04.26.24

We'd Like to Hear from You

As we look to the future we would like to have your input. A questionnaire is being circulated to all invested parties as a beginning step towards New York City Presbytery's revisioning plan.

The office has created a more user friendly method to respond to the questions. It is our hope that this format makes it easier for you to answer and submit your responses.

All you need to do is click on the question link below, scroll down through the questions, entering your responses*, and then hit submit once you are done.

*You must answer all questions. If you do not have an answer for any of the questions enter N/A for that question.

Please submit your responses no later than May 3, 2024

Let me know if you have any questions. 212 870-2221 ext. 4 or Yswavylipton@presbynyc.org

Contact New York City Presbytery's Transitional Leader

A Message from New York City Presbytery's Stated Clerk

Clergy ID Cards are Here!

Minister Members' Clergy ID Cards have arrived. So that I can get your ID Cards to you, I ask that you email me your full name and complete address. Once I receive your email I will mail you your ID card. Let me know if you have any questions.

A Note from the Board of Trustees and the Insurance Committee

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Insurance Committee, who attended last week's Insurance Webinar. We hope the presentation was useful and informative. We are providing (see below) the recording and the Power Point presentation from the webinar for those who were unable to attend.

If you have any questions direct them to, Elder Clayton Young. He and the members of the Insurance Committee will do their best to assist you. 

As we said during the presentation, we are exploring the option of forming a purchasing group and as part of this effort, we would like to gauge the members' interest. If you are interested, please respond to this email with a "yes." 

If you have not already done so, please forward the current Certificate of Insurance ("CoI") to Rev. Georgette Morgan-Thomas, our property consultant. In addition to naming your church, the CoI should also name the Presbytery of New York City, the Synod of the Northeast and the Presbyterian Church (USA) as additional insureds. It would also be helpful if you could include the Declarations page of your policy(ies) that shows the premium.

Finally, we plan to do more Webinars in the future. If there are any subjects you would like us to address, please let us know.

Links to the presentation and the recording of the Webinar can be found below.

Have a blessed day,

BOT Insurance Committee

Elder Clayton Young, Rev. Althelia Pond, Elder Keith Hutson, Elder David Vidal and the Board of Trustees Chair, Elder Nancy Sipp

A Message from New York City Presbytery's Controller

2024 Per Capita for New York City Presbytery

Dear Pastor, Clerk of Session and Treasurer:

At its December 2023 meeting, the Presbytery approved the 2024 Per Capita rate to fund the administrative cost of the Presbytery’s ecclesiastical operations. The 2024 Presbytery Per Capita rate is $32.35 per member, the 2024 General Assembly Per Capita rate is $9.80 per member and the 2024 Synod Per Capita rate is $4.10 per member, for a 2024 total Per Capita rate of $46.25 per member.

Also at its December 2023 meeting, the Presbytery approved a 2024 Basic Mission Support allocation based on membership at the rate of $11.60 per member. This funding mechanism sets the minimum level of mission support expected from your congregation. We hope and pray that your church will be led to exceed this minimal level of support for the Presbytery’s mission projects.

Payments can be made on the Presbytery’s website at www.nycpresbytery.org. Click on “Make your Per Capita Payments” at the top of the page. Please let me know if you have any questions. I may be reached at 212 870-2221 ext. 3

Grace and Peace,

James N. Tse

Financial Controller

News from the COVID-19 Team - Keep Yourself and Others Safe

COVID-19 remains with us as do RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), influenza, and other communicable diseases. 

