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:
- Please pray for everyone who is struggling with their mental health, mental illnesses and addiction.
- Please pray for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
- 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: Isaiah’s Table, Syracuse; Korean Church of Syracuse; Park Central, Syracuse; Robinson Elmwood United Church, Syracuse; First, Weedsport; Whitelaw.
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 Resource Presbyter |
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Who Do You Say I am?
Earlier this week, I met with Beth Broadway of Interfaith Works. While touring their organization, I met two young women who are part of the senior services program. In our elevator ride from the second to third floors, these women were able to clearly articulate the highlights of the program and their role. “Wow,” I remarked, “now, that’s what I call an elevator speech!”
Within the last several years, Cayuga Syracuse agreed to join with PCUSA as a Matthew 25 presbytery. As part of that initiative, we are challenged to examine the barriers that separate us from one another, and to be an active, present, voice in the name of Jesus Christ for reconciliation and renewal.
For many years, the presbytery has used the image of the grapes and vine as our symbol for Cayuga Syracuse. Theologically, John 15 is a wonderful metaphor of our life in Christ, but what does it say about who we are as a church? If I knew nothing about scripture, I might easily think our logo had something to do with one of the many wineries in our area (mind you, that might be a good conversation starter on what it means to be part of the vine).
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Recently, I asked our communications coordinator, Sarah Buckshot, how we might incorporate our identity as a Matthew 25 presbytery into the symbol of who we are as a people of faith. She developed the logos shown below. What are your thoughts? Are we ready for a change, or does the grapevine still reflect who we are called to be. And as you review the logos, think about how we are living out the Matthew 25 initiative. Do you have questions about how to get involved, or an idea on an initiative the presbytery can work on as a whole? What’s your elevator speech? Let’s talk about it!
In Christ’s Peace,
Kathy
Rev. Kathleen (Kathy) Dain
Interim Resource Presbyter
Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ [Matthew 25:40b]
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Vision & Strategy committee |
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Flip Wilson, a comedian of the ’70s and 80’s, said, “What you see is what you get, honey.” And we’d laugh. On the other hand, in our more serious moments, we realize that it was true. If we imagine/think of good things are going to happen, they frequently do. And, if we expect things to go poorly, they often do. Life has a way of self-fulfillment. There is, of course, more to it than that – but it is a reasonable truism.
One of my favorite sayings is: if you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there. And, when you arrive, there you are. It is about the randomness of life and the choices we make along the way. All of this is by way of focusing on the Vision and Strategy. So, let's take a few moments to reflect on the first component of the title.
Vision. What is it and how do we apply it to our work and the work of every organization?
Vision is made up of two components. The first is “What is,” or, the information and reality of the current situation. The second is “What ought to be” or, God’s call and your own hopes and dreams for reality should be.
What is …? This is intended to describe the reality in which we live, move, and have our being. How we describe this environment has a powerful influence on where we go from here. One reality that we must acknowledge is that the Church of Jesus Christ is in and has been on a hard downward slide for many years. In fact, that downward slide seems to have accelerated over the past three to five years so that there are now more “nones” than there are active members.
A case in point: the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse has lost fifteen churches in the past twenty years and is on the verge of having another five close in the next two or three. Our membership has declined from over 8,000 members at the turn of the century to just around 2,500 at this moment in time. Clearly, something is not working.
The second part of vision is “what ought to be.” Or what is the NEW reality that we would like to create? So, let's give an example of what this might look like. The “what is,” is that millions of families in this country and around the world live in poverty every day. In a world where there is more than enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for anyone’s greed, how are we going to respond? If you say that “no family should ever have to live in poverty,” that is a “what ought to be” statement. That moves us in the direction of doing something to alleviate the what is to create a what could be. So that we can then say, the Presbyterian Church's mission is to work with its members and the community in general to alleviate poverty in our ministry area.
This vision creation is what the Vision and Strategy Committee is all about and is what we are beginning to work on. At the moment, we have no idea what our vision for Cayuga-Syracuse will be. Clearly, it is not something we will come up with in a short time. But rest assured, we are working on it, And we will create a vision based on the realities of our ministry area that is faithful to the gospel we are called to share.
Again, please keep us in your prayers.
N. Scott Cupp
Vision & Strategy Committee
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You're Invited!
