Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys

Presbyterian Mission: The Mission of the Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys, is to seek and discover the leading of the Holy Spirit in order to be in partnership with congregations as they engage in God's ministry and the mission of Jesus Christ. February 5, 2002

Committee Mission:

Committee Met: 11/13/2006

Minutes: Over-Arching Goals:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Members Attending:
Merrilyn Arndt, Karen Woehler, Lynn Yueill, Rev. William Yueill, Jan Prehn, Gary Woehler, Edith Alvarez, Rev. Paul Collier, Rev. James Krapf, Harold Kampa

Members Not Attending:
Rev. Stacey Steck, Carol Stiles, Dena Fischer, Diane Gravley, Gladys Ratzlaff, Rev. Richard Underdahl-Peirce, Marcia Larson

Ex-Officio Attenders:
Kathy Terpstra, LeRoy Ennega

Actions Taken:
Devotions led by Paul centered on Russian Orthodox passing of the offering of bread to the people=this is Eucharistic Living.

1. 11/13/2006 - Voted to approve the minutes of September 28, 2006
Appointed Bill Yueill Secretary for 2007

2. 11/13/2006 - received the report from our Delegates, Kathy Terprstra, LeRoy Ennega and Jan Prehn, to the October meeting of Occidente Presbytery. Observations: our people were there for a day and half; the meeting took 3 days; every name and detail was read; there were slow, shy but increasing conversations between our delegates and many in Occidente who had had little or no contact with the Partnership; repeated questions about our Lay Pastor Program came up in conversations; Kathy preached twice - once immediately on arrival;' Alma Lili was approved to be considered by Ecclesia Fuente de Luz for ordination as a pastor without dissent.

**Future groups will do well to have contact phone numbers, names and addresses to be able to be in touch when they arrive at the airport!!

Their copy of the Partnership Covenant goes through 2008 so no conversation was held on the change proposed in our 9/28/06 minutes.

Occidete would like this assistance: 1 setting up Internet Radio in order to put worship services on the net; 2. help in recording accompaniment C.D's for use in worship.

Our delegates reported that women in Occidente Presbyterian Women's Organization feel lost in the shuffle. They have a strong desire contact and visits with the MVP Presbyterian Women. They hope for a PW representatives at their meeting in February '07. They need advocacy.

Our concensus was that time is needed to recruit MVP women and for the PW of MVP to commit funds and that this is more likely to occure for a meeting in Febuary '08.

As requested 12 stoles for pastors new to MVP were purchased in Xela when our delegates were there.

Kathy Terpstra and LeRoy Ennega will handle the presentation to MVP meeting November 28th at Renville. 1)They'll invite new members to the Action Team 2) They will invite women to go to Guatemala in Feb '07 or more likely Feb '08.

The Action Team reaffirms A) that funds from Congregations to Occidente projects go through MVP channels. and B) Water project participants raise their own funds.

The following delegates agree to go to Guatemala for a meeting January 11, 2007: LeRoy Ennega, Jim Krapf with Harold Kampa as alternate. This meeting, at Monte Sion Camp outside Guatemala City , will make plans to the future, especially boundarie issues, and also seek answers and remedies for financial irregularies in the National Presbyterian Church of Guatemala.

11/13/06 It was voted that our representatives to the January '07 meeting will also get answer to these questions about the water project at San Pedro/ San Marcos: 1. Is the water supply adequate? 2. How does water from the new source test? 3. What type pump is needed and what is its cost? Jan Prehn will find ot what testing items are need and communicate the information to Jim Krapf and LeRoy Ennega.

The two water projects have been limited to A.distributing water within the congregation and B. giving it away to the wider community by National Health licensure, politics and local demands for graft.

11/13/06 it was voted that Paul will take the following recommendation to MVP Council: Our presbytery, in cooperation with a four presbytery consortium, wants to receive mission workers in October '07. We prefer Mission Workers from Guatemala, specifically Dennis Smith and Ellen Dozer. Karen Woehler will coordinate this effort. Costs to bring Mission Workers will be covered through the International Partnership to bring the people from Minneapolis to Willmar. Congregations will bear the costs for their events. General Assembly funding will be cut drastically and this effort is to help fill the gap.

3. 11/16/2006 - Voted to ...

Actions Pending:
1. History of Guatemalan ministry and the Partnership with Occidenti. Karen Woehler with EdithAlvarez' assistance is working on this. A "who, when, where, what, why" sheet for information was passed around.
Additional questions: what did we individually gain from this partnership? Personal testimonies.
What would be useful at future Encuentros (Encounters)
What were the reasons for this Partnership? ie the connection with the congregations that remained in the
INPEG and helped validate them.
Successes= women into leadership, water projects.
Found that congregation to congregation projects set up competition among Occidente congregations.
Assisted in the reconcilation among "stayers" and "leavers"

2. Karen Woehler proposed a small team (4) of MVP women who would travel and make contacts for workshops on wholeness in the later half of 2007. Maribell Smith (Mrs Dennis) has helped in the design.

3. Hispanic ministry initiatives in MVPresabytery: Presbyterian churches in Wilmar, Worthington, St James and possibly Marshall may be involved. Occidente Presbytery is not yet ready to assist these initiatives. Language is the issue. Also religious perceptions - with whom is cooperation possible? A language scholarship to train a Guatemalan to work in MVP might be successful.

4. Individual expressions of gratitute for Paul Collier's leadership were shared.

5. Next meeting is Monday, January 15, 2007, 10:00 AM. LeRoy Ennega will lead opening devotions.