Early October gathering notes

Half a dozen Crescent Hill folks gathered to brainstorm about the Guatemala mission partnership.  Coming out of this were some commitments.

Perry, Elisabeth, Soni, and Mary committed to update/improve on/add to/redirect Elisabeth’s visit/partnership information sheet, all the more so in preparation for possible 2017 visits. The group will turn this into a Frequently Asks Questions, will add some detail about visitor commitment to visits, and will give context about changes in the presbytery during our involvement.  Mary will turn it into a flyer, with graphics.

Perry committed to sending a check to the PC(USA) lockbox in Pittsburgh for registration for four (two CHPC folks – apparently Ben Langley and Shannon Bostrom – and two yet to be determined Estoreño Presbytery reps) and connecting with Shannon about completing the paperwork to participate in the Guatemala Mission Network gathering in Guatemala City at the end of January.  The presbytery has said Yes to this via Ramiro.

Perry and Elisabeth promised to call a number we have either for Ema or Sandra, presbytery leaders, to confirm what Ramiro said:  that they don’t have firm dates yet for the presbytery women’s gathering in April.  As many as eight CHPC women are interested in attending that, which they invited us to.

Perry committed to checking in with Sandy and Brian Thomson-Royer and Debbie Welch about possibly participating in that also.

Elisabeth, Mary, and Soni concluded that the various Guatemala accounts have about $3,000 in them.  Keeping in mind fund-raising needs for possible April visitors, the group decided to ask Ben and Shannon if they would contribute $100 each to the visit. It’s not yet clear whether the group, or Ben or Shannon or both, will physically be purchasing the tickets.

Fund-raising for the April trip to the women’s retreat in Guatemala:  Soni raised the possibility of the church trying to replicate something we did before:  inviting Leslie McClure Rodriguez to sing at church and charging ticket prices.  Soni committed to contacting Doug and Leslie about this.  The group talked about doing something in February, as with this past year.  Involving the people interested in participating in the April visit – which might be under a week total – would also be a goal.

The group committed to gathering again at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 12, in the Gathering Room in the back building, if available.

Elisabeth helped translate Ramiro’s latest messages, including that Ramiro, Raul Contreras, and Fidel were apparently all in Cobán at a meeting in which a new Q’eqchi’ synod was beginning the process of organizing.  Perry and Stephanie also reported that they had tried again to send the Estoreño Presbytery money on behalf of the church, after the last wire transfer failed.

-Perry