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:         

1. 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.
2. A financial need must be clearly stated. i.e., sample budget
3. 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

Sandwich Sundays Continue and Expand

at Marcellus First Presbyterian Church

“Sandwich Sundays” are a long-standing tradition at Marcellus First Presbyterian Church, held on the second Sunday of each month. After worship, members gather in the church hall to assemble cheese and bologna sandwiches for the soup kitchen operated by SS Peter & John Episcopal Church in Auburn.

This year, the church has expanded its mission by providing four volunteers on the second Saturday of each month to help prepare and distribute food to those in need.

The takeaway lunches typically include soup, a sandwich, bread, dessert, and other items. Open from noon to 1 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, the soup kitchen serves nearly 180–200 people each day.



The kitchen is a shared ministry of local churches and community organizations. Its all-volunteer staff partners with the Central New York Food Bank, local restaurants, grocers, and many generous volunteers to provide nourishing meals and a warm welcome to all who come.

MFPC members Sue Wegman, left, and Helen Stevens, far right, meet with SS Peter & John Soup Kitchen Director Dave Ward and Rita Macknail, cook.

Diane Snyder, MFPC member, packages individual desserts donated by local grocers and bakeries to be distributed at the soup kitchen.

Adults and children stay after church the second Saturday of the month to make cheese and baloney sandwiches for SS Peter & Paul Soup Kitchen in Auburn.

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 pray for Elder Linda Russell (Westminster-Auburn) and entire PPNK delegation as they embark on 10 day Korea Peace Journey.
• 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: First, Cazenovia; First, Chittenango; United Church of Collamer; Pebble Hill, DeWitt; First United Church of East Syracuse

The Rev Ashley Detar-Birt, Program Director from the Center for Jubilee Practice, will be offering a presentation at our next Presbytery Meeting in November. The presentation will be entitled: "What could Jubilee look like today?"

DeTar-Birt is the Program Manager for New York Unitarian Universalist Justice and an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). She obtained her Masters of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary, an MA in Theater Arts from the University of Pittsburgh, and a BA in Creative Writing from Carnegie Mellon University. During her time at Union Theological Seminary, she received the Malcolm Boyd Veritas Award which recognizes promise for the work of social justice on behalf of the LGBTQ community. She currently serves on ACQ+E (the LGBTQIA+ Advocacy Committee) and has previously served on the Racial Equity Advocacy Committee and the Disparities Experienced by Black Women and Girls Task Force for the PC(USA). An outspoken advocate for youth ministry and social justice, Ashley is a former Co-Moderator of the Board of Directors for More Light Presbyterians and has written for the NEXT Church blog, Believe Out Loud, Illustrated Ministries, and more. She lives in the Bronx, NY with her wife, Rev. Emily DeTar Birt, on Munsee Lenape land.

This presentation is organized by the Social Justice Committee.

Stay Tuned for more information

on the November Stated Meeting!

Our Lead Presbyter Greg Garis can now be reached via email at leadpresbyter@cayugasyracuse.org

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

In anticipation of the Focus and Coordination Team of Cayuga-Syracuse and Susquehanna Valley Presbyteries to discuss a vision for a new Presbytery in the future, Greg Garis interviewed and videoed Presbytery, Mid-council, and GA staff to as they answered: What do you imagine the Presbytery to become in the future?

Watch Videos:

Mid Council and GA Leaders imagining the future of Presbyteries

Steve Huston structure of NENJ Presbytery

Sallie Watson

Rev. Cindy Kohlman

PPNK Launches 10-Day Korea Peace Journey to Strengthen Solidarity for Peace on the Peninsula

The Presbyterian Peace Network for Korea (PPNK) began its long-anticipated Korea Peace Journey on October 21 -- a 10-day educational and spiritual journey dedicated to building lasting solidarity for peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula.

The principal goal of the Korea Peace Journey is to strengthen ties with peacemakers working in Korea, recognizing that peace on the peninsula is most urgently needed by those who live there. Peacemakers of both the PROK (Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea) and the PCK (Presbyterian Church of Korea) have been collaborating as a working group with PPNK to help achieve this vision. PPNK has already achieved over 50% of its planned objectives, a promising sign as the delegation prepares to embark.

