From our Lead Presbyter, the Rev. Greg Garis:

On this Maundy Thursday, many of us will come to the table with others. Throughout my ministry, I have invited all to come to the table to take the bread and the cup. For me, it doesn’t matter what someone has done or if they have betrayed God and Jesus; they were invited too. For as we come to the table with others, we can fully see, taste, and hear the redeeming love of God and the power of God’s grace, which is offered to everyone. No matter who they are. 

One of the members of a former church I served, Paul Demer, wrote a song that gets at this point. It’s called “One and the Same.”  

Here are the words: 

Most holy Son of God, incarnate for us,

you set a table in our midst

for the one who loved, the one who sold you out,

the one who lied and ran away.

Without one or the other

it would not be complete.

You invite us to this table,

one and the same.

Most holy Son of Man, you’ve broken for us

your bread and body, wine and blood

for the ones who seek, the ones who sought your end,

the ones who mourned the dying day.

Without criminals and robbers,

hanging justly accused,

we might miss your forgiveness

of one and the same.

Most holy Prince of Peace, stooped down on a knee

to wash the feet of your friends;

the ones who knew not yet what you would do

to prove the depth of your love.

If not for blinded disciples

we may not know the tale.

Scales fall down as our eyes open,

one and the same.

Jesus took the bread and the cup and gave them to all the disciples, including Peter and Judas, those he knew would abandon him and betray him. As we come to the table with others on Maundy Thursday, may we realize that it is a table of Grace.

Grace and Peace,

Greg

You're invited to an online discussion with Lead Presbyter Greg Garis

April 23rd & April 30th at 3 p.m.

Dear Friends,

You are invited to join an online discussion with Lead Presbyter Greg Garis as we explore Gil Rendle’s timely monograph, Re-imaging and Re-mapping the Religious Landscape: Chaos Before a New Ordering. Rendle offers a compelling framework for understanding the profound shifts taking place in the church today, helping us see our ministry challenges through a fresh and hopeful lens.

We will meet on Zoom at 3:00 PM on April 23 and April 30.

Whether you’ve read 10 pages or the entire monograph, you are welcome. Your presence and perspective will enrich the conversation. This discussion will be valuable both personally and pastorally as we seek to understand our ministry contexts within this rapidly changing religious landscape. Together, we’ll reflect on how congregations can navigate seasons of disruption, imagine new possibilities, and discern faithful next steps.

Dates:

•   Thursday, April 23 at 3:00 PM (discussion on pages 1-37)

•   Thursday, April 30 at 3:00 PM (discussion on pages 38-66)

Location: Zoom

Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88591757613?pwd=DEUndrYhnUiTN9sKSpC5bwnHZvVEF3.1

We hope you will join us for this thoughtful and energizing conversation.

Download Monograph

You're Invited To Join Us May 16 for a

Joint Gathering of Our Presbyteries

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.

Attention Churches: Download bulletin to invite your members.

Word Document

PDF

Got Church Trivia? We Want It!

Help Make Our “Get to Know Our Presbyteries” Trivia Game a Success

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!

In partnership with Dubuque Theological Seminary, the Synod is launching a Commissioned Pastor (CRE) Training Program designed to cultivate strong, accessible, and unified preparation for Ruling Elders call to pastoral leaders across our region.

This initiative reflects a shared commitment to developing a cohesive, Synod-wide model that:

• Expands equitable access to theological and pastoral education
• Strengthens leadership pipelines for small, rural, immigrant, and under-resourced congregations
• Supports ruling elders who are discerning a call to commissioned pastoral service
• Provides mid councils with consistent, high-quality preparation for CREs and the congregations they serve
• 
  

Together, this program seeks to deepen leadership capacity across the Synod while ensuring that all communities -- regardless of size or context -- have access to well-prepared pastoral leadership.

Ready to apply? Complete your cohort application here.

