From the 12th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, part of this week’s lection:  “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father,mother against daughter and daughter against mother,mother-in-law against her daughter-in-lawand daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” On Friday morning, August 12, as controversial author Salman Rushdie was preparing to take the stage in the Amphitheater at Chautauqua Institution in western New York State, he was stabbed by an assailant who was quickly apprehended and...

Synod Pre-Assembly Day of Learning Where: Crowne Plaza Albany – The Desmond Hotel660 Shaker Road, Albany NYWhen: Pre-Assembly Matthew 25 EventOctober 20. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.Dinner at 6:15 p.m.What: Keynote with David Anderson Hooker Two Workshops on each of the Matthew 25 Foci – Details to followWrap Up with David Anderson Hooker This event is...

I am writing you today from beautiful Lake Tahoe. The mountains and the lake burst with signs of God’s goodness. I am here as faculty for the Art of Transitional Ministry. Pastors from across the country have gathered to learn how to lead the Church amid the COVID realities. Additionally, some are learning the basics for...

The Synod sent two overtures to General Assembly for consideration. The first was TWE-13 On Initiating the Process to Add a New Confession to the Book of Confessions https://www.pc-biz.org/#/search/3001007. The overture suggested considering “A Confession for Such a Time as This” written by young ministers across our synod for addition to the Book of Confessions. Our...

On July 7, 2022, the Wurffel-Sills Application Review Working Group met to finalize their review of all the 2022-2023 Wurffel-Sills scholarship and interest-free student loan applications received. We are happy to announce that we were able to provide scholarships and interest-free loan offers to members from 13 of our 19 presbyteries of the Synod of the...

Synod Assembly is scheduled this year for October 21st and 22nd in person at the Desmond Hotel in Albany NY. The October 20th pre-assembly event will also take place at the Desmond. The topic is our PCUSA Matthew 25 Initiative with break outs on Dismantling Structural Racism, Eradicating Systemic Poverty and Revitalizing Congregations. All elected Commissioners...