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 and 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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We want to hear about the mission stories from our Presbytery's worshiping communities. What mission work are you involved in? How are your members working in the community? What story would you like to share with others in the Presbytery?
Send any mission stories from your congregation that you would like to share to: CaySyrNews@gmail.com.
Deadline is 12 p.m. on Wednesdays for the current week's edition of
Presbytery Matters.
We want to share your stories, missions, activities and more. Also, make sure to like our Facebook page by clicking the "Facebook" icon at the top of this newsletter.
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Joys and Concerns around the Presbytery |
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In our prayers together this week:
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Please pray for the Rev. Patrick Heery and his family as they make plans to move to Cincinnati this summer to be closer to family. Please pray for Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn as they make plans for an interim pastor and a search process.
- Please pray for everyone who is struggling with their mental health and mental illnesses.
- Keep all those who battling cancer in your prayers. Please ask God to be by their side and to be with their doctors and families.
In the cycle of prayer our Presbytery, please pray for these congregations, faith communities, and individuals: United Church of Fayetteville; First United Church of Fulton; God’s Vision Christian Church, Hannibal; Jamesville Community Church; First, King Ferry
If you'd like to share a particular joy or concern with the Presbytery, please contact: CaySyrNews@gmail.com. Please note, prayers will be featured for three weeks, unless a specific time frame is requested.
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Onondaga Hill Presbyterian Church honors woman for 80 years of membership
Marie Johnson has been a member of Onondaga Hill Presbyterian Church for eight decades.
The 95-year-old was honored during service on Sunday for 80 years of membership in the Syracuse church.
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Welcome!
The Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse and The First Presbyterian Church of Chittenango celebrated the installation of the Rev. Justin Lee Marple as Pastor of The First Presbyterian Church of Chittenango on Sunday.
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A Stated Annual Meeting of the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse has been called for 9:00 a.m., May 6, 2023. This meeting will be held in-person only at the First Presbyterian Church of Chittenango.
THE NAMES OF YOUR COMMISSIONERS AND ALL REQUESTS TO BE EXCUSED WILL NEED TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATED CLERK BY THURSDAY, MAY 4.
***PLEASE NOTE***
We will be handling the proposed changes to the Book of Order at this meeting. The document link is below. This document was also sent with our last meeting materials. There is an abundance of information here and you will want to look it over ASAP and make sure your commissioners have it ASAP. All of the amendments will appear for approval on a consent agenda/omnibus motion. This means that any amendment that anyone wants to discuss or speak against will need to be pulled from the list for consideration separately. If you want this to happen for any amendment, please get the information together ASAP and be prepared to move for their consideration separately early in the meeting.
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The Can We Talk Group of retired pastors will meet at Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church on Friday, April 28, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.
The group will gather in the lounge behind the sanctuary. As usual, there will be coffee and goodies to go along with whatever is on your mind.
First-timers are welcome as are folks who have not been around for a while!
Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church is located at 5299 Jamesville Road in DeWitt.
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The Presbytery voted to restructure itself in January 2023. This has opened up some amazing new opportunities to direct and serve our community as we move forward.
First and foremost, we are inviting people to serve on the Vision and Strategy Committee and the Nominating Committee. People will be elected to these two groups at the Presbytery meeting on May 5 in Chittenango. If you or someone in your congregation would be interested, please send names and contact information to Shavonn Lynch, Chair of the Nominating Committee: lynchshavonn@yahoo.com.
Future opportunities will include service on the Committee on Ministry, the Committee on Preparation for Ministry, and the Committee on Representation among others.
The Nominating Committee is great for anyone who enjoys the relationships and connections of the Presbytery and who values helping others discover their calling and gifts. The Vision and Strategy Committee is a totally new team and great for anyone who wants to dream, be creative, and move the Presbytery in a positive direction. Vision and Strategy will keep an eye on the "big picture" (or the mission, purpose, and vision) of the Presbytery, as guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ. To learn more about these and other committees, click here.
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EARTH DAY: Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn was beautifully decorated for Earth Day!
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Practical Resources for Churches Webinars |
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Thursday, May 4, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT
Leader - Rev. Dr. Sarah Griffith Lund
A WISE congregation has joined the mission to being Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged in the Mental Health of the community and the wider world.
Thursday, May 11, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT
Leader - Beth Mueller
Learn how "A Common Sense Guide to the Enneagram for Youth Ministry" can help you - as an adult working with young people—understand yourself as a leader and cultivate a broader awareness of the motivations and obstacles of others. Drawing upon her decades of experience with the Enneagram and ministry with young people, Beth Mueller will help you see how this book can be a tool for better ministry and relationships. A Common Sense Guide to the Enneagram for Youth Ministry also introduces the Intimacy Triads, developed by Beth to help us better understand our intimate relationships with God and each other.
