The Food Week of Action is next month! The Ten Commandments of Food is a resource for Food Week that the Presbyterian Hunger Program helped the WCC’s Food for Life Campaign develop. Accompanying the Ten Commandments is an educational tool for congregations that features theological reflections and steps for faithful action. Find the resource here: https://hubs.ly/Q02QvDNg0

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:

• Pray for 14-year-old Jerry Armstrong who has been diagnosed with bone cancer. He attends Whitelaw Presbyterian Church with his family.
• Pray for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
• Please pray for unity and peace in America during an already tumultuous election season.
• All those in Ukraine.
• All those in Israel and Gaza.
• 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: Amboy Belle Isle; First, Auburn; Westminster, Auburn; United Ministry of Aurora; First, Baldwinsville

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. "

A Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse was held on on Monday, September 16, 2024 at Northminster Presbyterian Church.

During the meeting Steve Eidt gave a update from the Congregational Vision and Strategy Committee. Steve explained that the Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery was in conversations with Susquehanna Valley Presbytery about a potential merger. Below is an excerpt from the Synopsis of Stated Meeting Minutes:

Elder Steve Eidt gave a status report on the merger conversations that are in process with the presbytery of Susquehanna Valley. Some concerns raised were the challenge of making or losing some interpersonal connections, the driving distance from here to the Binghamton area, loss of presbytery identity, our current status, our motivations, the criteria for success, and worries about compatibility. He noted that a merger also has the benefits of full-time leadership, more diversity and voices, rest for burned out presbyters, new committees, permission to start over, putting resurrection into practice, and a new infusion of energy.

The presbytery will hold a special presbytery meeting in mid to late October at the Moderator's discretion to take a vote on entering formally into this process.   

The Rev. Dr. Shavonn Lynch was ordained as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in a beautiful ordination service Sunday afternoon at Northminster Presbyterian Church in North Syracuse.

LAST CALL

The Presbytery is putting together a bulk order for 2024-2025 Presbyterian Planning Calendars to get a reduced cost. Please use this link to let us know how many 2024-2025 Planning Calendars you would like. Calendars will be $9.75 + $0.60 S&H. Once your order is placed, Kristin Schierer, Presbytery Bookkeeper, will invoice you.  Orders are due by September 27^th, and calendars will be distributed at the Presbytery meeting in November.

Ordering Link: https://forms.gle/6tHmezwR5NHZ8X169

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.

The next "Can We Talk?" gathering will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, September 27, 2024 in the Lounge behind the Sanctuary at Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church, 5299 Jamesville Road in Syracuse.

Coffee and goodies will be served.

The gathering is for retired pastors and CLP's or for folks who are about to retire. First-timers are always welcome!

Isaiah’s Table to Benefit from This Year’s Greater Syracuse CROP Walk

Isaiah’s Table received some great news- they will be one of the local missions to receive a grant from this year’s Greater Syracuse CROP Walk. With the local event, 25 percent of the funds raised remains locally, shared with 5 Syracuse-area agencies: Isaiah’s Table, Interreligious Food Consortium, Epiphany Parish SJW Campus, Samaritan Center and In My Father’s Kitchen.

The CROP Walk this year will be held at noon on Sunday October 6^th at Onondaga Lake Park at Willow Bay. It’s a great way for groups or individuals to help make a difference for local people around the world who are food insecure.

Let’s get our congregations involved! Why not organize a team from your church – it’s a great fellowship activity! Walking encourages us to think about our neighbors, both locally and globally, who must walk for water, food, and medical care.

The website provides loads of information about how to promote the walk including worship resources, bulletin inserts and sample announcements. They make it easy to have a successful Walk with your faith community.

You can also go to the Greater Syracuse CROP Hunger Walk website to join a team and/or to donate to a team. Your support will be greatly appreciated.  Questions? Contact: Bob Graves-Co-Chair at rlgraves313@gmail.com or 315-427-6054

WALK……GIVE…..Help make a difference!

Ham Dinner Drive-Thru

Saturday, October 5, 2024

4:00-5:30 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church of Baldwinsville

64 Oswego St, Baldwinsville

Menu: Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Hubbard Squash, Peas, Banana Bread, Pumpkin Pie 

Cost: $12

Presbytery members invited to 10-week church history class at Westminster in Auburn

Rev. Larry Bell will be offering a ten-week church history class on Monday evenings at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn starting October 7 at 7:00pm. The classes will cover the history of the church from Jesus to the present day. It is part of a course of study for aspiring American Baptist lay pastors, but it is open to Westminster members and others in the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse. There is no fee to audit the course. Completion of the assigned reading is encouraged but not required. Please contact the church office at office@westminsterauburn.org to register and receive a syllabus. The course is being offered both on Zoom and in person. Larry pastored churches in New York State for 23 years. He studied church history at Cornell, and participated in an archeological dig at Tel Zeitah, Israel.  Since retirement he has served as historian for the Howland Stone Store Museum, curated historical museum exhibits, published numerous genealogical and historical articles—and continues to preach at area churches. 

