Half
a dozen plus CHPC folks interested in Guatemala mission gathered on Saturday,
June 10. The group included Jennifer
Thalman Kepler, who was recently returned from Guatemala, for a visit that
connected with a death and illness.
Thalman Kepler’s theater company, Looking for Lilith, works with a group
of Guatemalan women on a Faith Stories project that does theater education, Bible
study, and community health promotion.
Most of the women in the group are from NW Guatemala but one is from the
old Izabal presbytery, south of Lake Izabal, and Rosa Marina, from Estoreño Presbytery’s
faraway Monte Sinai congregation is interested.
Jennifer and others there imagined a possible joint Crescent Hill-Lilith
visit to the Izabal area – Jennifer said, as soon as summer 2018 (depending
somewhat on whether Faith Stories lands a great to bring the Guatemalan women
to the national U.S. Presbyterian Women gathering in Louisville in summer
2018).
In
terms of summer 2017 activities, Ben Langley (and Shannon Bostrom?) agreed to
lead a Minute for Mission in worship on Sunday, July 2. All four members of Crescent Hill’s two 2017
Guatemala visit teams – Ben, Shannon, Megan McCarty, and Soni Castleberry will
speak at a post-worship Food for Thought luncheon the next Sunday (July 9),
which Ben and Shannon will promote in their Minute for Mission. Stephanie will make Guatemalan chicken soup,
rice, and beans for Food for Thought.
The foursome will exchange ideas and photos, and Megan will help take
charge of A/V issues.
Carrie
agreed to write a note to give to Sunday’s Elder of the Week to read about this
coming Friday (June 16)’s St. Matthews El Tarasco Mexican restaurant
fund-raiser (15 percent of sales between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. go to CHPC
Guatemala mission, if you tell your server; second Fridays in July and August
too). Ben and Perry agreed to split
leadership of the St. Joseph’s Orphan Home Picnic fund-raising event. The group decided to look into possibly
parking cars both on Friday and Saturday.
Perry agreed to ask Janine if she would try to find out whether the gate
at the end of Westminster Court will be open Friday. Jane agreed to double-check with Stewardship
about Officer Horlander or whoever (Megan reported that Session authorized this
fund-raiser in general, but wasn’t up to date on how arrangements should
proceed). Ben also has a saw horse and a
newish truck to transport it to church.
Many of the folks at the gathering said they would be in town that
weekend (August 11-12) and hopefully available to volunteer.
Perry
agreed to check around to find out more about sending CHPC money to the
Presbytery via the Guatemalan national church, the IENPG. Soni and Ben were originally going to draft a
letter to accompany the money spelling out our aspirations for it.
Folks
there agreed to check in after the July 9 Food for Thought to see if people
think another summertime gathering is needed.
Jennifer and others there de facto agreed to stay in touch about
possible future joint Guatemala visits and possible future collaboration.
Traveling
mercies for many folks on the road in June, including Mary, Ben, Soni, Perry,
and Elisabeth and her family.
-Perry