Discussion with Maria

Half a dozen Crescent Hill folks interested in Guatemala mission gathered for lunch at Hillbilly Tea Thursday, to talk with Maria Arroyo about some issues associated with relationships among Crescent Hill church, the EstoreñoPresbytery, and the national church in Guatemala. The group agreed that Peter would contact members of the presbytery ‘s partnership committee and ask the presbytery to write a letter to the IENPG inquiring about the status of the land the church apparently owns where the families of the Hurricane Mitch Panzos community live (which the families would like to subdivide among them), and to copy Crescent Hill. Maria will also write Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), which apparently generated the money that was used to buy the land in the aftermath of the hurricane, to make a similar inquiry. Carlos and the presbytery may check in with each other about the letter if need be.

The group also had a wide-ranging discussion about theological education efforts, particularly for Q’eqchi’ pastors and congregational leaders. The group told Maria about the new training initiative in Estoreño and she pointed out the challenge of having the instruction based in Q’eqchi’. She said there was also an ongoing effort in Coban, at the Nazarene seminary there, which was in Q’eqchi’. She endorsed what Estoreño was doing – with needed help from the IENPG and the Presbyterian seminary in Guatemala – and endorsed Crescent Hill continuing to modestly financially support that effort (like the $400 the presbytery has asked for for food for the pastors and so on during two fall sessions). But Maria and the group agreed that Crescent Hill folks might make sure the Estoreño folks know about the Coban initiative and that eventually some Estoreño folks might participate in that too. Discussions about possible future release of the frozen Walton funds, which are earmarked partly for Q’eqchi’ education, are ongoing.

Maria also said that Crescent Hill need not “tithe” 5% for each project-based donation the church makes to the presbytery, but might periodically send $50 or $100 to the PC(USA) to send on to the IENPG, as a way to support the national church of which Estoreño Presbytery is part.

-Perry