During their visit, the group will travel to significant historical and geopolitical sites. Jeju Island, where thousands of civilians were killed in 1948, will be an important destination. I Other visits will be made to a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) area and Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, the largest U.S. military base overseas. Both locations stand as living reminders that the Korean War, though halted by a temporary armistice in 1953, has yet to be formally concluded after more than 70 years

The delegation, which includes Elder Linda Russell (Westminster-Auburn), comprises 16 participants -- 13 Presbyterians, 2 Roman Catholics, and 1 Buddhist -- a diverse community of faith and commitment. There are 7 men and 9 women in the delegation, ranging in age from 30 to 80. Each has dedicated their time, energy, and resources with the shared hope that this journey will deepen international solidarity and contribute to the realization of a just and lasting peace.

In preparation, participants attended three orientation sessions arranged by PPNK, where they studied the complex realities of the Korean Peninsula. One highlight was a webinar on “The Jeju 4.3 Uprising and Its Memorials,” featuring Dr. Melose Hwang, Associate Professor of World History at Hiram College in Ohio. The tragic 1948 Jeju events were the backdrop for Han Kang’s Nobel Prize-winning novel, We Do Not Depart (2024). A recording of the webinar is available at PPNK.net.

Throughout the journey, the PC(USA) Seoul Office will provide meeting space and logistical support. Rev. Kurt Esslinger, Global Ecumenical Liaison in East Asia, and Rev. Unzu Lee, former Regional Liaison for East Asia who retired earlier this year, will accompany and guide the group. PPNK expresses deep gratitude for their dedication and commitment to peace and reconciliation in the Korean Peninsula.

“Peace demands sacrifice,” said a PPNK spokesperson. “It can only be achieved when people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives come together with shared purpose and compassion.”

The enthusiasm and dedication of this multi-faith and multi-generational group offer hope that new stories of peace will emerge. PPNK hopes the journey will inspire others to cherish peace, seek connection, and find joy in meeting those who dedicate their lives to reconciliation.

As the Korea Peace Journey begins, PPNK looks forward with anticipation that these 10 days will bring the world one step closer to a peaceful Korean Peninsula.

--

In Yang, Co-Convener, Presbyterian Peace Network for Korea

The denial of humanitarian assistance is a crime, under international law. Point #7 in the US’ 20-Point Ceasefire Plan states, “Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip.” Point #8 states, “Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party.” These, and the other terms, must be adhered to, and there must be accountability and guarantees. Learn more...

Reminder: Video available of Palestine-GAZA & West Bank History & Update from August presentation

Professor Dr. Osamah F. Khalil presented "Palestine-GAZA & West Bank History & Update" on August 25th at Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church. Khalil's presentation was livestreamed on YouTube. You can watch it here. You can view his PowerPoint presentation here.

The event was sponsored by the Joint Justice in Ministry and Mission Teams of Cayuga-Syracuse and Susquehanna Valley Presbyteries

Dr. Osamah Khalil is a Professor of History at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, chairing the International Relations Undergraduate Program. And Senior research Associate, Middle Eastern Studies Program.

Khalil is a historian of U.S. foreign relations and the modern Middle East. He is the author of "America’s Dream Palace: Middle East Expertise and the Rise of the National Security State" (Harvard University Press, 2016), which examines the influence of U.S. foreign policy on the origins and expansion of Middle East studies and expertise from World War I to the Global War on Terror. It was reviewed widely, including in the London Review of Books, Al Ahram, Publishers Weekly, the CIA’s Studies in Intelligence, Commonweal, and was named by Foreign Affairs as a Best Book of 2017.

He has also been a frequent media commentator and contributor, including for the Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Hill, Al Akhbar, and Al Jazeera. He teaches courses on the history of U.S. foreign relations, the Cold War, the history of international relations, America and the Middle East, and the Vietnam War and popular culture. In 2018, he received the Chancellor’s Citation for Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction.

On Wednesday, October 22nd, Church World Service and covenant members, including Rev. Jihyun Oh, Stated Clerk of the PC(USA), signed the Ecumenical Declaration in Defense of Refuge. The eleven Covenant leaders emphasized that this statement is not merely a civic duty but a faith-based obligation.

Read the letter: https://bit.ly/47CrswH

Press Release: https://bit.ly/47kjrLs

InterFaith Works is gathering Gift Baskets to give out to our clients that we serve through The Center for Dialogue and Action, The Center for Healthy Aging, and The Center of New Americans. These baskets will be distributed to vulnerable refugee families, individuals in nursing homes and families who receive addition support through food pantries.

All baskets must be returned to the InterFaith Works offices located at 1010 James Street Syracuse, NY 13202 by Friday, December 12.

Below are some suggestions for items to put into the baskets:

• Gift Cards (Walmart, Tops, VISA)
• Hygiene Products 
• Non-perishable food items (Kosher/ Halal Friendly)
• Blankets 
• Entertainment Items (Board games, card games, crosswords, etc)
• Toys (Balls, dolls, legos, etc)

Register Here

Free Advent Study Books Available

Northminster Presbyterian Church is offering free Advent study materials to any church interested. The study is Experiencing Christmas by Matt Rawle and includes one leader guide and 14 participant books.

