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
Occupation: Physician
Occupation: Physician
Danny Kwon
Occupation: Attorney, Administrator
John Scharffenberg, M.D.
Occupation: Physician, Retired
Standing Committees (per current Bylaws)
1. Executive
The HMF board is currently functioning as the Executive Committee.
2. Preventive Care Center
The HMF board acts as the Preventive Care Center Committee in its role supervising the relationship of the Foundation, since December of 1993, to the Herghelia Health and Education Center (HHEC) in Romania. Since adopting HHEC as one of its health projects, HMF has received substantial funds for development of HHEC and its ministries. HHEC is a Romanian nonprofit organization (Centrul de Sanatate si Medicina Preventiva Romania) organized in 1991 that opened a health center in 1996, and is conducting preventive medicine outpatient and inpatient programs. 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. In March of 2014 HHEC opened a new health center in the country of Moldova, where a medical missionary training school had been conducted for several years. The Moldova institution is named Centrul de Sanatate si Medicina Preventiva Moldova.
3. Pisgah Fellowship
The HMF board acts as the Pisgah Fellowship Committee in its role monitoring the lectures and seminars conducted by HMF directors and other selected speakers. These activities are arranged directly with the speakers. Most directors are active in public speaking on health, social, and spiritual topics of general and specific interest.
4. Country Educational Program
The standing committee for this, as for the Preventive Care Center, is the HMF Board itself, as we support both schools being run by the non-profit corporation based at Herghelia (Centrul de Sanatate si Medicina Preventiva Romania), the elementary school at Campenita that Herghelia began for its own children and others in the village adjacent to Herghelia, and the Medical Missionary School on the same campus as the Health Center. There is also another Medical Missionary School at the daughter institution in Moldova (Centrul de Sanatate si MedicinaPreventiva Moldova).
Current Ministries
Adventist Pioneer Library
The Adventist Pioneer Library (APL) began work as a committee under HMF in 1988, and operated as a Fictitious Business Name of HMF since 1992. Its purpose has been 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. The transfer of this ministry to a sister non-profit organization, Light Bearers Ministry, was voted by the action of both boards, finalized June 19, 2012, and initiated September 2013.
Fourth Angel
Fourth Angel (FA) began its work under HMF in 2006, operating as a Fictitious Business Name of HMF. FA’s activities include music ministry and publications.
Translations and Publishing
HMF assists with other non-profit publishing ministries which have global outreach. At present we are supporting Free Bible Ministry (www.FreeBibleMinistry.org; freebibleversion.org), Ellen White Audio (www.EllenWhiteAudio.org) and Editora dos Pioneiros (Brazilian Portuguese publishing: www.editoradospioneiros.com.br).
Pastor Bill Lehman Resources
www.PastorBillLehman.org
In 2012 HMF took over the published resources of Pastor J. W. “Bill” Lehman from HopeNet, another non-profit organization. His sermons and written material have been a tremendous blessing for many who see in them a powerful description of the dimensions of God’s love in the message of righteousness by faith.
Past Ministries
Oak Haven School
From 1982 through 1988, HMF operated a rural elementary school under the name of Oak Haven School in Oak Glen, California. In 1986-87 it had 17 pupils covering grades 4-9, with a supporting constituency of 32. 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.
Freedom From Fear
www.audioverse.org/english/sponsors/4/freedom-from-fear.html
Freedom From Fear (FFF) began its work as a ministry of HMF in 2006. It successfully conducted an evangelistic campaign in the San Bernardino, California, area, which included health expos. The balance of its resources was donated to other non-profit organizations in 2009.
Adventist Medical Evangelism Network
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.
Hands-on Medical Massage School Scholarship and Mission Fund
www.handsonmedicalmassage.com
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. This Fund was closed on sale of the school October 2012.