You're Invited To Join Us May 16 for a

Joint Gathering of Our Presbyteries

REQUEST: To help us plan for lunch, please RSVP by emailing Lorrie Cooney at ljcooney1@gmail.com and include your name and the church you are affiliated with.

Members and friends of the Presbyteries of Cayuga-Syracuse and Susquehanna Valley are warmly invited to a joint gathering on Saturday, May 16, at First Presbyterian Church of Cazenovia. This special event is designed as a time of fellowship, conversation and learning as we come together across our presbyteries.

The gathering will run from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with doors opening at 10:30 a.m. for registration and informal conversation. All members of both presbyteries are encouraged to attend -- come one, come all!

The day will offer opportunities to build new friendships, learn more about one another’s ministries and share ideas and questions about the life of our presbyteries. Participants will also hear about the recent merger between the Lehigh and Lackawanna Presbyteries, offering insight and perspective that may help inform conversations within our own region.

This gathering is sponsored by the Focus & Coordination Team, and lunch will be provided.



To help us plan for lunch, please RSVP by emailing Lorrie Cooney at ljcooney1@gmail.com and include your name and the church you are affiliated with.



Your presence and voice are important. We hope you will join us for this meaningful time of connection and shared conversation.

Church Address: First Presbyterian Church of Cazenovia 27 Albany Street (Route 20) Cazenovia, NY 13035

Parking:

• Parking attendants will be on site to guide you to available spaces.
• Accessible and mobility‑friendly parking is located directly behind the church.

Additional Parking Locations:

• Wendell House (Cazenovia College) – 3 Sullivan Street
• Risman Hall – Cazenovia College campus area
• Public parking lot behind Community Bank off Route 20
• Street parking along Albany Street and nearby side streets

Please allow a few extra minutes for parking and walking, especially if you plan to use one of the satellite lots. We’re grateful for your flexibility and look forward to a meaningful day together.

Attention Churches: Download bulletin to invite your members.

Word Document

PDF

Greetings from your friendly neighborhood Stated Clerk,

We have updated our Church Information Form and made it digital to make the process easier for everyone.

Please click the link below, complete your church’s information, and submit the form.

Church Information Form

Once submitted, it will be automatically sent to the Stated Clerk’s office.

A Microsoft Form version is currently under development but is not yet ready for publication.

Please complete this form as soon as possible. This will become an annual process moving forward.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at statedclerk@cayugasyracuse.org.

If you or your church do not have access to the digital form or the necessary technology --or if you know of a congregation that does not -- please let me know. I will gladly provide a physical copy of the form.

Thank you all for your cooperation. I truly appreciate it.

Rev. Ben Fitzgerald-Fye 

Stated Clerk

Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse 

Register Here

Please Note: Carolyn Gillette is a pastor is Susquehanna Valley Presbytery along with her husband Burce Gillette.

You're invited to an online discussion with Lead Presbyter Greg Garis

TODAY -- April 30th at 3 p.m.

Dear Friends,

You are invited to join an online discussion with Lead Presbyter Greg Garis as we explore Gil Rendle’s timely monograph, Re-imaging and Re-mapping the Religious Landscape: Chaos Before a New Ordering. Rendle offers a compelling framework for understanding the profound shifts taking place in the church today, helping us see our ministry challenges through a fresh and hopeful lens.

We will meet on Zoom at 3:00 PM on April 30th.

Whether you’ve read 10 pages or the entire monograph, you are welcome. Your presence and perspective will enrich the conversation. This discussion will be valuable both personally and pastorally as we seek to understand our ministry contexts within this rapidly changing religious landscape. Together, we’ll reflect on how congregations can navigate seasons of disruption, imagine new possibilities, and discern faithful next steps.

Dates:

•   Thursday, April 23 at 3:00 PM (discussion on pages 1-37)

•   Thursday, April 30 at 3:00 PM (discussion on pages 38-66)

Location: Zoom

Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88591757613?pwd=DEUndrYhnUiTN9sKSpC5bwnHZvVEF3.1

We hope you will join us for this thoughtful and energizing conversation.

Download Monograph

Got Church Trivia? We Want It!

Help Make Our “Get to Know Our Presbyteries” Trivia Game a Success

At our May 16 Presbytery Gathering, we’re setting aside time for connection and relationship-building with a fun “Get to Know Our Presbyteries” Trivia Game and we need your help to make it great!



We’re looking for fun, unique, and little-known facts about your church or presbytery. These could be interesting historical details from your archives, memorable stories, amusing anecdotes, or present-day trivia that others might not know.

We’ve already gathered a few great stories and are excited to share them, but we need more trivia to make the game a success!

Take a few minutes to gather your church’s hidden gems and surprising facts and send them in.

Submit your trivia to: Lorrie Cooney at ljcooney1@gmail.com



If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We can’t wait to see what stories you share!

Spotlight on Federated Church of Port Byron from the Assistant to the Lead Presbyter, the Rev. Mary Anderson

The Federated Church of Port Byron stands as a living witness to what can happen when two traditions choose unity, shared mission, and faithful perseverance. Formed by the joining of the Presbyterian and Baptist congregations in the village, the church’s story stretches back more than two centuries.

The Presbyterian presence in the Town of Mentz began as early as 1801, with roots that may reach to 1795, when missionaries first gathered people for worship. The First Baptist Church was organized later, in 1831, becoming a vibrant part of the community’s spiritual life.

