Sunday, December 10, 2017

Saturday, December 16 El Tarasco fund-raiser

Our regular monthly event (third Saturday of each month) will be Saturday, December 16. Please come to the restaurant at 110 Fairfax Avenue in St. Matthews to dine with other CHPCers or with your own group between 6:00 – 9:00 PM. El Tarasco also agreed to give the 15% of the bill donation to CHPC whenever someone asks the cashier to credit CHPC. This is a wonderful offer on their part and really helps the on-going fund-raising efforts for our ministry. So, come the third Saturday OR eat at Tarasco for lunch or dinner on any day at any time. We still get the benefit and you gain the flexibility in scheduling. We would greatly appreciate your support.

-Soni

2018 Guatemala visits

Mutual visits have been a critical part of Crescent Hill’s decade-old partnership with Guatemala’s Q’eqchi’ Estoreño Izabal Presbytery. Visiting each other has helped us to develop and sustain close personal relationships, engage in shared prayer and Bible study, and learn about each other’s languages, culture and faith practices. At a gathering of CHPC’s Guatemalan Connection on November 11, we were excited to realize the level of interest in  several opportunities in 2018. All of them will require prayer, volunteers, personal sacrifices to travel or host guests, encouragement, and financial support through the church budget and by travelers and others who value this CHPC ministry. Here are ways we can all be engaged in some way:

-Sandi Thomson-Royer and Brian Thomson-Royer, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), mission co-workers who work with women’s groups and on domestic violence issues, will visit from Guatemala on the Souper Bowl of Caring/congregational meeting Sunday (February 4). This is expected to be their last year before retirement. We hope that you will get to hear them speak and learn all that has been accomplished through their ministry.

-For the second year in a row, we are planning for women from CHPC to travel to Guatemala to participate in the annual gathering of Estoreño Presbytery’s Presbyterian Women’s organization. This is tentatively scheduled for April. Last year, Soni Castleberry and Megan McCarty went. It was a time of growth for both of them as they went alone to represent CHPC. Ask either of them about this experience and explore whether you would like to be part of this exciting opportunity to strengthen your faith, alongside the Guatemalan women in our partnership.

-In early August, we are looking toward the possibility of an inter-generational CHPC group visiting Guatemala. The trip would include traditional church visits and workshops, and perhaps a visit to Coban, the cultural capital of Q’eqchi’ Guatemala. Begin thinking about how you can be involved. In lieu of more "things" perhaps monetary gifts toward a visit to Guatemala could make up your Christmas Wish List.

-A couple dozen North Americans involved in similar Presbyterian Guatemalan-U.S. partnerships, along with a few Guatemalans, will visit Kentuckiana during the week of Labor Day (September 5-8) for a PC(USA) Guatemala Mission Network gathering at Cedar Ridge Camp. Mary Love and Soni Castleberry are helping plan this gathering, along with our friend Ellen Dozier, a former mission co-worker to Guatemala, and a team of other folks in both of our countries. This will be an excellent chance for many of you to learn more about Guatemala and the ministries that CHPC and many others are engaged in. There will be lots of chances to volunteer too. Mary and Soni would love to hear from you.

For more information on the Guatemala partnership, note our next meeting on your calendar and plan to join us Saturday, January 13, 12:30 - 1:30 PM.

-Perry

November gathering notes

Visits: formerly had visits with a lot of folks – more recently we’ve sent and received smaller groups – Perry updated us on the recent visits – maybe we can send someone to the Women’s gathering again this year – the Guatemala Network will be meeting this year at Cedar Ridge in September – the women’s meeting that Soni and Megan went to focused on their training of women (high school education) and the domestic violence workshops they are having

Might want to send a couple of women to the women’s meeting in the late winter/early spring – might want to send a delegation from here to Guatemala in 2018 – for Doug, it would be easier to go in August than late June/early July – Molly and Eva might be able to go at that time – want to keep our delegation to one van load – when we talk with them today, we could tell them about the September meeting here

They now have a synod and GA structure – there are 5 synods, 2 of which are Q’eqchi’.

When we call them, need to ask them if the presbytery actually got the money, and if they did, what is it being used for – ask about schedule for the Women’s meeting – congratulate them for their Reformation Day celebration – how are the organizational relationships working out

Gave Elisa a lot of background on the political and economic situation including the nickle mine – Russian influence is supreme – pollution is terrible – agribusiness has exploded and has had extremely negative impacts

Calling Ramiro: Elisa introduced herself – Espiritu Santo has been participating in the presbytery and talking about purchasing a ranch outside of town – 11 churches participated in the parade on Reformation Sunday (15 vehicles in the parade) – they hope to send 6 (3 of whom will be women) to Coban for theological education

[Note: Doug talked with Helen Walton in the 90’s about providing funding for indigenous theological education, and she set up a fund with the Presbyterian Foundation – but there were problems with it that led to the money being cut off – it is now working and the money is now flowing]

We have encouraged them to be sure to include more women – Ramiro still struggles with his diabetes – Gerardo has been sick – Ramiro’s grandson is doing well – he’ll be 40 days old on Sunday and will be acknowledged at church tomorrow – the Women’s meeting will be in late April – travel between El Estor and Coban is very treacherous – bandits are plentiful on that road – the BOO is attractive for them because it is a book of law in a country that has no laws

They DID get the money we sent – Ramiro will send a report to Doug as to how the money is being spent

Sandy and Brian are scheduled to be here on Super Bowl Sunday – we’re asking the adult SS class to give up their time for a mission co-worker coffee discussion – they’re also invited to preach/give a Minute for Mission

Jane had been sending a Guatemalan bookmark to the new members as they join – Soni will do it for a little while and would be glad to have someone else help as well

Set a date for next meetings: 2nd Saturday in the month through April at least

Bananas: Chiquita bananas have been doing terrible things in Guatemala – can get “non-oppressive” ones at Whole Foods

Pastor Elisa closed with prayer

-Mary