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.

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! 

In our prayers together this week:

• Pray for Rita Hooper who fell and broke her femur not far above her replaced knee. Please send healing prayers to Rita for a speedy and pain-free recovery.
• Please keep Camille Bach (Whitelaw Presbyterian) in your prayers during her breast cancer treatment.
• Please pray for Jerry Armstrong (Whitelaw Presbyterian) Jerry is 15 years old with recurrent bone cancer.
• Let us pray together for justice, peace and unity, especially during these times of turmoil and uncertainty.
• Prayers for peace for the people and country of South Korea.
• Pray for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
• Pray for all those who are struggling with current events in our community, in our country and around the world.
• The voiceless.
• All those who have been separated from their families.
• All those in America.
• Our brothers & sisters in Haiti.
• All those in Sudan.
• All those in Ukraine.
• All those in Lebanon.
• All those in Israel and Gaza.
• All displaced people.
• All those who are homebound.
• All those who battling addiction and their loved ones.
• 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.
• Please pray for all those who are dealing with the painful grief of losing a beloved family pet.

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.

The Annual Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse was held on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at Northminster Presbyterian Church and on Zoom. The Presbytery voted to Endorse the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship (PPF) statement "We Call Out Genocide."

Read here...

SUMMER EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS

Sponsored by the Joint Justice in Ministry and Mission Teams of two Presbyteries

Cayuga-Syracuse and Susquehanna Valley

Being Transgender: Medical History, Church, Society, and Families

June 30, 2025

6:30 p.m.

    Dr. Carolyn Wolf-Gould, is the founder of Bassett's Gender Wellness Center, a rural-based interdisciplinary center for transgender healthcare, clinical training, advocacy, and research in upstate New York. She is co-editor of the book A History of Transgender Medicine in the United States: From Margins to Mainstream,” published by SUNY Press in February of this year–– a critical moment in the struggle for transgender rights. Sweeping in scope and deeply personal in nature, this groundbreaking volume traces the development of transgender medicine across three centuries, centering the voices of transgender individuals, debunking myths about gender-affirming care, and empowering readers to grasp the complexities of this evolving field.

    Stephanie Nawyn is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology at Michigan State University (MSU). Her research and teaching expertise are in migration, gender and refugees. She is the former director of MSU’s Center for Gender in Global Context, where she oversaw the Women’s and Gender Studies program and supported research and activities related to sex, gender, sexuality, and feminist studies. She is also the mother of two wonderful young men, Henry (age 20) and Zach (age 16).

Zach Nawyn-Hellinga is a high school junior who aspires to study engineering in college. He enjoys robotics and building electronic devices, biking, and theatre. He has participated in a community children’s theatre program since he was very young, performing on stage and working on the crew (especially building sets).

Please register with Rev. Monica Styron at mstyron2015@gmail.com.

We Are In this Together: Opportunities for Growth 

 The Rev Ashley DeTar Birt, Presbyterian Minister from The Center for Jubilee Practice that works with churches, mid-councils, and Christian organizations seeking to consider their legacy of liberation and develop and implement restorative communal practices. We will explore our history and present day, identify harms we as a church have caused and foster healing of our communities through concrete practices of full inclusion, reparations, and care for creation.

Following our informative meeting on many mission and ministry opportunities and the presentation by Dr. Osamah Kahlil of SU & Maxwell School our Social Justice Committee is recommending this educational article on Israel, Palestine and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Download and read article here.

"Hunger Plan is Empty"

Last week, the Israeli army announced its plan to “deal with the issue of hunger” in Gaza.

Palestinian Christian Leader Jonathan Kuttab says: "The plan was so evil and dystopic, I have not been able to sleep thinking about its implications. I have been haunted by it every night."

Read more and learn how to help... 

Call to Action

Tell Congress: Vote NO on the House Agriculture Committee’s Budget Reconciliation Proposal

As members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), we are called by Christ to care for the most vulnerable among us. From the Hebrew prophets to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Scripture consistently commands us to feed the hungry, protect the poor, and uphold justice for those on the margins. This moral imperative is central to our Reformed tradition and affirmed in PC(USA) social witness policy, which urges the church to support systems that nurture human dignity and economic fairness. Read More...

The next "Can We Talk?" gathering will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 30, 2025 in lounge at the back of the sanctuary at Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church, 5299 Jamesville Road in Syracuse.

Coffee and goodies will be served.

The gathering is for retired clergy, clps, and retired Christian Educators - those who have served churches and those who have labored in other venues. First-timers are always welcome!

