Annual Lodi Summer Camp shares God's gospel

Lodi Summer Camp, the annual VBS camp for refugee children (ages 4-16+) in Syracuse area, will be held on June 30 st through July 4th this year. The camp is hosted by the Korean Church of Syracuse.

Since 2007, the church has served more than 1900 refugee friends who came from 42 different countries. During Spring and Fall semester, we have run computer classes and English classes for them for 10 weeks each semester, and have held five-day summer camp for the refugee children during summer.

The following letter is from the Rev. Dr. Yong Ju Jee, senior pastor of the Korean Church of Syracuse:

It is very important to share God’s gospel with children for our next generation. As you already heard about the mission strategy, “the 4/14 window Movement”, when we preach the gospel to children between the ages 4 to 14 years old, we have experienced that children accept Jesus Christ as their Savior at a greater rate than adults. We met more than 200 children during the camp last year, and more than 100 children among them confessed that Jesus Christ is their Savior. 

For five days, the children can learn God’s creation, our sins, God’s love shown through the precious blood of Jesus and his resurrection, and the way to grow our faith in Christ through the Bible class, Art class, and Game class. 

This year we have more than 70 volunteers from Syracuse, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and many other places. They committed to their precious time and efforts to serve refugee children. We are very happy to have an opportunity to work with God’s people and to obey the Great Commission given by God. 

Syracuse is a mission field. We can meet all nations here. They are with us as our neighbors. They need “Gospel”. They need Jesus Christ. Sharing the gospel with them is the best way to love them. And this is God’s command to us. Therefore, as God’s children, we all have the duty to share the gospel with our neighbors.

Please pray that:

• All children and their families meet Jesus Christ as their Savior and experience God’s love. 
• The Holy Spirit pours upon all teachers, staff, and volunteers so that they have a power of God for saving the souls. 
• During the camp, God keeps all children and staff safe and healthy. 
• All financial needs for the camp will be met. 

Now we are fundraising to do this God’s work and share God’s love with refugee children. 

Please payable to “Korean Church of Syracuse” (please mention “Lodi mission” on memo) and send to “1800 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13210”).

If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us at 315-474-8346 or info@kcsyr.org.

Thank you for your support and prayer in advance.

Blessings,

Rev. Dr. Yong Ju Jee

Senior Pastor

Korean Church of Syracuse

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.

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Thank you! 

In our prayers together this week:

• Please keep Camille Bach (Whitelaw Presbyterian) in your prayers during her breast cancer treatment.
• Please pray for Jerry Armstrong (Whitelaw Presbyterian) Jerry is 15 years old with recurrent bone cancer.
• Let us pray together for justice, peace and unity, especially during these times of turmoil and uncertainty.
• 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.
• 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: First, Cazenovia; First, Chittenango; United Church of Collamer; Pebble Hill, DeWitt; First United Church of East Syracuse.

Five tips for creating inclusive spaces

The Rev. Shanea Leonard offers some suggestions to make your congregation a welcoming place for people of all genders.

According to Psychology Today, gender is a social construct based on the norms, behaviors and societal roles expected of individuals, determined primarily by their sex assigned at birth. This definition means that gender is something we have made up to categorize people and to commit them to behaving a certain way in society. The binary of male/female genders does not give space to individuals who do not conform to these rigorously controlled behavioral patterns set by others. Some folks in our world, communities and churches do not neatly fit this either/or classification.

People who are nonbinary or gender fluid are also a part of the kin-dom of God, and creating inclusive spaces for all genders is important. God loves all genders; to delineate hierarchy or to ignore differing genders is to deny God’s creation as holy and sacred in all that it is. Moreover, our General Assembly in 2018 resoundingly affirmed the full dignity and humanity of people of all genders and also encouraged congregations of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to welcome transgender and gender nonbinary people into the life of the church.

Consider the following suggestions to make your own congregation a welcoming place for people of all genders:

Creating inclusive spaces

Everyone wants to feel like they are thought of and included, especially in the community of faith. As Presbyterians, we declare the full welcome of all people, and we must make room for them. Designating at least one bathroom in your church as an all-gender restroom shows all who enter your doors that they are welcome and that your church is purposeful about celebrating the entire kin-dom of God.

