The Mission Interpretation Committee members of Marcellus First Presbyterian Church Tom O'Neil, Sandy Manciocchi, and Joanna Bogdan-Fyles count and pack outerwear donated by church members. The donations were taken to Interfaith Works to give to refugees the organization helps to settle in housing in our communities. The congregation collected 61 adult coats, 13 coats for children along with snow pants, hats, mittens and scarves.

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:

Please continue to pray for the Rev. Debra Thomas who fell on black ice earlier this month and suffered a painful shoulder dislocation and a severe broken arm. She had surgery on Tuesday, which went well. Deb thanks everyone for the prayers and support. Please continue to keep her in your prayers for pain relief and a speedy recovery.

Please keep the Rev. Tedd Pullano, of the Third Presbytery Church, in Rochester, in your prayers. Tedd was in a terrible accident while on vacation in New York City. Please keep him and his family and loved ones in your prayers. Thoughts and Prayers for Tedd.

• Please pray for those who are struggling with the holiday season.
• Pray for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
• 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.
• 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.

In the cycle of prayer our Presbytery, please pray for these congregations, faith communities, and individuals: Columbian, LaFayette; First, Liverpool; First, Marcellus; First, Mexico; Morrisville Community Church 

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. "

Attention Churches: Do you need event graphics created for social media and online use? Communications Coordinator Sarah Buckshot can help create graphics for you to share online. Do you need a Word Document or PDF converted to an image file for better sharing online? Sarah can help. Please don't hesitate to reach out and request a graphic at anytime! Sarah can be reached at caysyrnews@gmail.com

Background checks for incoming Ministers of the Word & Sacrament are now conducted through Praesidium.

https://www.praesidiuminc.com

To request a background check, please contact your COM liaison.

SHINE YOUR LIGHT: The First Presbyterian Church of Chittenango held its Longest Night Service on Wednesday evening. "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it!"

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

Appreciative Inquiry: Finding your church’s positive core

Tuesday, January 14, 2024

2:00 – 3:00 pm EST

Leader – Paul Breda

Explore your church’s best self through Appreciative Inquiry - a strengths-based philosophy and framework for creating positive organizational change. AI builds from our positive core of spiritual faith: it believes that when you seek evidence of positive, life-affirming human activity, you will find it; humanity has the opportunity to create the reality we seek through meaningful interaction with others.

After this webinar, you will have a starting point for exploring your church’s positive core as a pathway to a reinvigorated future.

Reaching New People in New Ways in a Traditional Established Church

Thursday, January 23, 2025

2:00 – 3:00 pm

Leader – Brett DeHart

New offerings such as Messy Church, Dinner Church, Single Parents, and Recovery offer traditional established churches the opportunity to reach new people in new ways without blowing up what we already love. At first though, these can be perceived as a threat to the way we've always done things. Thus, starting and sustaining new offerings requires a grace-filled approach. In this webinar, Rev. Brett DeHart reveals a transformative seven-action process proven to galvanize set-in-their-ways congregations forward into a new adventure.

You'll learn how to:

·        Maximize the gift of desperation.

·        Create an environment where tradition and innovation together ignite vitality.

·        Move your dream from passionate fire to fruition.

Funding Fresh Ministry Initiatives

Thursday, February 6, 2025

2:00 – 3:00 pm

Leader – Brett DeHart

God has put a big dream on your heart to reach new people in new ways. Sadly, that fire is quickly doused when you think about paying for it. This workshop will equip you with the tools and confidence to pursue your God-given vision without limitations. Rev. DeHart will guide you through proven methods to go beyond your operating budget to tap into alternative sources of funding. Never let money dictate the scope of your reach ever again!

Help Wanted: Church Organist for Rural Country Church



Position: Church Organist/Pianist

Location: Whitelaw Presbyterian Church, Canastota NY

Job Type: Part time - 5 hours weekly

"Whitelaw Presbyterian Church is seeking a skilled and dedicated organist to enrich our worship services with music. This role involves accompanying weekly services, special ceremonies (such as weddings and funerals), and family choir rehearsals 6:30 pm on Thursday. We are looking for someone who is musically proficient, dependable, and passionate about enhancing the worship experience through music."

