Guatemala Crescent Hill

Carlos' translation of Estoreño request

2012-02-08T19:13:00.000-08:00

Project of Pastoral Theology

Estoreño Q’eqchi’ Presbytery

Length: 2012 Year

Goals: Self Development for Ministers growing on the knowledge of the Gospel

General objective: Go deep on the knowledge of the Kingdom of God

Specific objective: 15 pastors: 4 new pastors 2 preachers, 6 licensed, and 3 sxperienced pastors renew studies

Justification: 8 years they have not had any training

Activities: 6 workshops

Budget:
Local contribution: 18,150 quetzales
Request: 19,250 quetzales ($1,227)
Estimated: 37,675 quetzales

February prayers

2012-02-03T08:08:00.000-08:00

This month Crescent Hill church will pray with and for our Guatemalan partners:

- On Sunday, February 5, and the week thereafter: Altar de Noe church in El Estor’s Los Cerritos neighborhood, Pastor Raul Contreras Tut and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, February 12, and the week thereafter: Espiritu Santo church in El Estor’s San Marcos neighborhood, Pastor José Domingo Xo Ical and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, February 19, and the week thereafter: Monte Sinai church in the village of San Carlos El Pouvenir outside of Puerto Barrios, Pastor José Sub and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, February 26, and the week thereafter: Hijo del Dios Viviente church in the village of La Guitarra outside of Livingston, Pastor Fidel Juc and family, and members, deacons, and elders-On Sunday, March 4, and during the week thereafter: El Buen Samaritano church in El Estor’s Nuevo Amanacer neighborhood, and members, deacons, and elders.

February gathering

2012-01-30T08:44:00.001-08:00

Crescent Hill folks interested in the church's partnership with the Estoreño Presbytery in Guatemala will gather at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 8, at the old James Lees Presbyterian Church at the corner of William Street and Frankfort Avenue (1741 Frankfort Avenue), a block from Mellwood (the entrance is on William Street). A possible prayer vigils and Guatemala trip will be discussed. Everyone is welcome.

January gathering notes

2012-01-28T17:20:00.000-08:00

Follow-up to the late 2011 visit by Estoreño Presbytery partners, response to Estoreño Presbytery requests, and a possible summer 2012 intergenerational mission trip to Guatemala were all topics of discussion at a Monday, January 23 Guatemala mission task force gathering at the old James Lees Presbyterian Church. The group shared more feedback they’d heard after the visit, including a range of enthusiasm about the partnership (including from those who are also very enthusiastic about local mission), from other Crescent Hill folks. Folks there highlighted the interest and enthusiasm shown in the turnout for the lunch and discussion after Sunday worship and the good-bye dinner at El Tarasco restaurant and the intense feeling of the Presbyterian Women event. They also talked about the importance of continuing the dialogue with other Crescent Hill folks, including via newsletter articles, Food for Thought lunches, and Minute for Mission talks. Carlos reported that Gerardo had reported a month ago that, although he was sick after the trip, he had finally obtained the suitcase he had checked on the plane flight back.

The group also talked about the range of requests that Estoreño visitors had communicated to Crescent Hill during the visit, and they shared the written versions of a theological education proposal they had brought with them and a list of other proposals Ramiro had drafted on the spot during one of the partnership discussions. The group blew hot and cold about being involved in the Q’eqchi’ theological education initiative and the supply of Q’eqhchi’ Bibles to women in the presbytery, which were two of the ideas discussed during the visit. The group resolved to send $300 – which would represent six months of a $50 a month communication budget – via the existing funds transfer mechanism, after three things had occurred: (1) talk with Pastor Gerardo to let him know the money was coming; (2) check in the PC(USA) World Mission to verify whether a 10 percent tithe for mission contributions (or any funds transfer?) was go to the IENPG, and how; and (3) make it clear to Gerardo and other presbytery folks that at very least the $50 a month should result in an e-mail connection between the two groups, and they should let us know as soon as that is up and running. Jane also reminded folks that the group had asked the visitors to produce some receipts for the visit-related expenses Crescent Hill had reimbursed.

The group talked about a possible Guatemala mission trip dates. In addition to talking about how we ought to clarify for ourselves and others the purpose of the partnership and of a possible trip, we talked about possible trip dates. The Presbyterian Church’s General Assembly meeting is the first week of July, and Crescent Hill is targeting late June as possible international Eastern Kentucky mission trip, and this trip would partly involved middle school youth. At some point in July seemed to be the most popular option. After the meeting Perry mentioned that the Mid-Kentucky Presbytery executive and possibly others from congregations the Estoreño Presbytery mission team visited might be interested. Perry warned that August might be out for 15 or older senior high youth, whom a Guatemala trip might include, as well as for K-12 educators, Claudia added. Perry pitched for visiting outlying churches this time, and Jane mentioned that an extended stay in homes – longer than the two nights a CHPC mission team did three years ago – might be too much for many Crescent Hill people.

The group talked about gathering next – again at 5:30 p.m. on Monday at James Lees – on February 6.

After the meeting Pastor Jane raised the possibility of a prayer vigil (which would be the fourth the Guatemala group has sponsored) with stations for various local mission partners, Estoreño Presbytery, friends around the state, mission workers we support, and others) (possibly after Easter?). The group had also talked during the gathering about possible shared/parallel Bible study – possibly involving more than just the Spanish-language/bilingual Sunday school class on our end – also possibly after Easter.

- Perry

Back in the saddle

2012-01-26T18:16:00.000-08:00

Monday gathering

2012-01-23T09:41:00.001-08:00

Crescent Hill folks interested in the Guatemala partnership will gather at the old James Lees Memorial Presbyterian Church, at 1740 Frankfort Avenue (at Frankfort and William Street) at 5:30 p.m. Monday, January 23 (before English language learner dinner/classes).

No doubt we'll want to talk about Guatemala partner visit follow-up, including bulletin board feedback, responses to their proposals, possible summer 2012 mission trip, and other partnership follow-up (parallel Bible study?, prayer vigil, possible local partner follow-up, fund-raising?).

We will have a short gathering. I will try to get us a room in the 1740 Frankfort Avenue building.
Everyone is welcome.

Late 2011 visit requests

2012-01-23T09:40:00.002-08:00

I counted as many as a dozen requests from Crescent Hill's Guatemalan partners during their late 2011 visit, for:

- Assistance with communication with us, which we essentially granted ($50 per month, perhaps bundled to lower the per-dollar wire transfer fees).

- Bibles and other (?) assistance to the Presbyterian Women organization and women of the presbytery.

- Assistance for another series of Q’eqchi’ Christian education materials. (I believe the presbytery obtained assistance from the national church to publish the first series.)

- Assistance for Spanish-language theological education of pastors. Recall that Roger Marriott and the Amigos de K’eckci’ were also trying to put together a theological training program for Q’eqchi’ pastors. (We should ask our friends about this - the presbytery had budgeted about $5,000 for this. Phil Beisswinger, following up on what Roger Marriott worked on, has been working on this and talked with our friends about it on their way back from Kentuckiana to El Estor.). (It’s possible to interpret our offer to send Brad or others to Guatemalan to do theological education as a version of this.)

- Subtly – assistance for continued building programs of churches in the presbytery. Our friends said they applied the $400 we sent last year to help a building program at the Peniel church in Boqueron (first one we visited two years ago), but that this did not cover all of the costs. I considered this a request for support for building programs.

- Subtly, general assistance for presbytery programs. They said they had raised a certain amount of money for this year and had already spent it. For some reason, I’m thinking they said they could use twice as much money as they raised (but I don’t remember the amount).

- Shared Bible study. They didn’t directly comment on whether they wanted to continue this, but they did say they had some of this, reported a little results, and complained that they had not heard from us as to our results.

- A mission/fraternal worker/volunteer for some time (?) to help teach Eng/lish and visit the churches/encourage presbytery ministries with them. This may overlap with our idea of sending someone to do theological education and an idea we’ve bandied around in the past of sending a young person from our congregation there for a couple of months. This could be one of us, or another adult, or a youth or young adult from Crescent Hill, and making a possible summer 2012 trip intergenerational might be taking one step in that direction.)

- “Relief” aid. It’s possible to interpret the cementing the floors of 17 houses, the assistance they have requested in the past for roofs being blown off of churches, and the food and clothing aid the presbytery/community just received from IENPG Diaconia/Presgov as relief aid.

- Water projects. The two men seemed interested in the water projects we discussed with the Elizabethtown Living Waters for the World people and especially Edge Outreach. I got no feedback on Lilith’s Faith Stories, but Jennifer said she thought only Ramiro understood the program. It’s possible that Macaria and the women might be more interested if they had more information about the program.

- Scholarship aid so that children of the presbytery (community?) might attend private schools and colleges. This is exactly the kind of aid that is available for a very small number of Q’eqchi’ students through the Walton Fund to go to private boarding high school in Coban, but I suppose it might be possible to expand this program to more students or to non-Coban students. We’d have to check with Roger about what’s happening with that school/that money, although it sounds like Gerardo is also on a Walton committee.

- Mutual prayer/prayer vigils. We didn’t talk too much about this.

Also: any additional follow-up with other people we talked with during the visit: Highland Presbyterian, Elizabethtown First Presbyterian, Portland Presbyterian, Ecclesia group, and so on?

- Perry

January prayers

2012-01-23T09:40:00.001-08:00

This month Crescent Hill church will pray with and for our Guatemalan partners:

- On Sunday, January 1, and the week thereafter: Lirio de los Valles church in El Estor’s San Jorge neighborhood, Pastor Mario Xo Ical and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, January 8, and the week thereafter: Puerto del Cielo church in the El Estor suburb of La Union.

- On Sunday, January 15, and the week thereafter: Jesus Es la Puerta church in the El Estor suburb of El Chupon.

- On Sunday, January 22, and the week thereafter: Jesus Es la Puerta church in the El Estor suburb of El Chupon. and worshipers.

- On Sunday, January 29, and during the week thereafter: Arca de Noe church in El Estor, Pastor Gerardo Ich Pop and family, and members, deacons, and elders

- On Sunday, February 5, and the week thereafter: Altar de Noe church in El Estor’s Los Cerritos neighborhood, Pastor Raul Contreras Tut and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

December gathering

2012-01-23T09:39:00.001-08:00

Half a dozen plus Crescent Hill folks who had helped organize the week-long Kentuckiana visit by representatives of Estoreno Presbytery gathered back at the Fireside Room Monday to give thanks to all who had helped with the visit, reflect, and look ahead to the future. Several people shared accounts of different activities in which only a few people were involved, and Soni shared a little about her interactions with Macaria, whom she had hosted. Even before the gathering, by e-mail the group had communicated a bit about overscheduling in the visit. Very early on in the visit, Carlos made a quick call to Gerardo, who unfortunately was ill (after the visit) and had been told by the airline that they found his checked luggage and put it on a bus to El Estor, but it never arrived. Follow-up may be in order. The group reflected some on the requests the presbytery reps had made, and some believed it is important to find a different, more affordable financial transmission mechanism. The group talked about the possibility of sending at least a couple of people to Izabal this summer, when there might be more review of the partnership. They also resolved to build a bulletin board in the front room and to get index cards to people in worship Sunday (December 18) and to ask the Elder of the Week to ask people to write comments/questions/reflections/ suggestions about the visit and to hand those to the ushers (?) during worship. Another gathering early in January – at a time and place to be announced – will be in order.

- Perry

Visit views

2012-01-23T09:38:00.000-08:00

Monday gathering

2011-12-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

Crescent Hill church folks interested in giving thanks and reflecting about the three Guatemalans' recent Kentuckiana visit, as well pondering the Guatemalans' requests and thinking about the future, will gather at 6:00 p.m. Monday (Decmeber 12) at the Fireside Room. Everyone is welcome.

December prayers

2011-12-11T17:46:00.000-08:00

This month Crescent Hill church will pray with and for our Guatemalan partners:

-On Sunday, December 4, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery youth and young adult organization, President Roderico Sacul Tiul, and other officers.

-On Sunday, December 11, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery as a whole.

-On Sunday, December 18, and during the week thereafter: Peniel church in Boqueron, Pastor Pablo Sacul, and members, deacons, and elders.

-On Sunday, December 25, and during the week thereafter: Familia de Noe church in El Estor’s Sinai neighborhood, Pastor Benjamin Sacul and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, January 1, and the week thereafter: Lirio de los Valles church in El Estor’s San Jorge neighborhood, Pastor Mario Xo Ical and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

Visit schedule

2011-11-29T11:47:00.002-08:00

Hi everyone, it's only about six hours until our Guatemalan partners are here in Lousiville!

Below is the closest we have on the schedule for their visit and folks who we know have committed to being involved. You will notice that most things listed are ALL WELCOME. We are serious about this. This is truly the time for "all the merrier." Things not marked for all are usually some small group or one on one times. If one of those really interests you the most, let us know and we're sure something can be worked out. If you did agree to do something and don't see yourself listed, just let us know. A lot of information is flowing and we probably just goofed. But please know we really do want everyone in the congregation to have the opportunity to be in the presence of these wonderful friends. Please take a look and find something you'd enjoy doing. There are many diverse opportunities. If you have any questions, contact Perry Chang at home, 384-4439 evenings, or Soni Castleberry 417-6481 anytime.