Include days of importance in your liturgical calendar

Many people know June is Pride Month. It’s a time to rejoice in the triumphs over discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community and a way to rejoice in the culture this community embodies. However, full inclusion also means lifting up days like Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20. Each year since 1999, this day has been held as a time to remember the lives of transgender people who have lost their lives, especially to murder and violence. Highlighting days like this during the year shows folks that their lives matter, too.

Self-educate. Reach out. Connect. Learn what you don’t know

Asking marginalized people to be your walking encyclopedia causes them more harm. We who are allies to marginalized populations have the responsibility to educate ourselves about the ways in which we can stand in solidarity with their liberation. Learning about such issues as the Doctrine of Discovery, the Middle Passage and, yes, LGBTQIA+ history gives us the tools to know the harm caused, how culture develops and how we can affirm the humanity of all.

Remember that you do not know anyone’s gender until they tell you

Never assume anything. Everyone has the right to define for themselves who they are and how they want to be identified. In new interactions, first introduce yourself with your own pronouns, which alerts the other person you are open to hearing theirs as well. Using terms such as “sibling,” “family of God,” “people” and “folks” takes away the need to gender people and provides the space for all to feel included.



Create an educational opportunity for the congregation to grow and learn

Invite the PC(USA) Women and Gender Justice Ministry to do a workshop with your congregation, presbytery or synod. Connect with the LGBTQIA+ center in your community to discern opportunities to partner. Conducting book studies using some resources from our own Westminster John Knox Press provides a great educational opportunity for your faith community.r by adding words like "free," "personalized," "complimentary," or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take action, so consider inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"

From The Presbyterian Outlook

SUMMER EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS

Sponsored by the Joint Justice in Ministry and Mission Teams of two Presbyteries

Cayuga-Syracuse and Susquehanna Valley

Being Transgender: Medical History, Church, Society, and Families

June 30, 2025, 6:30pm

Via ZOOM

Presenters:

Dr Carolyn Wolf-Gould, is the founder of Bassett's Gender Wellness Center, a rural-based interdisciplinary center for transgender healthcare, clinical training, advocacy, and research in upstate New York. She is co-editor of the book “A History of Transgender Medicine in the United States: From Margins to Mainstream,” published by SUNY Press in February of this year–– a critical moment in the struggle for transgender rights. Sweeping in scope and deeply personal in nature, this groundbreaking volume traces the development of transgender medicine across three centuries, centering the voices of transgender individuals, debunking myths about gender-affirming care, and empowering readers to grasp the complexities of this evolving field.

Stephanie Nawyn is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology at Michigan State University (MSU). Her research and teaching expertise are in migration, gender and refugees. She is the former director of MSU’s Center for Gender in Global Context, where she oversaw the Women’s and Gender Studies program and supported research and activities related to sex, gender, sexuality, and feminist studies. She is also the mother of two wonderful young men, Henry (age 20) and Zach (age 16).

Zach Nawyn-Hellinga is a high school junior who aspires to study engineering in college. He enjoys robotics and building electronic devices, biking, and theatre. He has participated in a community children’s theatre program since he was very young, performing on stage and working on the crew (especially building sets).

Please REGISTER

Join Zoom Meeting for June 30, 2025, 6:30pm

Meeting ID: 872 1730 2511

Passcode: 691603

We Are In this Together: Opportunities for Growth 

 The Rev Ashley DeTar Birt, Presbyterian Minister from The Center for Jubilee Practice that works with churches, mid-councils, and Christian organizations seeking to consider their legacy of liberation and develop and implement restorative communal practices. We will explore our history and present day, identify harms we as a church have caused and foster healing of our communities through concrete practices of full inclusion, reparations, and care for creation.

200th Anniversary Celebration

Weedsport First Presbyterian Church, as part of our 200^th anniversary celebration, will be having on the history of our 14 stained-glass windows, one of which has been appraised as a Tiffany. 

Sunday, June 29th at 12:30 p.m.

Refreshments will be provided

NO KINGS: Isaiah's Table and other members of our Presbytery joined about 5,000 others to protest at the Syracuse "No Kings" event. The rally was part of a nationwide mobilization in response to President Donald Trump's military parade. The crowd criticized Trump for his attacks on immigrants, protestors, LGBTQ people, federal programs, government workers and international trade.