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New York State Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Webinars
You can take this training any time during the year
3 - 4:30 PM
10 - 11:30 AM
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In the absence of a Resource Presbyter, please contact the following individuals:
And, as always, questions regarding church polity, minutes, parlimentary procedure should be directed to our Stated Clerk, Rev. Ben Fitzgerald-Fye (statedclerk@cayugasyracuse.org)
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Do you live-stream your service on Sundays?
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We are compiling a list of live-stream links to feature in Presbytery Matters. This will allow others to join in on your services.
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Join in on these services virtually on Sundays:
Faith United Oswego - Live on Zoom (Meeting ID: 207 196 571)
Isaiah's Table will send a link for people to join our hybrid worship at 10 a.m. on Saturdays. Send email to isaiahtable@gmail.com by Friday evening.
Scipioville Presbyterian Church - Live on Zoom (Meeting ID: 836 3163 8403
Passcode: SPC13147)
More to come...
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Please Note: Our new address change -- PO Box 438, Syracuse, NY 13214 -- also applies to mail sent to the Bookkeeper.
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Solo Pastor at Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church in DeWitt
Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church is currently seeking a solo pastor who is spiritually grounded, intellectually curious, compassionate, and forward-thinking. PHPC has a history of community engagement and a commitment to social justice. Our congregation thrives on preaching that enriches and propels us to expand our thinking and motivates action. We are nourished through inspiring music and the loving nature of our faith community. We seek someone who is flexible, has a sense of humor, and flourishes in contexts where collaboration in leadership is the norm.
Position tasks include worship leadership & preaching, pastoral care, oversight of Christian education, moderating the Session, representing the congregation to outside groups that use our facility, assisting committees with guidance and insights as needed, participating and motivating members to become more active in social justice and mission projects.
PHPC was formed in 1956 in a suburb of Syracuse, NY. The church is located less than five miles from Syracuse University and Upstate Medical University, along with other institutions of higher education, multiple hospitals, and successful manufacturing facilities. The church is also situated within a very strong K-12 school system. We enjoy the benefits of a city with close proximity to the Finger Lakes, a pleasant drive to the Adirondacks, and a multitude of hiking and biking options in the immediate area, including those associated with the Erie Canal corridor. Onondaga County is on the cusp of major growth due to its selection as the site for an investment of $100 billion over ten years by Micron computer chip company. Finally, Syracuse was recently identified by FEMA as the safest city in the U.S. from natural disasters.
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Are you hiring?
If your church is hiring in 2022 or still looking to fill a position from 2021, please send a new or updated announcement and job description to Communication Coordinator Sarah Buckshot at caysyrnews@gmail.com
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Annual Meeting - Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 9 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Chittenango
Stated Meeting - Tuesday, July 11, 2023 at 7 p.m. Time and Location TBA
Stated Meeting - Saturday, September 16, 2023. Time and Location TBA
Stated Meeting -Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at 7 p.m. on Zoom.
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Around the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) |
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J. Herbert Nelson to step down as Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA)
Long time church leader plans to leave at the end of June
Rick Jones & Randy Hobson
Office of the General Assembly
After seven years as the chief ecclesial officer of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, has announced plans to step down from his role as Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA) effective June 30, 2023. The decision, he says, came after long conversations with his family and extended time in prayer. The announcement comes just days after he told the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly that he would not seek a third term as Stated Clerk.
“I have sought God’s will my entire life, following in the footsteps of my father and grandfather to preach the gospel in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) I believe that God calls us into new seasons in our life of discipleship. Following many conversations with my wife and daughter, I believe I have entered into this new season,” Nelson said. “This was not an easy decision, but I feel it is the right one to make for my family and the church in this time of change.”
Nelson said that serving as Stated Clerk has been one of the greatest experiences of his life and drew strength from his visits across the country and the world with churches, pastors, presbytery and mid council leaders, and ecumenical partners.
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Ecumenical Advocacy Days preacher urges participants to take Jesus’ advice to ‘go and see’
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie stirs crowd during opening worship
By Darla Carter
Presbyterian News Service
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie opened Ecumenical Advocacy Days on Tuesday with a rousing sermon in which the biblical story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 became a rallying cry to be courageous, persistent and compassionate in a world where it often seems there aren’t enough resources to go around.
McKenzie, interim president and general secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, more commonly known as the National Council of Churches, primed the mostly church crowd for the work they will be doing at the conference — and beyond — by asking thought-provoking questions like, “Do we send the people away, or do we do something about what the people need?”
Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) is an annual gathering that brings together Christian advocates and activists to learn about current issues as they prepare to take their concerns — and voices — to Capitol Hill on Thursday, which is EAD’s Lobby Day.
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P.O. Box 438, Syracuse 13214
(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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