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:
- 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 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 Cuba.
- 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: First, Cazenovia; First, Chittenango; United Church of Collamer; Pebble Hill, DeWitt; First United Church of East Syracuse
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A stated meeting of the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at Scipioville Presbyterian Church.
All requests for time on the docket and all supporting materials are due to the stated clerk by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4th. The stated clerk can be reached via email at statedclerk@cayugasyracuse.org.
NO MATERIALS OR REQUESTS WILL BE HONORED AFTER THE DEADLINE!
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Rev. Ben Fitzgerald-Fye invites you to join Reclaiming Our Time, a five-week study exploring how our faith shapes our public life in a time of division, anxiety, and competing narratives. Together we will reflect on what it means to confess Christ as Lord, live as a community marked by covenant and humility, and embody justice, reconciliation, and hope in the world. In a season when religious language is sometimes used to advance fear, exclusion, or national identity, this study offers a thoughtful and faithful space to examine those claims and to renew our commitment to a gospel-centered witness. Through Scripture, the PC(USA) Constitution, group conversation, personal reflection, and good old-fashioned Presbyterian discernment, we will ask what stories are forming us and how the church can respond with courage, wisdom, and grace. Clergy, elders, and members across the presbytery are warmly invited to participate in this shared time of learning, discernment, and renewal.
Register for Tuesday morning sessions
Register for Wednesday evening sessions
| Congregational Learning Day 2026 | |
Congregational Learning Day
It’s almost here! Congregational Learning Day is right around the corner! Join members of the Presbytery of Genesee Valley and other neighboring presbyteries on Saturday, March 7, for a morning of learning, connection and inspiration. This year’s event will be held on Zoom, so you can stay warm and cozy while taking part in some great classes.
Congregational Learning Day will offer Elder and Deacon training, a panel on grants and how to access them, Anti-racism training and more. The day includes two learning sessions (9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.), with worship in between.
The brochure with class details and registration information is below.
Click here to view the brochure and details about the event.
| | From the Social Justice Committee | | |
OVERTURES
On January 21, 2026 the Presbytery Social Justice Team, chaired by the Rev. Monica Stryon, passed a good number of overtures which are headed to the General Assembly this coming June. For the next several weeks, we will be highlighting two or three of these overtures for your informed reading.
Overture: On Prohibiting Non-Disclosure Covenants in Employee Relations
Originating Body: Presbytery of the Cascades
WHAT THIS OVERTURE PROPOSES This overture seeks to prohibit the use of non-disclosure covenants in employment relationships across the denomination, expanding earlier General Assembly action that banned nondisclosure agreements in pastoral dissolutions.
KEY ACTIONS REQUESTED
- Direct denominational staff to rewrite employee policies to prohibit non-disclosure covenants with all employees.
- Require a report on policy revisions to the 228th General Assembly (2028).
WHY THIS MATTERS
The overture emerged in response to the termination of PC(USA) mission co-workers in 2025, where non-disclosure covenants were used to limit speech and accountability. It argues that such covenants undermine ordination vows, truth-telling, and faithful employer-employee relationships within the church.
INTENDED OUTCOMES
- Greater transparency and accountability in denominational employment
- Alignment of employment practices with the PC(USA) Constitution and values
- Protection for employees engaging in good-faith truth-telling
Overture: On In-Person General Assemblies
Originating Body: Presbytery of Olympia
WHAT THIS OVERTURE PROPOSES This overture calls for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to commit to fully in-person General Assemblies, including exhibit halls, beginning in 2028.
KEY ACTIONS REQUESTED
- End the current hybrid and virtual model for General Assembly.
- Restore full in-person committee work, plenary sessions, and exhibit halls.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Survey data from the 226th General Assembly shows overwhelming commissioner preference for in-person assemblies, citing stronger community formation, more effective discernment, and better opportunities for collaboration and amendment work. The overture argues that hybrid assemblies unintentionally prioritize technology over participation, democracy, and equity.
COST AND ACCESS CONSIDERATIONS
- Selection of lower-cost convention cities
- Use of existing denominational resources
- Increased exhibit hall and observer registration fees
- Consideration of on-site childcare options
INTENDED OUTCOMES
- Stronger relational and connectional church life
- More effective legislative and discernment processes
- Renewed communal identity of the General
| If churches would like to request this document/graphic for inclusion in their bulletins or presentation slides, please contact Leigh Anne Herd at laherd02@gmail.com | | |
Congress is currently negotiating funding and policy changes related to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and federal immigration enforcement. Recent proposals would expand funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other enforcement agencies without sufficient safeguards for due process, civil and human rights, or humane treatment. At the same time, aggressive enforcement actions, including reported violence by federal immigration agents and enforcement activities near churches, schools, and hospitals, have created fear in immigrant communities.In an ecumenical letter signed by the Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and other Christian leaders, our churches called on Congress to enact just and humane immigration reforms. Specifically urging Congress to:
- Codify protections from immigration enforcement at churches and other sensitive locations.
- Limit excessive funding for immigration enforcement and prioritize community well-being.
- Reaffirm restrictions against racial and ethnic profiling.
- Require due process and independent investigations of alleged misconduct.
- Ensure humane standards in detention facilities and halt the detention of children.
- End the reinterviews and arrests of lawfully present refugees.
