Welcome to this week's edition of our e-letter, Presbytery Matters. | |
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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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We are asking our churches to share this newsletter with your members each week. Click the button below to forward the email or to obtain the newsletter link.
Thank you!
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Joys and Concerns around the Presbytery | |
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In our prayers together this week:
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Pray for 14-year-old Jerry Armstrong who has been diagnosed with bone cancer. He attends Whitelaw Presbyterian Church with his family.
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Pray for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
- Please pray for unity and peace in America during an already tumultuous election season.
- All those in Ukraine.
- All those in Israel and Gaza.
- All those who are homebound.
- All those who battling addiction.
- Keep all those who battling cancer and other chronic illnesses 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: minister members of the Presbytery who are engaged in specialized ministries, who are at-large members, or who are retired.
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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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From the Social Justice Committee
In case you haven't heard yet: the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approved by unanimous consent the following resolution and overtures:
[FIN-15] Divest from Governmental Debt Held by Countries Maintaining a Prolonged Military Occupation. This Commissioners' Resolution makes the church's Board of Pensions and Foundation divest from Israeli bonds (as well as Turkish and Moroccan bonds).
[FIN-01] On Engagement with General Electric and Palantir Technologies, Inc. for Possible Divestment Recommendations. This overture calls upon the church's committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) to begin engaging in dialogue and shareholder resolutions with GE and Palantir Technologies in an effort to get those companies to stop contributing to human rights abuses in Palestine, Yemen, China, and the US. If the companies don't change their behavior after two years, MRTI would recommend to the next GA to divest.
[INT-05] On Confessing our Complicity in Christian Zionism. This overture makes a rejection of Christian Zionism official church policy and would have church officials share this rejection with our partners around the world.
[INT-06] Educational Resources for Seeking Ways to End Israeli Apartheid. This overture directs Presbyterians to the many resources we have developed to educate people about Israeli settler colonialism, apartheid, Zionism, and peacemaking.
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2024-25 Presbyterian Planning Calendars | |
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The Presbytery is putting together a bulk order for 2024-2025 Presbyterian Planning Calendars to get a reduced cost. Please use this link to let us know how many 2024-2025 Planning Calendars you would like. Calendars will be $9.75 + $0.60 S&H. Once your order is placed, Kristin Schierer, Presbytery Bookkeeper, will invoice you. Orders are due by September 27th, and calendars will be distributed at the Presbytery meeting in November.
Ordering Link: https://forms.gle/6tHmezwR5NHZ8X169
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Background checks for incoming Ministers of the Word & Sacrament are now conducted through Praesidium.
https://www.praesidiuminc.com
To request a background check, please contact your COM liaison.
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IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN: Pie making at the LaFayette Columbian Presbyterian Church. | |
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Isaiah’s Table to Benefit from This Year’s Greater Syracuse CROP Walk
Isaiah’s Table received some great news- they will be one of the local missions to receive a grant from this year’s Greater Syracuse CROP Walk. With the local event, 25 percent of the funds raised remains locally, shared with 5 Syracuse-area agencies: Isaiah’s Table, Interreligious Food Consortium, Epiphany Parish SJW Campus, Samaritan Center and In My Father’s Kitchen.
The CROP Walk this year will be held at noon on Sunday October 6th at Onondaga Lake Park at Willow Bay. It’s a great way for groups or individuals to help make a difference for local people around the world who are food insecure.
Let’s get our congregations involved! Why not organize a team from your church – it’s a great fellowship activity! Walking encourages us to think about our neighbors, both locally and globally, who must walk for water, food, and medical care.
The website provides loads of information about how to promote the walk including worship resources, bulletin inserts and sample announcements. They make it easy to have a successful Walk with your faith community.
You can also go to the Greater Syracuse CROP Hunger Walk website to join a team and/or to donate to a team. Your support will be greatly appreciated. Questions? Contact: Bob Graves-Co-Chair at rlgraves313@gmail.com or 315-427-6054
WALK……GIVE…..Help make a difference!
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Theology Basics at Marcellus First Presbyterian Church
September 18th at 6:00 p.m. the Marcellus First Presbyterian Church will begin a new Wednesday night study focused on Christian theology. The study will be referencing Shirley Guthrie’s “Christian Doctrine.”
Here are a few of the topics the study will be exploring:
- How can we find God?
- What does God want with us?
- What are we doing here?
- And much more…
"So come join us as we explore, discuss, and deepen our understanding of God. Church affiliation NOT required, ALL ARE TRULY WELCOME!"
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Practical Resources for Churches Webinars | |
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PRC's Summer & Fall 2024 Online events
All webinars are recorded. Click the title to register or read the description.
Hope is Here! Spiritual practices for pursuing justice and beloved community
Thursday, September 19, 2024
2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT
Leader - Rev. Dr. Luther E. Smith, Jr.
Wait, is this racist?