If your church would like the set, please email npc7444@nmpres.org

The next "Can We Talk?" gathering will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 24, 2025 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!

Please come out and hear an amazing band play some rock and roll classics – “that

kind of music just soothes the soul!”

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 25th - Show starts at 7:30 p.m. and runs until 9:30 p.m.. Doors

open at 7 p.m.

Cost: Tickets are $15 (cash) and include refreshments.

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.

The Collamer United Church is very pleased to announce that it will present a public

Drive-Thru Only

 Chicken & Biscuit Dinner

On Saturday, November 1, 2025.

Serving will be from 4:30 p.m. through approximately 6:15 p.m.

The church is located at 6865 Fly Road in Collamer (East Syracuse), just South of the intersection of Fly Road and Route 298 (about 2 miles East of Carrier Circle, or take Exit 7 off from Route 481).

This delicious chicken dinner will include homemade biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh cooked vegetables, and dessert. 

Collamer Church is well-known for its great cooks!

Tickets may be purchased at the door.

$15 for ALL adults

$6 for children under 10

(We apologize but we cannot accept credit cards)

The McClendon Scholar Program is offering the follow event in-person and online. Registration required.

John Munayer, Palestinian theologian and author, will be with us on Thursday evening, October 30 at 7:00 PM EDT and you can register here for in person or to attend the webinar. His topic will be: “The Cross and the Olive Tree: A Palestinian Christian Reflection.”

MISSION TO END HUNGER: Members of the First Presbyterian Church of Chittenango participated in the 2025 CROP Hunger Walk, giving a special shout-out to member Diane Brandt for helping organize this annual event. The CROP Walk is a charity walk to end hunger and promote sustainable food and water access around the world.

Did you realize the symbolism within the Presbyterian logo?

Did you know? In the first half of 2025, PDA awarded more than $2.3 million in grants to presbyteries and partners. In addition to the United States, grants were disbursed in 22 countries. More information is available in our Mid-Year Report.

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

Mandatory New York State Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Webinars

You can take this training any time during the year

charlaine@prcli.org

Wednesday, November 12, 2025 

4:00 – 5:30 PM EST

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 

2:00 – 3:30 PM EST

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

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

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

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.

‘Souvenirs of the Holy’

Author and Episcopal priest the Rev. Laurie M. Brock is the most recent guest on ‘A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast’

The Rev. Laurie M. Brock, an author and Episcopal priest in Lexington, Kentucky, stopped by the virtual studios of “A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast” to talk about her new book, “Souvenirs of the Holy: Encountering God Through Everyday Objects.” Listen to her 54-minute conversation with podcast hosts the Rev. Lee Catoe and Simon Doong here.

Brock said she has wrestled with the question, “What place are possessions taking in your life?”

While we’re not all called to be monastics, “I also think having so many things that you don’t even know what you have gets in the way of our relationship with God,” Brock said. “If you need 48 lip balms, go see a dermatologist. Something’s wrong.”

As Christians, we ought to be having a conversation with ourselves about how much is enough, Brock said.

A thing can bring us joy, Doong noted. “There’s a difference between that and you deriving joy from the purchasing and having something,” he said.

That’s true, Brock said, and advertising is largely to blame. “Advertising works on the simple belief that we’re going to tell people that they aren’t enough,” she said. “Compare that to the Christian message that you are enough, full stop.”

Continue reading...

Standing ‘on the kin-dom side of history’

PC(USA) congregations raise awareness and advocate for families in detention

Last month, outside the ICE detention center in Broadview, Illinois, the Rev. David Black of First Presbyterian Church of Chicago raised his arms toward federal officers and made an altar call. As reported by Jack Jenkins of Religion News Service, Black said, “I invited them to repentance. I invited them to come and receive that salvation, and be part of the kingdom that is coming.”

Last month, Portland’s immigration center was surrounded by the prayers and peaceful protests of over 100 faith leaders (Photo courtesy of Multnomah Presbyterian Church).

As the United States government has deployed militarized and often secretive officers to conduct immigration raids in Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and elsewhere, Presbyterians have confronted them. From coast to coast, local congregations have tried to raise the consciousness of their neighbors, and have advocated for families in detention.

Protests in Portland took on renewed urgency after Sept. 25, when President Trump issued a social media call to the Department of Defense to “protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists.”

Continue reading...