Fiscal Policy Institute:

The Healthcare Affordability Agenda

Part I: The Economic Toll of Rising Private Health Insurance Costs

Key Findings

Premium Explosion

• The average annual premium for a family plan offered through private employers in New York rose from $5,300 in 1996 to $27,000 in 2024—an increase of 440% over 28 years, or roughly 6% annual growth. 

Wages Lag Behind

• While average household income roughly doubled between 2001 and 2024, health insurance premiums tripled for single plans and nearly quadrupled for family plans. 

Lost Compensation

If premiums had grown at the same rate as wages, workers would have earned an additional:

•   $45,300 (single plan)
•   $133,200 (family plan)
•   If cost growth had been limited to 2% annually, those figures would rise to $55,700 and $149,400, respectively.

Rising Deductibles

• The average family plan deductible increased from $900 in 2002 to $3,400 in 2024, growing nearly 5% per year, well above inflation. 

Employment Impacts

•   If healthcare costs had tracked wage growth, New York’s employment rate would be 8 percentage points higher, adding 1.3 million jobs.
•   Each year of 6% healthcare cost growth leads to 51,000 additional job losses statewide.

Visit registration form for more information.

The United States, with Israel, has entered another illegal war of regime change, this time in Iran. CFP will come together for our April Community Call on Wednesday, April 15, at 8pm ET, 5 pm PT to dive into the dangerous combination of U.S. militarism and Christian Zionism, its effects on Iran, Palestine, and the whole world, and how we might respond. Learn more...

The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Statement on the United States and Cuba 

The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship calls on the Presbyterian Church (USA), its councils, congregations and members, to condemn any action the United States may take relative to the conquest, appropriation, or change of government in Cuba. 

The witness of scripture invites us to dream of and work toward a day when swords and spears will be turned into plowshares and pruning hooks; nations will neither make nor study war, and as a result God’s children everywhere “will sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees and none shall make them afraid.” (Micah 4:1-4). Guided by these words of joyful hope, we acknowledge that the call to lay down weapons surely must apply to the United States and that the right of people to dwell securely and without fear must apply to the people of Cuba. 

Read our full statement on our website: https://bit.ly/PPF-BLOGS

Attention Pastors, Members of Personnel and Finance Committees:

Below is a message from the Rev. Luke Choi, Church Consultant for the Synod of the Covenant, Western New York presbyteries, Korean American presbyteries, and KPCA

Greetings,

By now, you’ve probably received an invitation to the Benefits Regional Summit events held in various cities across the country from the Board of Pensions. Since none of these locations are within a reasonable driving distance from you, I’ve decided to host our own condensed version of the Benefits Regional Summit virtually in partnership with the Presbyteries of Cayuga-Syracuse, Geneva, and Susquehanna Valley.

So, join us for this informative virtual town hall, through which I hope to provide important updates and insights into the Benefits Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and related programs offered by the Board of Pensions to you the pastoral leaders and the congregational benefits decision-makers.

2026 Virtual Benefits Summit for Cayuga-Syracuse/Geneva/Susquehanna Valley

Thursday, April 23, 2026

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Please Register in advance for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Among the topics you will hear about are:

•   Medical Plan cost trends and changes in the healthcare system
•   Dues package subsidies that would ease financial burdens for congregations, pastors, and their families
•   Plans and programs that support those who serve the Church, including Assistance Program enhancements such as the new Child Care Support

You will also have the opportunity to ask questions.

Wishing God’s best for you,

Luke

HOLY PALMS: First Presbyterian Church of Chittenango celebrates Palm Sunday with joy and tradition.

Learning, Celebrating & Joyful Easter Fun

Onondaga Hill Presbyterian Church’s Sunday School kids had a wonderful Sunday morning exploring Holy Week! They paraded down the hall with palms, shared a special snack while learning about the Last Supper (for some, their first sip of grape juice!), and created colorful crosses to reflect on Good Friday and God’s love. The celebration ended with a joyful Easter egg hunt, filling the morning with smiles, laughter and the hope of Easter.