A Special Meeting of the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse was held on Thursday, July 30, 2026.

Here are some highlights from the meeting:

• This was a Special Meeting of the presbytery called to conduct specific business. ONLY items on the docket were discussed.
• The meeting started at 6 p.m. and was held on Zoom only.
• The meeting started in prayer.
• Motion Approved: A slate of people were elected as our Synod representatives and exam readers.
• Approved: Communication Coordinator’s Contract amendment.
• Proposed Motions from the Report of the Stated Clerk were both approved.
• The meeting ended at 6:45 p.m.

View/Download Docket

Communion Training Opportunity for Two Presbyteries – Saturday, October 3

Ruling Elders from Cayuga‑Syracuse and Susquehanna Valley Presbyteries are invited to a joint Communion Training course led by Rev. Allan Presby, a beloved retired pastor from Susquehanna Valley known for his gentle teaching style and deep love for the sacrament.



The training will take place on Saturday, October 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at

Bainbridge Presbyterian Church, 1 North Main Street, Bainbridge, NY 13733.

Participants will share pizza for lunch, and a good‑will offering will be available for those who wish to contribute toward the meal.

This course will cover the theology of communion, practical guidance for serving, and space for questions and conversation. Ruling Elders who complete training and are endorsed by their sessions—and then commissioned by their presbyteries -- are authorized to preside at communion within their own congregations.

This gathering offers a wonderful opportunity for Ruling Elders from both presbyteries to learn, connect, and deepen their understanding of communion.

IRS Mileage rate change

We have been alerted that the IRS changed the mileage rate starting on July 1st. The new rate is 76 cents per mile up from 72.5 cents per mile.  

The rate for medical or moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the Armed Forces also changed from 20.5 cents per mile to 23.5 cents per mile.

Help Us Keep Our Presbytery Records Current!

We’ve made the Church Information Form easier than ever — it is now completely digital.

Each church is asked to complete the updated form so we can maintain accurate contact and leadership information throughout the presbytery.

✅ Takes only a few minutes

✅ Easy online submission

✅ Helps us serve your congregation better

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

Church Information Form (Electronic Google Form)

Printable Church Information Form (PDF)

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

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 

The Journey of Being Transgender

From the Social Justice Committee

The journey of a transgender person is often marked by both personal challenges and the search for acceptance. At the June 13 Presbytery meeting, Dr. Alic Czachowski of Columbia University shared his personal story of transitioning from being assigned female at birth to publicly identifying as male in his 30s. He also reflected on the response of his home church, where some members embraced him while others distanced themselves following his transition.

A recording of Dr. Czachowski's 20-minute presentation is linked below. The Social Justice Committee encourages congregations to watch the video together and use it as a starting point for thoughtful, respectful conversation about faith, welcome, and the experiences of transgender individuals.

Concerned about Gun Violence?

Learn Faith-Based Skills for

Gun Violence Prevention

Sept. 15-18, 2026  Kansas City, MO

The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship invites you to the 3rd annual Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage, a national training event at the Heartland Center near Kansas City. MO on Sept. 15-18, 2026. The Institute offers continuing education for lay leaders and clergy on educational, pastoral and action steps for gun violence prevention mission with congregations. Space is limited and registration closes on Aug. 25.

Who should attend? Lay leaders and teams, parents and grandparents, gun violence survivors, suicide prevention groups, gun owners, safety and public health advocates, veterans, pastors, youth leaders---people of faith who are committed to saving lives. All denominations are welcome.

Learn more and register...

The Atwood Institute shares skills from teaching about gun violence to transforming unwanted guns into garden tools.



See FAQs HERE.

2026 Theme: Cultivating the Heart to End Gun Violence - Ending gun violence requires courage, compassion, and community. Our theme invites participants to nurture the spiritual grounding, relationships and practical skills needed to build safer communities. Gun violence prevention work also involves struggle, grief, and persistence. The Institute holds space for both the pain of this work and the beloved community of people taking action together.

2026 Atwood Institute Leaders Include: Rev. Jer Swigart, Director of the peacemaking training group, Global Immersion, and co-author of Mending the Divides; Dr. Marvia Jones, Kansas City Director of Public Health; Rita Niblack, Catholic lay leader from Guns to Gardens Metro Denver; Rev. Margery Rossi, Minister for Gun Violence Prevention, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship; Quaker blacksmith Scotty Utz of RAWtools South and others.

Thanks to generous sponsors, scholarships are available.

Find a story about the 2026 Atwood Institute from Presbyterian News Service HERE.

For questions, contact: gvp@presbypeacefellowship.org  

Watch Video Interview

Gun violence prevention faculty and schedule announced for Sept. 15-18 Atwood Institute

This year’s Presbyterian Peace Fellowship event will be held at the Heartland Retreat Center near Kansas City, Missouri

The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship announces the schedule and faculty for the Sept. 15-18 James Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage, to be held at the Heartland Retreat Center near Kansas City, Missouri.

For three and a half days, participants will move through workshops, presentations and hands-on training by pastoral, public health and community leaders who bring decades of expertise on gun violence prevention. That expertise is beginning to pay off.

“We are finally seeing the highest levels of gun violence begin to turn around,” says the Rev. Dr. Harry Eberts, Interim Director of PPF and member of the Atwood Institute planning team. “Now we need more communities to apply the strategies that are working. And that’s what the September event will focus on.” Certified in trauma care, Eberts will present strategies to help participants learn how to respond when gun violence impacts their communities. 

The deadline for registration for the Atwood Institute is Aug. 25.

Continue reading...

Cayuga Syracuse Presbytery Food Supplemental Grant

In order to address the November 1, 2026 SNAP reductions that will affect millions of people across the country, including here in our Presbytery and communities, the Cayuga-Syracuse Social Justice Committee has set up the Cayuga-Syracuse Food Supplemental Grant. 

This grant is designed to provide emergency funding of between $500 and $1,000 to a Presbyterian church that is engaging or planning to launch a food assistance ministry for families, children and the impoverished in their community. Funding sources for the grant are the Vanderkamp Funds.

To qualify for this funding, a church must be seeking to meet an emergent or recently developed need for those who are impacted by SNAP reductions beginning November 1, 2026. This food assistance ministry must be directly provided by your church. 

Applications must be sent in to the Cayuga-Syracuse Social Justice Committee by September 1, 2026. Applications are to be sent to the Social Justice Committee via Leigh Anne Herd at laherd02@gmail.com.

Download application here

The Social Justice Committee will review all applications and churches will be contacted by mid-September whether their application was accepted or not. Grant money will be distributed November 1, 2026. 

Cayuga-Syracuse Food Supplemental Grant Structure

• Year One:  Between $500-$1,000

Awarded based on a church’s launch or strengthening of ongoing food assistance ministries in their community

• Year Two:  Between $500-$1,000 (by reapplication)

Awarded based on a church’s demonstrated progress, meaningful impact, and evidence that their ministry is making a difference

The Cayuga- Syracuse Presbytery Social Justice Committee is committed to nurturing and fulfilling Jesus’s call found in Matthew 25 – “Come, you are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me ... As you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

August 6-8 Conference: Christianity without Christian Zionism

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is hosting a free gathering titled “Christianity without Christian Zionism: Proclaiming the Gospel, Pursuing Justice, Rekindling Hope” from August 6–8, 2026. The event takes place both in-person in Louisville, Kentucky, and virtually via Zoom. 

For introductory information about the conference, click here. Click here for more information and to register.