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A MESSAGE FROM GAYLE MULBERRY, BNF PRESIDENT
As I reflect on our 2008 Annual Meeting, which included our 25th anniversary celebration, all I can say is “Wow!” The BMDF honored us during their meeting with special music and words from Fred Loper. The quality of our CNE offerings was outstanding, and there was a sense that revival might be at hand. Our missionary speakers enlightened us to their ministries in restricted parts of the world and the Bostons blessed us with their music. Ellen Tabor helped us celebrate our past with several spotlights on our history including pictures. The tablescapes at our banquet, shows just how creative you are. June Whitlow’s comments challenged us to work to imprint our future. We received gifts of two new gavels. Tennessee was recognized for the most new members to the national organization in 2007. We learned of missions projects that we could be involved with this year. Extremely special and humbling for me was our “Blessing of the Hands” ceremony. One could feel the Holy Spirit in our midst. I received a note following our meeting that I treasure; I would like to share a part of it. “The BNF annual meeting was such a holy-set apart time of being in the presence of a living God.” It was a time of spiritual filling.
Prior to our annual meeting a Parish Nurse training course was offered with seven attendees. Thanks to Linda Garner, Lisa Kirkland, and others who helped make this possible. The executive committee met prior to the annual meeting and granted two requests for funds from the trust funds, one to a career missionary and one to a nursing student. Attending our meeting was Pam Howard, a school nurse from Alaska. She is featured in February 2008 Missions Mosaic.
I would like to thank our outgoing officers and welcome our new officers. I so appreciate what we have in a Christian professional organization, and I never want us to take it for granted. In our profession, we are caregivers for others—often stressed with meeting the needs and demands of our jobs, family, and friends; working in our churches; and participating in missions. Just as we care for our patients holistically, our organization seeks to be the support group which cares for its members holistically. There are times the healer needs healing. We are not immune from troubles, trying times, sickness, heartache, and loss of loved ones. We need to be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Let me encourage you to help strengthen our organization by renewing your memberships, recruiting new members (each one bring one, give a gift of membership), and supporting our trust funds and operating budget. This past year we had some critical operating budget issues and many of you answered our “Code Blue” and I want to thank you for this. We must remain solvent. I value our organization, its purposes, and each of our members. Each one of us has an impact on our future. We must pull together to make BNF all that God wants us to be. Our goal is $250,000 in 2008. We can reach this by each member giving an extra gift of $200—or $10 a month for two years. Mark your calendar for May 7–10, 2009, for the BNF Annual Meeting in Sevierville, Tennessee, in the Great Smoky Mountains, close to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. We would love to see you there.
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