Scipioville Presbyterian Church to hold 6th Annual Psalm Vigil for Gun Violence Awareness on June 6th

From 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Scipioville Presbyterian Church will be holding its 6th annual Psalm Vigil for Gun Violence Awareness. For six years, the church and friends have gathered for over 12 hours to read the psalms aloud as an expression of the deep emotional, personal, spiritual, and cultural pain caused by the epidemic of gun violence in this nation. The psalms represent some of the most vulnerable, honest, and raw emotions shared between a people and their God. In that spirit, we lift them up as the voices of a people traumatized by a kind of violence that is a daily occurrence in this nation. We lift them up because they express the range of anger, fear, sadness, confusion, frustration, and hope that surround the issue of gun violence. 

The church also welcomes participants in the vigil to offer prayers, statistical information on gun violence, readings and other resources, we even had a song once; but, the primary focus is the psalms themselves.

If you are interested in reading during the vigil, you can find the sign up sheet here: 

https://signup.com/go/AqPdPFW  

Times are arranged in 15 minute intervals and you are welcome to sign up for blocks of time from 15 mins to 1 hour. You are also welcome to read more than once a day.  

There will be a table to sit at so you won’t be required to stand the entire time.

YES!!! YOU CAN READ VIA ZOOM if you cannot be physically present or are one of our out-of-town friends. A Zoom link will be provided closer to the date. Please sign up to help us spread this powerful message of suffering and hope.

The sanctuary of the church will be open during the vigil so folks are also welcome to show their support by coming to pray and listen in the sanctuary. This event is also livestreamed on the Scipioville Presbyterian Facebook page.

MEMORIAL DAY: The Rev. Beth's invocation at the Fayetteville Memorial Day Ceremony: We remember the lives lost during war – the soldiers who died, those who were killed where the battles were fought, the land and creatures who were destroyed and polluted – we remember their stories, their strength and sadness, their hope and fear. May we live lives that honor their trust that future generations would continue to work for a just world.

From Weary to Wholehearted

Thursday May 29, 2025

2:00 - 3:00 pm EDT

Leader – Callie Swanlund

In this one-hour webinar, we’ll explore the realities of burnout and its unique challenges, drawing from the themes of From Weary to Wholehearted. Rooted in embodied spirituality and grounded care, this session offers practical tools and spiritual nourishment for those seeking to move through weariness toward a more wholehearted way of living and leading.

Callie Swanlund is an Episcopal priest, retreat leader, spiritual companion, and coach who helps others know their belovedness and find their Spark. Her new book, From Weary to Wholehearted, is a restorative resource for overcoming ministry burnout. Callie is a creative minister and leads individuals and groups in the work of Dr. Brené Brown as a Certified Daring Way Facilitator. Her How2charist: Digital Instructed Eucharist film has reached Christians and curious individuals around the world, and her Wholehearted Wisdom movement invites others into deeper reflection and connection across social media.

Building Collaborative Teams for an Adaptive Church

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

2:00 - 3:00 pm EDT

Leader - Dustin Benac

Faith leaders and faith communities face a series of complex and interrelated challenges that require nimbleness and creativity: polarization, loneliness, mental health, burnout, and shifting economic structures. If left unattended, these and other challenges can isolate faith leaders and faith communities instead of creating space for collaboration and community. In this webinar, Dr. Dustin D. Benac will introduce a field-tested model to build collaborative teams that allow faith leaders to serve and equip their communities during times of transition, change, and uncertainty. As the author of Adaptive Church: Collaboration and Community in Changing World, the co-editor of Pathways to Belonging, and the Director of the Program for the Future Church, Benac's work combines empirical research with a theological vision for leadership, community, and the future of faith.

Dustin D. Benac (ThD Duke University) is a professor, educator, and organizational strategist. He teaches at Baylor University as a Clinical Assistant Professor and the Director and Co-founder of the Program for the Future Church. As a speaker and advisor to faith leaders, congregations, and organizations, he guides individuals and communities that are navigating uncertainty and change. His books include Adaptive Church: Collaboration and Community in a Changing World, Pathways to Belonging, and Crisis and Care: Meditations on Faith and Philanthropy. You can find him across social networks @dustindbenac.

The Psychology of Polarization – Science in Church Series 

Thursday, June 5, 2025 

2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT 

Leader – Dr. Kurt Gray 

More information to come.

Our Whole Lives - 25 Years of Faith Based Sexuality Education with the UCC and UUA

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

2:00 – 3:00 EDT

Leaders - Rev. Amy Johnson, Dr. Melanie Davis

Join Rev. Amy Johnson, UCC Minister for Sexuality Education & Justice and Dr. Melanie Davis, UUA Our Whole Lives Program Manager, for an engaging webinar about Our Whole Lives sexuality education in faith communities. Benefit from their wisdom about lessons learned after 25 years of this interfaith partnership doing this sacred work. Now, more than ever, this ministry is vital!

