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Smith Memorial and El Buen Pastor Presbyterian Congregations: Friends in Ministry! On this day after Thanksgiving, 2025, I write to count you as blessings for whom I am very grateful. I thank YOU, as individuals and as congregations for our time and times together. If this is the end of regular full and part-time work for me in this vocation, it was truly a wonderful couple of years to add tasty icing to the cake of my clergy career. Thank you for that! And thank you for the send-off gifts of early August: well wishes, lovely gifts, and a good farewell luncheon! The several months since then and my tardy response here have added interest to my gratitude! While I'm at it here: one more thing. Laura and I moved into Portland on August 8. On October 23, I took my 10-yr-old grandson to soccer practice and was delighted to join in the unexpected game of parents against the kids' team. Well, grandparents, too! Late in the game I was playing at playing as goalie for the "grownups", made what I've come to call a heroic "save" of a shot on goal, and quite badly twisted my left knee (which I have often twisted less severely over many years). The twisted knee was connected to my fibula, you know, the smaller lower leg bone that connects to the ankle, and twisted that, too, sufficiently to create a spiral fracture. Since my overnight trip to E.R. I have made crutches my constant companion, and have reluctantly accepted my spouse as my driver and in everything-domestic my constant support system. I've been in a boot and a cast and back into a boot; I continue to appreciate very good medical attention; I hope to be driving soon and off of crutches by Christmas. With the turn of the new year, I hope to be on the pulpit-supply list in this Presbytery of the Cascades! I wish you all a blessed season of Thanksgiving and much gratitude for life, and a season of Advent leading with much peace to a joyful and hope-filled Christmas and New Year! Blessings all around! -Bill LA JICARITA CLUSTER February 17, 2025 The Jicarita Cluster met in the former manse of the El Buen Pastor Presbyterian Church in Chimayo, NM on Monday, February 17, 2025 (Presidents’ Day). Attendance: Ginna Bairby (Moderator, Taos First); Jennifer Holmes (White Rock); Georgia Ortiz (Chimayo); Paul Fort(Camp Loma Verde); Liz Graham (Dixon, Peñasco); Bill Humphreys (Truchas, Chimayo); Jack Ford and Doris Ford(Los Alamos United) Noami Atencio (Treasurer, Peñasco); Madeline Hart-Andersen and daughter, Elinor(Santa Fe Westminster); and Tiffany Lo-Finch (Presbytery administrator). Bill Humphreys welcomed all to EBP with a few housekeeping items and notes of the neighborhood and the area! Noami presented the Treasurer’s report: two 2/17/2025 balances: $15,525.38 with Century Bank, and $10,804.69 with Rincones Credit Union. Total: $26,330.07. Ginna: plans to resign from moderating the Cluster as of June 30, 2025. Several plans for following up were discussed. The gathering recommends disbanding the Cluster. More on the purpose of the Cluster: See Ginna’s handout (attached to the e-mail edition of these minutes.-re:Presbytery connections; the Cluster can be a voice for the smaller northern churches of the Presbytery; emphasize attendance at meetings of the Presbytery; comaraderie, fellowship, mutual support; strategizing- maybe call it a gathering” instead of “meeting” An action item was decided as presented below… Discussion followed re: Camp Loma Verde, with several notes here: The camp is available June-August for rentals, with the 3rd week of July usually the week for a camp (9-12 year olds); some years have had youth weeks; other rentals have included church and college groups, including a recent and perhaps repeating Baylor University connection. Noted: COVID presented a huge setback, prior to which there were full summers of rentals and programs. - Maybe hold a Cluster meeting AT the camp; - consider “youth programming” as a benefactor of church grants; -Camp Loma Verde: what about the camp board and connections to the Cluster?
Action: M/S/C to invite a request from the Camp Board for financial support from La Jicarita Cluster, approval of the funds to depend upon approval by at least a simple majority of the Sessions of the churches in La Jicarita Cluster. LUNCH: We picked up some lunch from the kitchen and met back at our tables for a working lunch! m/s/c. Reimburse Bill H for lunch costs. ($125.00 was just over $10.00 per participant) m/s/c/ That La Jicarita cluster of congregations dissolves as a voting body of business, and transform to one of community, support, and solidarity, effective June 30, 2025. The group agreed on a yearly gathering on the 3rd Saturday of September as a plan. The next gathering is now scheduled for Peñasco for 9/20/2025, midday, to include a lunch as planned by the host congregation (could be provided or pot-luck or …..) The group easily resolved: Happy and deep gratitude to Noami for her work as the treasurer And similarly: to Ginna, with thanks and accolades for her service in leadership of La Jicarita Cluster in the recent years. The meeting adjourned with prayer at 12:57 PM . Bill Humphreys, acting secretary for a day Attached here, I hope: Ginna handed out the agenda with helpful notes; 2 pages; Noami handed out the treasurer’s report; also 2 pages |