Are you Ready for some Baseball? Ready to see C-S Presbytery name in Lights?
Join us Friday, Aug. 4 when C-S Presbytery goes to see the Syracuse Mets defeat the Worcester Red Sox! To get the group rate we need a minimum of 15 people to sign up. What a great event to invite your friends to! C-S will have their name in lights on the scoreboard and best of all (for some at least) it’s fireworks night!
The game starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and must be paid for up front to Rita Hooper, 210 Meadowbrook Circle, Fulton, NY 13069 or to your local church chairperson if you have one.
Tickets are not refundable! Deadline to Rita is Aug. 1, after that only paid for additions will be received. For questions call Rita at 315-706-3564.
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LIFT UP YOUR VOICE AND SING!
Every presbytery gathering includes a time of worship, with the sharing of all the usual things – Scripture, the Word, prayer, etc. But what do we lack? A choir! If you would like to be part of a presbytery choir and are willing to commit to singing regularly at presbytery meetings, the Vision and Strategy committee would like to know. If there is enough interest, whether it be singing, leading, organizing, providing accompaniment etc., our committee is ready to help facilitate next steps to make this small vision a reality.
If interested, contact Deb Thomas at revrndeb@gmail.com or 315-657-0147. The invitation is open to everyone – clergy, ruling elders, church members and friends -- to come join the long history of Presbyterians “singing a new song to the Lord” and nurture everyone’s spirits when we gather together in worship.
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Announcements from our Interim Resource Presbyter |
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Attention Pastors!
Pastors Pause is an invitation to join with other actively serving ministers in our presbytery for a time of worship and fellowship. Please join us Wednesday, August 9th at 10:30 a.m. at United Church of Fayetteville on East Genesee Street.
Following worship, we will walk to a nearby restaurant for a lunch hosted by the presbytery.
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Continuing Education Opportunity for Clergy
Montreat Conference Center is offering a continuing education opportunity to clergy on October 9-12, 2023 in North Carolina.
Here's more from the website:
"As we emerge from our homes and return to our places of worship, we’ve discovered a world that has fundamentally shifted. While some transitioned from the pew to the couch to engage and nurture their spiritual lives, others disappeared altogether. Longstanding trends of declining church membership accelerated during the pandemic and have found exhausted church staff working harder than ever to connect with their congregations. Habits changed, theology was challenged, and connections were severed, pointing to an unavoidable truth: The church we know is at a critical crossroads.
As we gaze upon the pews, what truths have been revealed about our Church? Who has returned to worship? Who has come, maybe for the first time? Who is missing? How will these new realities for our programs, finances, and mission be sustainable? Where does our faith lead to hope for what is to come? Is it possible to see these challenges as possibilities – as a “Holy Shift?” "
Holy Shift participants will explore the implications of this seismic ground shift and learn to navigate the possibilities in a church where God’s call on our lives grows louder and deeper. LEARN MORE HERE.
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Calling all retired pastors...
The next "Can We Talk?" gathering will be held at 10.30 a.m. on Friday, July 28th in the Lounge behind the Sanctuary at Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church, 5299 Jamesville Road in Syracuse.
Coffee and goodies will be served.
The gathering is for retired pastors and CLP's or for folks who are about to retire. First-timers are always welcome!
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Matthew 25 Summit: An Invitation to Innovation
Join us in Atlanta, GA, on Martin Luther King Jr weekend for a first-of-its-kind event!
The Matthew 25 Summit will bring mid-councils, churches, and individuals together to explore this vision. What does it mean to eradicate poverty; how can we begin dismantling systemic racism; how will we know if we are building a vital congregation? We are offering you an invitation to innovation. A chance to dialogue, learn with, and grow with others in exploration. Featuring innovative speakers, thriving ministries, transformative workshops, and space to imagine what’s next!
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Preaching Basics Course for Laity Coming This Fall
This previously postponed course for lay leaders is a series of classes designed to give tools for sermon preparation, writing and delivery, along with a foundation of basic Presbyterian/Reformed beliefs.
- Classes will be held from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. on Sundays in October and November. Location is TBD.
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The cost is FREE to members of the presbytery. However, please purchase A Lay Preachers Guide: How to Craft a Faithful Sermon, by Karoline M. Lewis, 2020. Available on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
If interested, or for more info, please contact Rev. Deb Thomas at revrndeb@gmail.com or text/call 315-657-0147. Note: In order to participate, laity must have the recommendation of their pastor and/or session.
