Wed lunch mtg E6519 (guest speaker HopeSprings), worship night 4/25, and more

Dear Public Health Christian Fellowship,

Tonight in the face of perhaps daunting pressures - the end of the academic year! projects and programs nearing completion! impending job! relational issues! a broken society/world - I wanted to remind you of the promise and comfort of Heb 4:14. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Not through our own power or striving or motivation or dedication can we do anything: it is the power of Christ alone who can keep us in faith and make the impossible possible. Will you put your confidence in him anew today, trusting that he will complete what he has started in you whom he has called, leading you in the way everlasting and directing your paths?

This Wed lunch, 12:15-1:15pm, in Room E6519 (please note room change!), guest speaker Rev. Derek Miller will be sharing about HopeSprings - a faith-based organization serving people living with HIV here in Baltimore. We will have time to talk about faith and work and public health in practice, and also pray for one another. Apple cake will also be present :)

With folks' busy schedules during fourth term, we're going to have a slightly adjusted schedule for PHCF. Every other Wednesday lunchtime (because several have expressed the desire to have more career/future-oriented sessions), we will have a guest speaker share about the public health work they do and how their faith in Jesus makes a difference. Prayer meetings will take place the remaining weeks.

For those who are staying at JHSPH/in Baltimore after May, we are also looking to expand the PHCF leadership team - please pray! and email jhsph.phcf@gmail.com if you're interested in seeing what role you can play in this group.

You are welcome to join us at any/all of our recurring gatherings:- Lunch meetings on Wednesdays at 12:15pm in Room W3011 *note room change (contact PHCF)
- Small group on Mondays at 7:30pm in the 929 Apartments (contact Esther)
- Writing Accountability Group (i.e. study group) on Fridays at 4pm (contact Teresa)
Helpful links: PHCF website | map/list of local churches

If you have prayers, reflections, or announcements you'd like to share with the rest of PHCF, please email jhsph.phcf@gmail.com!

Grace and peace,
Teresa - for PHCF

Other announcements:

1. Praises and prayers
2. Housing opportunities
3. Joint fellowship worship night - Apr 25
4. Christian Community Health Fellowship Conference "Risen & Awake" - Cincinnati OH - Apr 19-21
5. Hungry of Hope Christian Conference - Nashville TN - June 22-23 

1. Praises and prayers:

• Praise for Easter, give adoration to Jesus, and pray for conversations with our friends and family and coworkers who do not yet know his story!
• MPH Candidate Wai Jia is in the midst of setting up Kitesong Global, a ministry that aims to use the power of narrative through her picture books to uphold social justice and empower the underprivileged. Read more here www.kitesong.sg or watch the talk here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLVrktlhqLI If you are a videographer, teacher, etc. and/or would like to find out more, please write to her at waijia@kitesong.org
• Pray for the persecuted church around the world.
• Pray for our seeking of holiness, and not just efficiency or growing in talents/knowledge//giftedness but keeping our focus on Jesus and his glory! Recent conviction from this testimony by Joni Eareckson Tada: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/beware-of-running-too-hard
• Pray for prospective/new students, as they wait for admission decisions and consider where to attend, that God brings exactly who he wants to JHSPH at exactly the right time.
• Pray for our PHCF brothers and sisters who are currently afar for work/practicum/missions/dissertation research, for favor in their work and traveling mercies.
• Pray for our PHCF brothers and sisters who are graduating in a few months and/or who are seeking God's direction/calling for jobs and career.

