Welcome to this week's edition of our e-letter, Presbytery Matters. | | | |
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.
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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!
| | Joys and Concerns around the Presbytery | | |
In our prayers together this week:
- Please keep Doug Russell, of Baldwinsville Presbyterian Church, in your prayers as he battles cancer. Pray for strength, healing, and peace for Doug and his loved ones during this difficult time.
- Please pray Jerry Armstrong (Whitelaw Presbyterian) Jerry is 15 years old with recurrent bone cancer that has spread to his esophagus. Please continue to pray more than ever for both Jerry and his family. Cards can be sent to Jerry Armstrong at PO Box 414 Wampsville, NY 13163.
- Prayers for peace for the people and country of South Korea.
- Pray for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
- The voiceless.
- All those who have been separated from their families.
- All those in America.
- Our brothers & sisters in Haiti.
- All those in Cuba.
- All those in Sudan.
- All those in Ukraine.
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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: Columbian, LaFayette; First, Liverpool; First, Marcellus; First, Mexico; Morrisville Community Church
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Meeting Reminder:
A stated meeting of the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at Scipioville Presbyterian Church and on Zoom. Meeting registration begins at 9:30 a.m.
Commissioner Names, Requests to be Excused and Prayer Requests should be sent to the Stated Clerk (statedclerk@cayugasyracuse.org) by March 13, 2026.
Please read all supporting documents prior to the meeting.
Lunch will be provided free of charge. We look forward to a productive time together!
A copy of the Guide for Commissioners can be found here.
To attend the meeting virtually, please register on Zoom.
Meeting Papers:
Docket
Committee on Representation Report
Election Bylaws
Focus & Coordination Team
Human Resources Committee Report
January 2026 Draft Minutes
Overture on Embargoing Israel
Paper Dolls to Free Families
Lead Presbyter Report
Synod of the Northeast Overtures
| From the Focus & Coordination Team | |
You're Invited To Join Us May 16 for a
Joint Gathering of Our Presbyteries
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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. A $5 donation per person is welcomed to help offset the cost of the meal.
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.
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Got Church Trivia? We Want It!
Help Make Our “Get to Know Our Presbyteries” Trivia Game a Success
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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!
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Rev. Ben Fitzgerald-Fye invites you to join Reclaiming Our Time, a five-week study exploring how our faith shapes our public life in a time of division, anxiety, and competing narratives. Together we will reflect on what it means to confess Christ as Lord, live as a community marked by covenant and humility, and embody justice, reconciliation, and hope in the world. In a season when religious language is sometimes used to advance fear, exclusion, or national identity, this study offers a thoughtful and faithful space to examine those claims and to renew our commitment to a gospel-centered witness. Through Scripture, the PC(USA) Constitution, group conversation, personal reflection, and good old-fashioned Presbyterian discernment, we will ask what stories are forming us and how the church can respond with courage, wisdom, and grace. Clergy, elders, and members across the presbytery are warmly invited to participate in this shared time of learning, discernment, and renewal.
Register for Tuesday morning sessions
Register for Wednesday evening sessions
| | From the Social Justice Committee | | If churches would like to request this document/graphic for inclusion in their bulletins or presentation slides, please contact Leigh Anne Herd at laherd02@gmail.com | | |
A PC(USA) statement on the escalating war with Iran
Sustained diplomacy, accountability and multilateral engagement are what’s needed
We are deeply troubled by the expanding military assault on Iran and the widening regional war it now threatens to become. As Christians shaped by the reconciling love of Jesus Christ, we grieve every life lost and every family now living in terror. Decisions of war and peace are measured not in political claims but in human lives.
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has repeatedly affirmed that war must never be entered into lightly. Military force must be a last resort, and international disputes must be addressed through sustained diplomacy, accountability, and multilateral engagement grounded in international law. Our General Assemblies have called for negotiated agreements that constrain nuclear proliferation, reduce regional tensions, and prioritize civilian protection.
We are gravely alarmed that this expanding military campaign is already resulting in civilian casualties and retaliatory strikes across the region. Reports that civilian infrastructure, including schools, has been struck heighten our alarm and underscore the devastating human cost of escalation. The people of Iran, many already living under repression and economic hardship, will bear the brunt of destruction, displacement, and fear. Families across neighboring countries now face renewed instability and the prospect of a widening war. Civilians, not political leaders, will suffer first and longest. History warns us that regime-toppling interventions and open-ended military campaigns often unleash consequences far beyond what leaders anticipate.
We affirm clearly: the Iranian government’s repression, corruption, and human rights abuses are real and grievous. Our opposition to this escalating military action is not a defense of authoritarian rule. Nor does our concern end with another nation’s abuses. Every government, including our own, is accountable for how it wields power, and democracies must guard against actions that erode the rule of law and constitutional restraint.
Rather, our opposition reflects our conviction that bombs do not create democracy, and airstrikes do not build just societies. Lasting peace and freedom require sustained diplomacy, support for civil society, regional de-escalation, and accountability under international law. Our church has long urged:
- renewed diplomatic engagement rather than military brinkmanship
- congressional oversight and adherence to constitutional war powers
- protection of civilians as a moral and legal priority
- serious investment in nonproliferation and multilateral agreements
- a foreign policy that reduces, rather than expands, cycles of retaliation.
As Presbyterians, we confess that true security does not come through military might but through justice, restraint and accountability. We call for an immediate cessation of further military escalation and for a return to sustained diplomacy grounded in international law. The stakes are too high for impulsive action or open-ended conflict. We pray for wisdom and courage among leaders, for the people of Iran, for Israelis and Palestinians, for U.S. service members, and for all who may suffer as a result of this decision. And we recommit ourselves to Christ’s call to be peacemakers in a world too quick to reach for war.