In 1933, during the hardships of the Great Depression, the two congregations made a bold and hopeful decision: they united as one church, worshiping together in the Main Street building. For decades, that sanctuary held baptisms, weddings, funerals, Sunday School classes, and countless moments of shared faith.

Everything changed on Labor Day in 1998, when a devastating storm destroyed the historic Main Street building. Though the loss was profound, the congregation chose once again to move forward together. A new church home was built at the corner of Route 38 and Tex Pultz Parkway, and was dedicated on June 10, 2001.

The new sanctuary carries the memory and spirit of the old. The bell from the former steeple rings again. The pulpit Bible, hymn board, and several pieces of sanctuary furniture were lovingly restored and placed in the new worship space. A wooden cross crafted by the youth group, a renovated baptismal, and a cross fashioned from fragments of stained glass salvaged from the Main Street memorial windows all serve as reminders that God brings continuity even through seasons of loss and rebuilding.



Today, the Federated Church of Port Byron continues to embody the strength, faith, and resilience that have marked its journey from 1801 to the present. Rooted in two traditions and united in one mission, the congregation remains committed to serving Christ and the community with hope and gratitude.

The Social Justice Committee invites you to a tour of Salt City Harvest Farm on Friday, May 8 at 11:00 a.m. The farm is located on 449 Fyler Road in Kirkville 13082.

Salt City Harvest Farm grows food, culture, and community alongside the New American Community through the cross-cultural exchange of food traditions with access to farmland, education, and economic opportunities. New Americans grow crops that are native to their homelands, and the farm also sells these highly desired foods at the regional market.  Consider exploring Salt City Harvest Farm’s website for more information.

NCC ACTION ALERT: Protect Food Access

Oppose the Farm Bill Without SNAP Protections

More than 2.5 million people have already lost SNAP benefits, and Congress is considering a farm bill that fails to restore that support.

This week, the House Agriculture Committee is considering the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567), a proposal that reauthorizes key agricultural and nutrition programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). While the bill includes updates to program administration, it fails to strengthen the support families need to afford food.

At a time when food insecurity remains high, this approach falls short. SNAP is the nation’s most effective anti-hunger program, yet more than 2.5 million people have lost benefits since H.R. 1, the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” was enacted last year. This proposal fails to restore those benefits, address rising food costs, or expand eligibility for families who need help.

TAKE ACTION

Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Time: 7:00 P.M. Eastern

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83133543707

Join the Clergy Emergency League on Tuesday, May 5 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern for a timely Zoom webinar on hymns that resist Christian nationalism, featuring Rev. Dr. Stephen M. Fearing in conversation with renowned hymn writer Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the wave of national celebrations this July, churches will face renewed questions about patriotism, worship, public witness, and the relationship between Christian faith and national identity. This conversation will invite participants to reflect on a central framing question: “What makes a hymn complicit in Christian nationalism, and what makes a hymn resist it?”

Together, Stephen and Carolyn will explore how congregational song can be used either to reinforce toxic blends of faith and nationalism or to bear more faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The webinar will highlight hymns that resist Christian nationalism, both directly and indirectly, and offer practical guidance for pastors, church musicians, and worship leaders seeking to thoughtfully choose and introduce such hymns in their own congregations. Along the way, the conversation will consider how hymn texts can emphasize humility, justice, peace, hospitality, and our primary identity in Christ, in contrast to the claims of civil religion.

This event is free and open to the public and will take place via Zoom. Donations to the Clergy Emergency League are gratefully welcomed to help sustain our ministry and provide honoraria to featured guests. We hope you will join us for this rich, timely, and urgently needed conversation. 

Please RSVP here.

For more information on Presbyterian Women, contact Rita Hooper at twohoops2@gmail.com or 315-705-3564

2026 Meetings for PW Leaders and Treasurers

Moderators and treasurers (or leaders fulfilling duties associated with these positions) who serve PW in the congregation, presbytery and/or synod are invited to join Zoom-based meetings for PW leaders (including sessions that are specific to treasurers). In addition to learning about new resources and best practices for PW ministries, it will be a time to ask questions, share ideas and connect with other PW leaders.

Leaders are invited to participate in the call that is most convenient. Presbytery leaders may want to check in with synod moderators to coordinate joining a call together.

There are three PW leadership calls -- April 30, May 20, or May 21. Each will be held at 4 p.m. Eastern time. Click here to register for a leadership meeting.

There are two treasurer meetings -- April 29 or May 19. Both will be held at 4 p.m. Eastern time. Click here to register for a treasurer meeting.

2026–2027 PW/Horizons Bible study

Horizons magazine subscribers have received the 2026–2027 PW/Horizons Bible study, United Through Christ, Bound to Each Other: Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians by Rhonda Mawhood Lee, and new or recently renewed subscribers will soon receive their copy.

Additional copies of the Bible study and supplemental resources are now available for order too!

Not a Horizons subscriber? Now is the time to sign up! If you subscribe or renew by June 1, 2026, you will receive a copy of United Through Christ as part of your subscription. (Be sure to select the print subscription, which also includes digital access to Horizons magazine!) Extra Bible study support resources for United Through Christ begin with the Summer 2026 issue of the magazine. Visit presbyterianwomen.org/subscribe or call 866/802-3635.

The Bible study is also available to order (independent of a Horizons subscription) from the PW Shop.