About Health Ministry Foundation, Inc.
Mission, Plans, and Objectives
Health Ministry Foundation, Inc. (hereafter, HMF) was incorporated July 31, 1973 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation under the laws of the State of California. It is organized for charitable and educational purposes, and operates as a lay religious organization, complimenting the work and mission of the Seventh-day Adventist (hereafter, SDA) Church. As stated in our Bylaws, "This Foundation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation and is not organized for the private gain of any person. It is for public and charitable purposes. The charitable purposes shall include conducting a facility or facilities where persons can be educated in and for Christian ministry to persons with spiritual, social, physical or emotional problems."
As our name reflects, our mission is to approach ministry with a health perspective. Our plans therefore include developing and fostering innovative ministries to accomplish this mission. In complimenting the prophetic mission of the SDA Church as the Advent movement, our objective is to support the spectrum of methods divinely ordained to accomplish the final work portrayed in prophecy to prepare people for God's coming, everlasting kingdom. These methods include public meetings, health services and training, education, and publishing. To accomplish this mission with its plans and objectives, we assist in funding such activities by fellow organizations, and organize such activities under HMF directly or under fictitious business names. We also adopt fledgling organizations having the above objectives with the intended purpose of assisting them until they can form their own non-profit corporation.
Non-Profit Documentation
Copies are available of the Federal and State letters of determination of our tax-exempt status as an organization described in Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3).
Affiliation
HMF has been an organizational member of the Adventist-Laymen's Services and Industries, Inc. since 1993.
Source of Income and Financial Records
HMF operates on donations and on sales of published inventory. Financial statements are available for the corporation.
Board of Directors
Edgar Vyhmeister, M.D., President
Address: 10035 Vine Spring Rd, Sonora, CA 95370
Occupation: Physician
Ray Foster, M.D., Vice President
Address: P O Box 19, Hermosa SD 57744-0019
Occupation: Physician
Fred Bischoff, M.D., Secretary
Address: P O Box 672, Loma Linda, CA 92354
Occupation: Physician
Frances Foster, R. N.
Address: P O Box 19, Hermosa SD 57744-0019
Occupation: Nurse
Todd Guthrie, M.D., Treasurer
Address: 1434 Ayer Lane, Mt Shasta CA 96067
Occupation: Physician
John Scharffenberg, M.D.
Address: 60005 Cascadel Rd, North Fork, CA 93643
Occupation: Physician
Standing Committees (per current Bylaws)
1. Executive
The HMF board is currently functioning as the Executive Committee.
2. Preventive Care Center
HMF adopted The Herghelia Health and Education Center (HHEC) in Romania in December of 1993 as one of its health projects, and since then we have received substantial funds for that purpose. HHEC is a Romanian nonprofit organization (Centrul de Sanatate si Medicina Preventiva Association) which opened the summer of 1996, and is conducting preventive medicine outpatient and inpatient programs, and a city health food store. HHEC has affiliation with the SDA church in Romania, with Outpost Centers International of Apison, TN, and with Loma Linda University of Loma Linda, CA. In January of 1999 HHEC began an educational program to train college-age and older young people in medical missionary work. In September of 2004 HHEC opened an elementary school.
3. Pisgah Fellowship
Pisgah Fellowship comprises the lectures and seminars conducted by HMF directors and other selected speakers. Most directors are active in public speaking on health, social, and spiritual topics of general and specific interest.
4. Country Educational Program
From 1982 through 1988, HMF operated a rural elementary school under the name of Oak Haven School. In 1986-87 it had 17 pupils covering grades 4-9, with a supporting constituency of 32. At present, this committee is inactive.
Other Ministries
1. Publishing Committee (Adventist Pioneer Library)
http://www.aplib.org/
The Adventist Pioneer Library (APL) began work as a committee under HMF in 1988, and has operated as a Fictitious Business Name of HMF since 1992. Its purpose is to republish early SDA pioneer writings and history, including a CD-ROM collection that is a virtual library, a periodical Lest We Forget, and a book authored by an SDA pioneer recalling the Bible and historical roots of the church, The Great Second Advent Movement. In 2005 APL partnered with the Ellen G. White Estate to produce the third edition of its CD-ROM.
2. Hands-on Medical Massage School Scholarship and Mission Fund
In 2006 HMF opened a Fund to support the charitable outreach of the for-profit organization, Hands-on Medical Massage School. This assistance includes sponsorship of worthy students and of mission outreach and trips.
http://www.handsonmedicalmassage.com/
3. Fourth Angel
http://fourthangelsloudcry.org/
Fourth Angel (FA) began its work under HMF in 2006, operating as a Fictitious Business Name of HMF. FA's activities include medical ministry, music ministry, and publications.
4. Good News Evangelism Training
Good News Evangelism Training (GNET) began its work as a subsidiary of HMF in 2006. Its mission is to train individuals in methods of evangelism, including health outreach. GNET plans to operate as a Fictitious Business Name of HMF, and eventually form its own non-profit corporation.
5. Freedom From Fear
http://www.audioverse.org/displayseries/38/FreedomFromFear2006/
Freedom From Fear (FFF) began its work as a ministry of HMF in 2006. It has successfully conducted an evangelistic campaign in the San Bernardino, California, area, which included health expos. It has plans to continue to facilitate evangelistic events.
6. Southern California Institute
In 2007 the development of the Southern California Institute (SCI) became a ministry of HMF, operating as a Fictitious Business Name of HMF. SCI plans to provide facilities where local supportive Adventists can work together to further health, evangelistic, and educational work. This institute would conduct "business-ministries," operate clinical settings for intensive lifestyle medicine, provide self-supporting educational options to the SDA students and parents in the Inland Empire, and train Bible workers and medical missionaries. This ministry may develop as our local Preventive Care Center standing committee.
Past Ministries
1. Oak Haven School
In the early to mid 1980's a rural elementary school was operated under HMF in Oak Glen, California. The school was administered by parents and other interested individuals who desired to foster a small, rural school with a low parent/student ratio, high academic standards, and clear spiritual goals in harmony with the Seventh-day Adventist vision of education. When the cohort of young people that comprised the student body moved beyond the elementary age, and no new parents and students showed interest in continuing the school, this ministry was closed.
2. Adventist Medical Evangelism Network
http://www.amensda.org/
The Adventist Medical Evangelism Network (AMEN) began its work under HMF in 2005, operating as a Fictitious Business Name of HMF. AMEN exists to motivate, train, and equip Seventh-day Adventist physicians and dentists to become effective medical evangelists that will have an essential role as the right arm of the ministry in taking the “everlasting gospel” (Rev 14:6-12) to the entire world in these last hours of earth’s history. AMEN's plan to form its own non-profit corporation was realized in November 2007 when it formed a Tennessee non-profit corporation, and applied for federal 501(c)3 status. AMEN's assets and activities under HMF were turned over to the new corporation as of January 1, 2008.
(16 May 2009)