After using the April Synod Mission and Ministries meeting for a retreat in which we reflected upon the synod’s foundational text Isaiah 43:19, the Commission went back to business the last weekend in June. We began with the unveiling of our new synod video, which in many ways is an expression of the Isaiah text. If you haven’t had...
For a first discussion and vote at General Assembly our overtures did very well. The overture proposing to amend the Book of Order so that Sessions can ordain Ruling Elders for service beyond their congregation such as in a presbytery or a synod received much discussion both in committee and on the GA floor. This overture which...
1) And now, the number-one thing this Assembly did was to complete the process of adding the Belhar Confession as the twelfth confessional document contained in the Book of Confessions. While this was pretty much a foregone conclusion — since more than three-fourths of the presbyteries have already given their required assent — still, it is...
A message from Thia Reggio, our Synod Moderator: Suddenly, there is death in the midst of life. Again. There is pain, shock, grief, too much familiarity, and too little hope of change. Then come the labels, the meaning making, attempts to understand, but more than that, attempts to create distance between ourselves and the shooters, between...
Lima first came to the United States to assist another pastor in his ministry. He quickly discovered, however, that in many communities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, Brazilian immigrants lacked a church home. They had worshiped as Presbyterians in Brazil, but now they weren’t able to find a Presbyterian, Portuguese-speaking congregation that understood the unique challenges...
Our first retreat for the Northern NY Committee On Ministry Network was a great success. We met in Albany, NY over the weekend of May 20th. We had participants from all five of the presbyteries in the network (Albany, Cayuga-Syracuse, Susquehanna Valley, Northern New York and Utica), and some guests from other presbyteries close by as...
I hadn’t realized what I was really headed for was a visit into the homes of our Korean sisters and brothers. As we wandered the streets of Seoul each scene was filled with stories. As we walked through Moongil’s childhood neighborhood, he shared stories of his life; some were so very similar to my own boyhood...
Click here for the report of the Transitions Working Group for the New Way Forward in 2012.
The Synod has historically supported campus ministries throughout our geographical bounds. One of these ministries is the Protestant Chapel Community, a ministry of Genesee Area Campus Ministries, led by Presbyterian Teaching Elder Laurie Tiberi. She gathers students for weekly Sunday worship and Wednesday Dinner Dialogues, as well as Saturday student-led bible study and service in a...
Kevin Hershey felt a call to ministry at a young age. He knew a closeness to God, a consistent back and forth interaction, a way of being in relationship, that he eventually realized set him apart from his peers. Many years later, he continues to live in this close relationship with the Sacred by leading a...