January Synod Commission Highlights
The Synod Mission and Ministries Commission held its first meeting of 2022 on January 28-29. Because of the New Jersey reorganization, new commission representatives were welcomed -- Rev. Sara Craven (Southern New Jersey), Rev. Sue Smith (Coastlands), YAAD Brielle Lacroix (Coastlands), and Elder Lisa Gray (Highlands). Rev. Laurena Will (Northern New York) attended as an observer. She is scheduled to be elected to the commission by her presbytery in February.
The commission heard a presentation from the Synod’s First Presbyterian Church of Newark Administrative Commission (AC) which had been in place since October 2015. This AC was formed by the synod at a time when the synod had original jurisdiction over the Newark Presbytery. Rev. Stephen Phelps, Moderator (New York City) summarized the complex work of the AC. He introduced the other members who each shared a highlight of serving on this AC: Elder Nana-Yaa E. Gyasi (Northeast New Jersey), Rev. Mike Capron (Northeast New Jersey), Rev. Nancy Young (Highlands), Elder Renee Stout (New York City), Rev. Luis Espinoza (New York City), and the late Elder Ted Hickman (New York City). After hearing their stirring report, the commission voted to dissolve this AC with grateful, grateful thanks.
The New Jersey Missional Communities Administrative Commission (NJMCAC) co-Moderator Elder Sal Lalama reported on the AC’s current work. February 28th marks the end of the transitional year of the four new presbyteries created out of seven. The AC is working with the presbyteries to make sure that all the legal and financial details required in this transition year are completed by that time.
The Commission voted to support the following applications with Synod grants:
GRANT ID Ministry Name Amount Approved
Presbytery Location
CAMPUS MINISTRY
CM-22-01-01 Campus Church Coalition (Campus Church ConneXion) $2,500
Western New York State University of New York at Buffalo
Campus Minister Rev. Stuart Buisch. C/CC has continued to offer a stable presence on campus and online during this second year of the pandemic. Most interactions have been one-on-one due to Covid restrictions. Meeting the mental health needs of our students has been the prime objective this past year. C/CC is also supporting a student Inquirer who is taking classes at Colgate-Rochester Divinity School as well as UB.
CM-22-02-01 Campus Ministry at Sage $2,500
Albany The Sage Colleges
Chaplain Darren Gundrum. Campus Ministry at Sage has continued to work adaptively during the pandemic, combining outdoor, virtual, and in-person activities. At the beginning of exams and other times, the Chaplain distributed de-stress bags and offered 5-minute meditations. Both have been exceptionally popular. In good weather, Chaplain Gundrum met students outside. He distributed gratitude stones with suggested spiritual practices to cultivate gratitude and well-being in these challenging times. He also writes reflections for the Sage email blast, which is distributed weekly.
CM-22-03-01 Genesee Area Campus Ministries $2,500
Genesee Valley University of Rochester
Interim GACM Director and Chaplain Rev Katie Jo Suddaby. Former Chaplain and Director Rev. Laurie Tiberi has retired. This year the Protestant Chapel Community has been participating more fully in the interfaith life of the University of Rochester campus. PCCʼs new chaplain has made a concerted effort to build relationships with other campus chaplains, both at the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology. For instance, an Episcopal priest serving at RIT joined PCC students for a Dinner Dialogue that focused on theological understandings of deafness and disability. In October, the Rev. Suddaby led students in the creation of an Earth Altar modeled on indigenous Haudenosaunee spiritual practices. At that event, students lifted up prayers for those who died from and/or during the COVID-19 pandemic. PCC students also joined members of the Hindu Student Association for the Diwali celebration in mid-November, as well as Hillelʼs menorah-lighting and donut-truck event during Hanukkah.
CM-22-04-01 LaMP Campus Ministries $2,500
New York City Columbia University, John Jay College of Criminal Justice,
and other uptown NYC schools
Campus Pastor Rev. Becca Seely. A highlight of the spring semester was our anti-racism small groups, which had kicked off in summer 2020 and continued through spring 2021.We concluded a series of small group gatherings on the concept of reparations and repairing racial harm. Together, this group of students dug deep into scripture, theology, history, and case studies related to this idea that repentance involves the work of repair. Later in the spring, we had another small group that watched “The Black Church “documentary on PBS together and discussed it over a series of gatherings. This group had rich theological and historical conversations and came to be able to understand the relationship between faith and public life in new ways.