Tuesday, November 29

10:00 a.m. (CST) Arrive at the Guatemala City airport
12:30 p.m. (CST) Depart Guatemala City by air
4:30 p.m. (CST) Late lunch at the Houston airport
8:41 p.m. (EST) Arrive in Louisville – Flight 4481 ContinentalExpress (Express Jet Airlines) from Houston. Greetings/introductions, prayer for safe arrival and all head home! (ALL WELCOME!)

Wednesday, November 30

7:00 a.m. Breakfast with host families
9:30 a.m. Participate in Stephanie Gregory’s English as a Second Language class
at Fairmont Elementary School in New Albany IN
11:30 a.m. Lunch at La Rosita, 336 Pearl St., downtown New Albany IN and discussion of CHPC proposed schedule for the visit (ALL WELCOME!)
1:00 p.m. Visit the Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, IN (ALL WELCOME!)
3:30 p.m. Survival English class after-school at Fairmount Elementary School
5:00 p.m. Guatemalans debrief and relax on their own at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church (CHPC) Fireside Room/Education Building
6:30 p.m. Guatemalans have deacon-prepared dinner with church staff, Outreach Council
participants, session elders, deacons, and Guatemalan Partnership Task Force
7:00 p.m. Discussion about how our churches do outreach/mission/evangelism (ALL WELCOME!) Followed by Marc Daniels (aka Marcus Perry) juggling

Thursday, December 1

7:00 a.m. Breakfast with host families
8:30 a.m. Guatemalans debrief and relax on their own-CHPC Fireside Rm./Education Bldg. and then Pastor Jane gives tour of church buildings
11:00 a.m. Driving tour of Preston Highway area and discussion with Pastor Elmer Zavala (meet at Bethlehem Baptist Church, 5708 Preston Highway)
11:45 a.m. Lunch discussion with Mid-Kentucky Presbytery Ecclesia new ministries group at Kynn’s Paradise Café, 984 Barret Ave. (ALL WELCOM!)
2:00 p.m. Discussion with Carla McMillin and tour of United Crescent Hill Ministries,
150 State Street (off Frankfort Ave.) (ALL WELCOME!)
3:30 p.m. Discussion with Irene Spicer and tour Presbyterian Community Center (PCC)
731 S. Hancock St.(ALL WELCOME!
5:00 p.m. Guatemalans debrief and relax on their own-CHPC Fireside Rm./Education Bldg.
6:00 p.m. Potluck supper and Spanish-language conversation with Spanish class

Friday, December 2

7:00 a.m. Breakfast with host families
8:30 a.m. Leave CHPC to tour Edge Outreach, 414 Baxter Ave., at 9 a.m. (ALL WELCOME!)
10:30 a.m. Tour (in Spanish) of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (LPTS) with Carlos Lara (Meet at Winn Center)(ALL WELCOME!)
11:30 a.m. Mid-day worship at the LPTS chapel with one Guatemalan participating (ALL WELCOME!)
12:30 p.m. Lunch discussion with LPTS faculty, staff and students at LPTS dining hall in the Winn Center (ALL WELCOME!)
2:00 p.m. Coffee with Professor Carvalhaes at Heine Brothers (location TBA)
3:30 p.m. Guatemalans debrief and relax on their own-CHPC Fireside Rm./Education Bldg.
4:00 p.m. Convervation in CHPC's Fireside Room with Jennifer Thalman Kepler and other members of the Looking for Lilith theatre company regarding their work in Guatemala
5:15 p.m. Partnership discussion (CHPC Fireside Room) (ALL WELCOME!)
7:00 p.m. Guatemalan Mission Team members are dinner guests of the Lara family

Saturday, December 3

8:30 a.m. Register for the Santa Sprint and Stroll at Barrett Traditional Middle School, 2561 Grinstead Drive (back entrance). Cost is a $25 donation to support United Crescent Hill Ministries.
9:00 a.m. Walk the Santa Sprint and Stroll (ALL WELCOME!)
10:45 a.m. Discussion at CHPC Fireside Room about Advent and Christmas practices
at Crescent Hill church and Estoreño Presbytery congregations and among Crescent Hill and Estoreño families (ALL WELCOME!)
12 noon Lunch in the CHPC Fellowship Hall (ALL WELCOME!) (We would still welcome volunteers to make soup, bring bread or dessert or help set up or clean up.)
1:00 p.m. Partnership discussion – CHPC Fireside Room (ALL WELCOME!) (Translator still needed.)
3:00 p.m. Depart Louisville for 4:00 p.m. reception with the Elizabethtown (KY) First
Presbyterian Church’s Guatemala mission tssk force at the Swope’s Cars of Yesteryear Museum, 1100 Dixie Ave., in Elizabethtown (ALL WELCOME!)
6:45 p.m. Guatemalan Mission Team members are dinner guests of Andrea Trautwein

Sunday, December 4

8:00 a.m. Breakfast with host families
9:45 a.m. Spanish-language/bilingual Sunday school class, Fellowship Hall’s Upper Room (ALL WELCOME!)
11:00 a.m. English-language worship service (with Guatemalans sharing testimonies)
(ALL WELCOME!)
12:15 p.m. Potluck lunch (with Guatemalans speaking about what our partnership has meant to them) (ALL WELCOME!)
2:00 p.m. Parallel activities: French-language worship service and shopping with CHPC youth for United Crescent Hill Ministries-sponsored family
3:00 p.m. Guatemalans debrief and relax on their own-CHPC Fireside Rm./Education Bldg.
4:00 p.m. Presbyterian Women event at CHPC – Translator still needed (ALL WELCOME!))
5:40 p.m. Potluck supper at Highland Presbyterian Church’s “Christmas Around the World” with dialogue with their Nicaragua Mission Task Force.
Church location: 1011 Cherokee Road (ALL WELCOME!)

Monday, December 5

7:00 a.m. Breakfast with host families
8:00 a.m. Visit Churchill Downs backside
10:00 a.m. Visit Kentucky Derby Museum
(ALL WELCOME: Known to date: Perry Chang (D) and Soni Castleberry (D), and Jennifer Thalman Kepler(T) and hopefully Will Farrell (T)
12 noon Lunch at Subway at Science Center, 727 W. Main St. (ALL WELCOME!)
1:30 p.m. Any two museums – TBA- Science Center for the Lewis and Clark IMAX movie,
Slugger Factory, Frazier International History Museum, Ali Center or Kentucky Arts and Crafts (ALL WELCOME!) (Translator still needed)
4:30 p.m. Guatemalans debrief and relax on their own-CHPC Fireside Rm./Education Bldg.
6:30 p.m. Guatemala mission team members are dinner guests of Paula Tibbs and
Lengulula Kashama (still to be confirmed)

Tuesday, December 6

7:30 a.m. Breakfast with host families
8:45 a.m. Meet with Betty Meadows and Tony Aja at the Mid-Kentucky Presbytery office
at Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral, 421 S. Second St.
10:45 a.m. Meet with Hunter Farrell at Presbyterian Center
12 noon Lunch discussion with Presbyterian Center staff and downtown lunch group at Mayan Café, 813 E. Market St. (ALL WELCOME!)
1:15 p.m. Meet with Maria Arroyo @ Presbyterian Center
2:30 p.m. Tour proposed Portland Presbyterian Church campus, Portland Avenue at 32nd Street. (Meet at construction trailer with “Do Not Be Afraid” banner) (ALL WELCOME!)
4:30 p.m. Guatemalans debrief and relax on their own-CHPC Fireside Rm./Education Bldg.
5:30 p.m. Partnership discussion in CHPC’s Fireside Room (ALL WELCOME!)
7:00 p.m. Dinner at El Tarasco, Fairfax Avenue, off Shelbyville Road, across from Trinity High School (we have the back room reserved)(ALL WELCOME – fiesta time!)

Wednesday, December 7

4:45 a.m. EST Send off our partners with hugs and prayers at Louisville International Airport (ALL WELCOME!)
6:00 a.m. EST Depart Louisville by air
10:30 a.m. CST Brunch at the Houston airport
12 noon CST Arrive in Guatemala City
2:00 p.m. CST Depart Guatemala City by bus

Thursday, December 8

6:00 a.m. CST Arrive in El Estor

Host families: Soni and Brad Castleberry for Macaria Caal Maquin
Perry Chang, Stephanie Gregory and Vince Mathews for Pastor Ramiro Quib Caal
Jane Larsen-Wigger and Brad Wigger for Pastor Gerardo Ich Pop

- Soni

Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T20:46:00.000-08:00

You may have heard the news that three of the five representatives of Crescent Hill’s partner presbytery in Guatemala have obtained visas to visit Kentuckiana – NEXT WEEK! We thank God this week for the opportunity for Guatemalan and Crescent Hill Presbyterians to share with each other and learn from each other starting later this month. Prayerfully consider how you might offer our visitors a dose of Crescent Hill hospitality and how you might share with them and learn from their visit.

Slated to be here are:
- Gerardo Pop, the 65-year-old moderator of the presbytery and pastor of the largest church
- Ramiro Quib Caal, a 38-year-old elder and longtime presbytery officer
- Macaria Caal Maquin, a 50-year-old leader in the presbytery’s Presbyterian Women organization

Among the all-church opportunities to interaction will be:
- Welcome the Guatemalan mission team at 8:45 p.m. next Tuesday, November 29, at the Louisville airport
- A Saturday AM, December 3 all-church outing to Mammoth Caves
- Sunday, December 4, worship, during which a couple of the Guatemalans will speak
- Sunday, December 4 all-church potluck lunch, during which a couple of the Guatemalans will speak

The Guatemalans will also be connecting with some smaller groups, some of which you may be part of:
- Deacons, church staff, and Outreach Council participants at a 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 30 supper and discussion
- Spanish class participants at a 6:00 p.m. Thursday, December 1 potluck supper and class
- Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary faculty, staff, and students at midday worship and then at lunch in the Winn Center dining room on Friday, December 2
- Youth group at the United Crescent Hill Ministries/Target shopping trip after lunch Sunday, December 4
- Crescent Hill Presbyterian Women and other PW folks at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 4
- Presbyterian Center staff and Crescent Hill downtown lunch group for lunch downtown after Presbyterian Center mid-day prayer service at 12 noon, Tuesday, December 6

Crescent Hill folks may also hang out with our visitors during other activities or help drive or even translate between Spanish and English (if you’re able to). Let us know when you might be available and what for.

They're coming!

2011-11-25T20:39:00.000-08:00

Saturday gathering

2011-11-25T20:30:00.001-08:00

Crescent Hill folks interested in finalizing plans for the Kentuckiana visit by Estoreño Presbytery representatives will gather at Stephanie, Perry, and Vincent’s home at 3928 Kennison Avenue, sort of behind Trinity High School (campus pictured above) and Heine Brothers on Chenoweth Lane, at 9:45 a.m. Saturday. Everyone is welcome.

Monday

2011-11-20T12:54:00.000-08:00

Prayers for our five friends hoping to obtain visas to visit the United States, leaving El Estor at 1:00 a.m. tonight by car and traveling all night through Rio Dulce (pictured above). We should know Monday night whether they will be coming to visit Kentuckiana as planned (Tuesday PM, November 29, through Wednesday AM, December 7). A 6:00 p.m. Monday, November 28 meeting may be in order in advance of the visit.

Election results

2011-11-10T14:43:00.001-08:00

Otto Perez Molina, the former general and intelligence chief, won the Guatemala's president election this past Sunday, with 54 percent of the vote, against a populist candidate who emerged later during the election. Molina's Patriotic Party own a plurality in parliament, with more deputies than a short-lived coalition that included the outgoing center-left president's party, which endorsed Molina's opponent. Molina, like each man Guatemala has elected as president since the Peace Accords, ran second in the previous election

- Perry

Early November gathering

2011-11-02T11:37:00.001-07:00

Help plan the possible Kentuckiana visit by Crescent Hill’s Guatemala partners by participating in a gathering at 1:00 p.m. this Saturday, November 5, at Brad and Soni Castleberry’s at 209 Fairfax Avenue, Unit 1, kitty corner from the St. Matthews library and down the street from El Tarasco restaurant. Contact Soni at 896-8561 or Andrea at 895-1102 for more information. Everyone is welcome

Sunday's vote

2011-11-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

In the face of a fall of torrential rains, Guatemalans go to the polls this Sunday, November 4, for a presidential election runoff. The election pits retired Army General Otto Perez Molina (of the right-wing Patriot Party), who garnered some one-third of the vote in the September 11 first-round election), against populist millionaire businessman Manuel Baldizon (of the centrist Renewed Democratic Liberty Party), who garnered some one-quarter of the vote. There was no presidential candidate from the party of outgoing President Colom in the election. Opined PC(USA) mission co-worker Karla Koll about the two candidates: "Both are making lots of promises that can’t be fulfilled. Both are reported to have tied to drug cartels. The lack of political alternatives at the national level is a good reminder that change here will not come through the formal political process, but through people organizing at the community level to hold their leaders accountable. Please pray that the elections will take place without violence and intimidation."