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Deadline to order of August 4th!
Don’t miss your chance!!! The PCUSA 2024 Planning Calendars will be available in September.
To order through the presbytery and receive the bulk rate, please contact Lisa Bricault at Liverpool First Presbyterian: lfirstpr@twcny.rr.com or 315-457-3161.
Please let Lisa know:
- what congregation you represent
- how many calendars you are ordering (each PCUSA pastor receives a free calendar so don’t over order)
- email and phone number
You will receive a bill in the late summer or fall with payment instructions. We are hoping that the calendars will be available for pick up at the September presbytery meeting.
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Practical Resources for Churches Webinars |
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Thursday, July 27, 2023
4:00 - 5:00 PM EDT
Leader - Jon Anderson
God continues to create in our lives, our congregations and our communities every day. Faithful innovation is part of God's creating work. Small Town and Rural Ministry requires both sustaining and disruptive leadership to serve the Gospel and fuel the love of all our neighbors.
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT
Leader - Pat Baker
Intentional ministry with and for older adults and caregivers is vital for healthy congregations. In this webinar, you’ll learn meaningful activities that can benefit the congregation as a whole as well as older adults and caregivers. You’ll also explore ideas for outreach to other older adults and caregivers in your community..
Thursday, August 24, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT
Leader - Heather Roth Johnson
Kids in Worship has become a hot topic for churches. After the pandemic, some folks let go of formal Sunday School, and opted to fully integrate kids and youth into the life of the congregation. It’s still a work in progress, but we have made cultural shifts to help families worship together and to help kids and youth find their voice in worship. Heather will share her insights, her fails, and what has worked, thus far.
Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT
Leader - Tom Sine
Many pastors and lay leaders in this post pandemic time are looking for creative ways: 1. to secure greater involvement from their laity: 2. to make a difference in their communities & 3. to engage their young people. This webinar will draw on concrete examples from Futures Creativity workshops and the book 2020s Forecast: Three Vital Practices for Thriving in a Decade of Accelerating Change.
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT
Leader - Teresa J. Stewart
Small congregations have powerful worship strengths that can’t be used in big settings. Explore lavish worship that fits your gifts and reveals the kingdom of God already among you.
In this webinar, you’ll learn:
● How to start with your small-setting strengths instead of endlessly adapting resources that don’t fit.
● The difference between a performance approach and a participation approach to worship. (Spoiler alert: participation is an overlooked superpower of small settings).
● A new way of worship planning—the Stone Soup model—that increases lay participation, decreases planning time, and invites local gifts.
Registration includes Stone Soup planning forms. With examples for an upcoming liturgical season.
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT
Leader - Teresa J. Stewart
Explore two small-setting worship strengths. Each builds upon the participation advantage. Each creates a new expression for your community. And each is rooted in practices of the Early Church.
In this webinar, you’ll learn to shift worship from observation to collaboration with two powerful practices.
● Worshiping with Conversation: Worship itself is a conversation--a call and response with God and the gathered. Discover how to include actual conversation to deepen worship.
● Contact: Liturgy is literally the work of the people. Explore practices that put worshipers to work with hands-on, full-body, creative, collaboration.
Registration includes a guide and planning form for each of these strengths. With examples for an upcoming liturgical season.
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT
Leader - Teresa J. Stewart
Small congregations don’t have the same limitations as big ones. Explore these two distinctive, deeply-forming strengths. Learn how to diagnose your local gifts and curate lavish worship with them.
In this webinar, you’ll learn to deepen worship with and for your community.
● Co-creator Gifts: Worship is not limited to sitting, standing, and singing. Imagine new ways to include local interests and talents as actual worship gifts.
● Widening the Word: Sermons are one way to proclaim the good news. But our tradition has so many others that can be celebrated in small settings.
Registration includes a guide and planning form for each of these strengths. With examples for an upcoming liturgical season.
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT
Leader - Pat Baker
Join us to explore the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's as well as normal aging vs. dementia. We’ll look at the 5 key messages about dementia and how to communicate with someone who is facing the challenges of having dementia. Finally, we’ll delve into how your congregation can support people with dementia and their caregivers, and create a welcoming environment.