CM-22-05-01 Princeton Presbyterians of the Westminster Foundation $2,500
New Brunswick Princeton University
Chaplains/Executive Co-Directors Revs. Andrew and Len Scales. We developed numerous in-person events that met outside in accordance with Princeton University’s pandemic protocols. We celebrated Mister Rogersʼ birthday on March 20 with a “make your own care package table” for students in the parking lot of Nassau Presbyterian Church. We partnered with three local women-owned businesses to offer baked goods, crafts, and tie-dye stations to dozens of students and young adults. For our annual “Easter Feast,” more than forty participants worshipped at Breaking Bread via Zoom, and then shared take-away meals on a beautiful spring evening outside on Princeton’s campus.
CM-22-06-01 PRiSM Student Ministries $2,500
New York City New York University/The New School/downtown NYC colleges
Campus Pastor Rev. Becca Seely. A huge highlight has been the growth of PRiSMʼs College Student Pantry program. Thanks to our student staff's targeted outreach, the number of students we serve each month has more than tripled since we launched. Our Manhattan pantry serves approximately 100 students every two weeks. We also just opened a new location in Brooklyn, which serves about 40 students a month.
CM-22-07-01 Protestant Cooperative Ministries at Cornell $2,500
Geneva Cornell University
Chaplain Rev. Taryn Mattice. We held a weekly worship service both online through last Spring and beginning in the Fall in person. Our choir helped launch an interest in composing church music for our student choir director, who has now submitted music for publication. In addition to weekly worship, we held weekly study groups. One was a book group; another was “Queering the Faith.” This semester we will hold another book group and a second small group about Science and Faith. We also held a Fall retreat. We were also pleased to partner with an organization on campus, using the funds of the Synod grant, to help address food insecurity on campus. Anabel's Grocery procured pots and pans that are rented out by students (and grad student families) for a nominal fee and used in student led cooking classes. Although Cornell University is located in Geneva Presbytery, Rev. Mattice is a member of Susquehanna Valley Presbytery, which continues to provide financial support. Geneva Presbytery gave a small grant in 2021 but otherwise has not provided any funding.
CM-22-08-01 Rutgers Protestant Campus Ministries $2,500
New Brunswick Rutgers University
Chaplain Rev. Dr. Kirk Johnson. During quarantine, RPCM provided counseling support and theological conversations through Zoom. In the Fall semester, we were able to gather in person and through Zoom (hybrid model) to have theological conversations bi-weekly (based on students' schedules). We had a “Friendsgiving” dinner celebration for students who could not go home for the Thanksgiving holiday. We created a “Relax and Chill” event for students to provide support and space to refresh during final exams. In addition, we participated in the New Brunswick Christmas tree lighting, had a sermon reflection, then a fun gathering afterward.
CM-22-09-01 United Campus Ministry at Plymouth State University $2,500
Northern New England Plymouth State University
Ministry Leader Marcia Morris. What went well: COVID restraints have some unexpected advantages with participation in zoom virtual events and generating web content pushing us to new creative levels that will likely payoff in the future. Many programs were reimagined online with the advantage that material can be archived and shared for future use. This was true about the annual Rise Above Addiction event, Poetry for Sustenance, and Mindfulness with Horses Workshop. In some ways developing these virtual events allows us to provide easy access to more students.
CM-22-10-01 Campus Protestant Ministry $2,500
Albany Union College
Chaplain Rev. Dr. Timothy Coombs. Oddly, COVID has re-ignited student faith journeys. This past year, at the urging of students, we began a Bible study of the Gospel of Mark as the need was felt to be reacquainted with Jesus. The ministry now has a dedicated group of students who are leading the direction of our work as opposed to the chaplain doing so. COVID also provided the chaplain with a reason to check in with all the Protestant students through Zoom, which has established some good connections. The students are seeking volunteer in faith based mission opportunities in the city as well.
CM-22-11-01 Protestant Campus Ministry at SUNY Stony Brook $2,500
Long Island SUNY Stony Brook
Campus Minister and Director Rev. Brenda Ford. The dedication of our campus minister and the movement of the spirit was a blessing for us this past year. Our campus minister’s spiritual focus for this year was to be intentional in integrating students to form small group fellowships, build leadership of students seeking to be part of PCM campus ministry offerings, create bridges between graduate and undergraduate students that were drawn to the overall mission of the Sunlight Club, a mission of holding on to hope and faith forming supportive communities during the times in which we are living.
