Rev. Mary Newbern-Williams

Gap Presbyter

The beauty of the commitment to Matthew 25 is that justice is a major theme upon which we concentrate. As a theme that is denomination-wide, Matthew 25 charges us to work together, to study and understand three important foci; namely, building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism, and eradicating systemic poverty. General Assembly, synods, presbyteries, and congregations join together to address these issues in unique and creative ways that make a difference in the lives of people around the world.

Caring for humanity by addressing the three bold areas of the vision that the PCUSA has cast, brings us together as the People of God who care for others and work together so that God’s purposes are achieved. How has your congregation or organization addressed the 3 areas of the vision of Matthew 25? What strategies and actions have you implemented?

The Matthew 25 Vision is one that promotes unity and strength within areas of church life. In the life and work of our Presbytery, there are many opportunities to engage in the ministry and mission of Matthew 25. There are ways to continue making life better for people in need, as well as enriching our own hearts and souls by serving and caring for God’s creation. If your congregation or organization needs more information about Matthew 25, we can provide it for you. You may also access the General Assembly website, www.pcusa.org and in the search box, type in Matthew 25.

God will continue to guide and direct all we do. God bless all of you as we prepare for the Presbytery Meeting. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on ZOOM.

Blessings in Christ.

Rev. Mary 

A Bob Brashear Memorial Fund has been set up through the Presbyterian Foundation on the Presbytery's website. The donation page will close after the service in mid-November.

Stated Meeting of the Presbytery

Peter Manning Ordination, Brick Presbyterian Church

Installation of Rev. Cynthia "Thia" Reggio as the pastor at Second Presbyterian Church

Greetings:

To assist you with protecting the church properties and safeguard against loss you are asked to submit your current certificate of insurance (COI) as soon as possible. Please send a copy to me (via email) Rev. Georgiette Morgan-Thomas at Propertyconsultant@presbynyc.org.  You can also email me if you have any questions.

Have you read the Justice Ministries Committee's latest newsletter? Click here for their newsletter and to subscribe.

Email CMassiah@presbynyc.org, call or text her at 347-401-4598. Feel free to send her your upcoming announcements and social justice activities. We will share them in our newsletter and social media platforms.

The Synod Assembly is the Synod of the Northeast's biennial Synod-wide fellowship gathering for celebration, business, and visioning.

Keynote from David Anderson Hooker

When: October 21-22, 2022

We are working hard to make this pre-assembly event and synod assembly worth your time and engagement. If you have any questions, please contact Synod Stated Clerk Rev. Nancy Talbot at 315-480-3553 or nancy.talbot@synodne.org. We look forward to seeing you there.

Holmes is looking forward to a busy Fall and has a robust Adult Retreat schedule planned - hopefully something for everyone! We would appreciate your help getting the word out. Download their Adult Fall Program Flyer. Click here to visit their website for more details.

Hurricane Fiona impacted Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic with torrential rain resulting in flooding and powerful winds leading to widespread power outages. 

PDA is in touch with Presbyterian leadership in the presbyteries and synod of Puerto Rico, in addition to our international partners in the Dominican Republic. While assessments are underway, solidarity and initial assistance grants are being disbursed. As always, PDA will work alongside our partners for the long-haul. 

To support PDA's response, designate gifts to DR000194

Presbyterian Historical Society's (PHS) Monthly Newsletter is now available. This month's newsletter includes:

The Chat with the Expert series is a collaboration between New York City Department for Aging (NYC DFTA) and Presbyterian Senior Services (PSS). Our chats consist of one hour bite sized, intimate and virtual conversations featuring local NYC-based area specialists in a broad range of sub-specialties.

You are invited and encouraged to explore their diverse series lineup for 2022-23 and remember,

If the church is anything, it should be a moveable feast, or maybe we should say a pivotal one after these pandemic-ridden years. With one foot firmly grounded in the Kingdom of God, the other foot may bend, twist and maneuver in different ways as church leaders are called to love and serve with justice and compassion in a quickly changing world.

This Tuesday, September 27^th at 7:00 PM, you are invited to a special webinar with John Fong, hosted by Hudson River Presbytery. John, will lead a church growth and communications seminar and provide case studies from around the Synod of the Northeast. The webinar is free, and Rev. Casey Carbone (IT/Communications Facilitator of Hudson River Presbytery) will provide some opening remarks and reminders of funding (for congregations within Hudson River Presbytery) opportunities to help kickstart ideas you might have. 

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has responded to the skyrocketing costs of gas. The agency recently announced it will increase the standard mileage rate for business travel to 62.5 cents—a 4-cent increase—effective July 1.

In order for an eligible organization to receive an exemption from water and sewer charges, it must file an application with the NYC DEP Bureau of Customer Services. Having a NYC Not-For-Profit Property Tax Exemption does not automatically qualify the organization for an exemption from water and sewer charges. Download the application.

Click here to view a recording of the water and sewer application process webinar held by the Presbytery's Property Consultant, Rev. Georgiette Morgan-Thomas.

Over the course of the past year, the New York City Department of Finance (DOF) has implemented a policy whereby 420-a exemptions for properties used for religious or non-profit purposes will be revoked due to the presence of Class 1 New York City Department of Building’s (DOB) violations at the premises, regardless of the nature of the violations or whether they actually impact the exempted use of the premises. It is our understanding that it is now DOF policy that the tax exemption will not be reinstated, and no appeals will be granted, until after the violation is removed. 

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many religious and non-profit organizations have been operating remotely and may not have received the notice of revocation from DOF, so we encourage you to review your recent tax bills to confirm if your building has been impacted by this new policy. You can view your tax bills and find other valuable information here.

If you do discover that your exemption has been revoked or would like more information on this new DOF policy, please contact Nathaniel H. Christian III nhc362@gmail.com with the Presbytery’s Board of Trustees.