Key Responsibilities:

• Play organ for weekly services and special church events
• Select and arrange hymns and music pieces in coordination with church leadership
• Support choir rehearsals 6:30 pm on Thursday
• Perform basic maintenance of the organ and report any issues

Qualifications:

• Proficiency in organ performance, sight-reading, and music selection
• Previous experience in a church setting is preferred
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Commitment to regular attendance and participation in church services and events

Compensation: Depends on Experience

How to Apply: Interested candidates are asked to call Donna Chapman, CLP at (315) 447-9196. Auditions will be part of the selection process.

Northville United Presbyterian Church seeks pastor

Northville United Presbyterian Church (NUPC), nestled in the bucolic village of Northville, New York is searching for a vibrant, compassionate part-time to full-time Pastor to lead and accompany us on our quest to becoming better Disciples of Christ. Located on the Great Sacandaga lake in the beautiful Adirondack Park of Upstate New York, we are a small but active congregation serving the Lord and community in various outreach and inhouse programs who desire a forward-thinking pastor to preach the teachings of Christ and relate them to our daily lives. Our pastor will also shepherd our efforts in our music program, develop programs to attract youth and minister to the needs of the elderly in our midst. Read More...

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.

New resource on Israel-Palestine available

Two-page document explores how Presbyterians can work for peace in the region

As we move into the seasons of Advent Christmas and are once again drawn to the story of events in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago, we might also spare a moment to consider what is happening there today. Born under the Roman occupation, Jesus would recognize the fears and anxieties of his Palestinian followers today. Palestinian Christians who have been witnessing to Jesus’ life, teachings and resurrection for more than 2,000 years feel abandoned by the world, and especially by the United States which continues to provide military aid for the war that is terrorizing them.



Back in September, Presbyterian World Mission gathered some of our Palestinian and other global partners to listen to what they have to say to us and to help us shape a simple resource that could be used in congregations to educate and inform people on the situation and on the ideology of Christian Zionism that is often unconsciously informing our perspective, and to equip congregations to take a stand with our Palestinian partners for the peace with justice that they are seeking. As the Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, founder and president of Dar al-Kalima University, Bethlehem and one of the consultation participants shared:

“Christian Zionism has been a major theological challenge for the church and a political problem for people all over the world. As a political lobby that weaponizes the Bible for settler colonialism in Palestine and for Christian nationalism in the U.S. and for populism globally, Christian Zionism is a threat to the gospel as well as to peace and security worldwide. Creating an educational and accessible tool for congregations is therefore an important task. I am glad to see PC(USA) has taken on this issue and I am glad to have been able to contribute to this important endeavor.”

Continue reading...

Remind them to dream

Regarding Ruling Elders: A Monthly Series for Serving Faithfully

Parents are extremely instrumental in the formation of children in a variety of ways. Even at a very young age, ruling elder Madison McKinney recognized how her parents had become role models by their active involvement in the life of the church, both local church and mid councils, and in their community.

Madison, an enrolled member of the Sissitunwan Wahpeton Dakota Oyate, grew up in the Wakpa Ipakṡaƞ oyáte community, which is in Flandreau, South Dakota, and moved to Lawrence, Kansas as a pre-teen. There Madison began to engage the church beyond the walls of the congregation by attending Presbyterian Women’s gatherings, tagging along to session meetings, presbytery meetings, and synod assemblies with her parents.

As a sophomore in high school she met Rev. Buddy Monahan, a youth advisor to the American Indian Youth Council (AIYC), whose commitment to leadership development with indigenous youth and young adults was an essential part of Madison’s formation not only as a leader but in her career in education as well. With AIYC and Buddy’s mentorship, Madison’s perspective on the church’s landscape and possibilities for leadership expanded.

Continue reading...

There's still time to register!

You're invited to a virtual information session on 12/20 to learn more about the Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) Program - Presbyterian Church (USA)! This webinar is designed for prospective YAVs, pastors, youth and young adult leaders, and anyone who is interested in helping young adults discern if the YAV Program is the right next step for them. During the session, we'll explore the mission, values, and opportunities of the program, answer your questions, and provide guidance on how to apply. Whether you’re a young adult exploring service opportunities or a mentor guiding others, we hope you'll join us to discover how the YAV Program can make a lasting impact on faith, service, and community. Register here.

Share your love. Share your light.

Have a blessed holiday week!