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Urge Congress to Uphold Its Constitutional Responsibility on War with Iran
In recent days, military strikes and retaliatory attacks involving the United States, Israel and Iran have escalated rapidly. This widening conflict threatens to draw the region into the devastation of a broader war, placing civilian lives at grave risk and increasing instability across the Middle East. U.S. service members may also face expanding involvement in a conflict whose scope and duration remain uncertain.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has long affirmed that decisions of war and peace require careful deliberation, lawful oversight, and a commitment to diplomacy. Our General Assemblies have consistently stated that military force must be a last resort and that sustained diplomatic engagement is essential to lasting peace.
Act Now...
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Steeple Coffee House presents Loren and LJ
We’re happy to have Loren and LJ Barrigar back at Steeple Coffee House!
Loren, a long-time friend of Steeple Coffee House, is a highly skilled guitarist and singer whose guitar playing and composing have been significantly influenced by renowned guitarists Chet Atkins and Tommy Emmanuel. He has composed melodies for television shows such as “ER” and “The Young and The Restless,” as well as a Christmas CD featuring legendary musicians BB King and Patti Labelle.
LJ, a self-taught musician, has been playing with his father in a finger-picking duo for the past six years. Heavily influenced by his father’s music and the guidance of his father’s friend and performing partner, Mark Mazengarb, LJ has become a virtuoso guitarist.
Loren and LJ have embarked on extensive tours across Central New York and beyond, captivating audiences with their performances. Their shows have taken them to various states, including Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Maryland, and Arkansas. Audiences are enthusiastic and often return to local shows, cultivating a loyal fan base.
If you like serious finger-picking guitars, then you’re in for an amazing show!
Where: Steeple Coffee House is in the United Church of Fayetteville at 310 E. Genesee St. in Fayetteville, NY. The venue is Accessible. Plenty of free parking behind the church with entries from E. Genesee St., Chapel St., and Walnut St.
When: Saturday, March 28th - Show starts at 7:30 PM and runs until 9:30 PM. Doors open at 7:00 PM
Cost: Suggested donation is $15-20 (cash) includes refreshments
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Mandatory New York State Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Webinars
You can take this training any time during the year
This training is 90 minutes
charlaine@prcli.org
Anti-Harassment & Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
Leader - Patti Berner
Thursday, April 9, 2026
2:00 – 3:30 PM EDT
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
4:00 – 5:30 PM EDT
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How to contact our Lead Presbyter, the Rev. Greg Garis
Email: leadpresbyter@cayugasyracuse.org
How to contact our Assistant to the Lead Presbyter, the Rev. Mary Anderson
Email: asst.presbyter@gmail.com
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
How to contact our Bookkeeper, Kristin Schierer
Email: finance@cayugasyracuse.org
More information is linked below:
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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
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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.
| | Around the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) | | |
Solidarity with siblings in Puerto Rico
The Rev. Edwin González-Castillo, director of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, shares some moments important to the history of his native land
Speaking during Tuesday’s installment of the Presbyterian Hunger Program’s “Solidarity Hour,” the Rev. Edwin González-Castillo waxed eloquently and at times nostalgically on the topic of Puerto Rico, the Caribbean archipelago where he was born and raised. Watch his presentation here.
González-Castillo, the director of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, hails from a San Juan neighborhood “where famous baseball players and salsa singers came from,” he said.
Webinar host Eileen Schuhmann, PHP’s Associate for Global Engagement and Resources, noted that last month’s Solidarity Hour focused attention on Bad Bunny’s historic Super Bowl halftime performance. She asked González-Castillo: what’s key to understand about Puerto Rico’s history and current reality?
San Juan was founded in 1521, nearly a century before the founding of Jamestown, the first English settlement in North America, González-Castillo pointed out. Indigenous people lived there well before Europeans arrived. Because San Juan was “a doorway to trade routes,” it was for centuries “one of the most fortified cities in the Americas,” he said. “It was a treasure, a place that gave access to other places.”
Puerto Rico became a U.S. colony in 1896, a result of the Spanish-American War. Since then, Puerto Ricans have served in the U.S. military during every major conflict since World War I, even though Puerto Ricans living on the island can’t vote during presidential elections — only in primaries. Puerto Ricans living on the U.S. mainland can vote.
Continue reading...
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Human rights activist Malala Yousafzai implores leaders to do more to protect women and girls
Presbyterian Co-Moderator the Rev. CeCe Armstrong was among those who witnessed the UN speech
In a searing message at the United Nations on Monday, human rights activist Malala Yousafzai expressed deep disappointment in the continued plight of women and girls, especially in places where oppression and war are all too common.
The 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner was one of the special guests at a UN observance of International Women’s Day that coincided with the first day of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70).
Much of CSW70, in which a Presbyterian delegation is participating this week, is focusing on the theme of “ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls.”
However, “true justice does not defend the humanity of children in one place and ignore it in another,” Yousafzai said. “It is not selectively applied. It does not claim that our rights are dependent on where we were born or what is politically safe for the people in this room.”
Continue reading...
| | Lent, we slow down, take time, and examine our internal spiritual lives and the way we live out our Christian faith in the world around us. The Presbyterian Hunger Program created the "Tread Lightly for Lent" Calendar to help Presbyterians move toward sustainable choices that restore and protect all of God’s children and Creation. Here are 5 simple ways you can show your appreciation for Creation this Lenten season. You can view the full calendar, which features a different idea, question, or prayer for each day of Lent, here: https://hubs.ly/Q045Cmbk0 | |
P.O. Box 438, Syracuse 13214
(315) 632-5698
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"I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them
bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5
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