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: 2^nd 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

Veterans' Day gathering

CHPC folks interested in CHPC’s Guatemala mission partnership will gather from 12:30 to 1:30 PM on Saturday, November 11 (Veterans’ Day) in the Gathering Room (back building). Everyone is welcome.

Late 2017 prayers

In late 2017 Crescent Hill will pray for and with Guatemala partners:

-On Sunday, November 12, 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, November 19, 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, November 26, 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 all who worship there.

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

-On Sunday, December 10, and the week thereafter:  Galilea congregation in El Estor’s Esfuerza neighborhood, Pastor Angel Martin Sacul and family, and all who worship there.

-On Sunday, December 17, 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, December 24, and the week thereafter:  Marc’am congregation, Pastor Gonzalo Tiul Choc and family, and all who worship there

-On Sunday, December 31, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery Executive Committee, President Gerardo Pop Ich, and other officers.

September 9 gathering notes

Ben reported on the $1,500 we sent through IENPG – it equals Q10,690 – a $50 fee from the bank in the US and possibly also will be fees from the bank in Guatemala – we told them the money is for theological education, basic ed for women of the church (that includes to be used for travel) – the Guatemala bank is part of the SWIFT network, so Ben now has a SWIFT number for us – this should expedite things in the future – the money is in the IENPG account, but we don’t know yet how it will be forwarded to Ramiro

How did our fundraisers go? – St. Jose’s: brought in $1180 – some of the neighbors chipped in too – about $150 for security – church will pay the rest of the security guard cost – since the gate isn’t open on Friday, was it worth doing parking on Friday next year? – could we negotiate with them about Friday night? – we tried, but there’s an “important” cornhole game on the other side of the gate – will reevaluate next year – need to have a better idea next year re: what we charge – next year, should have a brief gathering on Sunday with all the volunteers to make sure we’re all on the same page – whoever starts the day is someone who is a seasoned volunteer! – Doug will create a Google doc for learnings for next year that he’ll send to everybody – El Tarasco: had more folks this last time, but we don’t know how much – need to make sure the money goes to Jack (into his box with directions for which account to credit it to – had 6-10 people who don’t usually come – Soni will follow up w/Claudia to make sure we know what’s going on and how much is being collected –

Other opportunities: Robania, the woman who translated for the Women’s Conference and works with Living Waters for the World, will be here a week from today – the Sounds of Memphis will play in E’town – we need to keep in touch w/LW4W to see if they’ve developed a technology that will work there – if not, Water Steps might be something we’d want to investigate –

Email from Brian: Sunday February 4^th, they’ll be here – need to take this to Worship Council (Perry will do this) and Nurture if we want to do something during adult Sunday School class – would also like help w/$150 for their travel costs – would like to do a F4T that Sunday – need to check CHPC calendar and make sure we aren’t scheduled for our CHPC Annual Meeting – they’re scheduled to be in Guatemala through 2018 as mission coworker – want to see the work they’ve been doing continue into the future – two Guatemala women are attending a training on Domestic Violence so that they can conduct workshops in local communities –

Bookmarks: from now on, we need to send bookmarks to new members along with an email invite to our meetings – we need a flyer about the GC to give to each new member – the bedspread that has been in Jane’s office will go with the liturgical cloths for use in the sanctuary –

September 24^th – Ramiro’s Ordination Date – we need to have some sort of gift/symbol – maybe $100 to sponsor the celebration lunch – check w/INPG to see if they have a Worship Book (like what they use in the DR) – would like to be able to send one to each of the pastors in the presbytery

Called Raul -- they were in the middle of their executive committee of the presbytery meeting! – they are forming a new Synod: Emanuel del Norte – sounds like they are splitting the Q’eqchi’ synod into two synods -- 30^th & 31^st will be the dates of the founding of the new synod – they will be going to Coban tomorrow to do the legal work and asked for prayers because the roads to Coban are bad – Ramiro (who had already left) confirmed that the money has arrived (they probably haven’t gotten the cash yet) – he will be the pastor of the Arca de Noel church

Prayer joys and concerns:  Doug has reconnected with friends from when he was in high school in Colombia – brought back fond memories – Perry asked if Jane would allow us to pray over her at this her last meeting with us – (we shared a lot of memories about Jane’s influence on our work here and on the roles of women in the Guatemala church --

Our next meeting: November 11, 2017 (Veterans Day), 12:30-2:00, Gathering Room

-Mary Love

Ramiro's ordination and installation

Fall 2017 prayers

On these weeks Crescent Hill church will prayer for and with the following Guatemala partners:

-On Sunday, September 17, and during the week thereafter: Estoreño Presbytery Executive Committee, President Gerardo Pop Ich, and other officers.

 -On Sunday, September 24, and during the week thereafter:  Estoreño Presbytery Presbyterian Women organization, President Ana Coc Tiul, and other officers.

-On Sunday, October 1, and during the week thereafter:  Estoreño Presbytery youth and young adult organization, President Wilman Botzoc, and other officers.

-On Sunday, October 8, and during the week thereafter:  Peniel church in Boqueron, Pastor Fidel Juc, and members, deacons, and elders.

-On Sunday, October 15, 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, October 22, 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 29, and the week thereafter:  Puerta del Cielo congregation in the El Estor suburb of La Union of El Estor, Pastor Leonel Cacao, and all worshipers

 -On Sunday, November 5, and the week thereafter: Arca de Noe church in El Estor, Pastor Ramiro Quib Caal and family, and members, deacons, and elders.

Guatemala Connection gathering

After a busy Guatemala mission partnership 2017 so far with fund-raising and visits, CHPC folks are invited to reflect on the year so far, hear about progress aiding Estoreño Presbytery and the political situation in Guatemala, and hopefully make a call to Guatemala partners. Be there at 12:30 pm on Saturday, September 9, in the Gathering Room in the back building. Everyone is welcome.