Mid-December events

Two events occurred this week: the Spanish-language worship group (which includes several Crescent Hill folks) that meets at James Lees church one Saturday evening a month had an early Christmas celebration this past Saturday, stayed late to worship, enjoy some great food, and exchange gifts, and planned to start meeting on the second and fourth Saturday of every month, starting in January. Four nights later, again at James Lee, several Crescent hill folks were among the folks who gathered to plan the publicity, food, and children’s activities part of the joint CHPC-James Lees-CCC English as a foreign language teaching ministry. Crescent Hill folks signed up to help open up, coordinate, and welcome folks on Monday evenings (including on the first Monday, January 10, which will be a big registration day) and provide food during the first week of classes (January 10 and January 12), the fourth week (January 26 and January 28), the seventh week (February 21 and February 23), and the tenth week. Publicity efforts will include newspaper ads, a sign outside of James Lees, flyers, phone calls to students during previous terms, and Crescent Hill folks composing and sending out post cards to old students. (A Crescent Hill food coordinator has still yet to be selected. Ana will continue as children's activities coordinator.)

-Perry

News from Izabal

Rene, from the Arca de Noe church, wrote last week that – after a summer and early fall with lots of storms and rain – it has been cold and dry in Izabal later this fall. The facilities of most of the presbytery’s 10 churches are OK, but the church at El Chupon (whose original building was damaged by Tropical Storm Matthew in late September) was not able to raise a lot of money and continues to meet in a smallish shelter. (Pictured above is Matthew's projected path.) After shuffling some pastors around, the presbytery has pastors of other churches rotating through the church north of El Chupon, at La Union.

-- Perry

Upcoming events

Important events coming up:

-6:30 p.m. this Saturday, December 11, at James Lees Presbyterian Church on Frankfort Avenue: Spanish-language Advent celebration, including potluck supper (and a gift exchange). Everyone is welcome.

-6:30 p.m. this coming Wednesday, December 15, also at James Lees, is a meeting of people interested in the joint English as a foreign language teaching ministry, especially people interested in working on child care, food preparation and service, and publicity.

Also this weekend, the Spanish-language Sunday school class (pictured above) meets at 9:45 a.m. in the Sunday school room atop the kitchen, in the Education Buliding. And the buy local art sale, happening alongside the Christmas pageant/potluck lunch, may free up some funds that could ultimately go towards Guatemala storm relief and recovery. And we continue to try to reach Pastor Gerardo in Guatemala by phone.

-- Perry