- Perry

November prayers

2011-11-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

This month Crescent Hill church will pray with and for our Guatemalan partners:

-On Sunday, November 6, and the week thereafter: Hijo del Dios Viviente church in the village of La Guitarra outside of Livingston, Pastor Fidel Juc and family, and members, deacons, and elders

-On Sunday, November 13, and during the week thereafter: El Buen Samaritano church in El Estor’s Nuevo Amanacer neighborhood, and members, deacons, and elders.

-On Sunday, November 20, and during the week thereafter: Q’eqchi’ Estoreño, Izabal Presbytery Executive Committee, President Pablo Sacul, and other officers.

-On Sunday, November 27, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery Presbyterian Women organization, President Maria Coc Tial, and other officers.

-On Sunday, December 4, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery youth and young adult organization, President Roderico Sacul Tiul, and other officers.

EFL publicity

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

A dozen Crescent Hill, James Lees, and CCC folks gathered this past Wednesday to brainstorm about publicity for the joint English as a foreign language education ministry and, in the end, to plan its future. The group decided that the fall term would end as plan, on the Monday before Thanksgiving (November 21), but Monday would be a party, with no classes. The group decided on the Monday after the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday holiday (Monday, January 23) through Wednesday, March 14 as the dates for the winter term, and possibly Monday, April 9 (Easter Monday) through Wednesday, May 23 as the spring term. There was a wide discussion about publicity possibilities and a discussion of the need to remake the current flyer in a software that all could use (Phil volunteered to re-do it in Word) and possibly to include that students could start in the middle of the term and that the classes were not religious classes (for potentially leery non-Protestants). The group divvied up a range of different publicity responsibilities.

-Perry

Mid-October gathering

2011-10-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

Half a dozen Crescent Hill folks interested in Guatemala mission gathered at the Chenoweth Lane Heine Brothers Saturday morning. The group was updated on the flooding in Guatemala and on efforts to transmit invitation/endorsement letters to the Guatemalan group and to secure the group visa application appointments at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City.

The group discussed a possible schedule for the visit (see “Possible schedule” post), slated for Tuesday, November 29, through Wednesday, December 7. The group also talked about possible host households who would have enough room, be somewhat close to church, and/or include a Spanish speaker (including the Yeager family, Langley family, Bartlett/Asenjo family, Stimson/Van Marter family, Duverge family, Kepler family, and Rich/Foulkes family). Jane suggested the two women be housed together, which would leave only three other hosts. The group also talked about trying to host Ellen Dozier during the week that the Guatemalans are to be in Kentuckiana (it turns out Ellen will be in Guatemala during this time).

Claudia and Lowell volunteered to join Soni in educating Crescent Hill folks about opportunities to be involved in the partnership and to help out with the visit at the Mission Opportunity Fair

Left not addressed by the group about the visit: possible debriefing time for the Estoreño mission team, possible partnership discussion time, time for the mission team to communicate how the presbytery had spent the $400 Crescent Hill sent last fall, and possible connections with other local churches.

Carlos reached Pastor Gerardo by phone and he said the group had e-mailed asking for more info about the visit. They had also put together a $2,000 Christian education training proposal. The rain has not been bad in Izabal, but it has been very bad in adjoining areas (including Polocic Valley).

The group briefly talked about the joint English as a foreign language ministry (and the need to recruit more students for it) and the Spanish class. After the gathering some there urged the group to continue mixing up gathering spots among church, people’s homes, and establishments such as Heine Brothers because it can be hard to hear in Heine Brothers.

-Perry

Spanish class drama

2011-10-23T14:09:00.001-07:00

Hurricane Jova

2011-10-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Jova, which hit Mexico and Central America late last week, has brought landslides and killed some 60 people in Guatemala, according to PC(USA) mission co-worker Amanda Craft, who lives on the western side of the country, where the storm was worst. Amanda said she talked with Gerardo last week and folks in Izabal were doing OK. She also said the Guatemalan presidential runoff remains slated for Sunday, November 6, two days before Election Day in the United States.

-- Perry

Saturday, October 22 gathering

2011-10-10T09:19:00.001-07:00

Crescent Hills folks interested in helping plan Guatemalan partners' Kentuckiana visit, scheduled for later this year, in addition to discussing a few other issues, will gather at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, October 22, at the Heine Brothers on Chenoweth Lane in St. Matthews. Everyone is welcome.

October prayers

2011-09-29T05:21:00.001-07:00

This month Crescent Hill church will pray with and for our Guatemalan partners:

- On Sunday, October 2, and the week thereafter: Jesus Es la Puerta church in the El Estor suburb of El Chupon. and worshipers.

- On Sunday, October 9, and during the week thereafter: Arca de Noe church in El Estor, Pastor Gerardo Ich Pop and family, and members, deacons, and elders

- On Sunday, October 16, and the week thereafter: Altar de Noe church in El Estor’s Los Cerritos neighborhood, Pastor Raul Contreras Tut and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, October 23, and the week thereafter: Espiritu Santo church in El Estor’s San Marcos neighborhood, Pastor José Domingo Xo Ical and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, October 30, and the week thereafter: Monte Sinai church in the village of San Carlos El Pouvenir outside of Puerto Barrios, Pastor José Sub and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

Trip progress

2011-09-29T05:14:00.000-07:00

Amanda Craft (pictured above with her son), with whom Crescent Hill has been working on the possible visit by Estoreño Presbytery reps to Kentuckiana this fall, approved the new dates (Tuesday, November29-Wednesday, December 7 – in two months) and said Crescent Hill ought to be able to get new letters to her via colleague Karla Koll, who will stop back at the Presbyterian Center as she wraps up accompanying PC(USA) International Peacemaker Juana Herlinda in mid-October. In the mean time, Amanda said she would go ahead and set up the visa application appointments for the five reps. About the dates that have now been firmed up somewhat, commented Amanda: “PS - Wouldn't it be crazy if they actually got to see snow?!?”

-- Perry

Fall is here!

2011-09-25T19:09:00.000-07:00

New English as a foreign language teaching ministry coordinator Sky Ott reminded folks Sunday that the first day of classes for the spring term is one week from Monday, on October 2. Some publicity has gone up and teachers have been calling their students. Crescent Hill folks will prepare food, set up, and clean up the meal in two weeks, during the second week of class.

Crescent Hill Spanish teacher Ada Asenjo also announced via e-mail this weekend that the fifth term of the Spanish class will begin the same week as EFL, on Thursday, October 5. It will again run between 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, before choir practice, in the Fireside Room. Cost will be $70, for a seven-week session that will end the Thursday before Thanksgiving (November 17).

-- Perry

Food for Thought photographs

2011-09-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

Faith Stories project

2011-09-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

With her family looking on, Crescent Hill’s Jennifer Thalman Kepler explained the genesis and possible future of the Faith Stories project of her theater company, Looking for Lilith, at a Food for Thought lunch after worship Sunday. The project goes back to Jennifer’s year as a Presbyterian young adult volunteer in Guatemala, when women in Guatemalan asked what she did back in the United States and she explained she had been active in theater. Eventually, Looking for Lilith led workshops in which she helped women tell their stories and then develop them into a play, which they eventually performed for others. A key part of this process was encouraging and enabling women to reflect on their lives and their faith, including on challenges they faced and how they did and could overcome those challenges. Eventually women they worked with (including one from Izabal) began to want lead workshop themselves, helping Guatemalan reflect on their experiences with the health care sector, with poverty and hunger, and with domestic violence, and how they might confront those challenges. A touring play, in Spanish and English, reflecting on the lives and faith of women in both Guatemala and the United States, is also envisioned. During the recession, Jennifer conceded, funding for projects like this has been more difficult to assemble.

Looking for Lilith led a theater workshop for young people this summer at Crescent Hill, and they have been involved in the transformation of the old James Lees Memorial Presbyterian Church into a new 1741 Frankfort Avenue space. Crescent Hill and Looking for Lilith folks have talked about combining forces for a Faith Stories-like project in Estoreño Presbytery, and Lowell and Jennifer talked Sunday about Jennifer showing a longer video (longer than the one she showed Sunday) about the project at an upcoming Crescent Hill Guatemala partnership gathering.

-- Perry

Tentative new plans

2011-09-25T18:29:00.001-07:00

At the start of the Spanish-language/bilingual Sunday school class Sunday, Carlos (pictured above) reported to the other folks there (pictured below) that he had talked with Gerardo and that Gerardo explained that he and the four other travelers preferred to visit the week plus after Thanksgiving, from Tuesday, November 29, probably through Wednesday, December 7.

Carlos called back after worship Sunday to confirm: the Guatemalans would actually leave El Estor on Monday, November 28, and so would be ready to leave the Guatemala City (?) airport on Tuesday morning. It sounded like they were flexible enough to stay in Kentuckiana for a whole week and a night and therefore wouldn’t get back to El Estor until Thursday, December 8.

Gerardo had previously wondered about both the cost of the trip and the cold weather. But he said this weekend that there were some things they needed to care of at church the week Crescent Hill had suggested (the week before Thanksgiving), and this day-by-day schedule insured they only missed one weekend of worship services.

According to the schedule they suggested, they would be in Kentuckiana for most of the week and then here for the second Sunday of Advent and into the next week. They would not be here for a presbytery meeting or for the EFL ministry or Spanish class fall terms.

Carlos reported that Pastor Jane was OK with the schedule. The schedule may go to Amanda later this week unless other Crescent Hill folks articulately and assertively push alternatives.

Gerardo also laid out who the new members of the Estoreño Presbytery executive committee are: Gerardo himself, president; Benjamin Sacul, vice president; clerk, Raul Contreras (also slated to be on the team visiting Kentuckiana); Roberto Caal, treasurer; and Antonio Cubal, corresponding secretary, along with Mario Ich, Angel Sacul, and Noe Puv.

- Perry

Guatemalan film

2011-09-25T17:37:00.001-07:00

Crescent Hill’s Carlos and Hilda have been frequenting U of L’s Latin American Film Festival which this month has been focusing on films from Guatemala. At the Spanish-language/bilingual Sunday-school class, Carlos touted “The Return of Lencho,” a film shown this past Friday that illustrated the situation for creative Guatemalan young people. He also promoted the film to be shown this coming Thursday, at 7:00 p.m. in the new auditorium at U of L’s main Ekstrom Library, “Puro Mula” or “Slacker” (logo pictured above). A reception with the filmmaker, at 6:00 p.m., will precede the showing of the film, which will also be shown at 12 noon Friday at the same location.

Sunday lunch

2011-09-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

Sunday after worship and a bread and soup lunch, Crescent Hill’s Jennifer Thalman Kepler (pictured above left with baby Carolina) will speak – as part of the “Food for Thought” series – about the Faith Stories Project, which has taken place primarily in Guatemala. Coming out of her work as a PC(USA) young adult volunteer in Guatemala, the project has involved women telling faith formation stories and weaving them into theatrical performances. Fresh off hosting an indigenous Guatemalan woman who is involved in the project, Jennifer will tell us what might be next for the project, including possibly involvement with Crescent Hill’s Estoreño partners.

-- Perry

Gathering graphics

2011-09-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

Last day of summer gathering

2011-09-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

In between quiche and birthday cake, half a dozen Crescent Hill folks interested in the Crescent Hill’s Guatemala mission partnership gathered at the Fireside Room and talked among each other – and then with Pastor Gerardo, who it turns out was in the midst of the annual Estoreño Presbytery assembly – about when the Kentuckiana visit by presbytery representatives might be. The Crescent Hill group proposed Friday, November 10-Saturday, November 18, after the elections in Guatemala and the United States, but before Thanksgiving vacation (and even colder weather). Gerardo said he’d have to check in with the other four presbytery reps slated to go on the trip, only some of whom were at the meeting. He also hinted that they'd rather avoid arctic weather and said some folks wondered whether all the money spent on the visit would be better spent on projects in the presbytery. Gerardo said there was some violence associated with the election, but things have calmed down now. No effects of the earthquakes elsewhere in Guatemala. Carlos and Gerardo agreed to talk again on Saturday. No date was set for the next meeting, although Thursday, October 6 is a possibility and the need to talk more about both housing and a schedule for the visit presents itself.

- Perry

Start of new school year

2011-09-22T19:10:00.000-07:00

Fall got started with the first Spanish-language bilingual Sunday school of the year meeting at 9:45 a.m. Sunday in the Education Building Upper Room. Carlos introduced a Presbyterian Women “Horizons” Spanish-language Bible study on the Book of Revelation. Right off students noticed that the final book of the New Testament is called Apocalipsis in Spanish. But it turns in Greek apocalypse refers to that which is revealed. Discovers will continue this coming Sunday.

Then Wednesday folks from the three Presbyterian congregations continued to plan for the fall English as a foreign language term, which will begin Monday, October 2, with a discussion about teaching materials among half a dozen EFL teachers (pictured above).

