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Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse
5811 Heritage Landing Dr., 2nd Floor
East Syracuse, NY 13057
(315) 632-5698
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Dear Friends of Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery,
Welcome to this week's edition of our e-letter,
Presbytery Matters. Our goal is to highlight things going on throughout the Church: within our Presbytery, in our congregations, as well as in the Synod of the Northeast and across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). We hope that these are things that will be helpful, informative, challenging, encouraging, supportive. In other words, we hope that these things will matter. Your input is valued, and your comments are always welcomed!
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Earl Arnold (left) and Edwin Kang (right) participate in a memorial ceremony at No Gun Ri Peace Park in South Korea in fulfillment
of a General Assembly action. (Photo by Kathy Melvin)
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Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery pastors turn pain of discovery to action
Our presbytery in national news!
In March 2015, the Rev. Ed Kang and the Rev. Earl Arnold of Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery, visited the No Gun Ri Peace Park, the site of a tragic killing of civilians in the early days of the Korean War. Deeply moved, they vowed to take action. Two years later they returned with the entire Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) standing alongside them.
"To say we were moved by what we saw at No Gun Ri would be putting it mildly," said Arnold. "I returned home with my heart bleeding," said Kang.
Upon returning to Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery, they talked with Linda Russell, chair of the Presbytery's partnership committee, who had also been on the trip. She was supportive of their desire to draft an overture for General Assembly. Arnold had been stated clerk for many years and had experience drafting overtures. Kang, who escaped North Korea when he was 16, was the overture advocate. He could speak very personally on the issue...
Read the rest of the Presbyterian News Service article!
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Joys and Concerns around the Presbytery
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 In our prayers together this week...
- Pray for those without shelter during these cold and dangerous days.
- Pray for Steve Plank, our former stated clerk and communicator, as he begins retirement and new adventures.
In the cycle of prayer for our Presbytery, please pray for these congregations, faith communities, and individuals:
Isaiah's Table, Syracuse; Korean Church of Syracuse; Park Central, Syracuse; Robinson Elmwood United Church, Syracuse; South Valley, Syracuse.
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Other Voices from the Presbytery
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 The Presbyterian Network to End Homelessness, along with the New York State Council of Churches, Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, Broadway Presbyterian Church, Strong Economy for All, Fiscal Policy Institute and Citizens Academy invites faith leaders, and those who have interest in an open dialogue around Social Justice Issues in a Politically Diverse Community.
We are grateful for the warm hospitality by Auburn First Presbyterian Church and PERC for welcoming our dialogue to the new event and retreat center.
The event in Central New York will be on Tuesday, January 23rd, at the Presbyterian Event and Retreat Center (PERC), 112 South St, Auburn NY, beginning at 10:00am and wrapping up around 3:30pm. There is a suggested donation of $15 to cover food and materials. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
For more information, and to learn about the various speakers and topics that will be discussed, visit our registration page.
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 43rd Annual Cayuga County-wide Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
On Sunday, January 14, the 43rd annual county-wide celebration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will take place at the Church of God in Christ (86 Garrow Street, Auburn), pastored by the Rev. Brian Whitley. The service will begin at 4 pm. Preaching will be the Rev. Patrick D. Heery, pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church and the religious chair of the Auburn/Cayuga Branch of the NAACP Board.
This year's service will call for a national moral revival through the Poor People's Campaign. Today, tens of thousands of people across the country are picking up where Rev. Dr. King left off, joining a movement inaugurated by King shortly before his assassination. The goal was, and is still today, to unite and mobilize as poor people, across racial and geographic lines, in acts of social change. Auburn's service will look toward future worship services, community gatherings, and acts of service and social engagement.
All are encouraged to bring an offering to help raise money for scholarships for deserving high school students planning on going to college.
 Interfaith Understanding
A chance to get answers to your questions about other faith groups.
When: Sunday, January 21, 2018 @ 3 pm
Where: Sennett Federated Church, 7777 Weedsport-Sennett Road, Corner Weedsport-Sennett and Turnpike Roads, Sennett, NY
Featuring:
~ Jim
Brule,
a member of Temple Concord (Reform Movement Synagogue), is a Maggid: an ordained spiritual guide, storyteller, and teacher of story-telling
~ Mohamed
Khater
is President of the Islamic Society of Central New York. He is also a member of Interfaith Works Round Table of Faith Leaders.
~ Jim
Kerr-Whitt
who is a member of the congregation of the United Church of Fayetteville, is a (retired) American Baptist minister
Everyone Welcome, No Exceptions. Refreshments served.
Sponsored by: Sennett Federated Church, First Presbyterian Church of Weedsport, Clergy Groups of Weedsport and Port Byron. For questions, please contact Rev. Dr. George Huffsmith at pastor@sennettfederatedchurch.net.
 Vanderkamp Dinner Dance Fundraiser
Saturday, February 10th 6pm - 11pm
Bring your sweetheart or your friends for lovely evening with a formal dinner, live music, craft beer and ale tasting, cash bar, and door prizes. Though Vanderkamp will not be holding a Fire and Ice Festival this year, with winters remaining so unpredictable in Central New York, we opted to keep this fun and festive theme for our February fundraising event. The Commons Dining Hall will be aglow with fire and ice lighting and decorations, providing a festive... even romantic... ambiance for the evening. After all, the event takes place the Saturday night before Valentine's Day.
Advance sale tickets are required.
On sale
through January 27th
. $30.00 per person.
Tickets are available at the Cleveland Village Office; from members of the Program Committee: Pat Ceero-Reehil, Julie Simpson, Lila Netzband, or Chairperson Beth Krauss; online at www.vk.org, or contacting Vanderkamp by emailing vkcenter@vk.org or calling (315) 675-3651. Purchase your tickets online here.
You always may keep abreast on happenings in and around the Presbytery by
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Around the Synod of the Northeast
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ROBERT WASHINGTON SCHOLARS PROGRAM CONTINUES
As we embrace the diversity of our Synod community, we know we need to encourage and lift up leaders who will help us better reflect the fullness of this gift. The Robert Washington Scholars Program does just this. Our first cohort of Scholars is well underway and they are already a great blessing to us. The application season for our next cohort opened January 1, 2018, and we are looking for another great pool of applicants.
Read more about the program and please encourage good candidates to apply.
Applications for the 2018-2019 Robert Washington Scholars cohort will be available January 1, 2018, with a submission deadline of
February 28, 2018.
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Around the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
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Presbyterian Ministry to the United Nations to launch
Red Hand Campaign
Annual effort seeks to prohibit children from becoming soldiers
In the coming weeks, government leaders from several countries around the world will begin receiving mail from Presbyterian churches containing prints or paper cut-outs of red hands. It's part of the Red Hand Campaign, an initiative to encourage countries to stop the practice of turning children into armed soldiers.
"The campaign begins on January 11th. We are making a big push for human trafficking awareness, and the use of child soldiers is one form of human trafficking," said Ryan Smith, director of the
Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations. "Congregations can help us raise awareness by taking a red piece of paper, tracing their hands, cutting them out and sending them to us with a small note."
Read the rest of the article!
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5811 Heritage Landing Dr., 2nd Floor
East Syracuse, NY 13057
(315) 632-5698
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"I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them
bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5
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