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:
- Join us in prayer as we pray for the victims and the families of the devastating flooding in Texas.
- Please keep Camille Bach (Whitelaw Presbyterian) in your prayers during her breast cancer treatment.
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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.
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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: Isaiah’s Table, Syracuse; Korean Church of Syracuse; Park Central, Syracuse; Robinson Elmwood United Church, Syracuse; First, Weedsport; Whitelaw.
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Please keep our students and chaperones in your prayers as they travel to Louisville, Kentucky the Presbyterian Youth Triennium, which will be held July 28th to July 31st. Thousands of high school age youth and their adult youth workers will experience four days of worship, recreation, bible study, outreach, and faith formation all around the theme of “As If We Were Dreaming"
- Lily Thornton from Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn
- Emma Hill and Isaiah Hill from Skaneateles Presbyterian Church
- Rev. Courtney Steinenger and Rev. Eric Adamcik are going as Chaperones
| | Palestine Solidarity Working Group | | |
Dear Friends,
Greetings on behalf of Presbyterian Peace Fellowship' (PPF) working group on Palestine Solidarity.
We invite you to join us this summer in a series of three online worship services. The series, Hope and Sumud: Voices from Palestine, will take place on August 3 and September 7 at 4pm PT, 5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET. This series is hosted by Lost & Found Church, a program of PPF. Register to get the Zoom link.
Stay in touch with us as we learn from -- and work in solidarity with --Palestinians. If you’d like to receive our occasional Email newsletter, sign up here for the mailing list (you will need to scroll down the page to find the list of PPF newsletters).
May we be encouraged by these words of Omar Haramy, Director of Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center.
"In Palestine, we live Sumud, a steadfastness that embodies resilience, patience, and an unwavering commitment to justice and dignity. For us, Sumud is not just resistance, it is the courage to live in the light of Christ's example, even when the weight of oppression feels unbearable.”
Gratefully,
Palestine Solidarity working group
Beverly Brewster, Geoff Browning, Christine Caton, Ben Daniel, David Ensign, Dexter Kearny, Tricia Lloyd-Sidle, Bob Ross, Elizbeth Simpson, Schaunel Steinnagle, Monica Styron, Barbara Swartzel
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The next "Can We Talk?" gathering will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 25, 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!
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First Presbyterian Church Mexico Seeks Supply Leadership
An Important Message from the First Presbyterian Church Mexico:
Mexico First has joined the many congregations within our Presbytery who are in
transition. We know it is summertime as well and many are taking vacations during this
time.
We are seeking someone who could commit to at least one Sunday per month ongoing.
Any persons should contact Elder Susan Silliman Smith by text at 315-591-4623 or
email at august13sss@gmail.com. Text response is preferred. If responding by email, please put Supply Preaching in subject line.
| | THE WELCOME WAG-ON: Ziggy was doing a great job of greeting and loving guests on Saturday at Isaiah's Table. Isaiah's Table had a full house, ran out of breakfasts with over 40 served. Plus 20 in person and 6 online for worship. | | |
Professional Development
July is a great time to evaluate, refresh, and prepare for the programmatic year ahead. Some of our favorite recorded picks to help you get the resources you need are:
Recorded Webinars: Ready to go whenever you have time! Pro tip- pop in an earbud, bring it up on your phone, and listen while you
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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.
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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.) | | |
A pastoral word on the Israeli attack on the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza
Attack comes amid Gaza’s deepening humanitarian catastrophe
With deep grief and righteous anger, we join voices with Christian communities and people of conscience around the world to condemn the deadly attack on the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza. A sacred place of refuge became a site of death this week when Israeli military forces reportedly struck the church compound, killing three civilians who had sought safety within its walls and injuring several others, including the parish priest.
This attack comes amid the deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza — a relentless assault that has left tens of thousands dead, many more wounded and countless families displaced. Access to basic necessities like food, water and medicine has been choked off, leaving civilians in unimaginable suffering.
We are also alarmed by recent reports of violence targeting Christians in the West Bank town of Taybeh, including attacks on homes, property and the ancient Christian community there. These acts are part of a broader pattern of harassment and violence against Palestinian civilians — Muslims and Christians alike — by extremist Israeli settlers, often carried out with impunity.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) stands with all who suffer in Gaza, the West Bank and across the region — people of every faith and background — whose lives are threatened by war, occupation, displacement and violence. We lament the targeting of civilians and houses of worship, acts that violate international law and desecrate our shared humanity.
Continue reading...
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When women get sick …
… they need support, and the author of a coming book on how that can best happen is the guest on ‘A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast’
Rebecca Bloom, whose book “When Women Get Sick: An Empowering Approach for Getting the Support You Need” will be published July 29, was the guest of host Simon Doong this week on “A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast.” Listen to their 50-minute conversation here.
Doong opened with this question: The U.S. health care system disadvantages many groups of people, but especially women. How can women and those that support them navigate this system so that women can actually get the care they truly need?
“First, no woman should ever go on a health journey alone,” Bloom answered. She tells people she works with to “draft your team when you go into a health journey.” Match the skills people have with what the patient needs.
“Say you have a relative who’s an accountant. That would be a good person to keep a spreadsheet,” Bloom said. “Somebody who’s a great cook, just ask them to make extra food. It’s not hard for that person. Draft your team and rely on others so you can do the work that you need to do, which is healing or getting better or birthing a child. Save your energy for the fundamentals.”
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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