Saturday conversation

Carlos reported - to the bilingual Sunday school class - that he and Pastor Gerardo spoke by phone Saturday. While Crescent Hill folks fasted and prayers, the Estoreño Presbytery did indeed meet last weekend. They talked about the issue of ecumenism – church unity – about which they and Crescent Hill folks had communicated. Use of the word ecumenism troubled them initially partly because of its association the rebels during the civil war. They decided that ecumenism might have a secular, analogical connotation, as the rebels – they decided – used the term to describe efforts to unite different rebel factions. The presbytery also incorporated an 11th local group, a New Dawning congregation with half a dozen Presbyterian families that have moved to the Izabal area. Leaders of the now 11 congregations pledged that their churches would pray for Crescent Hill church every Sunday. Reciprocally, Pastor Gerardo also asked Crescent Hill folks to pray for him, his health, and his ministries and for leadership development for the whole presbytery. Apparently Gerardo will turn 63 next week and he’s feeling tired from the weight of pasturing two congregations, advising the presbytery youth and women’s groups, and representing the presbytery on the national level and he’s concerned about who will take his place as his slows down. (Keep in mind that Gerardo’s father recently died also). Crescent Hill folks are to share with Estoreño folks their thoughts on ecumenism also (hopefully further enriched by the content of the CBS piece about “Christian unity” – in general and in Louisville – that some 100 Crescent Hill folks viewed Sunday after church. No word on their response to news of Crescent Hill church's fast and vigil and larger Guatemala Mission Weekend.

-- Perry