2. Housing opportunities

• Lovely private bedroom and bathroom available in Charles Village, $650/month. All utilities and furniture included; shared common space including large fully equipped kitchen, dining room, and living room. The landlords' heart is to make this house open to international students and scholars, and for those who have a heart to interact with internationals too. (Though anyone is welcome.) More information here. If interested, email Karl Dortzbach at kdortzbach@mac.com or text at 443-570-3668, and he can send you pictures or tell you more!
• Upstairs unit apartment for rent, listing here: https://www.trulia.com/p/md/baltimore/829-e-belvedere-ave-2-baltimore-md-21212--2345922141 The landlord Ananda and his wife live in the downstairs apartment, and are believers, Hopkins alum, and members of Faith Christian Fellowship. Special consideration given if two students/fellows are interested in sharing the upstairs apartment. Anyone interested can contact Ananda directly at 410-435-6417 or by email at ankumar1120@yahoo.com
• Incoming female MPH student looking for roommates! Contact Ruth at +972-58-678-1862 (whatsapp) or rchadwick6@gmail.com
• I am currently a 3rd year medical student studying in Israel but will be taking a gap year next year to get my MPH at JH. I grew up as an MK in Papua New Guinea and China but eventually my family settled in Colorado and that's where I now consider 'home'. In college, I studied Chemistry and Biblical Studies at Gordon College before going to medical school in Israel. Eventually I would like to work in international health development in post-disaster settings, which is why I'm pursuing my MPH. 
• In terms of housing, I'm looking for 1-2 female roommates and living with other believers would be nice but isn't necessarily a deal breaker. As a roommate, I tend to be fairly introverted and usually study at home. I view wherever I live to be a type of sanctuary for restoration and would prefer my own room. That being said, I love to be hospitable and invite people into the sanctuary, which for me primarily consists of feeding people and conversations over tea, coffee, or a glass of wine (I do drink alcohol occasionally). I'm both a baker and a chef, so tasty things are always around and access to a decent kitchen is a must and space to host occasionally would be great. I tend to be on the cleaner side but don't necessarily expect everything to be spotless all the time. As long as common areas and the kitchen are cleaned regularly, I'm quite happy and chill. I do prefer not to have regular overnight guests, especially significant others and male friends, but I am very welcoming to the occasional guest in need of a place to crash. 
• One big thing is that I come with a lovely calico cat named Audrey, so a place that is accepting of pets is a must. She is entirely an indoor cat and is more dog-like than any other cat I've met. She's very friendly with humans but not really with other animals since she's been solo all her life (except for a few intermittent fosters). She has historically warmed up to kittens slowly, but it's a process. Other adult cats have not gone over well. If she were to live with another animal it would have to be done with consideration and careful introduction.

3. Joint fellowship worship night - Apr 25

Join us for a joint fellowship night! The Medical Student Christian Fellowship (SOM), the Fellowship of Christian Nurses (SON), and PHCF going to have a joint fellowship night on Wed Apr 25. Will likely include food, worship, games, a sweet time together. Please email Teresa if you would like to get involved in planning!

4. Christian Community Health Fellowship Conference "Risen & Awake" - Cincinnati OH - Apr 19-21
Encouragement. We could all use some. Especially when we are in the throes of intense training.
The CCHF Conference offers medical students and residents hope as they interact with providers and others who are caring for the poor and the marginalized in their communities.
Join us at the only domestic missions conference specifically for those working to provide excellent and holistic health care to the poor and marginalized in the United States.
Scholarship applications are now available. For more info go to: www.cchfconference.org.
Let me know if you have any questions. I would love to help! - Jessie Thomas

*please note: our sister Rachel Pinto is going, and would love to connect with other JHSPH'ers - also, more scholarships for travel are available!

5. Hungry of Hope Christian Conference - Nashville TN - June 22-23

Are you struggling with emotional eating, or know someone struggling with an eating disorder, depression or anxiety related to food? Share this upcoming conference in Nashville with them, where MPH Candidate Wai Jia has also been invited to speak! http://www.findingbalance.com/hfh/ 

Scholarships are provided at: https://www.findingbalance.com/hfh/scholarshipkhf/

For friends struggling with eating issues/disorders, they can also join the online support group: http://www.findingbalance.com/support/

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor 3:4-6)

the Public Health Christian Fellowship at JHSPH | email us at jhsph.phcf@gmail.com | PHCF at Hopkins Blog