Know Your Rights – ICE 

Tuesday, June 24, 2025 

2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT 

Leader - Rev. Dr. Ellen Clark Clémot 

Churches seeking to carry out a mission of welcome and creature care for refugees and other new migrants are faced with frightening challenges in this new era. Knowing your rights and how to implement them is a first step to preserving the basic elements of our religious freedoms in the US. In her webinar presentation, Rev. Dr. Ellen Clark Clemot provides insights to protect church staff and the sanctity of church property in face of new legal challenges, as well as practical tips on how to help the refugee feel more secure in seeking assistance and engaging in community life.

Ellen Clémot works with churches and other faith-based organizations to navigate laws that affect their mission. As a pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and as an attorney in New York City, she has first-hand knowledge of the challenges facing not-for-profit organizations. Apart from the ongoing concerns for revenue generation, preservation of tax exempt status, and deferred maintenance issues, churches are facing heightened scrutiny in carrying their traditional mission of welcoming the stranger, especially the refugee. Through her writing, speaking, and preaching, Ellen provides advice on how to safely protect campus spaces, church staff, and the people in need of care.

Her award-winning book, Discerning Welcome – (Cascade 2022), addresses asylum legislation in the United States as informed by principles of law, ethics, and the Reformed faith tradition. The book is based on her experience serving

congregations in the Presbyterian Church (USA) as Senior Pastor and Head of Staff for over 12 years. Addressing the need for protecting migrant populations, Ellen has returned to law practice as well as teaching church governance (Presbyterian Polity) at Princeton Theological Seminary as an adjunct professor. Her law practice supports churches redeveloping their property in New York State for more sustainable community uses and mission outreach, including supportive housing, senior day care, charter schools, as well as providing modernized worship space. Her clients include the Episcopal Synod of New York and of Long Island, the Lutheran Synod, and the United Methodist Church with many exciting projects underway.

JOIN PRC's ONLINE BOOK CLUB

THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon

July 12, 2025 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

Click here to register

Mandatory New York State Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Webinars

You can take this training any time during the year

charlaine@prcli.org

Wednesday, August 20, 2024

7 – 8:30 PM EST

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

2:30 – 4 PM EST

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.

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

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.

Gazans hungry and desperate as Israel-Hamas war continues

‘The needs are massive and the obstacles are staggering’

Editor's note: This story was written before the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. To read about those strikes, go here.

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Gaza where Palestinians are being pushed to the brink of starvation, and beyond, during the protracted war between Israel and Hamas that has left families desperate and children malnourished.

In recognition of the crisis, the United Nations General Assembly met in emergency session on June 12 and passed a resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and lasting ceasefire. The resolution also condemned the use of starvation as a weapon of war and demanded that Israel fully drop its aid blockade. The U.S. and Israel were among just 12 member states that rejected the resolution, which received nearly 150 favorable votes. 

In May, the World Health Organization reported that the risk of famine in Gaza was increasing as a result of the “deliberate withholding” of food and other humanitarian aid.

“The entire 2.1 million population of Gaza is facing prolonged food shortages, with nearly half a million people in a catastrophic situation of hunger, acute malnutrition, starvation, illness and death,” the WHO stated. “This is one of the world’s worst hunger crises, unfolding in real time.”

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Unearthing the past: Juneteenth and the Board of Freedmen records

Presbyterian Historical Society archives bear witness to national holiday’s focus on education and the celebration of freedom

Juneteenth, celebrated June 19th of every year, marks America’s second Independence Day — an enduring celebration of freedom and the oldest nationally recognized commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States.

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Although for many years Juneteenth was a holiday celebrated solely within the bounds of Texas, today many communities across the country observe Juneteenth, with prayer services being a major part of the celebrations. For example, at the biennial conference of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus, which is being held June 19-21 in Charlotte, North Carolina, participants will gather for evening worship and a Juneteenth celebration, “a powerful remembrance of freedom, faith, and resilience,” according to the Rev. Dr. Charles Heyward, NBPC president.

This holiday, which was nationally recognized in 2021, commemorates the announcement of the abolition of legalized slavery in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. The reading of General Order No. 3 was offered by Major General Gordon Granger and came two-and-a-half-years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

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