Do you have a baby or a toddler and you're looking to teach them that about Jesus' love? Onondaga Hill Presbyterian Church is launching a new class this fall called Jesus Loves Me Toddler Time, where parents/guardians stay with their children (birth to 4 years old) to hear a Bible story, do a craft together and dance to some music! This is class is open to the public and it is free. Pre-Registration is required.

PRC's Fall 2024 Online events

All webinars are recorded. Click the title to register or read the description.

Wait, is this racist?

Thursday, September 26, 2024

2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT

Leader – Kerry Connelly

Managing Stress Before it Manages You

Thursday, October 3, 2024

2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT

Leader – Charles Stone

The Writing Is Part of the Work: Crafting a Meaningful Anti-Racism Policy

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT

Leaders - Anna Kendig Flores, John H.G. Curtiss

Intergenerational Ministry Interest Session with GenOn

Thursday, October 10, 2024

2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT

Leaders: Liz Perraud, Betsy Dishman

Truly Welcoming Environments for Today's Unchurched

Thursday, October 24, 2024

2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT

Leader - Brett DeHart

Healing Fractured Communities

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT

Leaders - Jessica L. Anschutz, Douglas Powe

Maximizing Year End Giving

Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024

2:00 – 3:00 pm EST

Leader – Brett DeHart

Christian Nationalism and the 2024 Election

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

2:00 – 3:00 pm EST

Leaders -Brian Kaylor, Beau Underwood 

This is a follow-up webinar to

Responding Effectively to Christian Nationalism RECORDED

Leaders -Brian Kaylor, Beau Underwood

The Art of Hospitality

Thursday, November 21, 2024

2:00 – 3:00pm EST

Leader – Yvonne Gentile

New York State Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Webinars

You can take this training any time during the year

charlaine@prcli.org

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

10:30 am – 12:00 pm EDT

Thursday, November 14, 2024

3:00 – 4:30 pm EST

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

7:00 – 8:30 pm EST

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

Morrisville Community Church seeks office staff member

Morrisville Community Church is looking for a part-time office worker. The job is 15 hours a week and the pay is New York State minimum wage. 

Interested candidates are asked to call Jeff Gay at (315) 684-3314.

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.

‘Community isn’t necessarily where we need to agree. It’s where we need to belong’

The Rev. Samantha Gonzalez-Block is the most recent guest on ‘A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast’

By Mike Ferguson

Presbyterian News Service

After growing up in an interfaith home — her father is Jewish and her mother is Presbyterian — it seems like a natural fit that the Rev. Samantha Gonzalez-Block, a PC(USA) pastor and the Christian spiritual leader with Interfaith Families Project of Greater Washington, would serve alongside Rabbi Debbie Reichmann in a place where, as IFFP’s website states, “both Jewish and Christian partners can feel like equal members of the community, celebrate and learn about both faiths. At IFFP, we ‘teach not preach.’”

Headed into its 30th year, IFFP has grown into a vibrant, active community of about 300 adults and children and is one of the largest interfaith programs in the country. It offers in-person and online interfaith worship, Sunday school and other programming to families who live chiefly in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, although others are scattered around the country and across the planet.

Gonzalez-Block was the guest of the Rev. Lee Catoe and Simon Doong on “A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast.” Listen to their 50-minute conversation here.

Continue reading...

‘Food Vision 2030’ calls for improved access to healthy food while supporting local farmers and food workers

The draft document is rolled out as part of the People’s Summit on Food Systems and Urban Agriculture, sponsored in part by the Presbyterian Hunger Program

By Mike Ferguson

Presbyterian News Service

“Food Vision 2030: Food Justice is Racial Justice,” the draft document rolled out and explored during the recent People’s Summit on Food Systems and Urban Agriculture sponsored in part by the Presbyterian Hunger Program, maps out “strategies and organizing efforts necessary to create a truly just city and food system” in Louisville, Kentucky.

Held Sept. 13 in Louisville, the day-long People’s Summit included two delicious meals and two sets of workshops following three tracks: environmental and climate justice, just and resilient food economy and healthy local food for all, which aligned with the vision’s three main principles. Read reporting by Presbyterian News Service on a pair of workshops offered during the People’s Summit here and here.

Louisville’s Food Vision 2030, informed by two years of community collaboration supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, focuses on addressing the stark differences in food access based on residential ZIP codes. Research led to developing the Food Vision, which outlines how to improve access to healthy food, particularly for low-income and marginalized communities, while supporting local farmers and food workers.

Continue reading...