Guatemala Crescent Hill

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Winter prayers

In winter 2018-2019 Crescent Hill will pray for and with Guatemala partners:

-On Sunday, November 18, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery Executive Committee, President Ramiro Quib Caal, and other officers

-On Sunday, November 25, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery Presbyterian Women organization, President Ana Coc Tiul, facilitator Olivia Beb, and other officers

-On Sunday, December 2, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery youth and young adult organization, President Wilman Botzoc, and other officers

-On Sunday, December 9, and during the week thereafter: Peniel church in Boqueron, Pastor José Sub, and all who worship there.

-On Sunday, December 16, and during the week thereafter: Familia de Noe church in El Estor’s Sinai neighborhood, Pastor Benjamin Sacul and family, and all who worship there

-On Sunday, December 23, and the week thereafter: Lirio de los Valles church in El Estor’s San Jorge neighborhood, Pastor Mario Xo Ical and family, and all who worship there

-On Sunday, December 30, and the week thereafter: Puerta del Cielo congregation in the El Estor suburb of La Union of El Estor, Pastor Israel Choc, and all who worship there

-On Sunday, January 6, and the week thereafter: Arca de Noe church in El Estor, Pastor Ramiro Quib Caal and family, and all who worship there

-On Sunday, January 13, and the week thereafter: Altar de Noe church in El Estor’s Los Cerritos neighborhood, Pastor Raul Contreras Tut and family, and all who worship there

-On Sunday, January 20, and the week thereafter: Espiritu Santo church in El Estor’s San Marcos neighborhood, Pastor José Domingo Xo Ical and family, and all who worship there

-On Sunday, January 27, and the week thereafter: Monte Sinai church in the village San Carlos El Pouvenir outside of Puerto Barrios, Elders Alejandre y Elias and their families, and all who worship there.

-On Sunday, February 3, and during the week thereafter: El Buen Samaritano church in the village of Nueva Amanacer neighborhood, Pastor Oscar Caal Choc and family, and all who worship there.

-On Sunday, February 10, and the week thereafter: Emanuel congregation in the Huracan Mich community of Panzos, Pastor Oscar Tzul Coc and family, and all who worship there.

-On Sunday, February 17, and the week thereafter: Jehova Es Mi Pastor congregation in the village of Markajam, Pastor Gonzalo Tiul Choc and family, and all who worship there

-On Sunday, February 24, and the week thereafter: Alfa y Omega congregation in the village of Seacacar, Pastor Mariano Cuz and family, and all who worship there

December gathering

A group of folks interested in Guatemala mission chatted over soup making (thanks, Soni, Doug, and Mary, for soup-making) about the CHPC-Guatemala partnership. The group will have two soups (corn chowder and lentil) for the Second Sunday Soup Spectacular this month (December).

We will have ended receiving close to $2,000 in donations as part of the year-long soup activities. We are going to ask Ben if he would be willing to try sending $1,000 of this through IENPG this month, with the idea that this would go a small way to funding some of the projects that the presbytery proposed we partner with them on. The idea continues to be that we do parallel food projects to help generate support for the projects. Which project or projects would receive our part of the funding for this year would be entirely up to the presbytery.

There with a diversity of perspectives on exactly what the Session decided about our proposal that money be included in the 2019 CHPC budget in case we call a pastor in 2019 and we send a visit team to Guatemala in late 2019 or early 2020 and the pastor is interested in being part of the team. The Session will likely continue to talk about the budget at its December meeting and at the early January church officer retreat.

On the rest of the 2020 budget, Session often leaves it up to Outreach Council to figure out how to distribute “benevolences” for the year, as late as February. Perry reminded folks that he would not be able to “represent” the Guatemala Connection/partnership before Outreach during early 2019, as he will be back teaching night class on Wednesday nights.

Speaking of the retreat, a number of Connection folks will be on that retreat. With Doug, Ben, and Carrie still here, the group hopes to continue the Second Sunday Soup Spectacular on that second Sunday of January, the retreat Sunday. Sue Krause should be back contributing a soup or two, and Soni will ask Bruce Ucan if he contribute a soup on that Sunday. So, Doug, Ben, and Carrie (if one or two or three are available) may be needed to receive and package the soup Sunday before worship (or whenever it is worked out with Sue and Bruce if possible) and then to give it folks after church and accept donations/give change. These three will also need to be responsible for making labels with ingredients too.

The Guatemala Connection leaned towards asking Perry to write another report for us for the CHPC Annual Report.

The group tried calling Ramiro and Ana. The circuits might be down or something and we were not able to get through. The group got word earlier this week that – with his stomach and diabetes – Ramiro is very sick.

Perry

P.S. Soni also said she hopes to disengage Second Sunday Soup Spectacular Sundays from potluck Sundays (in December they are together again). Soni said January/February should work itself out because CHPC will have the usual potluck in connection with the church annual congregational meeting, and that will be either in late January or very early February (but not a second Sunday).

P.P.S. Later in the week, Ramiro’s daughter reported by Facebook that his condition had improved, which we hope it true.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018