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:
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Please pray for pastors Steve and Saunda Thomas as Steve is undergoing cancer treatments. Please keep them in your prayers and cards can be mailed to 130 Wade Hampton Dr., Beaufort, SC 29907.
- 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 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: Our Presbytery, the Synod of the Northeast, General Assembly staff.
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Fall Leader Formation webinar focused on the basics of polity scheduled for Oct. 23
The third webinar of the year will be led by ruling elder and Assistant Stated Clerk Flor Vélez-Diaz
The next Leader Formation webinar is scheduled to take place on Oct. 23, from 7 p.m. through 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time. While the first two webinars of the year, which took place in March and July, dove into essential components of Presbyterian theology, the third virtual learning event will focus on the denomination’s polity.
The Leader Formation webinar series is designed particularly for the ongoing education and formation of ruling elders and deacons and is organized and facilitated by Martha Miller, herself a ruling elder who serves as the manager of ministry education and support within Mid Council Ministries. Miller brings in various scholars and church leaders to lead each session.
The upcoming webinar will be led by ruling elder Flor Vélez-Díaz, who is an Assistant Stated Clerk of the General Assembly and Manager for Judicial Process and Social Witness within the Interim Unified Agency. She is also an attorney and former civil litigator who has served in roles at every level of the denomination including most recently as a member of the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission. She is married to the Rev. Edwin González-Castillo, who also works within the IUA as the director of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.
Vélez-Díaz currently works alongside Laurie Griffith in the Office of Constitutional Interpretation of the IUA, where she helps “untangle church tangles, particularly in judicial process and church discipline matters.” This background gives Vélez-Díaz both a depth and breadth of tangible expertise that informs her teaching on church polity.
Read More...
| | Focus and Coordination Team | | |
Your F&C Team has been meeting regularly. Originally called the Vision Committee, we renamed ourselves as we believe the way forward is to focus on what the myriad needs are as we seek to merge our two presbyteries but just as importantly to coordinate with and seek the wisdom of the body.
We have been working on a vision statement while also keeping a keen eye on the strategies we will need to propel us down the road of this process. Our next step is to share our vision statement with the “councils” of both Cayuga-Syracuse and Susquehanna Valley in a joint meeting. Our intent is to then share our work with the two presbyteries seeking your feedback and counsel as well as hearing your questions and concerns in small group meetings.
After this period of information sharing and relationship building, we will begin the detailed work of developing a merger proposal for consideration.
Geneva Presbytery had expressed some interest in joining with our two presbyteries in exploring merger and in fact came to a couple of our meetings. However, at the present time they have decided to explore other options.
We ask that you hold us in your prayers as we continue to meet and strategize our way forward. We are excited and hopeful and it is our prayer that each and every member of our presbyteries will choose to get involved in the coming months. We can all be assured there will be much to do and it is our goal to keep you informed of our progress as well as opportunities for involvement.
Draft Vision Statement:
We follow God’s call to be the hands and feet of Jesus. The presbytery will support this vision through dynamic collaboration with and support for our congregations and their leaders, encouraging them to reflect the Spirit’s gifts of love, grace and justice in their midst, in their communities and in the world at large.
FEEDBACK: Send your feedback to the committee by emailing Ricerobbiej@gmail.com
| | Call to Action: Fundamental Rights and Kingdom Shalom | |
In the past few months, our current administration has repeatedly violated the fundamental rights (i.e., due process, speech, assembly, conscience, etc.) of American citizens and non-citizens, all while expanding the reach of executive power. The infringement of rights, manipulation of law, and the dangerous expansion of executive power are threats to a just social order and communal peace.
The ongoing assault is not evenly distributed. Our Latinx members, friends, and neighbors are racially profiled and cruelly denied their rights to due process and freedom from arbitrary search and seizure. Many have been detained in facilities that lack basic necessities and are intentionally denied access to appropriate legal counsel. Others have been unlawfully deported and imprisoned in other countries. Academic institutions have been targeted by crackdowns on free speech and denied freedom of assembly and protest. Public servants have been arbitrarily fired for their political views or for lawfully doing their jobs. The result is a concerted effort to penalize persons in a manner and magnitude that violates the democratic norms we as Presbyterians hold dear in church life and in politics. It undermines the shalom we are called to promote.
