Many modest-sized visits
and continued communication were hallmarks of 2017 for Crescent Hill’s
Guatemala partnership. CHPC’s Guatemalan
Connection helped coordinate the partnership between Crescent Hill church and
eastern Guatemala’s Q’eqchi’ Estereño
Izabal Presbytery. 2017 marked ten years
since our congregation and the presbytery made contact.
In January/February,
Shannon Bostrom and Ben Langley represented CHPC at a gathering of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Guatemala Mission Network, which took place near
Guatemala City. Also there, representing Estoreño Presbytery, were Pastor Raul
Contreras Tut and Elder Ramiro Quib, who have both visited Kentuckiana. In addition to getting know Guatemalan and
North American Presbyterians engaged in mission, the foursome spent a lot of
time in fellowship and prayer together.
In April, Soni
Castleberry and Megan McCarty represented CHPC at an annual gathering of Estoreño
Presbytery’s Presbyterian Women. Along
the way Soni and Megan got to know two PC(USA) Guatemala mission co-workers with
whom CHPC is partnered (Brian Thomson-Royer and Sandi Thomson-Royer), two
leaders of the national Guatemalan Presbyterian Women, and Rubenia, a young
woman who served as a translator and cultural liaison for Soni and Megan. Soni and Megan got to witness the flowering
of female leadership within the presbytery, as well as participate in some
intense worship services.
In May Ramiro
punctuated his five-month U.S. sojourn with a long weekend in Kentuckiana,
helping lead CHPC worship, brainstorming with the Guatemalan Connection, and
visiting with CHPC folks. Then, in
September, Rubenia took time out of her four-week U.S. visit to dine with CHPC
folks and visit the Presbyterian Center, the seminary, and some horse farms.
In between visits,
CHPC sent $1,500 to the presbytery for PW and theological education. For the first time, the money went through
the national Guatemala church, which went smoothly and which allowed CHPC to
make a contribution to the work of the national church. Five Estoreño folks – three men and two women
– were able to participate in a theological education program in Coban, thanks
in part to Crescent Hill’s financial involvement. By phone and Facebook, Estoreño shared news
of new leadership, a visit to the faraway Nueva Amanacer community, Ramiro’s
ordination as a minister of the Word and Sacrament and installation as pastor
of the presbytery’s flagship (Arca de Noe church), and the birth of a
grandchild for Ramiro and Elvia. CHPC folks,
in turn, shared news of Pastor Jane’s retirement and introduced Estoreño folks
to Elisa, our new pastor. CHPC and
Estoreño folks continued to pray with and for each other throughout the year.
More visits seem on
tap for 2018: February Kentuckiana visit
by the Thomson-Royers, a repeat April Guatemala visit for the presbytery-wide
PW meeting, and a very early August summertime visit.
Participating in
Guatemalan Connection brainstorming in 2017, in addition to Shannon, Ben, Soni,
and Megan, Jane, and Elisa, were Carrie Bridgman, Sandra Duverge, Sebastian
Duverge, Stephanie Gregory, Jennifer Thalman Kepler, Janine Linder, Mary Love,
Elisabeth McNinch, Beth Yeager, and Doug Yeager.
Connection folks bid
adieu during the year to Elisabeth, Jane, and – de facto – Shannon and Megan.
Also participating in
the partnership through involvement in the early August 2017 St. Joseph’s
picnic parking fund-raiser were: Brad
Castleberry, Deborah Fortel, Luiz Kemmerle, Shannon Langley, Janine Linder, Tricia
Lloyd-Sidle, Michelle McDonald, Carol Roderick, Jeanne-Marie Rogers, Todd
Rogers, and David Sawyer.
Latin food and
culture were on the menu for the year’s other fund-raising activities. Sandra spearheaded an early March Latin Dance
Party. Tim McNinch created the flyer for
this event, and the Ville Casinera
dance company suppled instructors. This
fun event drew in enthusiastic and paying participants from both the
congregation and community and netted the partnership the largest paycheck of
the year. Claudia Foulkes and
Soni also spearheaded an El Tarasco fund-raiser throughout the second half of
the year. Thanks to all who learned to
dance the Casino at the March Latin Dance Party or who dined this fall at El
Tarasco, the Mexican restaurant in St. Matthews that has donated 15 percent of
sales to supporters of Crescent Hill’s Guatemala partnership to the
partnership.
-Perry
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