Highlights of the March 26, 2025, Session Meeting

The Session met with Collette Sangster, who has asked to transfer her membership from Trinity Presbyterian to Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church. After a conversation with Collette about her life and faith journey, the Session joyfully agreed to receive her as a member. She will be welcomed into membership during worship on Palm Sunday, April 13.

Among other actions, the Session:

• Approved financial reports for January and February presented by treasurer Aaron Baer.
• Discussed ways the church can help immigrants facing possible deportation. Voted to use a policy developed by Harvey Browne Presbyterian Church as the template for CHPC policy, including using signs to mark certain spaces in our buildings as “private” and designating Pastor Tami Recob as the person to communicate with immigration officials who might visit the church.
• Voted to send a letter offering gratitude and continuing prayer support to the mission workers CHPC has supported—Jeff and Christi Boyd (Africa) and Eliane Menezes and Leslie Vogel (Guatemala)—whose service in global mission for the PC(USA) ended in March. Also voted to send each of them $400 (as budgeted for 2025) as a gift to help them in their transition.
• Agreed to have the Elder of the Month and treasurer Aaron Baer count the offering after worship each week.
• Voted to have a church cleanup day on Saturday, April 12, beginning at 1:00 p.m., to prepare the building and grounds for Easter.

OPS/NOW Meeting with Dinner

(Build your own pasta salad night!

Ingredients provided)

Everyone is invited to gather in the Henry Young Fellowship Hall for dinner at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 and stay for continued discussion of our church community and mission.

Our discussions will take place in two committees:

• OPS (Operations) Committee—Guides the work of stewardship and giving, finances, budget, personnel, upkeep of building and grounds.
• NOW Committee—Guides programmatic work of the congregation, including music and worship, Christian formation, earth care, gun violence prevention, garden ministry, outreach to the community, Guatemala partnership and overseas mission.

Even if you are not sure about serving on a “committee,” please join us for the food and a chance to get to know others in our church community.

Woosley-Leake Scholarships

Woosley-Leake Scholarship applications for the 2025-2026 school year are now available. Any Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church member or immediate family of a church member who will be enrolled in undergraduate college or training program is invited to apply. Applications need to be completed and returned to the church office by May 1. Contact Patti Marcum at pdwmarcum@gmail.com to request an application.

Jean Leake Scholarship Fund

The Jean Leake Fund offers assistance to the children and youth of Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church for camping opportunities. Applications for the Jean Leake Fund are now available.

Please contact Patti Marcum at pdwmarcum@gmail.com or 502-403-8269 to request an application or ask questions.

Deadline for applications is April 15. Scholarship applicants will be notified of their award amount by May 1. Payment will be made according to information provided in the application.

A Lenten Opportunity — Lectio Divina

CHPC is offering a Lenten group devoted to contemplative reading of Scripture. Phil Lloyd-Sidle will be facilitating, using a method of prayerful reading that dates back to the early church called Lectio Divina — “divine reading."

When?

Five Thursday evenings in Lent, 5:00-6:30 p.m. The remaining dates are April 3 and April 10. There will be no group during Holy Week.

Where?

The Gathering Room of the back building.

What is Lectio Divina?

It is a method of contemplative reading that seeks to invite our hearts and minds into an ever-deepening experience of God and God’s word as it comes to each of us in Scripture. We will be reading passages in Matthew and Luke that lift up various aspects of Jesus’ teaching and ministry.

Some details:

As a group process this practice can be very profound. Please be punctual. Things to bring: a Bible version you like, a journal (or paper). Some people like to draw; feel free to bring some colored pens or pencils. Also, it is encouraged that people try to make all five sessions, if possible. There is a great gain in trust and companionship as we each commit to this small-group experience.

Church Cleanup Day April 12

All are encouraged to help spruce up the church buildings and grounds in preparation for Easter. Please join us for a Cleanup Day at the church on Saturday, April 12, at 1:00 p.m. If you can give even an hour of your time, it will be much appreciated!

Give to One Great Hour of Sharing

One Great Hour of Sharing is the single largest way that Presbyterians come together every year to work for a better world. By giving to this offering, you join with Presbyterians worldwide to provide:

• Relief from natural and human-caused disasters
• Food for the hungry
• Partnerships with people who are poor and oppressed as they work to improve their lives

The One Great Hour of Sharing Offering, one of the special offerings of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), supports the mission of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People.



Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church will receive the offering at morning worship on Palm Sunday, April 13, and Easter Sunday, April 20. You may also give online. Take home a fish bank (in the narthex) to collect coins for the offering during Lent. Please give generously!

Prayer and Action for Middle East

Feel free to join us on Zoom, in-person, or both. This group has enabled such support for one another as we all struggle to cope with the tragedies in the Middle East and the on and off cease fires and prisoner releases. We would be grateful to have others join us. Email Soni at soni.castleberry@gmail.com to get the Zoom link and be added to the group email list for regular communication.

Healing the Earth

Members of the CHPC community are invited to donate to an exciting art project that will be a visible witness to our commitment to earth care and ending gun violence. The Session has agreed to contract with local blacksmith Craig Kaviar to create a six-foot iron sculpture for the front plaza. The art piece, called “Healing the Earth,” will be made of pieces of guns chopped up at Guns to Gardens Louisville safe-surrender events.

The cost of this project is $28,514, plus stand, lighting, and installation. Session has set aside $10,000, plus $548 from the Peace and Global Witness Offering, toward the art piece. The remainder of the cost will be covered by grants and donations. If you would like to donate, please make your check out to CHPC and specify in the memo line that the donation is for the sculpture. Or you can use the QR code below.

If you have a tool or other item that you would like to donate for possible use in the sculpture, please contact the church office. Please make sure the object is iron (attracts a magnet).

Guns to Gardens Louisville, which grew out of a Sunday school class in our congregation, has so far received 88 unwanted guns to transform into garden tools, art, and jewelry. Craig Kaviar is a valued partner in this effort. His art piece—along with the gardens flourishing on church grounds—will symbolize to the community our commitment to healing and caring for God's creation.

DID YOU KNOW?

What Presbyterians Believe"

Standing for Social Justice

Presbyterians believe that Jesus Christ made it clear in his teachings we have an ethical responsibility to engage in issues of social justice. Our social witness stance is affirmed by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which encourages church members and leaders to go to places of suffering and need to alleviate poverty, stop violence, protect the planet from climate change, and seek justice for immigrants, the LGBTQIA+ community, and people of color.

By engaging in those issues from a biblical perspective, the church recognizes God’s sovereignty over every aspect of human life. 

The PC(USA) has a long history of applying theological insights to issues that affect society, believing that all people are children of God. The church seeks to earnestly discern the will of Christ, and to speak and act with humility and love.

https://pcusa.org/about-pcusa/who-we-are/social-witness

April Birthdays

Please remember these wonderful folks in prayer and, if possible, reach out to them with a card, phone call, text, email or however you choose to honor them.

To double-check your listing, contact Soni Castleberry at soni.castleberry@gmail.com or phone or text at 502-417-6481.

April 1 - Jim Bartlett Turner

April 4 - Lee Cybulski

April 9 - Jeff Boyd

April 10 - Claudia Foulkes

April 13 - Barbara Hedspeth

April 16 - Megan Cahill

April 22 - Tessa Hartmans

April 28 - Annie Yeager