.

Hearing Drs. Eric & Rachel McLaughlin speak at our annual meeting in Warm Beach, WA brought to mind the reason why I am a member of the Free Methodist Healthcare fellowship. We often get into our routines and keep on doing what we do without thought or purpose. The Fellowship challenges us to live our lives with purpose and meaning.

We began meeting as a Fellowship more than 50 years ago, young and middle-aged professionals looking for meaning and purpose, and in so doing encouraging one another. And yes, we would also question and probe into the basis for our faith. Why do we do what we do? We experienced new energy as we met together.

How is this energy and purpose passed on from generation to generation? I have heard this said about the Free Methodist Fellowship, “Now why is it that we are meeting?” We look around and see more folks in our age group – old, slow and gray. Where are the young folks asking the questions we posed back in the day Why are we spending all this time and money to gather for these annual meetings?

Then there comes the moment when our vision is renewed. Eric and Rachel are a young medical couple who have followed God’s call into medical missions. They met in medical school as they were following God’s call and now they are raising their family as they are following God’s call. They are at Kibuye Hope Hospital as part of the Serge group, a group of young medical missionaries who have committed themselves to one another and God. They are committed to serving the poorest of the poor. Eric and Rachel spoke of the reality of providing medical care for the under-served in Burundi. They spoke of how poverty and neglected medical conditions often exceed their human resources, “Walking with Those in Need without Losing Heart” as they so aptly described it.

As they spoke I felt my heart drawn back to our days in medical school, a time when our call to medical missions was taking us on a path not understood or embraced by many in our circle of friendships. What an encouragement it was to have a medical missionary couple, Dr. and Mrs. Yardy, invite us to come to our first fall meeting of the Fellowship. We met medical professionals who were living their lives with meaning and purpose. When these folks heard our story, they affirmed the choices we were making to follow God’s call into medical missions.

The story that Eric and Rachel must be shared with our young people. We will again have the opportunity to reach the medical professionals of today as we meet this year at Essenhaus in Middlebury, IN. Our guest speaker, Dr. Bill Morehouse, has written how he followed God’s call in medicine as a ministry to the medically under-served here in America. He has spoken often locally and at the Christian Community Health Fellowship National Meetings. Through his talks and in our group discussions, we will explore the Christian calling of students, residents, practicing health professionals and even those who are retired.

So the challenge comes to us: Invite a student, resident, young doctor, dentist, nurse or other healthcare professional. Or you might even invite someone older or who is approaching retirement. The reason we meet ever year is to look at our careers in the medical field as an opportunity to serve and preach the gospel with acts of compassion, and sometimes with words. Peter said to the paralytic, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6)