- Perry

Thoughts and information

2011-09-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

Amanda, Rene, Gerardo, and Ellen Dozier (pictured above) all shared thoughts and information this week. Amanda messaged that, as far as she knows, the U.S. consulate is going to want to know exact dates, and Crescent Hill’s partners are going to receive visas for exact dates, rather than open-ended three-month visas whose clock starts whenever the partners arrive.

Rene – and, through Rene, Gerardo – e-mailed to say that they had gotten the e-mail about the possible delay with the trip and they were going to be meeting (apparently about the scheduling issues). They said they’d e-mail their recommendation.

Rene said there is a dispute about the local election in El Estor, pitting the mayor who was reelected against some others. Rene also said it has been raining some there, and Ellen said the part of the country that Izabal is in has gotten the worst rains lately, but no mass landslides.

Ellen reminded us that Karla Koll and Juana Herlinda, the PC(USA) international peacemaker whom Karla is accompanying, are currently here in Louisville (Karla, for the second time this summer/fall; Juana, with Crescent Hill’s own Paul, Jennifer, and Carolina). Ellen also said the high price of commodities such as corn, and the continuing Great Recession, are affecting ordinary Guatemalans like other people around the world.

Ellen recommended Crescent Hill folks check before the Thursday gathering to find out whether the Guatemalans have e-mailed, but call them Thursday either way (all the more so because Crescent Hill’s e-mail indicated there might be a phone call this week). Ellen stayed more or less agnostic on the how soon should the rescheduled visit be issue.

She said she had dinner with Carlos and Ana, who live about an hour from her, two weeks ago, and she remains open to trying to visit Kentuckiana during the visit by CHPC’s Guatemalan partners – but not if it’s during the second half of November and early part of December, when she’ll be in Guatemala partly as part of a Western North Carolina Presbytery trip to Guatemala.

-- Perry

Thursday gathering

2011-09-19T19:40:00.001-07:00

Crescent Hill folks interested in the Guatemala partnership wlil gather at 6:00 p.m. this Thursday, September 22, in the Fireside Room, largely to plan for the Guatemalan representatives' possible Kentuckiana visit. The gathering will end before choir practice at 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Everyone is welcome.

Earthquakes

2011-09-19T19:31:00.001-07:00

A series of eathquakes hit Guatemala, blocking roads and killing at least one person, apparently in south central Guatemala.

Change

2011-09-16T05:40:00.000-07:00

Amanda Craft and I have been in touch a couple of times this month. Earlier this month Amanda (pictured above with her son) let us know that she had received photos that would work for U.S. visas and she was prepared to make the Guatemalans appointments at the U.S. consulate. But Amanda also shared that she had changed her mind – she no longer thought it was realistic that the Guatemalans could get appointments and visas with enough time for us to buy airline tickets, before the first week of October (when we had planned the visit).

So I asked Amanda to hold off and let Crescent Hill folks consult with each other and – likely – with our Guatemalan partners. During that time I hoped we would decide about what to do. Especially as we’ve waited, the first week of October I suspect is out of the question. Amanda has said she thinks the Guatemalans should be there for the runoff election. She and I talked about waiting until after the elections in Guatemala and the United States. Jane won’t be here Thanksgiving week. That leaves us with the middle week of November.

Jane also raised the possibility of waiting and asking the Guatemalans to come in the spring, when the weather is better and when we may less busy than in mid-November. Amanda said either could work but she wondered with me about loss of momentum. She also raised a second concern: She is not 100% certain she is going to return to Guatemala after leaving at the end of the year, and so, if we wanted the Guatemalans to visit around Derby Week, for example, we’d have to shift to working with someone else (since Amanda will definitely be in the United States in mid-winter and might might not be returning at all). (That’d probably be Philip Beisswinger, Amanda said.)

But Amanda did say she thought she could help get visas in December for the Guatemalans for an early spring visit (like March).

So, if we want to stick with Amanda, we probably have a choice between something like the week before the week of Thanksgiving 2011 (for example, Friday, November 11, through Saturday, November 18) or the week before St. Patrick’s Day 2012 (Friday, March 9, though Saturday, March 17).

I have e-mailed the Guatemalans asking them for their preferences, but I suspect we’ll want to call them not later than our next gathering, at 6:00 p.m. next Thursday, September 22.

-- Perry

Election surprise

2011-09-13T03:34:00.000-07:00

Guatemala’s election Sunday produced somewhat of a surprise. No candidate – including the front-running right-wing presidential candidate Otto Perez Molina (pictured)– received the required 50 percent plus one simple majority. In a November runoff against Molina is a wealthy businessman turned populist who campaigned for aid for the poor and for the death penalty. Recall that the governing center-left government ended up running no presidential candidate, and public concern about violence translated into a election campaign focused on security issues.

-- Perry

Early September gathering

2011-09-13T03:19:00.000-07:00

Half a dozen plus Crescent Hill folks interested in Guatemala mission met Wednesday evening at Heine Brothers. Soni reported that the August yard sale made approximately $3,000 for Guatemala mission. People praised the organization of the event. Perry reported that Amanda Craft has finalized the Estoreño Presbytery representatives’ visa applications, is trying to set up their appointments at the U.S. Consulate in Guatemala, and has suggested Crescent Hill sit tight, rather than going ahead and buying airline tickets for October 7-15, or going ahead and moving the trip to a later date (like in November). The group agreed with that. Apparently if the five reps receive visas they will be for three months. The group agreed to go ahead and plan for a week-plus schedule for the visit, for October 7-15, knowing that it is possible the actual week/dates will need to be shifted. There was some discussion about the wisdom of the Huber Farm visit as the big non-Sunday activity for the Guatemalans to meet lots of Crescent Hill folks. The group worked on a tentative schedule, but agreed to meet at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 22, at the Fireside Room, to continue planning. Carlos talked about the presidential election this Sunday, September 11, in which the victor in the presidential race seems clear, and Perry mentioned a follow-up visit to the Boone County (KY) Jail immigrant detention center coming up later this month.

-- Perry

Land rights

2011-09-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

A Guatemala Mission Network notice alerted network participants to an underlying trend in Guatemala: a systematic effort by the Guatemalan military and police and private security guards to aid Guatemalan business interests and try to satiate their need for additional land by evicting indigenous families off their land. Indigenous families often lacked secure deeds, even though the peace treaty that the government and rebels negotiated in the early 1990s ostensibly guaranteed them land rights anyway. With mining, timber, and agricultural interests in search of more land, the weak government – even an ostensibly center-left government – is apparently only too willing to cooperate in transferring land to these interests, or unable to stop it. Apparently the United Nations Commission on Human Rights has taken in interest in this process – perhaps all the more so because the alliance of security forces have greeted organized efforts to the land confiscation with violence, including apparent assassinations in eastern Guatemala (including the woman pictured speaking above on a boat trip across Lake Izabal). It remains to be seen what the election of a new government – probably a right-wing government with links with Guatemala’s right-wing death-squad past and a vow to restore law and order. As far as the drug cartels and gangs, they were rumored to have connections with the center-left government, but they may be endemic enough to make their way – or be in charge – whoever is in power.

-- Perry

Separation

2011-09-02T14:38:00.001-07:00

Crescent Hill’s Hunter Farrell and Maria Arroyo joined several other PC(USA) World Mission personnel and several hundred listeners and questioners Thursday to dialogue about how the PC(USA) and the Presbyterian Church in Mexico came to be separated and what might come next, including for the many PC(USA) and Mexican congregations in partnerships and with trip plans, some as soon as next week. Mexican church leaders – who had taken a break from their partnership with the PC(USA) once before – had been following the vote on Amendment 10-A, which opened the door to possible ordination of gays and lesbians as deacons, (ruling) elders, and ministers (teaching elders). After the amendment passed both the PC(USA) General Assembly and enough presbyteries, this summer – Hunter, Maria, PC(USA) Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons, and others met with Mexican church officials to try to talk them out of breaking with the PC(USA). They asked tough questions, and the next day the all-adult male delegates to the Mexican General Assembly voted something like 110-30 in favor of severing the relationship, immediately after rejecting ordination of women again. Subsequently, Mexican church leaders have instructed Mexican presbyteries and congregations to maintain relationships only with PC(USA) presbyteries and congregations that voted against 10-A and are willing to sign a statement repudiating the adoption of the amendment. (The Mexicans have already asked Living Waters for the World to do this.) The church has said it will welcome back the PC(USA) into partnership if the PC(USA) reverses its stand.

Hunter, Maria, and others didn’t really have responses for all of the tough questions participants swamped them with via webinar. In particular, it wasn’t clear exactly what congregations and presbyteries with payments or visits planned for the next few weeks should do. PC(USA) leaders hedged on the exact meaning of the vote. On the one hand, to honor the decision, maybe we should not work in Mexico. On the other hand, very important ministries are going on in Mexico, on the U.S.-Mexico border, and in the United States with Mexican Americans others, and perhaps we can found other church, parachurch ministries, and even secular groups to partner with to carry out these existing ministries or start new ones (they hinted about Habitat for Humanity).

You might recall that the Guatemalan church – meeting back in May – shortly before the amendment passed the presbyteries – indicated they disagreed with the vote but would not break with the PC(USA)> Maria said no partner churches other than the Mexican church has broken with the PC(USA), but hinted that other churches – when their General Assemblies take place over the next year – may consider it. There’s no indication that the Guatemalan church will reconsider its position because of the stance of its northern neighbor church (in Mexico). However, questions may arise about it, and – should Crescent Hill folks own up to the fact that we initiated a version of the amendment in Mid-Kentucky Presbytery – something that Mexican church leaders, but perhaps not Guatemalan church leaders, may be aware of – interesting discussions may ensue.

PC(USA) leaders indicated that – historically – the Mexican church has been relatively conservative theologically, and note that on paper the Guatemalan church ordains women, while the Mexican church does not. Leaders also mentioned that – with 2 million members – the Mexican church is now almost as big as the PC(USA). They did not also mention that their country (Mexico) is slowly becoming a rising power in the world economy.

-- Perry

Fall EFL planning

2011-08-31T20:39:00.000-07:00

A dozen James Lees, Covenant Community, and Crescent Hill folks gathered Wednesday to plan the next term of English as a foreign language classes. The group agreed that the term should run from Monday, October 3, through Monday, November 21 (the Monday before Thanksgiving), accepted Sky (or Schuyler) Olt (Crescent Hill’s new seminary intern and an EFL old hand, pictured below) as a site coordinator, and agreed that we should ask Emiliano if he would serve as child care coordinator (with some compensation).

The lack of availability of a couple of teachers during September, plus the suggestion that terms not run too long, shifted the group towards the early October start date, even though this will mean Phil (pictured above), who facilitated the meeting, will need to tell some students involved in the Spanish-language ministry that September 12 will not be the start date. It’s possible that classes will not take place on Monday, October 31, which is Halloween. The group confirmed the 6:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. meal and 7-8 p.m. class schedule and the arrangement that class would only be canceled due to weather, etc. if JCPS classes were canceled.

Sky suggested that CHPC pitch in a Minute for Mission children’s activities leadership possibilities.

The three congregations involved split the meals along the following schedule: Week 1 (October 5-7): James Lees; Week 2 (October 10-12): CHPC; Week 3 (October 17-19): CCC; Week 4 (October 24-26): James Lees; Week 5 (October 31-November 2): CHPC; Week 6 (November 7-9): CCC; Week 7 (November 14-16): CHPC; Week 8 (November 21): James Lees (?). The congregations would be able to call on each other for help with meal preparation, set-up, and clean-up as needed.

Teaching assignments would stay more or less the same, which possibly a teacher or two recruited or brought back.

Prayers were requested for Rob Fohr, a fall/winter-term beginning class teacher who was hospitalized for several weeks, and also for Pastor Jane, who missed the gathering that she helped call to be at a family funeral out of state.

Phil also explained the transformation process at 1741 Frankfort Avenue, as it turns into a cooperative with a new name, new functions, a new look, perhaps new funds, and some new physical space (including possibly kitchen renovation). He said that EFL and Alcoholics Anonymous were deal breakers – in that he insisted those two programs get to maintain space. He said there might be opportunities for EFL teachers, students, et al. to be involved (physically or even financially) in some renovation/transformation, and invited folks to stop by during the next Fat Friday Trolley Hop event there, on Friday, September 30.

A group of teachers and teachers’ assistants agreed to meet at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21, at Stephanie’s Fairmont Elementary School (at 1725 Abbie Dell Avenue) off of Charlestown Road in New Albany (IN) (over either the 2nd Street or Sherman Minton bridge) to share educational materials/curricula and ideas and take a peek at some of Stephanie’s EFL materials/equipment (including a smarr board – on the EFL wish list!). All are welcome, and detailed directions will follow.

-- Perry

September prayers

2011-08-31T09:58:00.001-07:00

This month Crescent Hill church will pray with and for our Guatemalan partners:

- On Sunday, September 4, and during the week thereafter: Peniel church in Boqueron, Pastor Pablo Sacul, and members, deacons, and elders.