Rev. Amy Johnson (she/her) serves as the Minister for Sexuality Education and Justice in the National Ministries of the United Church of Christ. She is the co-author of Our Whole Lives for Grades 4-6, 2nd Edition. Amy is a trainer for all levels of Our Whole Lives/Sexuality and Our Faith nationwide and internationally, where she has been a partner in interfaith efforts to bring faith-based sexuality education to both Christian and Muslim communities. She is passionate about supporting people in organizations and faith communities to create healthier, braver spaces in which people can thrive as their authentic selves.

Dr. Melanie Davis (she/her) is the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Our Whole Lives Program Manager. She is the author of Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education for Older Adults and Sexuality and Our Faith: A Companion to Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education for Grades 7-9, 2nd edition. Her masters and doctoral degrees are from the Widener University Center for Human Sexuality Studies and she is a certified sexuality counselor and educator through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. She has been a UU lay preacher across the US and Canada for 20 years.

Dissolution of a Religious Corporation: How to Secure your Legacy

Thursday June 12, 2025 2:00 – 3:00 EDT

Leader – William McManus

In this webinar, an overview of the process for dissolutions of religious corporations in New York, specifically the considerations and information necessary for Plans of Dissolution, will be provided. Other topics include: reviewing dissolution provisions in a religious corporation’s corporate document, dispositions of assets in connection with a dissolution, and legacy planning.

William McManus’ practice focuses on advising not-for-profit, religious, and tax-exempt entities on matters of corporate governance, compliance with state and federal not-for-profit regulations, internal investigations and regulatory enforcement actions. William is experienced in guiding New York not-for-profit and religious corporations in their formation and governance, and regularly advises clients on tax-exemptions and regulations of tax-exempt organizations. Before joining Capell Barnett Matalon & Schoenfeld, William worked as a Special Assistant Corporation Counsel in the Economic Development Division of the New York City Law Department. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Auburn University and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Know Your Rights – ICE 

Tuesday, June 24, 2025 

2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT 

Leader - Rev. Dr. Ellen Clark Clémot 

More information to come

Mandatory New York State Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Webinars

You can take this training any time during the year

charlaine@prcli.org

Thursday, June 5, 2025

10:30 AM – 12 PM - EST

Wednesday, August 20, 2024

7 – 8:30 PM EST

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

2:30 – 4 PM EST

How to contact our Stated Clerk, the Rev Ben Fitzgerald-Fye

Office Phone: 315-291-0360 (call or text)

Email: statedclerk@cayugasyracuse.org

Mail received at:

Scipioville Presbyterian Church

Attn: Pastor Ben

3428 State Route 34B

Scipio Center NY 13147

More staff contact information is linked below.

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

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.

Lamenting injustice in the federal budget

A pastoral statement from the PC(USA)’s Office of Public Witness



With heavy hearts and deep concern, we, the Office of Public Witness of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), bear witness to the harm set in motion by Thursday’s passage of a budget reconciliation bill in the U.S. House of Representatives under the cover of night. While some have labeled it “The Big Beautiful Bill,” within the faith community it is rightly dubbed: “The Big Bad, Deadly Bill.”

Passed by a razor-thin margin of 215 to 214, this legislation threatens devastating cuts to federal programs that provide food assistance, health care access, and fund environmental protection, among others. These cuts target the most vulnerable — children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, immigrants, and low-wage workers — while offering expanded benefits to the wealthiest Americans. If enacted, the average low-income household will face an increased tax burden of nearly $1,000 annually, exacerbating inequality in a nation already fractured by economic disparity. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.

As followers of Jesus Christ and advocates for economic justice, we cannot remain silent. Scripture calls us to a higher moral standard. From the cries of the prophets to the teachings of Jesus, we are commanded to feed the hungry, defend the poor, and proclaim justice for the oppressed. These mandates are not optional — they are central to our faith and our witness.

Continue reading...

Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

From the Presbyterian Historical Society Archives: 1956 NCC Luncheon to Honor Asian Women Educators

In observance of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI), we took a deep dive into the PHS archives to celebrate the achievements of nine educators who, in early January of 1956, attended a luncheon thrown in their honor in New York City.

The extraordinary group included a departmental head of education, a faculty member, two principals, two deans of students, two professors and a librarian — all women, all Christian, and all “leading ... educators from Asia.” Invited on behalf of the National Council of Churches’ Division of Foreign Missions, the group had spent the last couple of months traveling around the U.S., visiting different collegiate institutions and speaking on their experiences studying at and working in Christian educational institutions overseas. The luncheon marked the culmination of this two-and-a-half-month trip, the women addressing “an overflow audience of close to 1,000 educators and church leaders at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel,” we learn from a press release published about the event.

Continue reading...