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Applications are now being accepted for the Benevolent Care Grant Funds.
“The purpose of this fund shall be to provide benevolent grants to assist in the care of elderly persons within the bounds of Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery.”
Criteria:
- Applications must be submitted by churches/sessions/boards or institutions. If an institution, a worshiping community within the Presbytery must indicate concurrence with the request.
- A financial need must be clearly stated. i.e., sample budget
- Grants will be awarded for benevolent care of the elderly residing within the bounds of Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery.
Download Application HERE
Applications must be received by November 1, 2025
Please email the completed Application Form to:
Lynn Jacques at lmjacques@verizon.net
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The Steeple Coffee House Rocks On!!
The Steeple Coffee House at the United Church of Fayetteville will host a name new to the venue. Cayley Sheehan, a sapphic singer from Syracuse, leads the vibrant, genre-bending band Cayley Sheehan & The Family. Blending alternative rock with the soul of bluegrass, the group is powered by a trio of talented gay women and a rotating cast of passionate local musicians. With an album on the horizon at the end of the year, Cayley continues carving out a bold, unapologetic space in the music scene.
C’mon out and hear an amazing band sing a variety of songs ranging from pop ballads to rock and roll!
Where: Steeple Coffee House is located in the United Church of Fayetteville at 310 E. Genesee St. in Fayetteville, NY. Plenty of free parking behind the church with access from E. Genesee St., Chapel St., and Walnut St.
When: Saturday, October 11th - Show starts at 7:30 PM and runs until 9:30 PM. Doors open at 7:00 PM
Cost: Tickets are $15 (cash) and include refreshments.
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“Let’s Talk Community” at United Church of Fayetteville
Dr. Ludger Viefhues-Bailey, Le Moyne College Distinguished Professor, will give an overview of his recent book, No Separation: Christians, Secular Democracy, and Sex at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 19, 2025 in the Board Lounge at the United Church of Fayetteville. This is a particularly timely work given the recent legislative action in several states regarding display of the Ten Commandments and restricting books available in public schools. Such a move is consistent with a major premise behind Dr. Viefhues-Bailey’s book.
In No Separation: Christians, Secular Democracy, and Sex, Dr. Viefhues-Bailey explores the history of how political Christianities use the creation of national identities to define and bind together who makes up the sovereign People. Concomitantly, these political Christianities decide who does not make up the People, i.e. the Other. As evidenced by the rise of authoritarian nationalist movements in Western secular countries, the exclusion of the Other (e.g., non-Christians, women, non-Europeans, migrants, and the LGBTQIA+ community) ensures that those deemed to be the People will remain in power.
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Refreshingly, Dr. Viefhues-Bailey addresses mechanisms that might enable everyone to take part in governing. Instead of striving for a uniform national identity of the People, a more humane approach is suggested wherein mutuality and equality are developed among different identities such that all members of a democracy will flourish.
Dr. Viefhues-Bailey works in the fields of Philosophy of Religion and Political Theology. He received his Ph.D from Harvard University and has also taught in the Religious Studies Department at Yale. He is Chair of Philosophy, Gender, and Culture at Le Moyne College.
United Church of Fayetteville is located at 310 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville, NY 13066. the church is accessible. All are welcome! Free-will donations will be sent to non-profit ACR Health. https://www.acrhealth.org/
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The First Presbyterian Church of Cazenoiva is planning a luminary memorial walkway on All Saint's Day Eve (Oct 31, 2025) to remember family members and friends who have gone on before us. The luminaries will be located on the walkway in front of the church. All are welcome to submit names to be included on the luminaries by filling out the form. Please submit names by Tuesday, October 28th. | | VISUAL LEARNERS: Miss Cait at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn tells the story of Abram and Sarai in the desert box | | |
Online Presence in 2025 and Beyond
Thursday, October 9, 2025
7:00 – 8:00 PM EDT
Leader – Eric Seiberling
Cross-Cultural Ministries
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
7:00 – 8:00 PM EDT
Leader – Kim Pope-Seiberling
Resisting Erasure and Isolation as Pathway to Belonging
Thursday, October 23, 2025
2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT
Leaders - Craig Lemming, Erin Weber-Johnson
Practical AI for Churches
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT
Leader – Eric Seiberling
Full Day VBS - it's not that scary!