Measures to consider for your health and the health of others are:

• Obtain vaccinations for COVID-19, RSV, and the flu if you are eligible.
• Get free at home COVID 19 tests. 
• Stay at home and test if you experience COVID-19 symptoms.
• If you experience symptoms or test positive, contact a healthcare provider to learn about COVID-19 Treatments and Medications. Don’t delay! Treatment must be started 5–7 days after you first develop symptoms.
• The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health) reminds us that Masks are still effective tools to reduce the risk of spreading or being exposed to COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses. Masks protect you and others by reducing the amount of droplets that enter the air when someone coughs, sneezes, talks, sings or breathes. NYC Health suggests:
• Consider wearing a mask in crowded indoor public settings, such as on public transit, at large events, and when shopping in crowded stores.
• Consider wearing a mask if you are at high risk for severe COVID-19 or are around others who are.
• Always wear a mask if you're sick and unable to separate from others, and for 10 days after you have COVID-19.
• Always wear a mask for 10 days after being exposed to someone who has COVID-19.
• Wear a high-quality mask, such as a KN95, KF94 or N95, for the best protection from COVID-19.
• Click here for a summary of Centers for Disease Control guidelines for isolation if you have COVID-19.

Find more information about COVID-19 and what to do from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Centers for Disease Control.



Lastly, we want to lift up the importance of testing before and after attending family gatherings and or large events, consider masking at large gatherings, and consider staying at home when feeling ill.

The COVID-19 Team

Brenda Berkman (RE)

Mark Koenig (TE)

Samson Tso (TE)

News from the Pews

• Second Presbyterian Church - Street Co-naming Ceremony and Celebration for Catherine Ferguson, an educator, entrepreneur, advocate for children's rights, abolitionist and member of the Old Scotch Church (now Second Presbyterian Church). May 11, 2024, Details
• Siloam Presbyterian Church, 175th Anniversary Service, October 27, 2024, Details

May 19th is PC(USA)'s Heritage Sunday

Each year, Presbyterians across the globe acknowledge Heritage Sunday, a day to reflect on and celebrate their rich history of the faith. Heritage Sunday always falls on the Sunday closest to May 21 — the opening date of the inaugural General Assembly in the United States in 1789. This year, Heritage Sunday will fall on May 19.

The Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS) is honoring David Sindt’s courageous act at the 1974 General Assembly, which served as a turning point in the movement for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the PC(USA), in this year’s Heritage Sunday bulletin insert. Full story

Spreading the Vision of Matthew 25 Across the Church

Below are valuable video resources from the Matthew 25 Summit that The Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) is generously sharing for wider distribution. These presentations offer insightful perspectives on the principles of Matthew 25:

Rev. Dr. William Yoo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ltvW2MONb8&t=44s

Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDHsvT77wXE&t=20s

Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgoCltsSeTY&t=29s

Learn more about and engage with Matthew 25 by participating in one or more of the upcoming events.

Click here to download the list of upcoming Matthew 25 events.

Is Your Church the Right Place to Heal from Religious Trauma?

Religious trauma is becoming quite a buzzword. Therapists are writing books about it. Mainstream news networks are substantially covering it. Faith communities (like Harbor, the online community I help lead) have formed to help people heal from it. The downside of buzzwords is that we hear about them so often that we eventually become desensitized to them. After enough time, or enough buzzing of the words in a short time, we may even get a little annoyed and begin to roll our eyes.

The church can’t afford to become irritated, blasé or condescending about church trauma. As the phrase indicates, this phenomenon is the result of harms perpetrated in and by the church. We need to take religious trauma very, very seriously. Full story

The Board of Pensions Clergy Wellness Support Program

Last summer, the Board of Pensions of the PC (USA) began the Clergy Wellness Support Program. This initiative provides ministers with grants up to $5,000 to foster renewal and wholeness. The grants can be taken every six years.

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ministers need the opportunity to step away from the demands of ministry and practice self-care so that they might experience the flourishing of life. That’s why the Board of Pensions provides programs that cultivate wholeness and nurture ministries, like Clergy Wellness Support.

Grants are available to ministers in partnership with programs that address vocational, spiritual, mental, and physical wellness. Learn more

IT'S NOT TO LATE TO REGISTER for Princeton Theological Seminary's Forum on The Future of Youth Ministry

The Princeton Forum on Youth Ministry is an annual gathering of people in the church, the academy, and the world who are committed to cultivating and caring for the Christian faith of young people. Designed around a theme that inspires the conversation and content each year, the Forum is a place where people of all demographic and denominational backgrounds come together to learn from and encourage one another. Less of a conference that teaches “how-to,” the Forum is a creative hub where people gather to ask “how come?” Learn more

The Good Works Committee invites congregations and fellowships to submit proposals for possible funding of new or on-going missional efforts through the Good Works Fund. Links to the Good Works guidelines and an application are available on the General Resources page on the Presbytery's website. Contact goodworks@presbynyc.org.

