December gathering notes

A quick conversation with a Guatemalan pastor and big plans for early 2013 were highlights of the Saturday, December 13 Crescent Hill Guatemala mission gathering.

Doug reached Pastor Raul Contreras by phone.  Pastor Raul was preparing for a wedding at his Altar de Noe church, and Doug explained that Douglas Jr. was engaged.  Doug and Raul talked about us continuing to communicate in the future.

The group brainstormed about 2014 opportunities.  On the table were short – or somewhat longer-term – visits by Guatemalans here or Crescent Hill folks there; a shift into more project-based work – for example, clean water projects – and more communication with the congregation about Crescent Hill’s Guatemalan partners and mission partnership opportunities.  Outstanding were ideas about bringing together Guatemala mission activity photos and a faith journeys/e-minute during worship by a Guatemala mission activist.

The group tentatively mapped out a schedule:  in January the group will organize a visit to or by WaterStep (the local clean water organization formerly called Edge Outreach and recently featured in the Courier-Journal in connection with projects in the Philippines) that a wider congregational audience might connect with.

In February and March, the group will also connect wider CHPC audiences with Presbyterian Hunger Program partnership specialist Alexa Smith, who Peter will pursue, and Inland Northwest Presbytery folks involved with their presbytery’s partnership with Guatemalan’s Q’eqchi’ Polocic presbytery, with whom we might speak via Skype, FaceTime, or whatever. 

Soni agreed to take charge of the January activity, including contacting WaterStep and deciding whether CHPC folks would go there, they would come to CHPC, and what time of day/day of the week this would be.  Peter agreed to contact Alexa Smith and Inland Northwest foils via Amanda Craft and Omar Chan.  The group talked about trying to call Guatemalan pastors each month in and around these activities.  Perry agreed to check in with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Guatemala Mission Network, whose January 2013 Guatemala City gathering he was part of and which originally agreed to meet annually – rotating between Guatemala and the United States.

-Perry