The group OKed a version
of a Crescent Hill-Estoreño Presbytery partnership extension/ partnership plan
and agreed to ask the session to concur at its summer meeting (with Soni
shepherding it through). Half a dozen of those there agreed to help out
from 4:00 p.m. onward with parking during the Saturday, August 10 St. Joseph’s
picnic, including Perry developing some new signs. The group also agreed
to spearhead the church’s participation in the Sunday, June 29 Frankfort
Avenue, all-neighborhood yard sale by having a much less organized than usual
yard sale somewhere in the Education Building (perhaps in the old chapel/Youth
Room/new library) after church. Soni agreed to spearhead communicating
with members about the possibilities for volunteering and contributing items by
bringing them to the old Youth Room in the sanctuary building lower
level. Pricing and set-up would probably be Saturday afternoon and/or
Sunday AM. The official event starts at 11:00 a.m. but our version of it
wouldn’t start until after worship. Some signage/volunteers to draw folks
from off Frankfort Avenue would probably be necessary. A cache of
contributions already sits in the lower level room, but more – including more
from the folks most interested in Guatemala mission – would be useful.
Two other dates the group
discussed were: Saturday, July 13: the next monthly Guatemala gathering
and conversation with presbytery partners, at Brad, Soni, Kara, and Hilda’s
at No time set yet. Time will have to be firmed up with
partners, also for the church calendar (Perry will contact partners about a
good time). Friday, August 2 was discussed (again, without a time) as a
good night (following up on momentum from the deacons’ suppers) for a Guatemala
night, with Guatemalan food (perhaps with some leadership from Nora), some
testimonials/updates (as well as table exhibits) during supper (a la the supper
with Gerardo, Macaria, and Ramiro) and some scrapbooking after supper (with
scrapbooks and photos and perhaps other memorabilia). Contributions of
photos from those at the meeting (Ian also?) and ideas about how to organize
the scrapbooks, as well as personal outreach to those in the congregation
especially interested in scrapbooking, those who have been somewhat involved in
the partnership in the past, and other people (as well as general publicity,
for example, in the July and August newsletters) would need to take
place. The group also talked about possibly trying to arrange a live
presentation – again by Facebook video chat – to be projected on the new
Fellowship Hall screen – the group broached it with some Guatemala
partners. Doug will follow up on the technical end, about whether this
might really be possible and how. Soni may follow up to insure the
Fellowship Hall venue is available and with some of the publicity. The
group also talked about the possible focus on “Theological Education Sunday”
(September 18) on Estoreño Presbytery’s theological education program and
Crescent Hill’s (past and possibly future) involvement in it.
Dates also filled the
discussion with Guatemala partners. On the call were Gerardo, Benjamin,
Ramiro, Pablo, Raul Contreras, and some youth and young adult leaders who had
just returned, early Saturday morning, from a trip to San Carlos El Porvenir
(near Puerto Barrios), where the church’s Monte Sinai church is (the church
farthest from El Estor). The two groups talked about the monthly vigils
the presbytery holds – between 7:30 p.m. and 12 midnight – with worship and
preaching and then prayers led by different committees of the presbytery:
including prayers for various church leaders and – when it is the International
Relations Committee’s turn - prayers for Crescent Hill church. Friday,
June 21 will be the next such vigil, at the Familia de Noe church pastored by
Benjamin. The Guatemalans have sent Crescent Hill a schedule of these
vigils, and they agreed to send a schedule of what takes place in these
vigils. The possibility of a small group of Crescent Hill folks getting
together for prayer during each of the vigils was discussed. Doug
explained that Crescent Hill’s pastor (Jane, who was also there) would be going
on a sabbatical this summer and asked that the Guatemalans pray for her and
also about the tornados in Oklahoma and suggested that the Guatemalans pray for
Oklahomans affected. In addition to the young men talking about their
recent San Carlos trip, the Guatemalans talked some about two ongoing
theological education initiatives. A group of five from the presbytery
will return to the next installment of the Coban-based Q’eqchi’ language
theological education training later this month (Monday, June 17-Wednesday,
June 19), and the Estoreño Presbytery El Estor theological training, which
Gerardo and Pablo had led earlier this year, is set to continue, with another
installment, also later this month (dates?). The Guatemalans mentioned
(following up on written reports last month) that they have used funds Crescent
Hill earlier to help finance some of these theological education
endeavors. Pending a double check on available funds, the Crescent Hill
group talked later about trying to send $500 or $1,000 of the $1,000 line item
in the church budget to the presbytery, a bit for communication and the rest
for theological education (which ever part or parts of the theological
education program the presbytery chose to support with that). Other
summer fund-raising (like from the Frankfort Avenue yard sale and St. Joe’s
parking) would go towards future trips or projects. Perry will follow up
with the wire transfer and thorough communication with the presbytery.
Just to recap on the
dates:
Monday, June
17-Wednesday, June 19: Theological training
trip to Coban
Friday, June 21
evening: Estereño Presbytery vigil at the Familia de Noe church
Sunday, June 29 after church: Frankfort Avenue all-neighborhood yard sale
Saturday, July 13
morning: Guatemala mission gathering at Soni et al.’s
Friday, July 26
evening: Estereño Presbytery vigil at the Peniel church in Boqueron
Friday, August 2
evening: Guatemala scrapbooking, etc. night in the Education Building
Saturday, August 10
afternoon/evening: St. Joe’s parking
Friday, August 23
evening: Estoreño Presbytery vigil at the Hijo de Dios Viviente church in
La Guitarra
Sunday, September
18: Celebrate Theological Education Sunday
- Perry
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