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:
- Pray for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who remains in the hospital after he went into cardiac arrest during a football game.
- Please pray for Frank Campagna from the Cazenovia Church. Frank was diagnosed with cancer. Please keep him, his doctors and his family in your prayers.
- Please pray for everyone who is struggling with 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: Port Byron Federated; First, Scipioville; Sennett Federated Church; First, Skaneateles
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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Prayer for Epiphany
Shepherd of Israel, you sent a star to enlighten the wise and a child to topple the tyrant.
Make us wise enough to seek you among the least of your children, wise enough to trade our treasure for the gift of overwhelming joy.
Matthew 2:1-12
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From the the Rev. Karen Chamis |
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Friends, as of December 31st I am no longer your Resource Presbyter. Although I am continuing my membership in this presbytery, I'll be keeping strict boundaries in regards to discussions about the future work of this presbytery and her member churches. As part of my "rewiring", I'm planning on scaling back significantly on social media as well. I'll still be posting at www.karenchamis.blog but chances are pretty good it will be more about writing, knitting, gardening, and faith than organizational church stuff. Thank you so much for your kindness these last few years. I'm grateful for you all.
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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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The Stated Clerk, Rev. Ben Fitzgerald-Fye, will be out of the office from Monday December 26, 2022 through Monday January 9, 2023. He will return to work on Tuesday, Jan. 10. Emails and messages will be returned after Jan 10. If you have an emergency (a real one), please text or email with an indication that your need is urgent and they will be handled accordingly.
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Thursday, January 5, 2023
2:00 - 2:30 PM EST
Leaders - Gregory Rawn, Cindy Paulson
Looking for a different way to do VBS? Sunday school? Intergenerational events?
Curriculum that is: flexible? grounded in solid theology? adaptable for all class sizes and age groups? based on varied learning styles and multiple intelligences?
Join us to learn together about curricula that check all those boxes and more!
Tuesday, January 17, 2023, 2:00 - 3:00 PM EST
Wednesday, January 18, 2023, 2:00 - 3:00 PM EST
Thursday, January 19, 2023, 2:00 - 3:00 PM EST
Leader - Kay Kotan
Have you ever wondered how to effectively form cooperative parishes that result in healthy ministries and positive community impact? In this three-part webinar series, you will walk through the steps for cooperative parish discernment and how to truly cooperate through a shared vision. In addition, you will discover what it means to cooperate through ministries and resources for Kingdom impact in a healthy and an effective cooperative parish model.
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
2:00 - 2:30 PM EST
Leader - Melissa Gepford
Dandelion Marketplace is a digital multivendor platform that provides reliable progressive spiritual formation resources for families and communities. Dandelion serves as a colander, offering the most reliable progressive faith formation resources to families and churches, without having to sift through fundamentalist search options. Additionally, this marketplace platform provides a tried-and-true location for progressive authors to house and sell their own materials that will increase their sales and personal brand.
Thursday, February 16, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM EST
Leader - Rev. Dr. Sarah Griffith Lund
Join author, advocate, and pastor Rev. Dr. Sarah Griffith Lund for conversation, stories, and practical steps about how faith communities can offer support and hope to children, teens, and their families living with mental health challenges.
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Do you live-stream your service on Sundays?
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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Ben Fitzgerald-Fye, Stated Clerk, can be reached by emailing statedclerk@cayugasyracuse.org OR by calling or texting (315) 604-8535. Ben will be out of the office from Monday, December 26, 2022 through Monday, January 9, 2023.
Sarah Buckshot, Communications Coordinator, can be reached by emailing caysyrnews@gmail.com. Sarah will be on vacation from Sunday, December 25th to Saturday, December 31st.
Please Note: Our new address change -- PO Box 438, Syracuse, NY 13214 -- also applies to mail sent to the Bookkeeper.
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Administrative Assistant
Jamesville Church seeks energetic administrative assistant, 10 hours/week, $15/hour. Perfect for someone with children in school! Mature faith, skilled in MS Office, people lover, self-starter, good planner, team player, problem solver, task finisher.
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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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Stated Meeting - Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 7 p.m. on Zoom
Annual Meeting - Saturday, May 6, 2023. Time and Location TBA
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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A Presbyterians Today columnist describes how to be Christlike to all
Everyone has doubts, but not everyone has faith
By LaWanda Harris
Presbyterians Today
In a world that is becoming increasingly indifferent to religion, more people are wrestling with the existential questions our human nature brings about. What is my purpose in life? Is there really a God? How can God exist when everything seems so unfair?
I hear these questions asked by those who see faith as an integral part of their lives and by those apathetic to any kind of faith. As creatures who can reason, think about the future and remember the past, we all struggle with moments of uncertainty about why things happen the way they do. Whether we always have been grounded in religious tradition, previously but no longer immersed in religious tradition, or never have identified with a religious tradition, the inner, existential struggle that our living in this world brings about pervades all our lives.
As a leader straddling both the sacred and secular worlds, I must discern how best to walk alongside all people struggling with the questions that weigh heavily on the heart.
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Helping churches save money on energy bills topic of Presbyterians for Earth Care webinar
A side benefit is helping to save the planet
By Mike Ferguson
Presbyterian News Service
Last month’s webinar, “Save Money on Church Energy Bills,” hosted by Presbyterians for Earth Care, provided viewers practical steps churches have taken both to help save the planet and to whittle away at their energy bills. Watch the hour-long broadcast here.
The Rev. Bruce Gillette, moderator of Presbyterians for Earth Care, hosted the webinar, which featured three speakers:
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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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