Half a dozen Crescent Hill folks interested in the Guatemala partnership gathered Wednesday to talk about possible Guatemala projects, a possible trip, and a possible prayer vigil. Carlos presented his interpretation of the theological education for pastors project that the visitors from Guatemala had proposed to Crescent Hill for possible funding (see “Carlos’ translation of the Estoreño proposal”). Carlos said he and Gerardo had talked, and that the national church had offered some money, which suggested some involvement by the seminary in San Felipe. The proposal from Phil Beisswinger is something different, for pastors from half a dozen or more different Q’eqchi’ presbyteries. Although the training was slated to begin this January (last month), he didn’t believe it had begun, and he didn’t think the schedule was sacrosanct. There was a general discussion about benevolence, transparency, accountability, and partnership – partly with regard to this request and partly with regard to the communications budget the task force had committed the church to provide. Carlos had asked Gerardo by phone whether he thought it made sense for Crescent Hill to send six months of the communications budget at once, to spread the costs of the transfer fee over more money, and Gerardo’s cryptic response suggested that that should be done only with an abundance of caution on both sides. Perry agreed to try harder to find a more affordable transmission path.
The group also discussed how providing the presbytery with education money might permit not only better e-mail communication but also possible audio and visual communication, so that Carlos, or Doug or others, might be able to make a presentation to an Estoreño group, or vice versa, with a Guatemalan speaker and a Crescent Hill group.
The group also discussed what kind of other involvement might go along with projects such as the theological education project: knowing more about the curriculum, being apprised of some evaluation, being privy to the budget, and so on.
Carlos called Gerardo briefly. Gerardo was pretty open to different time periods for a possible Crescent Hill trip. Carlos asked Gerardo what they might like us to do, and he mentioned three possibilities: (1) relay some information or interpretation about the history of the PC(USA); (2) a joint project something like the concrete floor construction in the homes (during Crescent Hill’s first Izabal visit) but focused on the church in Esperanza (Pastor Mario’s church with the open-air building and very loud worship service when a Crescent Hill mission team last visited El Estor); and (3) (after some prompting from Carlos) worship opportunities with some folks active in presbytery-wide organizations such as the youth and young adult organizations and the women’s organization. The Crescent Hill group also discussed the possibility of being personally involved during time there in another installment of the theological training of pastors – or covering some material covered in the training for pastors with the youth and young adults or the women.
Perry repeated a suggestion about visiting the churches near Puerto Barrios and Livingston. Not discussed explicitly were the possibility of youth and young adults being part of the Crescent Hill mission team, or staying in a hotel vs. staying in homes issues discussed at the late January gathering.
Gerardo said the presbytery will have a presbytery in early March, and he may have implied that there would be more time to talk about preferences for a possible visit at that time.
Gerardo said he finally received his luggage and his health is improving. He also said it has been raining a lot in Izabal and that El Estor has a new mayor, who is of the same party as the country’s new president.
After the phone call, the group discussed a possible prayer vigil, along the lines of the two of three past vigils, these both in the sanctuary. After some discussion, the group targeted Saturday, March 24 for a vigil in the sanctuary. The group agreed to seek the support and involvement of the CHPC Worship and Outreach councils for a vigil that would celebrate and lift up for prayer a variety of local, domestic, and international Crescent Hill mission partners and foci of mission involvement, from United Crescent Hill Ministries, to Estoreño Presbytery, and a number of other things in between. The group agreed to check in with the two Councils later that evening and to announce to all gathered before the Council meetings that folks interested would meet at 5:30 p.m. next Thursday, February 16, at Andrea’s house, to plan the vigil.
The group also scheduled another gathering of folks interested in the Guatemala partnership, partly with an eye towards this possible summer trip, for 5:30 p.m. Monday, February 20, again at James Lees. There was a little discussion about whether to move to a second-floor room.
Between gatherings Perry had circulated these and other possible trip dates: Saturday, July 7 - Sunday, July 15; Saturday, July 15 - Sunday, July 22; Saturday, July 21 - Sunday, July 29; Saturday, July 28 - Sunday, August 5 (although the trip might actually start on Friday). Perry reported there has been little feedback (a debate about July 28-August 5 – one person liked it; one person didn’t; and one person didn’t like July 7-July 15), but those at the gathering suggested that was because many don’t yet have strong preferences among these dates. Perry will be checking with possible youth mission team members and their parents regarding timing issues for them.
One other thing the group didn't talk about Wednesday was a possible after-Sunday worship lunch thing with people interested in hearing a little more about a possible trip. Outreach and Session would need to hear about the trip idea either way.
-Perry