Thursday, September 26, 2024
2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT
Leader – Kerry Connelly
Managing Stress Before it Manages You
Thursday, October 3, 2024
2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT
Leader – Charles Stone
Healing Fractured Communities
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT
Leaders - Jessica L. Anschutz, Douglas Powe
Christian Nationalism and the 2024 Election
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
2:00 – 3:00 pm EST
Leaders -Brian Kaylor, Beau Underwood
This is a follow-up webinar to
Responding Effectively to Christian Nationalism RECORDED
Leaders -Brian Kaylor, Beau Underwood
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New York State Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Webinars
You can take this training any time during the year
charlaine@prcli.org
10:30 am – 12:00 pm EDT
3:00 – 4:30 pm EST
7:00 – 8:30 pm EST
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Join the Synod-Wide Indigenous Mission Day! | |
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Get ready for an incredible day of service, connection, and cultural immersion! We are excited to announce the Synod-Wide Indigenous Mission Day on September 28, 2024, and we invite you to be a part of this transformative experience. The Synod-Wide Indigenous Mission Day is a dedicated day of action and solidarity, where we come together to support our Indigenous brothers and sisters. The event will feature hands-on building repair projects, opportunities to build meaningful relationships, and immersive cultural experiences.
Why Should You Get Involved?
- Make a Tangible Impact: Participate in building repair projects that directly benefit Indigenous communities. Your skills and efforts will help improve living conditions and community spaces.
- Build Lasting Relationships: Engage in activities that foster understanding and partnership with Indigenous community members. Learn from each other and build friendships that go beyond this one day.
- Experience Indigenous Culture: Immerse yourself in the rich traditions & stories while celebrating their heritage and resilience within the community.
How Can You Help?
We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join us. Whether you're an expert or just willing to lend a hand, your help is valuable. Bring your skills in construction, carpentry, painting, or general handyman work to help with repair projects.
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Spread the Word & let's make the Synod-Wide Indigenous Mission Day an unforgettable and impactful event, together! | |
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Our Address: PO Box 438, Syracuse, NY 13214
Click Here for Staff Contact Information
Click Here for a list of Live Streams from our churches
Click Here for a list of Past Editions of Presbytery Matters
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Morrisville Community Church seeks office staff member
Morrisville Community Church is looking for a part-time office worker. The job is 15 hours a week and the pay is New York State minimum wage.
Interested candidates are asked to call Jeff Gay at (315) 684-3314.
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Northville United Presbyterian Church seeks pastor
Northville United Presbyterian Church (NUPC), nestled in the bucolic village of Northville, New York is searching for a vibrant, compassionate part-time to full-time Pastor to lead and accompany us on our quest to becoming better Disciples of Christ. Located on the Great Sacandaga lake in the beautiful Adirondack Park of Upstate New York, we are a small but active congregation serving the Lord and community in various outreach and inhouse programs who desire a forward-thinking pastor to preach the teachings of Christ and relate them to our daily lives. Our pastor will also shepherd our efforts in our music program, develop programs to attract youth and minister to the needs of the elderly in our midst. Read More...
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Are you hiring?
If your church is hiring, please send an announcement and job description to Communication Coordinator Sarah Buckshot at caysyrnews@gmail.com
Please Note: Hiring announcements will run in Presbytery Matters for 3 weeks and then moved to our website. If you have a hiring announcement from 2023 and are still looking to fill it in 2024, please send a new announcement.
Thank you, Sarah Buckshot, Communications Coordinator.
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Around the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) | |
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Delivering ‘a grammar of faith that can help us become the church God has always intended us to be’
The Rev. Dr. José Irizarry delivers a prophetic sermon during service for the PC(USA)’s national staff
By Mike Ferguson
Presbyterian News Service
During Wednesday’s online worship service four days ahead of Theological Education/Seminaries Sunday, national staff of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) were privileged to hear a sermon from the Rev. Dr. José Irizarry, the president of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. The Rev. Bill Davis, Senior Director of Theological Education Funds Development for the Presbyterian Foundation, helped lead worship, reading from James 3:1-12, one of the lectionary passages for Sept. 15.
That reading “was selected a long time ago,” Irizarry noted. “But even lectionary skeptics must accept that now and then the biblical texts collide with issues of the time in surprisingly relevant ways. Let’s call it the movement of the Spirit.”
Irizarry spoke just a few hours after the presidential debate and just as the nation was observing the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, a day “our paradigms shifted radically,” he said. “We discovered that for all the talk about this country’s power and goodness, we were indeed vulnerable.”
Continue reading...
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Reading Bible stories from right to left
The Rev. Dr. Eric Barreto leads a Synod of the Covenant webinar on reading Luke backwards
By Mike Ferguson
Presbyterian News Service
In an approach that presents any number of spoiler alert challenges, the Rev. Dr. Eric Barreto nonetheless recommends that preachers read Luke backwards.
Barreto, the Frederick and Margaret L. Weyerhaeuser Associate Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, was the Rev. Dr. Chip Hardwick’s guest last week on the Synod of the Covenant’s monthly “Equipping Preachers” webinar. Listen to his 88-minute presentation here.
Barreto told the story of working on a Lenten series with the Rev. Dr. Dave Davis, the senior pastor at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, which Barreto attends and where he teaches adult education. Throughout that Lenten season, Davis preached on Lenten biblical passages while Barreto taught them, beginning with the cross and ending with the unusual Palm Sunday scene of baby Jesus in Mary’s arms.
Continue reading...
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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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