1. The Life and Witness of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse

2. What shapes us as Presbyterians? We live in obedience to Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church… Under the authority of the Bible… Guided by our Constitution: The Book of Confessions The Book of Order The Presbytery is the cornerstone of the Church

3. Purpose of the Presbytery The presbytery is responsible for… “the government of the church throughout its district, and assisting and supporting the witness of congregations to the sovereign activity of God in the world, so that all congregations become communities of faith, hope, love, and witness.” (G-3.0301)

4. Work of the Presbytery As it leads and guides the witness of its congregations, the presbytery shall keep before it… (from G-3.0301) the marks of the Church (F-1.0302), the notes by which Presbyterian and Reformed communities have identified themselves through history (F-1.0303), and the six Great Ends of the Church (F-1.0304).

5. Work of the Presbytery The marks of the Church (F-1.0302): we affirm that the Church is “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic..” The unity of the Church The holiness of the Church The catholicity of the Church The apostolicity of the Church

6. Work of the Presbytery The notes of the Presbyterian and Reformed Church (F- 1.0303): “Since the earliest days of the Reformation, Reformed Christians have marked the presence of the true Church wherever: the Word of God is truly preached and heard, the Sacraments are rightly administered, and ecclesiastical discipline is uprightly ministered.”

7. Work of the Presbytery The six Great Ends of the Church (F-1.0304): the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

8. Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse As a Presbytery, we recently have stepped out in faith to try some things in very different ways, in terms of: Staffing Office Mission funding Structure Our life together

9. Staffing Old staff configuration (recent): Executive Presbyter (full-time) Stated Clerk (part-time) Web-spinner (part-time) Administrative Staff (full-time and part-time) Present: Stated Clerk/Communicator (full-time)

10. Office Office in the old “church center” on East Genesee in Syracuse, then Office on West Genesee in First Pres. United, then Office on James Street with our current Treasurer, then Office in my house…

11. Mission Funding Old paradigm: Churches pledged and gave mission monies to the Presbytery, and Presbytery determined causes to support, and Presbytery distributed the funds. New practice, with new possibilities: Presbytery is “out of the business” of collecting and disbursing mission monies, because Congregations are encouraged to find and fund projects

12. Structure Old paradigm: Presbytery Council Council committees and standing committees (many) Presbytery officers New practice, with new possibilities: Leadership Team Work Groups of the Leadership Team (few) Presbytery officers Other task forces as needed temporarily

13. Life Together Old paradigm: Presbytery met five times a year Committees met monthly Council met monthly New practice, with new possibilities: Presbytery meets twice a year Leadership Team meets monthly Work groups and task forces meet as needed

14. What Presbytery offers Resources of a full-time staff person – For questions of polity and procedure – For help with “good order” – For support, prayer, and presence Communications – Weekly e-letter: "Monday in Ministry""Monday in Ministry" – Presbytery website with resourceswebsite – Presbytery Twitter feedTwitter feed – Presbytery Facebook pageFacebook page Relationships with other congregations: we’re not in this alone

15. What the PC(USA) offers Support for Presbyteries and Synods – For their life, mission, and ministry together – For the congregations that they serve National staff – Who enact the decisions of the presbyteries as embodied through the General Assembly – Who are available as resource people for congregations, presbyteries, and synods – Who are accountable to the larger Church for their own work and ministries – Who develop programs for worship, witness, and service

16. Some of those programs… 1001 Worshiping Communities – Set by the 2010 General Assembly, the goal is to establish 1001 new worshiping communities in next 10 years (www.onethousandone.org)www.onethousandone.org – One of those already begun is Isaiah’s Table in Syracuse Presbyterian Disaster Assistance – Responds to disasters all over the globe – On site, plus funds released to presbyteries as needed (www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/pda/)www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/pda/

17. Some of those programs… Child Advocacy (www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/child/) (www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/child/ – Supporting UNICEF – Working against child trafficking World Mission (www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/world-mission/) (www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/world-mission/ – 2012 marked the 175 th anniversary of international mission by the General Assembly – We currently send mission workers to over 50 countries – We also receive mission workers from other countries to us

18. Some of those programs… Young Adult Volunteers in Mission (www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/yav/)www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/yav/ – One year service opportunity for people ages 18-30 – Both international and national sites – Engages young adults in intentional Christian community and in the Church’s mission New Beginnings program (http://whatisourfuturestory.com/) (http://whatisourfuturestory.com/ – “Helping ‘stuck’ congregations decide on a new future” – On-site assessment, follow-up training for leaders, house meetings for discernment, decision-making for a new future

19. These are the Church – WE are the Church The General Assembly is not some vague “them.” It is us together. The Presbytery is not “those people” somewhere else. It is me… your pastors… your ruling elders on Session who relate with the Presbytery. We really ARE the Church together – We are made stronger by diverse voices and passions – We are, as St. Paul said in 1 Cor. 12, the Body of Christ together TOGETHER we can walk into the future God holds

20. The future… Is challenging for the Church Is open to new ways in which the Holy Spirit is birthing the Church and its life, witness, and ministry Is in God’s hands – “Eternal God, you call us to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (from the Presbyterian Church’s Service of Morning Prayer)