Thursday, October 30, 2025
2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT
Leader – Kelsey DeCarlo
Can We Talk? What the Bible Can Teach Us about Dialogue in a Divisive Time
Thursday, November 6, 2025
2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT
Leader – Rev. Dr. Leah Schade
Creating Ministries for Neurogent Families
Thursday, December 4, 2025
7:00 – 8:00 PM EDT
Leader – Kim Pope-Seiberling
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How to contact our Lead Presbyter, the Rev Greg Garis
Email: leadpresbyter@cayugasyracuse.org
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.
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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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Now Hiring | Finance Clerk
To apply for this position, submit a resume with references to Rev. SanDawna Ashley at sandawna.ashley@synodne.org. This is a part-time (15 hrs. week) position located in East Syracuse, New York. The applicant must live in the Syracuse, NY area. The position continuation is subject to a satisfactory 90-day orientation period and performance reviews. In accordance with New York State Law, this position is an “at will” employment. Position description: Synod Finance Clerk Position Description
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Position Opening: Music Director
The Jamesville Community Church is seeking a part-time Music Director, who can play the organ, piano or guitar. The paid position is for an average of 7-9 hours a week. The
Director will assist the pastor with Sunday morning worship, special services, lead a
small choir and congregational singing and play both contemporary and traditional
worship music.
Competitive Salary.
Please prayerfully consider joining our faith community in worshiping God together.
Interested candidates can contact Church Office at 315-492-1465 or
admin@jamesvillecommunitychurch.org
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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 Synod of the Northeast | | |
WNY Connection to Transformation
Building a Partnership Culture in Faith Communities
in Collaboration with the NY State Council of Churches
October 24-25, 2025
First Presbyterian Church - Ithaca
315 N Cayuga St, Ithaca, NY 14850
COST: $55
Register
| | Around the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) | | |
Resources now available for Reformation Sunday
Presbyterian Historical Society offers free bulletin inserts ahead of Oct. 26
Did you know that the last Sunday of the month of October is set aside to commemorate the events and figures of the Protestant Reformation?
This year, Presbyterians will celebrate Reformation Sunday on Oct. 26 along with millions of other Reformed church members around the globe. For the 2025 observance, the Presbyterian Historical Society aims to re-introduce congregations to John Knox (1514-1572), a leading figure in the Scottish Reformation.
Did you know that the great reformer served as a galley slave to the French navy for a handful of years, stuck in the bowels of a ship with dozens of other men? Indeed, during his life, Knox was a tutor, a galley slave, a royal chaplain of King Edward VI, a broadsword-wielding bodyguard, a scholar and writer, and a preacher of fiery sermons at Old St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations are encouraged to download the free bulletin insert to use during their services of worship on Oct. 26. To accommodate different sized bulletins, the Presbyterian Historical Society offers the print-on-demand insert in three sizes on the PHS Reformation Sunday webpage: letter, half-letter, and half-legal.
Continue reading..
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Presbyterians are committed to mental health
A reminder during Mental Illness Awareness Week that God approves of medicine and therapy
In the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), we believe in the power of God and we also believe in the power of science. These are not opposites. They are not rivals. Rather, they are partners in the work of healing.
God, the Creator of all things, gave humanity the gift of knowledge, reason and discovery. Through this gift, we have developed tools like therapy, counseling, and medication to help ease the burden of mental illness.
These are not signs of spiritual failure. They are signs of God’s grace working through human hands and minds.
I happen to suffer from deep anxiety and depression. I rely on high doses of prescribed medication every day, not because I lack faith, but because I want to live fully.
The right balance of medication has opened up a world to me that might not have existed had I listened to those who told me to “just pray harder” or “trust God more.”
If I had followed the religious voices that dismissed mental health care, I might still be trapped in darkness.
Instead, I chose to believe that God works through science, through doctors, through psychiatrists and therapists. I chose to believe that the same God who heals through miracles also heals through medicine. And it has made all the difference.
If you struggle with anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, or any number of mental health challenges, your faith is not broken.
You are not lacking.
You are not spiritually weak.
And we will not diminish your pain by telling you to “just have faith” or “believe in Christ and you will be healed.”
That kind of theology only deepens shame and drives people into silence. We reject it.
Continue reading...
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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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