-On Sunday, September 11, and during the week thereafter: Familia de Noe church in El Estor’s Sinai neighborhood, Pastor Benjamin Sacul and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, September 18, and the week thereafter: Lirio de los Valles church in El Estor’s San Jorge neighborhood, Pastor Mario Xo Ical and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, October 25, and the week thereafter: Puerto del Cielo church in the El Estor suburb of La Union.

- On Sunday, October 1, and the week thereafter: Jesus Es la Puerta church in the El Estor suburb of El Chupon.

September gathering

2011-08-31T09:42:00.000-07:00

Join us at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 7, at Heine Brothers on Chenoweth Lane, for an important discussion about Crescent Hill’s partnership with the Q’eqchi’ Estoreño Izabal Presbytery in Guatemala, including the possible Kentuckiana visit by Estoreño representatives later this fall. Contact Perry at 384-4339 for more information.

Possible visit news

2011-08-31T09:39:00.000-07:00

Skype messages from Amanda Craft (pictured above with a Guatemalan associate) and a phone conversation between Carlos and Pastor Gerardo have confirmed that photographs fitting U.S. State Department visa specifications have been taken of the five Estoreño Presbytery representatives who hope to visit Kentuckiana, possibly this fall. Time is running short for the original October 7-15 visit we imagined. But Amanda has advised us to remain patient, not yet throwing in the towel on those dates but also not yet buying airline tickets for the five for those dates. She is working on setting up appointments up visa application appointments for the five. Pray for wisdom, energy, and patience for Amanda; for Gerardo, Macaria, Maria, Ramiro, and Raul; for U.S. officials; and for all of us as we continue this process.

--Perry

Guatemalan women

2011-08-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

Women in eastern Guatemala face everyday fear and injustice that constitute forms of violence that are NOT directly related to the widespread political violence, drug trade and gang-related violence, and killing of women in Guatemala.

This was the argument of Arizona State University’s Cecilia Menjivar (pictured above), who made a presentation at this weekend’s American Sociological Association Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. Guatemalans generally accept these forms of violence – they are “normalized.”

Professor Menjivar gave three examples of these forms of violence:
-A women tried to give birth to her third child in secret, because she was afraid her alcoholic husband would leave her if she gave birth to a third girl. The woman was relieved when the baby turned out be a boy.
-A woman described it as “torture” when she had no beans to feed her children.
-Women with semi-professional jobs reported how their husbands – sometimes cooperating with other family members – sharply regulated their ability to go out – timing their trips between work and home and forbidding them from spending the night at their parents’ house – ostensibly to protect their wives’ – and their families’ – reputations. This points – at least potentially – to the power of gossip as a means of keeping an eye on women and restricting their movement.

Menjivar studied Ladina women in an eastern Guatemalan town she did not name for five years. The results were included in a book published this past spring: Enduring Violence: Ladina Women’s Lives in Guatemala (pictured below. More information is available at: http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520267671

- Perry

Mid-August news

2011-08-14T14:13:00.001-07:00

Ellen shared with us news from Guatemala this week. Guatemala’s center-left political party, which won the presidency partly with votes from rural areas like Izabal, lost its presidential candidate for the fall election when Sandra Torres, recently divorced from the current president, was ruled ineligible to run. The 1990s Guatemalan constitution bans family members from succeeding as president and the court said that Torres – who blatantly got divorced from President Colom so she could run for president – was married to Colom for most of his term, and so it didn’t matter that they just got divorced. This virtually insures that the party of the right will win the presidential election. (Torres is pictured above on a banner carried last week by disappointed supporters.)

Already, Pastor Gerardo, in a rare mention of national politics, had indicated that the mission church in western El Estor, at El Chupon, that his church helped start, will lose its land, apparently if the party of the right wins the election. Late last week , the Guatemalan paper that Ellen reads reported – indirectly – that the beneficiary of such a land confiscation when not be a Canadian company, but instead a Middle Eastern company, which has just bought the Lake Izabal mining operation (pictured below).

The media has also reported other harrowing long-term news: the growing power of a Mexican drug cartel in Guatemala, including in Guatemalan politics (linked with rampant violence in Guatemala, including the recent killing of a famed Argentine singer); and the one-two punch of global recession and rising commodity (including food and energy) prices in Guatemala (as elsewhere) (coupled at times with bad weather).

--Perry

Yard sale images

2011-08-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

Good work!

2011-08-07T19:56:00.001-07:00

The original fund-raising goal for the August 6-7 yard sale was $3,000. And, with a couple of extra hundred dollars in items sold after worship Sunday and a couple of hundred in donations (including one from an anonymous donor to put us over the top), we made it! Thanks be to God and to several dozen Crescent Hill folks who donated items and volunteered (and especially to Soni and the anonymous donor and Ana who devoted much of her final pre-college weekend in Louisville to the sale, among many others who made big contributions).

Next on the burner: trying to help our partners nail down visa photos and visa application appointments, and trying to consolidate enthusiasm about the yard sale into enthusiasm about the trip (plus connecting again with some of the many non-church folks who were on hand for the final Wednesday deacons’ dinner or the yard sale).

Good work, everyone!

- Perry

El Estor e-mail translated (into English)

2011-08-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Pastor Gerardo send to brother Carlos on the phone Friday that the five people who are going to travel to the United States need more information for their application for U.S. visas. He also said that they would like to know more about the trip. The name of our church in English is Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church. In Spanish: Iglesia Presbiteriana Crescent Hill. The address of the building of our church is: 142 Crescent Avenue (in Spanish: 142 Avenida Crescent), in Louisville, Kentucky. The zip code is 40206 (in the United States). The telephone number is (502) 893-5381.

The pastor of the church is Pastor Jane (in Spanish: Juana) Larsen-Wigger). (The five people know Pastor Jane from our visits to El Estor and Coban.) Crescent Hill is a neighborhood in east Louisville, in the state of Kentucky. It is possible to communicate with the church by e-mail at: office@crescenthill.org.

This summer we are busy communicating with you all about the trip and working together to make money for the trip. On August 6 we are going to have a sale in the church to make money for the trip. Because of this, we d not have an itinerary now. But we are talking about the trip.

The five people are going to arrive in the Louisville airport on Friday night. It is possible that on Saturday the five people are going to go with a group from our church to a farm in Indiana (to pick pumpkins). It is possible that on Saturday night the five people are going to go to another Presbyterian church where people from our church and other people have a worship service and meal or Bible study in Spanish.

It is possible that on Sunday the five people are going to participate in a worship service at our church. We hope that one or two people from the five is going to preach at the service. A short message would be fine. After worship it is possible that we going to have lunch at church and many of the five people are going to talk with a group about their ministries in Guatemala and their life in Guatemala.

During the week it is possible that the five people are going to visit with Maria Arroyo and Hunter Farrell, people from our church who are leaders in the national church (the PCI(USA)) at the Presbyterian Center in Louisville and participate in a small worship service at the Center. It is also possible that during the week that five people are going to visit other people in Louisville: leaders of the Mid-Kentucky Presbytery in their offices, professors and students at Louisville Presbyterian seminary, and leaders in a theater company with people who work in Louisville and Guatemala. It is also possible that the five people are going to have dinner with students and teachers of the English classes that we have for people who do not speak English but would like to speak English (and participate in a class also?).

It is possible that the five people are going during the day to visit a very large and very old cave that is one and half hours more or less from Louisville. It is also possible that the five people are going to visit in Louisville a famous racetrack where horses compete in the spring and fall.

During the week that the five people are going to be in Louisville it is possible that each person is going to stay with a family from our church in their house or apartment. It is possible that the five people are going to eat some meals together in the homes of other families in the church. It is possible that other times one or two of the five people are going to dine with different families. It is also possible that they are going to have some meals in restaurants or at the homes of families from other churches.

I believe that it is also going to be important for the five people to have enough time to sleep and relax.

I hope that you all are going to communicate your ideas about the trip, including responses to our ideas.

It’s been hot in the United States in July. This past Wednesday the church had a festival for people in the neighborhood near our building. Many people were there and we hope that some of these people are going to return for a worship service or are going to begin a relationship with Jesus.

I understand that your country is going to have an election this fall. Best wishes with that and with your summer. Blessings for your ministries.

I hope to see some of you all soon.’

- Perry

End-of-July e-mail to EL Estor (in Spanish)

2011-08-07T19:39:00.000-07:00

Saludos!

Pastor Gerardo dijo a hermano Carlos por telefono viernes que las personas cinco quienes van a viajar a los Estados Unidos necesitan mas informacion para la aplicacion para las visas. El tambien dijo que ellos quisieran conocer mas sobre la viaje. El nombre de nuestra iglesia en ingles es: Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church. In castillano: Iglesia Presbiteriana Crescent Hill. La direccion del edificio de nuestra iglesia es: 142 Crescent Avenue (en Castillano: 142 Avenida Crescent, en Louisville, Kentucky. El codigo postal es 40206 (en los Estados Unidos). El numero telefonico es 502 893-5381.

La pastora de la iglesia es Pastora Jane (en Castillano: Juana) Larsen-Wigger. (Las personas cinco conocen Pastora Juana de nuestras viajes al Estor y a Coban.) Crescent Hill es en un barrio en el este de Louisville, en el estado de Kentucky. Es posible comunicar por correa electronica con la iglesia a: office@crescenthill.org

Este verano somos occupados comunicando con Ustedes sobre la viaje y trabajando juntos hacer dinero para la viaje. En 6 Agosto vamos a tener una venta a la iglesia hacer dinero para la viaje. Porque este, no tenemos un itinerario ahora. Pero somos hablando sobre la viaje.

Las personas cinco van a llegar en el aeropuerto de Louisville a la noche de viernes. Es posible que el sabado las personas cinco van a ir con el grupo de nuestra iglesia al estado de Indiana a una granja (picar calabazas). Es posible que el noche de sabado las personas cinco van a ir a una iglesia presbiteriana otra donde unas personas de nuestra iglesia y otras personas tienen un culto y una cena o una estudia Biblia en castillano.

Es posible que el domingo las personas cinco van a participar en un culto a nuestra iglesia. Esperamos que una persona de las personas cinco va a predicar al culto. Una mensaje cuarta seria buena. Despues el culto es posible vamos a tomar almuerzo a la iglesia y muchas de las personas cinco van a hablar con un grupo de la iglesia sobre sus ministerios en Guatemala y su vida en Guatemala.

Durante la semana es posible que las personas cinco van a visitar con Maria Arroyo y Hunter Farrell, personas de nuestra iglesia quienes son lideres de la iglesia nacional (PCUSA) al Centro Presbiterio en Louisville y participar en un culto pequeño al Centro. Es tambien posible que durante la semana las personas cinco van a visitar con otras personas en Louisville: lideres del presbiterio en Louisville en su oficina, profesores y estudiantes al seminario presbiteriano en Louisville, lideres de una o dos otras iglesias presbiterianas en Louisville, y lideras de un compañia de teatro con personas quienes trabajan en Louisville y en Guatemala. Es tambien posible que las personas cinco van a tomar cena con estudiantes y maestros de las clases de ingles que tenemos para personas quienes no hablan ingles pero quisieran hablar ingles (y participan en una clase tambien?).

Es posible que las personas cinco van a visitar durante un dia un cueva muy larga y muy anciana una y media horas mas o menos de Louisville. Es posible tambien que las personas cinco van a visitar en Louisville una hipodromo famoso donde caballos competir en la primavera y en otoño.

Durante la semana que las personas cinco van a estar en Louisville es posible que cada persona va a quedar con una familie de nuestra iglesia en su casa o apartamento. Es posible que las personas cinco van a tomar unas cenas juntos en casas de familias diferentes de la iglesia. Es posible que otras veces una or dos personas de las personas cinco van a tomar cenas con familias diferentes. Es posible tambien que ellos van a tomar unas cenas en un restaurante o a la casa de una familia de una iglesia otra.

Credo que va a ser importante que las personas cinco tambien tener tiempo suficiente dormir y relajarse.

Espero que Ustedes van a comunicar sus ideas sobre la viaje, incluyendo respuestas a nuestras ideas.

Tenemos calor en los Estados Unidos en Julio. El miercoles pasado la iglesia tenemos una fiesta para las personas en al barrio acerca de nuestro edificio. Muchas personas estuverion alli y esperamos que unas de estas personas van a regresar para un culto or van a encontrarse a Jesucristo.

Entiendo que su pais va a tener un eleccion nacional este otoño. Buena suerte con este y con su verano. Bendiciones para sus ministerios.

Esperamos ver unos de Ustedes pronto.

Pedro

All-church yard sale

2011-08-05T04:54:00.000-07:00

8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, August 6. Fellowship Hall. Children's toys, games, and clothes. Classroom supplies. Household decorations, furniture, and books. Proceeds go to help bring our Guatemalan partners to Kentuckiana, hopefully this fall.