Sacred Sites Open House May 18th and 19th, 2024

We hope your congregation will join the Landmarks Conservancy’s 14th Annual Sacred Sites Open House celebrating New York’s diverse historic houses of worship. This year’s theme is “Welcoming our Neighbors”, and participating congregations will showcase their buildings and histories through guided tours, lectures, and musical performances. The event is also an opportunity to highlight the cultural and social service programs your sites offer.

We encourage you to partner with a nearby house of worship of another faith tradition and coordinate opening hours to welcome visitors to both locations.

Check back often as we post more information about site registrations, featured events, special tours, and our popular Sacred Sites Open House Photo Contest. We'll also be sending weekly tips on hosting a successful event.

The Sacred Sites Open House has attracted thousands of visitors over the last decade, all eager to learn about the art, architecture, history, and programming at New York’s diverse houses of worship.

Register Here

To be included in the Open House Weekend Guide, (an online searchable database) you must complete your registration by May 1st, 2024.  

Late registrations will be accepted, but we cannot guarantee that your site will be listed in our Guide, maps, or included in press releases.

To register your site, click here.  

Need help planning your Open House? We have created a "How To" guide for congregations that contains sample flyers and press releases as well as tips for making your Open House a success. Click here to download the guide.

For more information contact Tara Ritz or Ann Friedman at sacredsites@nylandmarks.org or call 212.995.5260.

Employment Opportunities Within and Around the Presbytery of NYC

Congregational Searches on PC(USA)'s NEW CLC System

The following congregations in our presbytery are currently engaged in active searches. These Ministry Discernment Profiles (MDP) are posted to CLC's website:

• Church of the Master, Designated Pastor/Head of Staff, Part-time (20 hrs.)
• First Presbyterian Church, Far Rockaway, Solo Pastor, Part-time (3/4 time)
• St. Albans Presbyterian Church, Solo Pastor, Full-time
• First Presbyterian Church of Springfield Gardens, Solo Pastor, Part-time
• Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Solo Pastor, Full-time, click here for additional details

Congregations within our presbytery are currently seeking to fill these positions:

• Mt. Morris-Ascension Presbyterian Church, Secretary/Administrative Assistant, Part-time, click here for details
• Presbyterian Church of St. Albans, Senior Pastor, Full-time, click here for details

PC(USA) National Office

• The Presbyterian Church (USA) national office in Louisville, KY, is currently hiring. click here for a list of current openings. To access all Presbyterian Church (USA) national office job opportunities and online applications, please visit PC(USA)'s website for a full listing of openings. Referrals are welcome!

Prayers of Joys and Concern

Prayers of concern, and care are extended to;

• Elder Dorette Winslow (Laconia Presbyterian Church)
• Rev. Alice Hermanus-Rampengan (Indonesian Presbyterian Church)
• New York City Presbytery Board of Trustees
• Pastors serving our congregations
• Pastors in new ministries and churches in pastoral searches
• Practicing Matthew 25 in our churches and communities
• Congregations engaged in special projects
• New York City Presbytery's Young Adult Volunteers (YAV's)

2024 Minister's Minimum Compensation

Below you will find a link (to the presbytery approved ) Minister's Minimum Compensation for the 2024 calendar year.

We hope this is helpful!

New Church Leadership Connection

The Office of the General Assembly has launched the new Church Leadership Connection (CLC), the internet-based matching and referral system of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Call seeking individuals and call providers can now access the new system at clc.pcusa.org.

The Church Leadership Connection (CLC) staff is here to serve you. If you need any assistance or have questions about the new system, contact them by phone at 888-728-7228, ext. 8550, or by email at clcstaff@pcusa.org.

Stay Connected to the Presbytery of NYC