CM-22-12-01 SUNY Cortland Interfaith Campus Ministries $2,500
Susquehanna Valley SUNY Cortland
Executive Director & SUNY Cortland Campus Minister Rev. Laurel Harte-Westover. Again this year, our building has been closed to group meetings, due to the pandemic. We opened our building to individual use for food pantry access, counseling, etc., but we have not yet had larger group meetings inside. Several international students are using the Meditation Room as space for individual daily prayer, including Christians and Muslims. This has led to an ongoing project to make that space more inviting for this purpose. The Meditation Room is open to students, faculty and staff for drop-in use and (when we are able to host gatherings) group prayer and meditation, classes and exploration groups. Our Campus Minister will lead or coordinate these groups.
YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
YLD-22-01-01 Finger Lakes Youth Ministry $7,000
Geneva Camp Whitman
Executive Director of Camp Whitman Lea Kone. Finger Lakes Youth Ministry (FLYM) is a program of Camp Whitman which is a ministry of the Presbytery of Geneva and the Presbytery of Genesee Valley. This new program aims to work collaboratively with both presbyteries to create engaging, high-quality, year-round faith formation programming for youth and adults. The program will host monthly workshops or retreats on a variety of topics for those aged 12 to 25. Programs will also be open neighboring Presbyteries.
YLD-22-02-01 HolmesTeen Trip – Leadership Expedition And Development $6,800
Various Holmes Camp and Retreat Center
Associate Director of Programs and Operations, acting Executive Director Kyle Branin. Part of the Holmes Camp mission statement is to be a “Christ-centered witness to the issues of conservation, peace, and justice”. In the LEAD program we hope to empower youth with the skills and attitudes needed to grow into leaders in these spaces; the youth who pass through our programs have the potential to be the best witness Holmes can offer.
YLD-22-03-01 Red Sweater Youth $2,500
Western New York First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown, NY
Red Sweater Youth (RSY) is a project to engage youth outside the walls of the Youngstown Presbyterian Church. Expanding on our VBS program for children, RSY will create a component for youth to understand the needs of their neighborhoods, experience the joy of service, and feel the unconditional love of God. Using quotes from Mr. Rogers, coupled with scripture, youth from the neighborhood and presbytery will learn that “Love is an action verb.”
YLD-22-04-01 School to Life Summer Employment Program $6,800
Northeast New Jersey Good Success Academies
Allen Shelton. The School to Life Initiative Summer Employment program continues the work of academic year classes empowering youth to be the leaders of the future. The Summer Employment program provides paid work experience along with continuing college readiness training to youth ages 14 and up who complete the requirements of the academic year courses. The academic year courses include: Career Exploration Classes, Work Readiness Training, and College Writing.
YLD-22-05-01 Ministry Formation Amidst the Unknown $6,800
Various Covenant Architects Network
We aspire to covenant with congregations, leaders, and practitioners in exploring relevant and contextual blueprints that will contain opportunities for Christian ministry and leadership formation that is ecumenical, intercultural, and intergenerational. The vision will consist of three primary components: An Emerging Leaders retreat on April 21-24, 2022, Reimagining Adaptive Leadership Symposium on August 18-21, 2022, and a rescheduled Expedition of Service-Learning on November 14-20, 2022. This vision came about through thoughtful conversations and discernment taking into consideration the impact of COVID-19 and the variants plaguing our communities.
Other actions taken by the commission included:
· The Board of Trustees voted to continue with the Lumsden and McCormick accounting firm after seeking bids for the 2021 audit.
· The commission voted to create a small workgroup to explore the creation of a presbytery support grant. Members are Transitional Synod Leader, Rev. Dr.Ashley; Stated Clerk, Rev. Talbot; Presbytery of Northern New York Representative Rev. Bennett; Treasurer, Elder Alan Ford and a member from each commission working group.
· The commission voted to hire a part-time temporary Synod Communications Specialist until a staffing plan is presented and approved.
· The April 29-30 commission meeting will again take place virtually via Zoom. Whether the September commission meeting and October Synod Assembly are via Zoom or in-person are decisions that will be made later.