Would-be visa photos

2011-07-29T06:15:00.003-07:00

End of July communications

2011-07-29T06:15:00.001-07:00

Carlos and I talked with Pastor Gerardo in Guatemala Friday afternoon, after Amana Craft and I communicated about the possible October trip by computer earlier in the week. Amanda and Carlos had talked by phone several times about the Guatemalans’ effort to secure photos of themselves that would be acceptable to the U.S. authorities. Thursday Rene, the IT person for Pastor Gerardo’s church, sent us pictures the five Guatemalans slated to visit us had had taken. But Amanda said that in these beautiful pictures (shown on the next blog post) the Guatemalans were facing to the side, instead of to the front. On the phone, Gerardo suggested that they might go ahead and pay to get pictures taken through a firm that was used to taking them for U.S. visas.

Gerardo also said that the Estoreño Presbytery’s annual meeting would be Sept. through Sept. 24 all the way over in Guitarra, near the Gulf of Honduras coast, where the presbytery’s northeastern-most church is located. West of El Estor, at El Chupon, said Gerardo, the presbytery’s troubled mission church stands to lose their land after Guatemala’s early fall presidential elections. If the right-wing opposition party wins, Gerardo expects the government to take the land – I suspect, for the nickel mining company.

Gerardo also indicated that he needed more information about the trip for the visa application and that he and the other four were interested in what they would be doing in Louisville. He also indicated that they would try to front the visa application money but would come back to us if they needed money or for reimbursement.

-- Perry

August prayers

2011-07-29T06:01:00.001-07:00

This month Crescent Hill church will pray with and for our Guatemalan partners:

-On Sunday, July 31, and the week thereafter: Hijo del Dios Viviente church in the village of La Guitarra outside of Livingston, Pastor Fidel Juc and family, and members, deacons, and elders

-On Sunday, August 7, and during the week thereafter: El Buen Samaritano church in El Estor’s Nuevo Amanacer neighborhood, and members, deacons, and elders.

-On Sunday, August 14, and during the week thereafter: Q’eqchi’ Estoreño, Izabal Presbytery Executive Committee, President Pablo Sacul, and other officers.

-On Sunday, August 21, and during the week thereafter: On Sunday, February 6, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery Presbyterian Women organization, President Maria Coc Tial, and other officers.

- On Sunday, August 28, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery youth and young adult organization, President Roderico Sacul Tiul, and other officers.

- On Sunday, September 4, and during the week thereafter: Peniel church in Boqueron, Pastor Pablo Sacul, and members, deacons, and elders.

Trip update

2011-07-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

Amanda and I spoke by Skype Tuesday. She and Pastor Gerardo spoke last week and she is waiting for him to find out more about whether there is a local agency in El Estor, Rio Dulce, or Puerto Barrios where they could start the application process to obtain a visa to visit the United States. Amanda sought more avenues to find out about this – which was new to Gerardo – and we agreed to have us e-mail Rene and Luis to find out more about this, and then she may follow up with a phone call to Gerardo at the end of the week. Amanda said that once the process starts they may be able to schedule an appointment at the U.S. consulate in Guatemala CIty for within about a month. Amanda said the cost for this initial phase of the application process could be as much as 1,000 quetzales, or about $125, which we might be able to reimburse them for. Also, Amanda said she would make photo-copies of the letters of invitation and endorsement that Pastor Jane, Maria Arroyo, and Betty Meadows signed, and send that by courier to Gerardo in El Estor. We could reimburse Amanda for these expenses.

--Perry

Yard sale

2011-07-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

Do you have clean, lightly used items that you want to find a new home for? Have a need for something at home or in your yard or car that you don’t want to spend a fortune on? Want to be involved in a different way in Crescent Hill’s Guatemala mission partnership?

Please collect that gently used furniture, children’s toys or clothes, sporting goods, jewelry, decorative household items, craft items, books, tools, and so on items and bring them to the church Fellowship Hall between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Thursday, August 4, and between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. and between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Friday, August 5. Contact Soni Castleberry (417-6481) if you need to deliver items before Thursday or if you need help with transportation.

You’ll also have the opportunity to bring your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and yourself to look for that special something at the yard sale itself, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 6.

Proceeds from the yard sale will be used to bring five representatives of Guatemala’s Estoreño Presbytery, with which we are in partnership, to Kentuckiana, hopefully this fall.

July prayers

2011-07-11T09:13:00.001-07:00

This month Crescent Hill church will pray with and for our Guatemalan partners:

- On Sunday, July 4, and during the week thereafter: Arca de Noe church in El Estor, Pastor Gerardo Ich Pop and family, and members, deacons, and elders

- On Sunday, July 10, and the week thereafter: Altar de Noe church in El Estor’s Los Cerritos neighborhood, Pastor Raul Contreras Tut and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, July 17, and the week thereafter: Espiritu Santo church in El Estor’s San Marcos neighborhood, Pastor José Domingo Xo Ical and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, July 24, and the week thereafter: Monte Sinai church in the village of San Carlos El Pouvenir outside of Puerto Barrios, Pastor José Sub and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

- On Sunday, July 31, and the week thereafter: Hijo del Dios Viviente church in the village of La Guitarra outside of Livingston, Pastor Fidel Juc and family, and members, deacons, and elders

No July gathering

2011-07-07T05:40:00.001-07:00

We’re going to skip our scheduled Saturday morning, July 9 gathering. We’ll be sending out an update on the Saturday, August 6 yard sale, with reminders of assignments, and updates on any news on the visa application front. Please continue to do advance work for the yard sale, including asking your friends, neighbors, extended family members, and co-workers to contribute items. The Scout Hut is open for items.

Blessings to those who have just come back from Big Tent or who are going to the Boone County Jail immigration detention center, leading the EFL advanced class, studying Spanish, or participating in Spanish-language worship or Bible study at James Lees this month.

- Perry

Spanish class charades

2011-07-06T20:12:00.001-07:00

May-June EFL graduation

2011-07-06T19:54:00.001-07:00

June jpgs

2011-07-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

June gathering

2011-06-13T14:47:00.001-07:00

Almost a dozen Crescent Hill folks gathered Saturday at Heine Brothers to talk about Guatemala mission. Atop the list of topics for discussion was the possible October 7-15 visit by five Guatemalan partners. The group talked how the five Estoreño Presbytery reps slated to visit had obtained Guatemalan passports, with some assistance from Amanda in Antigua, and Crescent Hill had given letters of support/invitation to Amanda – from PC(USA)’s World Mission’s Maria Arroyo, from Mid-KY Presbytery’s Betty Meadows, and from Pastor Jane. Amanda is slated to be in the United States for a week or two, and then will carry those letters back to Guatemala, to give to the reps when they travel to Guatemala City for their visa application appointment (which Amanda will also attend) later this summer. Amanda is also to double-check the visa application fees and procedures. She will be in touch with both Crescent Hill and Estoreño folks, so that Crescent Hill might send money in advance for that and Estoreño folks might start making arrangements. The Crescent Hill group authorized sending the presbytery money very soon as reimbursement for invoiced costs associated with obtaining passports (fees, travel, lodging).

The group talked about the yard sale to raise funds for the trip, slated for the Crescent Hill Education building on the weekend of Saturday, August 6. Soni outlined some tasks associated with the yard sale, and folks attending volunteered to help lead various work groups (Doug and Perry for Publicity, Claudia and Lowell for Pre-sale, Ana for Logistics, Carlos and Nora for Clean-up, with no one yet signed for same-day Check-out). Other people who might help lead work groups were discussed. There was a fair amount of discussion about strategies of publicizing the yard sale, pick-up, and related issues. Soni’s to-do list about the yard sale will be distributed, and Soni will write an article for the July newsletter (to follow up on the article in the June newsletter).

The group moved outside and Ana and Carlos called Pastor Gerardo, with whom Carlos talked about at some length. They talked about logistics for the trip, about the Guatemalan Presbyterian church’s General Assembly, and about prayer concerns: the neighboring Izabal Presbytery (south of the lake), the Estoreño Presbytery, and Gerardo, who has taken on two additional responsibilities for the Guatemalan church, including serving on a committee for the Walton Fund.

Afterwards, the group talked about a possible visit to the immigrant detention center at the Boone County Jail in northern Kentucky. Information about this visit was discussed, and Pastor Jane, Claudia, Cora, Diana, Doug, Perry, Soni, and possibly Stephanie have expressed interest in going.

The group also talked about issues raised in letters from PC(USA) mission co-workers. First, in a letter and blog entry Philip Beisswenger talked about the discussion at the Guatemalan GA meeting in late May (which Gerardo did not bring up on the phone) where church leaders said we’d agree to disagree. They were not fans of the policy change, but they agreed to stay in relationship with the PC(USA). (For more information, see Philip’s blog entry at: http://pbpres.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/wrap-up-of-ienpg-synod-meeting.)

Second, a couple of recent communications dealt with incident of violence, including the murder of a female Q’eqchi’ activist in the neighboring Polocic Valley. PC(USA) mission co-worker Karla Koll, who has spoken at Crescent Hill and with mission team members in Guatemala City, dealt with this more broadly in another blog post, at: http://missioncrossroads.ning.com/profiles/blogs/some-thoughts-on-violence-in

Finally, Carlos asked Gerardo for the travelers to think about what they wanted to do while in Kentuckiana. Gerardo said they were interested in what Crescent Hill folks wanted to do with them while here. Something else Gerardo said suggested meeting with some church leaders at the Presbyterian Center might be in order. The group also discussed other ideas: a church fellowship event like going to Hubers, a trip to Bernheim Forest or Mammoth Caves, visits to the presbytery office or seminary, as well as the possibility of \Gerardo (or Raul Contreras) preaching, of them going to a Sunday school class or being part of a Food for Thought lunch, or an EFL meal.

The group agreed to meet next at 9:30 a.m., on Saturday, July 9, at Brad and Soni’s place, also in St. Matthews.

-- Perry

Additional detention details

2011-06-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

In an e-mail exchange last week with Louisville immigration lawyer Becca O’Neill (pictured above right), Crescent Hill folks interested in participating in the Friday, July 15 visit to the Boone County (KY) immigration detention center learned more details. Many detainees speak only Spanish, and for this the lawyers need volunteer interviewers who speak Spanish fluently. Volunteers who are fluent in Spanish, therefore, are almost never turned away. French and Arabic are also popular languages, and sometimes detainees also speak other languages. Some detainees speak English, and volunteers who speak English only are assigned to interview them, as well as to provide clerical help during the visit. There is a cap on the number of English-speaking volunteers the program needs for each visit, and so folks interested in doing this should volunteer early. There is no room for non-interviewer “observers.”

Volunteers must participated in a training the night before a visit, in addition to being at the jail no later than 7:45 a.m. Friday morning. Most Crescent Hill folks who participate in the Friday, July 15 visit will probably go to the 6:15 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Thursday, July 14 training. Another option is to participate in the training this Thursday, June 16, which is the night before Friday, June 17 visit, which Mid-KY Presbytery staffer Tony Aja is going to go on. Both trainings are in Room 171 of the University of Louisville law school building.

- Perry

More good news!

2011-06-06T17:44:00.000-07:00

Amanda, Maria Arroyo, and others met at the Presbyterian Center World Mission offices, and Amanda received Maria's notarized letters endorsing the visit from each of the Estoreño Presbytery reps. Afterwards, Debby Vial, and Amanda - with Amanda's child in tow - met briefly and passed on letters from Pastor Jane and General Presbyter Betty. Perry will mail replacement letters from Betty to Amanda in Pennsylvania, where she is going to be with her father, who is ill, after she receives even better-looking versions. Amanda suggested that - whether Crescent HIll sends money to the presbytery now for the passport expenses or combines it with some passport expense reimbursement - the church definitely send the money the five will need to make visa application appointments and to apply for the visas in advance of the next trip to Guatemala City- as they will need to pay these not small amounts in advance. Amanda said she would double check the amounts upon her return to Guatemala. Amanda suggested sending visa application trip travel expenses money later, closer to whenever they and Amanda go in July or August, to make sure the money is still available - not spent - at the time they go.

-- Perry

Chenoweth Lane gathering

2011-06-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

Crescent Hill folks interested in the Guatemala mission partnership will meet at 9:30 a.m. this coming Saturday, June 11, at Heine Brothers on Chenoweth Lane, to talk about the probably fall Kentuckiana visit by our Guatemalan partners and fund-raising for that.

Transitions

2011-06-05T13:40:00.001-07:00

Language activities were in some flux early this month. The Spanish class at Crescent Hill church started up again, with Ada at the helm. Students were mainly the same as the spring term, but two new students - Anne and Clara - joined the class. Summertime Spanish-language worship, dinner, and Bible study continued on Saturday evenings at James Lees. The May-June English as a foreign language classes, with dinner, were to continue two more weeks into June, with this coming week being Crescent Hill's final week cooking. Next week will see Crescent Hill's Ana's final week as child care coordinator. And - after a week off - the final class of Crescent Hill's Sunday morning Spanish-language Sunday school, which has focused on the Book of Job, took place this past weekend. Half a dozen of the class's regular attenders were there to reflect on passages to the promised land and the meaning of war and peace yesterday and today, in the Middle East and elsewhere. Pictured above and below are the inaugural summer Spanish class.

