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.

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:

• 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 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.
• 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: United Church of Fayetteville; First United Church of Fulton; Jamesville Community Church; First, King Ferry

The Rev. Dr. Greg Garis, Lead Presbyter for Transformation, announces the hiring of the Rev. Mary Anderson as the new Assistant to the Lead Presbyter for Transformation. Congratulations and welcome!

Meet and welcome the Rev. Mary Anderson,

Assistant to the Lead Presbyter

I’ve been serving as an ordained pastor since 2003, and my pastoral journey began alongside my husband, Garrett, when we served together as co-pastors at Brick Presbyterian Church in Perry, New York.

Since 2011, I’ve been a member of the Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery, and one of my most formative calls was as pastor of Weedsport Presbyterian Church, where I served until 2020.

I live in Liverpool with Garrett and our son, Sam, who’s a music education major at Syracuse University. Outside of ministry, I find deep joy and renewal in the outdoors. Hiking, kayaking, birdwatching, and gardening are among my favorite pastimes, and I resonate deeply with the quote: “Spending time in nature softens everything and brings us closer to God.” This certainly has been true in my life.

Along with my pastoral education, I also received training in Spiritual Direction and Retreat

Leadership during seminary through the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Center for Spirituality. My M.Div. included a concentration in Spiritual Direction, which reflects my deep desire to walk alongside others as they listen for where God is moving in their lives.

I am excited to begin my new role as Assistant to the Lead Presbyter for Transformation. I

look forward to collaborating with Greg and working alongside the churches and work groups within our Presbyteries as we seek faithful and imaginative ways forward together.

I welcome your prayers as I learn, grow, and step into this new season of ministry. Thank you!

Steeple Coffee House Gets Ready to Shake Off the Winter Blues with Jess Novak!

The Steeple Coffee House at the United Church of Fayetteville begins the Winter/Spring Season on January 10th with Jess Novak, a new name to Steeple Coffee House.



Jess Novak is a formidable performer - a triple threat singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who brings choice covers and soulful originals to every stage. With 14 original albums to date, Novak is a prolific writer and fierce instrumentalist. Come prepared for powerful vocals, shredding electric violin and songs that will stay stuck in your head. Having played shows from Vermont to Florida to California, Novak knows how to entertain any crowd.

And if that isn’t enough, Jess Novak is the organizer of the F.I.R.E. Festival (Females Inspire, Rock, Empower) and the author of Dare to Begin and The House Musician! For more, visit www.jessrocknovak.com

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, January 10th 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) and includes refreshments

LET IT SNOW: An aerial view of First Presbyterian Church of Chittenango blanketed during the recent winter storm. Photo by Craig Barber. We hope everyone stayed safe and warm through the snowfall.

Many in children’s ministry contend that Sunday school is becoming obsolete. However, children’s faith formation is still a priority for churches. Let the Children Lead: Models for Worship with All Generations provides thoughtful and practical models for meeting this challenge. The book’s author is Nelson Cowan, and it is published by Abingdon Press, which provided a copy of the book for this review.

Cowan states that it’s important for children to be involved in and even lead in worship; however, the reason for this must be to empower them to “learn and grow as disciples in the context of corporate worship,” rather than for transactional reasons, such as the benefit to the church of increased attendance, participation, or commitment.

Chapter One suggests that this change in focus requires “Unlearning and Reframing” our perspective by prioritizing introducing children to Jesus rather than to the church. Instead of focusing on numbers, Cowan emphasizes ministering faithfully to the children present, trusting that God’s work may not be immediately visible. He also argues that children’s faith formation occurs throughout the week, not solely on Sunday mornings.

Read More...



Full Day VBS Roundtable Discussion

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

2:00 – 3:00 PM EST

Leader – Kelsey DeCarlo

Time Management for Pastors: practical helps and deeper considerations

Thursday, January 8, 2026

2:00 – 3:00 PM EST

Leader – Laura Stephens-Reed

Cross-Cultural Ministries

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

7:00 – 8:00 PM EST

Leader – Kim Pope-Seiberling

Resisting Erasure and Isolation as Pathway to Belonging

Thursday, January 29, 2026

2:00 – 3:00 PM EST

Leaders - Craig Lemming, Erin Weber-Johnson



Using Artificial Intelligence to Create Stewardship Campaigns

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

2:00 – 3:00 PM EST

Leader - Charlie Kuchenbrod

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, January 22, 2026

10:00 – 11:30 AM EST

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

7:00 – 8:30 PM EST

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM EDT

Thursday, April 9, 2026

2:00 – 3:30 PM EDT

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.

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.

Join the Presbyterian Association of Musicians for Come Sunday: Worship and Music That Moves Us, a powerful weekend celebrating the richness of the Black diaspora in worship and song. Together we’ll lift our voices, grow in understanding, and discover new ways to lead communities toward joy, justice, and reconciliation.

February 21–22, 2026

Westminster Presbyterian Church, West Chester

What to expect:

Inspiring keynote speakers and worship experiences

Practical tools for liturgy, music leadership, and community building

Learning to lead worship that honors tradition and avoids harmful appropriation

Connecting with others committed to justice and faithful worship

Don’t wait—register here: https://hubs.ly/Q03WYC3P0

Registration now open for Lead(HER) 2026

The April 2026 conference designed to empower female clergy is being offered by the United Methodist Church

Registration is now open for Lead(HER) 2026: Empowering Female Clergy, happening April 20-22, 2026, at Resurrection, a United Methodist Church in Leawood, Kansas.

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Lead(HER) brings together female clergy from across denominations for two and a half days of worship, practical skill-building, and authentic community. The expanded 2026 format includes Monday evening through Wednesday afternoon programming, responding to attendee feedback emphasizing the importance of connecting and networking among clergywomen.

"For women, by women. Celebrating women. Healing women. Strengthening and encouraging women in their leadership, their ministry, and their lives,” organizers said of Lead(HER).

Highlights of the conference will include:



Keynote sessions led by Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank, Bishop of the California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church; Karoline Lewis, Professor at Luther Seminary; Beth Allison Barr, Professor at Baylor University; Danielle Strickland, Founder of Boundless Communications; and closing worship with the Rev. Lisa Yebuah, lead pastor of Southeast Raleigh Table.

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