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Congress must reject harmful expansions of immigration enforcement and enact policies that protect due process, human dignity, and the freedom to worship.
Read More & Act Now...
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This week in Sunday School at First Presbyterian Church of Cazenovia, youth learned about Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent. They talked about how some people choose to give something up for Lent, while others choose to take on something special or meaningful during this time.
To put their faith into action, the students made desserts for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House Charities house in Syracuse. Preparing meals and treats for Ronald McDonald House Charities is an important part of our church’s outreach ministry, and a sweet way to share God’s love with others in the community.
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The next "Can We Talk?" gathering will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026 in the lounge at Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church, 5299 Jamesville Road in Syracuse.
Coffee and goodies will be served.
The gathering is for retired clergy, clps, and retired Christian Educators - those who have served churches and those who have labored in other venues. First-timers are always welcome!
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Catch Brian Thomas and The Strikes at the Steeple Coffee House on February 28th!
Please welcome a group that is new to Steeple Coffee House: Brian Thomas and The Strikes. Hailing from Upstate NY, Brian’s journey in music began at an early age, listening to his uncles play blues and bluegrass music. Drawing inspiration from the rich storytelling traditions of folk music, Brian weaves narratives that explore themes of love, loss, and the beauty of nature. Brian is backed by The Strikes comprised of Jeff Ingersoll on pedal steel, Mike Teixeira on electric guitar, Michael Fishman on drums, and Mike Sloan on bass. Together, this group pulls from folk, Americana, blues, Irish and country roots to create music that resonates with listeners from all walks of life. Over the years, their songs have found a home in intimate venues like Steeple Coffee House and their presence and raw emotion leave a lasting impression on audiences.
For more info. see: YouTube.com/@brianthomasband
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, February 28th - 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) includes refreshments
| | One Great Hour of Sharing | | |
Doing justice in the aftermath of disaster
Gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing help restore Western North Carolina residents’ homes, hope and belief in miracle
When Chanda Williams and nine young adults from the First Presbyterian Church of Salem, New Jersey, reached hurricane-impacted Western North Carolina last May, neither she — nor they — knew what to expect.
Least of all, how deeply their hearts would be broken by the devastation they witnessed — yet simultaneously uplifted by the region’s resilience.
When Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida in September 2024, the catastrophic storm quickly created a path of destruction through the southeastern United States and southern Appalachian Mountains.
In North Carolina — one of several states devastated by what would later be categorized as the deadliest hurricane in the contiguous U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — the mountains were the hardest hit, leaving those residents who survived the unprecedented storm completely overwhelmed and all but hopeless.
“Shortly after the hurricane hit, the basic infrastructure was down, with no water in Asheville for 53 days and no power in many locations as well,” said Anne Waple, the Presbytery of Western North Carolina’s disaster recovery coordinator.
Continue reading...
| | This calendar provides a thought or activity for each day of Lent (excluding Saturdays) for families to use at home. Download Calendar. | | |
How to contact our Lead Presbyter, the Rev. Greg Garis
Email: leadpresbyter@cayugasyracuse.org
How to contact our Assistant to the Lead Presbyter, the Rev. Mary Anderson
Email: asst.presbyter@gmail.com
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
How to contact our Bookkeeper, Kristin Schierer
Email: finance@cayugasyracuse.org
More 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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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 Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) | | |
Courage in the face of authoritarianism
Nearly 400 people dial in for an informative and inspirational Presbyterian Advocacy Hour
A powerhouse panel led an eager crowd of nearly 400 people through a timely topic, “Courage in the Face of Authoritarianism: Historical Roots and Modern Responses” during the Presbyterian Advocacy Hour on Wednesday.
Along with other partners, Wednesday’s webinar was a collaborative effort of the Office of Public Witness, the Office of Immigration Issues, the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People and the Presbyterian Hunger Program.
The Rev. Dr. Alonzo Johnson, SDOP director, moderated the three member panel comprised of:
- Brett Heinz, the global policy coordinator for economic and climate justice for the American Friends Service Committee.
- Dr. William Yoo, associate professor of American Religious and Cultural History at Columbia Theological Seminary, whose most recent book is “Reckoning with History: Settler Colonialism, Slavery and the Making of American Christianity.”
- The Rev. Anna Kendig Flores, the anti-racism institutional assessment coordinator and interim co-executive presbyter for the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area.
Heinz traced the current national security state back to the nation’s war on drugs and its war on terror. He noted that last year, about 35,000 troops were deployed on U.S. soil.
Continue reading...
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Office of Public Witness urges Presbyterians to contact their elected officials over ending the violence in Gaza and the West Bank
Action Alert points out the risk of further escalation
The suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank continues at an unconscionable scale. As tensions rise across the wider region and the United States increases its military posture toward Iran, the risk of further escalation threatens to bring even greater devastation to human lives. At such a time, our nation must act not to deepen violence, but to help end it.
Despite the October 2025 ceasefire, Palestinians in Gaza continue to be killed, displaced, and denied the basic necessities of life. More than 500 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire, adding to the more than 71,000 Palestinians killed since October 2023. Families struggle without reliable access to food, clean water, medical care, or shelter. Journalists have also paid a devastating price. More journalists have been killed in Gaza during this period than in any other recent conflict, while Israel continues to deny international media access. The absence of independent reporting further obscures the human reality and undermines accountability.
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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