Letters

2011-06-05T13:32:00.001-07:00

Letters of invitation and endorsement are coming together, which are a crucial part of efforts to win U.S. visas for the five Estoreño Presbytery representatives slated to visit Kentuckiana this fall. Carlos and Perry talked with Pastor Gerardo during the Guatemalan national church's General Assembly in late May, and Perry received an e-mail confirming the names of those slated to visit. Then, before leaving town, Pastor Jane printed out and signed letters for each of the five on CHPC letterhead. Mid-Kentucky Presbytery General Presbyter Betty Meadows has prepared letters of endorsement on presbytery letterhead, which she will deliver to us this coming week. And Maria Arroyo has signed, and had notarized, letters of endorsement from her and the national church. Amanda is slated to be in Kentuckiana this month and to retrieve the letters, which she is to take back with her and take with them when she goes with the five to their visa appointments. Amanda's schedule has apparently become complex, but this should all work out soon.

-- Perry

Great news!

2011-05-16T15:38:00.000-07:00

Amanda has kept Crescent Hill folks abreast through Facebook messages of the progress of the five presbytery reps traveling from Izabal to Guatemala City and trying to obtain passports. Three of the reps were able to arrive Sunday night, and two more arrived separately. A traffic jam between Antigua and Guatemala City prevented Amanda from meeting them, but she kept in regular telephone contact with Gerardo. Amanda learned about 5:00 p.m. Monday that all five have now obtained their passports and are en route by bus back to Izabal. Amanda hoped to clarify their names with them, by e-mail, and Perry will try to communicate with them about some cost reimbursement by e-mail. Prayers to Gerardo, Ramiro, Raul, Maria, and Macaria as they bus this evening.

-- Perry

Bye, Jen!

2011-05-16T15:32:00.003-07:00

Jen was the coordinator of the joint James Lees-Covenant Community English as a foreign language education ministry last year and an important part of that ministry, along with the Spanish-language worship and Bible study at James Lees, this year. After graduating from Louisville seminary in late May, Jen left for a summer position in Southern California. Before leaving, the Spanish language worship group - which includes a number of EFL students - feted Jen with a beautiful necklace.

May meeting mementos

2011-05-16T15:32:00.001-07:00

May gathering

2011-05-16T15:22:00.000-07:00

A group of Crescent Hill folks gathered at Keith and Andrea’s home Saturday morning to brainstorm about the possible Kentuckiana visit by representatives of church’s Guatemala partner presbytery (Estoreño), fund-raising for that, and other issues.

Ana reported that her father and Pastor Gerardo had talked Friday and that the five presbytery reps were planning to leave Sunday and arrive Monday to meet Amanda, who would provide moral support as they went to apply for Guatemalan passports. Carlos had obtained exact names for the slightly revised list of five. They included Gerardo (Ich Pop), an elder (Ramiro Quib Caal), two women (Maria Coc Tiul and Macaria Caal Maquin) and a representative of the youth and young adult organization (Raul Contreras). There was no discussion about money (by Gerardo and Carlos), even though the group has indicated that the church will help them cover the costs of travel (and it turns out the passport application fee is $30). Amanda had also reported on these plans.

Later on the group confirmed tentative trip dates (Friday, October 7-Saturday, October 15) – which will be important to include – along with the exact names – in hard-copy letters from Pastor Jane, Maria Arroyo of the PC(USA)’s World Mission, and Mid-Kentucky Presbytery Executive Betty Meadows that the church will give Amanda when she is in Louisville in June (and she’ll have the letters when they come back to seek applications).

The group ended up not calling Gerardo back again (although Carlos called later in the day, and apparently this time talked about them keeping receipts), as all of the Spanish speakers eventually went on to Jennifer and Paul’s baby shower.

Soni followed up on a meeting the previous week with Ana, Jane, Lowell, and Perry about fund-raising options for the visit (which needs something like $2,500). She proposed two possible dates for a possible yard sale, and the group leaned towards a one-and-half-day yard sale (Saturday, August 6, and Sunday after worship) with no pre-sales, possibly emphasizing certain types of items. Soni agreed to write a article for the June newsletter, highlighting for church members the need for items and the cause(the visit). Another small group meeting about the sale will follow, at a time and place to be announced.

The group also discussed a possible visit – in connection with the University of Louisville Law School – with immigrants detained at the Boone County Jail (in northern Kentucky). Dates discussed were Friday, June 17, when the presbytery’s Tony Aja may go, and Friday, July 15, when Pastor Jane may be going. Some people seemed interested.

Even later on, the rest of the group talked about trying to invite International Peacemaker Juana Herlinda (who has links with Jennifer’s Looking for Lilith Faith Stories project)and PC(USA) mission co-worker Karla Koll to speak at church this fall, possibly as part of a Food for Thought talk and possibly as a tune-up for the Estoreño visit. (Unfortunately, it turned out Sunday that this pair already has more than enough invitations for the month they will be here. Other speakers are still available.)

The remnants also talked briefly about the Thursday, June 30-Saturday, July 2 PC(USA) Big Tent mega-conference in Indianapolis and, in particular, the World Mission Matters conference in which several Crescent Hill folks are slated to speak or lead workshops. Also discussed was the PC(USA) vote earlier in the week that passed a change to the PC(USA) rules which gives congregations and sessions more leeway to ordain gays and lesbians. Estoreño partners will probably learn more about this change, which Crescent Hill played a role in, at a May 23-27 General Assembly of the national church in Guatemala. (Carlos’ Sunday school class also talked about this a little more Sunday morning.)

A few people talked about possible follow-up dates. Perry had floated 9:30 a.m., Saturday, June 10, 9;30 a.m. Saturday, July 9, and 9:30 a.m. Saturday, August 13, at locations to be announced. Folks discussed whether Saturday, June 3, or Saturday, June 17, might be preferable to June 10. Weeknight gatherings are also possible.

- Perry

Big Tent!

2011-05-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago national denominational leaders decided that the Indiana immigration control bill had been watered down enough that the PC(USA) could go ahead with the Big Tent 2011 mega-conference up the road in Indianapolis, as planned. The conference will take place at the J.W. Marriott hotel in downtown Iny.

A number of Crescent Hill folks are involved in the conference, for work. The conference includes some dozen speciality conferences, along with joint sessions and worship services. A focus of the Big Tent for some Crescent Hill folks might be the World Mission Matters conference, which starts Thursday night (June 30) and goes through Saturday morning (July 2). A special dinner for this event will take place Friday night at 6:00 p.m. ($40 each), with mission workers and local partner leaders from Thailand speaking. A world mission cafe and video screening will start at 8:00 p.m.

Among the other sessions that are part of the World Mission Matters conference are:
- Crescent HIll's own Hunter Farrell's lunchtime talk on "Global Discipleship: From Loaves and Fishes to Changing the World" Friday at 12 noon
- "Congregational Care and Support for Mission Workers" workshop at 4 p.m. Friday
- "Mission Trips: From Tourism to Partnership" workshop workshop, also at 4 p.m. Friday
- Crescent Hill's own Tricia Lloyd-Sidle and Christine Coy Fohr's workshop on "Adressing the Root Causes of Poverty," also at 4 p.m. Friday
- Crescent Hill's own Bruce Whearty and partner's workshop on "Talents and Treasure: Funding Mission Co-workers," at 10 a.m. Saturday
- Crescent Hill's own Martha Bettis Gee's workshop on "Human Trafficking: Modern-Day Slavery," also at 10 a.m. Saturday
- "Arts for Mission" workshop, also at 10 a.m. Saturday
- some-time Crescent Hill worshiper Chris Iosso's workshop on "Short-term Trips, Long-term Understanding: Using the PC(USA) Globalization Policy with Young People," also at 10 a.m. Saturday

There are also some special events for youth and young adults, including special World Mission Matters conference events for young adults.

-Perry

Back in the saddle

2011-05-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

The May-June English as a foreign language teaching ministry term got started during Derby week with a good crowd. New teachers included Crescent Hill’s Carla and Janine. New food preparers included Crescent Hill’s Laura, Elaine, and – during the second week – Anne. Pictured above are students and teachers dining before class this Monday, and below are Jade and her mother, a student in the beginners’ class.

-- Perry

Fund-raising

2011-05-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

Last week Ana, Jane, Lowell, Perry, and Soni met brainstormed before EFL classes at James Lees about strategies for raising funds for the Guatemalans' possible visit to Kentuckiana. The group leaned towards an August yard sale at Crescent Hill - perhaps focusing on jewelry and kids' clothes and toys - as a sure money-maker. The group hedged on a fund-raising concert or other kinds of event - perhaps with a musical act such as the above or also with food - unsure partly about musical act availability. More later.

Saturday gathering

2011-05-09T12:28:00.001-07:00

Join us at Keith and Andrea's in the Woods of St. Thomas for discussion about the Kentuckiana visit of Guatemala partners, fund-raising for that, and possible follow-up on immigration issues. A telephone conversation with Pastor Gerardo is likely to be included. Contact Andrea at 429-4558 for directions. Everyone is welcome.

Possible detention center visits

2011-05-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

Mid-Kentucky Presbytery is organizing an immigration issues team, and an initial event may relate to the last subject that came up during Julia Thorne’s May 1 talk: detention (and deportation) of immigrants who are suspected of not being in the United States legally. Tony Aja of the presbytery, Becca O’Neill (a lawyer who spoke at the KY American Civil Liberties Union immigration forum last month), and the University of Louisville law school have organized some visits to a KY detention center: the Boone County Jail (located in northern KY in the county with the Florence Mall and the confluence of Interstates 71 and 75). Visits, which are to include a training the night before and being at the jail no later than 7:45 a.m., are slated for: May 20, June 17, and July 15. Tony has indicated an interest in going on June 17 (which is a Friday), and Pastor Jane has done so for July 15 (also a Friday).

This would be one way to follow up on Julia’s talk and the good turnout and enthusiastic response it got.

An additional option would be to follow up with the six-week education/discussion series she suggested, perhaps this fall.

More information about immigrant detentions at the jail is available here: http://trac.syr.edu/immigration/detention/200803/BOONEKY/exit/

-- Perry

Immigration talk

2011-05-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Julia Thorne made a presentation and led a discussion about immigration issues, during a Sunday “Food for Thought” lunch. Julia highlighted four areas:
-instances of immigration in scripture
-historical changes in U.S. immigration law/policy/experiences
-difficulties of immigrating to the United States under current law
-the U.S. immigrant detention-industrial complex and its lobbying arm

Julia’s discussion sparked lots of questions, and she left us with materials for a possible six-week discussion series about immigration issues.

Thanks to Bruce and Lora Whearty, and Charlie and Molly Boyd, who helped organize Sunday’s lunch event, to all of those who brought yummy salads, soups, and bread, to those who helped set up and clean up, and to Julia!

No doubt we will continue to discuss this topic, if only in connection with the possible Guatemalan partner Kentuckiana visit, with the EFL classes, and with the immigration status of several people involved with our church. Thanks for helping us move forward with the discussion, Julia!

-Perry

May prayers

2011-04-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

This month Crescent Hill church will pray with and for:

-On Sunday, May 1, and during the week thereafter: El Buen Samaritano church in El Estor’s Nuevo Amanacer neighborhood, and members, deacons, and elders.

-On Sunday, May 8, and during the week thereafter: Q’eqchi’ Estoreño, Izabal Presbytery Executive Committee, President Pablo Sacul, and other officers.

-On Sunday, May 15, and during the week thereafter: On Sunday, February 6, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery Presbyterian Women organization, President Maria Coc Tial, and other officers.

- On Sunday, May 22, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery youth and young adult organization, President Roderico Sacul Tiul, and other officers.

- On Sunday, May 29, and during the week thereafter: Peniel church in Boqueron, Pastor Pablo Sacul, and members, deacons, and elders.

Thursday conversation

2011-04-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

Two Crescent Hill folks spoke with Amanda (pictured above in Flores in northern Guatemala) in Guatemala on the Thursday after Easter. Amanda confirmed that she has talked once with Pastor Gerardo and that it should not be necessary for the Guatemalans to obtain new national IDs in order to obtain passports. She laid out the following schedule:

-the Guatemalan mission team members will travel to Guatemala City in May, when they will meet up with Amanda and then visit a government building to obtain passports

-In early June Amanda will visit Kentuckiana, and the church will supply her with letters from the church, the presbytery, and the PC(USA) at the time, one for each of the five mission team members, with names, dates of the trip, and signatures

-After Amanda returns, the mission team members will go online and apply for visas to the United States. They will need photos, Guatemalan passport numbers, access to the letters, and some additional information. They should be able to get appointments within a month.

-In early August the mission team members will again meet up with Amanda in Guatemala City and go to a U.S. government building, where they will apply for their visas. They will find out whether they will get visas that day.

-Immediately thereafter the church buy plane tickets for them.

-Hopefully, the mission team will visit Kentuckiana from Friday, October 7 through Saturday, October 15.

-Perry

La ultima vez?