Thursday, October 5, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM
Leader - Chris Pomfret
Aging is a reality of life that unites all humans, irrespective of race, creed, location…. We tend to overlook the challenges of aging either by accident or design, and as a result, our later lives can be consumed by “surprises” or issues that could have been handled with prior preparation. Ignoring the realities of aging can also adversely affect the lives of our loved ones. It is imperative therefore that we strive to embrace our aging, especially in our Third Thirty (ages 60-90) and be at peace with the typical inevitabilities. The webinar will discuss how we can Pray, Plan and Prepare for our own aging journey so that the last chapters of our lives can be the best possible, both for us and our loved ones. Getting rid of our “stuff”, downsizing, discussing with our extended family our end of life wishes and discerning what God wants us to do with our post-retired life are just some of the topics that will be covered.
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT
Panelists - Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Rev. Dr. Sherry Molock, Rev. Deanna Hollas
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New York State Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Webinars
You can take this training any time during the year
1 - 2:30 PM EDT
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
2:00 - 3:30 PM EDT
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM EST
3:30 - 5:00 PM EST
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Do you live-stream your service on Sundays?
droppable-1673496502490
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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The Rev. Kathleen Dain, Interim Resource Presbyter, can be reached by emailing KDain@cayugasyracuse.org or by calling (315) 551-0413.
Sarah Buckshot, Communications Coordinator, can be reached by emailing caysyrnews@gmail.com or by calling (315) 877-8271.
Our Address: PO Box 438, Syracuse, NY 13214
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Two East Syracuse churches seek to share Presbyterian pastor
The Collamer United Church and the First United Church of East Syracuse are two separate churches seeking to share a full-time solo Presbyterian pastor. Our churches are both located in East Syracuse, New York, only 2.3 miles apart. We are both united Presbyterian and Methodist denominations. We are blessed to have a hard-working core of active participants in both churches who manage the church business, coordinate the worship services (one at each church building), and hold mission events. We are working together and sharing some staff and resources. We believe this to be a very supportive environment. In addition, we believe that Central NY can provide an attractive quality of life, with our parks, culture, and quality schools.
The pastor’s duties would include worship leadership and preaching, pastoral care, oversight of Christian education, moderating the Sessions, guidance with mission projects, and representing the congregation to outside groups. We are mindful that we are two churches and do not expect a pastor to provide full-time services to each church.
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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 - 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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Learning about the future by looking at the past
David Staniunas works to preserve PC(USA) history
By Rick Jones & Randy Hobson
Office of the General Assembly
LOUISVILLE — A visit to the Presbyterian Historical Society’s offices in Philadelphia will not disappoint the avid historian or curiosity seeker who wants to know about their great grandparents’ work in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It is the oldest continuous denominational historical society in the United States. Walking the halls and scanning the shelves and exhibits will open a treasure of documents, paintings, photos, videos, and artifacts that tell a long and detailed story of the PC(USA).
Record Archivist David Staniunas is responsible for managing new collections. In this week’s OGA In Focus, he describes his work from moving historical items into the building to getting them on the shelves and into the database.
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The new Book of Order (2023-2025)
Access digital and for-print versions online,
order bound copies
By Fred Tangeman
Office of the General Assembly
The revised Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) [Part II], which took effect as a governing document July 9, can be accessed online in three formats from the Office of the General Assembly pages of pcusa.org. Bound copies can be ordered through the PC(USA) store.Korean- and Spanish-language versions of the Book of Order are receiving final edits and will be available later in the summer, including the first bound versions of both translations.
Laurie Griffith, Associate Director for Constitutional Interpretation in OGA, led the effort to compile the new publication, including more than 30 amendments presbyteries finished voting on at the end of March. She noted that all amendments proposed by the 225th General Assembly were approved.
The compiling work included incorporating each amended passage into the previous text, formatting all sections and editing the final document, with the new sections and appendices totaling more than 330 pages.
In describing the revised Book of Order, Griffith highlighted some amendments with special impact for congregations, including a requirement of 12 weeks of paid family leave for called and installed pastors. Another change directs presbyteries to establish “terms for dissolution” when a relationship between an installed pastor and a congregation ends, a process Griffith compared to severance packages used by secular human resource departments.
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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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