2011-04-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was to be the last night for the four-week Spanish-langage Bible study at James Lees - taking up one of the two nights usually reserved for English as a foreign language classes. The group met for two hours each Wednesday and read passages from the Gospel According to John, with additional analysis from a Spanish-language Presbyterian Women "Horizons" Bible study. Phil, Carlos, Tricia, and - this past Wednesday - Jen and Jennifer (pictured above) - helped lead the discussions. Wednesday there were ten there, including three EFL students, and Jennifer did - for the first time in Spanish - a version of the dramatic reading about/by the Samaritan woman at the well that she did at Crescent Hill, in English, as the sermon a couple of months ago. Earlier in the month Tricia had the group role play two stories from John, Mary Magdalene washing Jesus' feet and Jesus washing his disciples' feet. The group decided to continue meeting, but on the Saturdays between the every-two-weeks Spanish-language worship service and meal at James Lees. The group will start back at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, at James Lees, with Carlos leading a discussion about the story of the wedding at Cana, featured in lesson #2 of the PW resource. The worship group had a Eastern Eve gathering this past weekend and will meet next at 7:00 p.m. on Derby night (Saturday, May 7).

-- Perry

EFL starting up again

2011-04-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

The joint James Lees-Covenant Community-Crescent Hill English as a foreign language teaching ministry's seven-week May-June 2011 term will get underway (at James Lees) on Derby Monday (May 2). A slightly different group of Crescent Hill folks will help teach classes (with CCC head teacher Dirk - pictured above with his dog Oberon in the James Lees/CCC kitchen)- again in charge). Crescent Hill will again be responsible for food both nights on the weeks of May 2, May 23, and June 6 and for children's activities throughout. Meanwhile, the every-two-weeks Spanish-language worship (at James Lees) and Sunday morning Spanish-language Bible study (of Joshua) (at Crescent Hill) both continue (along with the reimagining 1714 Frankfort Avenue discussions, which continued Tuesday night), while the Wednesday evening Spanish-language Bible study (of John) will wrap up this Wednesday night, with Crescent Hill's Jennifer doing a Spanish-language version of her message/dramatization from earlier this spring at Crescent Hill.

Immigration lunch

2011-04-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

Julia Thorne (pictured above), a Lexington (KY) lawyer and Presbterian Church (U.S.A.) expert on immigration, will speak at the Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall after worship Sunday (May 1) (at approximately 12:30 p.m.) as part of the monthly Food for Thought series. Let Bruce or Lora know if you can bring soup or salad.

Sunday afternoon

2011-04-10T19:09:00.001-07:00

This Sunday several Crescent Hill folks met with James Lees and Covenant Community reps to plan for food preparation for the May-June term of the English as a foreign language teaching ministry. Crescent Hill volunteers will cover Derby week, the last full week of May, and the first full week of June and will help James Lees and Covenant Community, especially with set up and clean up, as needed, especially helping Covenant Community on Wednesday, May 11. James Lees’ Pastor Phil also showed several attending changes to the James Lees/Covenant Community kitchen, which had been renovated over the weekend partly to try to identify the source of a water leak on the east side of the kitchen (pictured above).

Later that afternoon Crescent Hill and James Lees folks were among those who attended an American Civil Liberties Union forum on immigration issues. Louisville lawyer Becca O’Neill (in the middle of the panel pictured below) pointed out that, in spite of the defeat of many of the Arizona-style bills proposed in Kentucky and other states, in Kentuckiana and elsewhere, law enforcement authorities have already been implementing many provisions and helping cause overcrowding in the metro Louisville jail.

--- Perry

Gathering graphics

2011-04-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

April gathering

2011-04-10T18:15:00.001-07:00

A relatively large group met at Stephanie, Perry, and Vincent’s St. Matthews home on Saturday, April 8, to plan for a possible Kentuckiana visit by representatives of Crescent Hill church’s Guatemalan partner, the Q’eqchi’ Estoreño, Izabal Presbytery.

Carlos had talked some with the presbytery’s Pastor Gerardo, in the time since the Guatemala group’s last gathering. Estoreño folks are excited about a possible visit, but are nervous about flying and mainly lack passports. Carlos and family on the spot reminded folks that Estoreño folks also need to obtain new national Ids, which would take some time to obtain, prior to trying to obtain passports.

Before that, the group had tentatively tapped the second week of October (for example, October 7-15), as a good time for a visit. There was some discussion about pros and cons of a fall visit. Carlos also communicated that the presbytery had identified Gerardo, Ramiro (? – an elder and presbytery treasurer), Frederico (? - president of the presbytery youth and young adult organization), and Maria (the president of the presbytery’s Presbyterian Women organization) as possible travelers.

Carlos and Gerardo had discussed whether it would be necessary for Maria’s husband to attend, even though we had requested two women be part of the Estoreño mission team. The group talked about the pros and cons of trying to insist on two women.

Ultimately, the group called Gerardo, who identified a second woman, Macaria Saquin, as a fifth possible team member. Carlos and Gerardo also discussed the importance of these five national IDs. Carlos also communicated to Gerardo the possible October target week (although the group recognized that the national ID request may end up imperiling this schedule).

Jane and Perry agreed to follow up with Amanda, who apparently visited El Estor two weeks ago, about the passport and visa process. Gerardo said that the team would like Amanda to accompany them when they apply not only for their visas but also for their passports.

Gerardo also communicated two concerns. Ramiro’s wife, who is pregnant, has been ill, and she visited a private hospital for treatment, but they are not sure how they are going to pay for this.

Also, there has been a conflict within the El Chupon mission congregation (which Tomo once helped lead) and between the congregation and the presbytery, with a pastoral leader trying to lead the congregation into another denomination. (This is also the congregations that has suffered wind damage and roof problems.) Gerardo asked for prayers for both of these two issues. It’s not clear what will happen next, but perhaps the five will start up the national ID process.

The group talked briefly about fund-raising, including the need to raise something like $2,000 and the possibility of this summer holding a fund-raising event in the Fellowship Hall, or Fellowship Hall and sanctuary, with food and perhaps entertainment, perhaps with the Appalachian Latin music group called Appalatin or the Looking for Lilith theater company. The group also talked about possibly inviting other local Presbyterian congregations to host Estoreño representatives for meals, to meet with the reps, and to share in the cost of the visit. Soni, Janine, Ana, and Perry agreed to communicate about this in between Saturday and the next Guatemala gathering, at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 14 (the Saturday after Derby), tentatively at Keith and Andrea’s.

The group discussed some upcoming events:

-9:30 a.m. Sunday, April 9: weekly Spanish-language Sunday school class in the Education Building upper room, which Carlos leads, currently reading the Old Testament Book of Job, partly seen through the lens of a Presbyterian Women "Horizons" Bible study

-3:00 p.m. Sunday, April 9: immigration forum at the Americana Community Center on the South End

-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, at James Lees church: third reimagining the 174 Frankfort Avenue building gathering, which Crescent Hill’s Ana has helped lead

-7:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, at James Lees church: Week 2 of Spanish-language Bible study with Tricia Lloyd-Sidle leading a discussion on the Gospel According to John, partly through the lens of a Presbyterian Women "Horizons" study guide

-7:00 p.m., Saturday, April 22, at James Lee church: every two weeks Spanish-language worship service and potluck supper

-12:30 p.m., Sunday, May 1, in the Crescent Hill church Fellowship Hall: PC(USA) immigration expert Julie Thorne will lead a discussion about immigration as part of Crescent Hill's Food for Thought lunch series.

-6:00 p.m., Monday, May 2, at James Lees church: start of seven-week May-June term of the joint James Lees-Covenant Community-Crescent Hill English as a foreign language teaching ministry, with Crescent Hill taking on a larger role in teaching and food preparation.

-9:30 a.m, Saturday, May 14: Crescent Hill Guatemala mission gathering.

-- Perry

Felicitaciones!

2011-04-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

During the month-long April break between Monday and Wednesday classes at the joint James Lees-Covenant Community –Crescent Hill English as a foreign language education ministry, a group of students and teachers are meeting each Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at James Lees for a month of Bible study, focused on the Gospel According to John, using a Spanish-language Presbyterian Women Horizons study aid. At the inaugural session Crescent Hill’s Carlos passed on the good news that the Mid-Kentucky Presbytery has accepted him as a minister member of the presbytery. -- Perry

April prayers

2011-04-07T10:28:00.001-07:00

This month Crescent Hill church will pray with and for:

- On Sunday, April 3, and the week thereafter: Altar de Noe church in El Estor’s Los Cerritos neighborhood, Pastor Raul Contreras and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

-On Sunday, April 10, and the week thereafter: Espiritu Santo church in El Estor’s San Marcos neighborhood, Pastor José Domingo Xo Ical and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

-On Sunday, April 17, and the week thereafter: Monte Sinai church in the village of San Carlos El Pouvenir outside of Puerto Barrios, Pastor José Sub and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

-On Sunday, April 24, and the week thereafter: Hijo del Dios Viviente church in the village of La Guitarra outside of Livingston, Pastor Fidel Juc and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

-On Sunday, May 1, and the week thereafter: El Buen Samaritano church in El Estor’s Nuevo Amanacer neighborhood, and worshipers.

EFL end of the term celebration

2011-04-06T17:55:00.000-07:00

This Saturday

2011-03-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

You’re invited to talk with other Crescent Hill folks about the possible visit by representatives of Guatemala’s Estoreño Presbytery, probably later year, starting at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, April 10, at Stephanie, Perry, and Vincent’s home at 3928 Kennison Avenue, in St. Matthews. Everyone is welcome!

James Lees goings on

2011-03-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

Saturday Patricio (pictured above), a local Guatemalan American who is a student at the joint English as a foreign language classes, led devotions at the every-two-weeks Spanish-language service at James Lees, which half a dozen Crescent Hill folks attended. Sunday afternoon another half a dozen Crescent Hill folks were on hand at James Lees – this time the second of two discussions about the future of the James Lees/CCC building, which Crescent Hill’s Ana (pictured below) helped lead. -- Perry

Trip update

2011-03-27T15:43:00.001-07:00

Wednesday Carlos spoke again with Pastor Gerardo in the aftermath of the rest of the Estoreño Presbytery meeting. It turns out that many presbytery leaders have never flown and they are a little skeptical about it. People who might visit us include: Ramiro, an elder and the presbytery treasurer, who has a passport and has been to the United States before (by plane); Gerardo, who has flown within Guatemala before; the president of the presbytery youth and young adult organization (now Roderico Sacul Tiul); and the president of the presbytery’s Presbyterian Women organization (still Maria Coc Tial, who visited with the Crescent Hill mission team in Coban). The fifth person, whom we asked to be another woman, is up in the air, because Gerardo says it would be inappropriate for a woman to travel abroad without her husband – in which case, the fifth person would have to be the PW president’s spouse. At the meeting the presbytery also ordained - and promoted from preaching pastor to pastor - Raul Contreras Tut, of the Altar de Noe church in El Estor. (Contreras was a vocalist and musician whose CD he has given to Crescent Hill folks and whose family hosted Pastor Jane in the spring of 2009.) -- Perry

Guatemala updates

2011-03-25T15:45:00.000-07:00

The bizarrity of Guatemalan politics continues, as Alvaro Colom, the center-left president, and his wife, Sandra Torres (pictured), filed for divorce so that she can run as the presidential candidate of his party – something the Guatemalan Constitution would clearly ban if they were (Juan Peron and Eva Person-style) still married (and something leaders of the law-and-order right-wing opposition party says still violates the Constitution). Torres has been active in government during her husband’s term, including helping supervise an anti-poverty program. Updates from Guatemala point to underlying issues: climate change effects (droughts, storms, floods, landslides) and shoddy infrastructure and building construction, the Guatemala-ization of the international drug economy and Guatemala’s militarization in response, the global economic downturn and rising food and energy prices, the large, industrial scale of other parts of the Guatemalan economy (mining, hydroelectric dams, palm leaf plantations) and the related threats to property rights of indigenous people, and the weak government and resulting lack of property rights and lack of personal security (especially among women). -Perry

Phone conversation

2011-03-19T20:52:00.000-07:00

Pastors Carlos and Gerardo spoke by phone early last weekend and at that point Gerardo clarified that, indeed, the presbytery had received the modest donation that we sent them. The presbytery was going to be talking more about the possible Kentuckiana visit and hopefully they would have more information for us: definitely interested? Possibly who? Any suggestions about when? Sunday they were also planning to ordain a pastor for one of the congregations without pastors. If I’m counting right, at least three churches – Nueva Amanacer in the churches in La Union and El Chupon – lack pastors. They may have started more new churches since we last heard.

-- Perry

Presbytery meeting

2011-03-18T13:36:00.006-07:00

In addition to praying for the La Union and El Chupon churches, this weekend let us pray for the Estoreño Presbytery as they meet together to discuss - among other things - a possible Kentuckiana visit by representatives of the presbytery.

-- Perry

Feliz cumpleaños

2011-03-18T13:36:00.005-07:00

Thursday in Spanish class teacher and students celebrated the birthday of classmate Katarina.