01.12.24

Rev. Mary Newbern-Williams, Transitional Presbyter

Presbytery of New York City

While the New Year has come, and the celebrations have ceased, we are still faced with dreaming, wishing, hoping, and desiring outstanding results for our churches, families, personal lives, and business lives. We are faced with knowing that to achieve the results we want for 2024, we will be expected to be disciplined, dutiful, consistent, and creative. Facing the future brings us face to face with who we are in life, what we expect for our efforts, and how to strategize and implement.

Our Presbytery will undertake some bold new steps to move forward, to face who we are now and who we want to be. Those steps will require unity and facing our past so that we can move into the future. The message of Sankofa comes to mind, and it will be particularly important for us in 2024. Sankofa is symbolized by a bird with its feet firmly planted forward while its head is turned backward. Often the bird holds an egg in its mouth. The symbol is from the Akan People of Ghana; they believe that the past serves as a guide for planning the future. To the Akan People, there must be movement and new learning as time passes.[1]

The translation of Sankofa often reads as, “Go back and get it”. It means that we should not forget the past, that we should learn the important lessons from it so that we can face the future with courage, achievement, and faithful goodness. The Rev. Dr. Peter Steinke said in his writings and teachings, that we cannot be stuck. As a church and as a presbytery, “stuckness” debilitates and keeps us from growing and moving forward.[2] Stuckness is a term Pete Steinke used in his teachings, writings, and in small group sessions.

We must not forget the past, but we can learn from it, and we can be richer from it. However, it takes the important ability to know what we have learned from the past as we take the best of it to move forward into the future. As the Presbytery of New York City moves forward into 2024 and beyond, we will take some bold steps to take the best of the past and move forward into a bright future that God has designed for us.

In upcoming NYC Newsletters, I will be sharing a series of articles on concepts that lead up to and move through the Lenten Season. Those topics will include but will not be limited to: "Facing the Past”, “Facing the Future”, “The Essence of Forgiveness”, “How to Heal Longtime Hurts”, and “Our Future with God”. Think about your church, our presbytery, how history affects the present and the future, and ponder what ideas, thoughts, and actions will benefit your church, community, and the Presbytery of New York City. How will we move forward together? Will we embrace the changes we know must take place? Will we ask God to guide us well? These questions are transitional questions for a transitional presbytery. That is who we are.

New Year Blessings to all of you, your ministries, your families, and your communities. Godspeed!

Rev. Mary NW

[1] From Berea College Internet summary. berea.edu. A photo of this symbol is on an interior window of the Carter G. Woodson Center.

[2] Petr Steinke. Quotes from his lectures, conversations with him, group instruction, and his writings .

In order for an eligible organization to receive an exemption from water and sewer charges, it must file an application with the NYC DEP Bureau of Customer Services. Having a NYC Not-For-Profit Property Tax Exemption does not automatically qualify the organization for an exemption from water and sewer charges. Download the application.

Contact the Presbytery's Property Consultant, Rev. Georgiette Morgan-Thomas at Propertyconsultant@presbynyc.org if you have any questions.

COVID-19 remains with us! Some doctors and scientists warn that this winter’s outbreak may be the largest since the original omicron wave two years ago. NBC reports that “Covid hospitalizations have risen since early November. New hospital admissions went up 28% in the two-week period ending Dec. 30, according to an NBC News analysis of the latest available Health and Human Services data. But they have not kept pace with the rise in infections.

‘Measures of severe disease and hospitalizations are about 30% lower than they were at the same time last year. This basically means each infection is less likely to result in illness that requires medical care, which is welcoming news for our hospital systems and individuals alike,’ said Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist and scientific adviser to the CDC.”

Measurers to consider are:

• Obtain vaccinations for COVID-19, RSV, and the flu if you are eligible.
• Consider wearing a mask in public settings.

See more information about COVID-19 and what to do from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Centers for Disease Control.

Lastly, we want to lift up the importance of testing before and after attending family gatherings and or large events and to consider masking at these gatherings.

The COVID-19 Team

Brenda Berkman (RE)

Mark Koenig (TE)

Samson Tso (TE)

The Board of Pensions Clergy Wellness Support Program

Last summer, the Board of Pensions of the PC (USA) began the Clergy Wellness Support Program. This initiative provides ministers with grants up to $5,000 to foster renewal and wholeness. The grants can be taken every six years.

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ministers need the opportunity to step away from the demands of ministry and practice self-care so that they might experience the flourishing of life. That’s why the Board of Pensions provides programs that cultivate wholeness and nurture ministries, like Clergy Wellness Support.

Grants are available to ministers in partnership with programs that address vocational, spiritual, mental, and physical wellness. Learn more

Important Information for Congregations

Happy New Year to you all! As we move into 2024 we bring your attention to matters that require your attention. Some of these matters have deadlines that you should be aware of.

Below you will find information on:

• 2024 Ministers Minimum Compensation
• 2024 Per Capita/Apportionment
• 2023 Statistical Reporting
• 2023 Necrology Reporting

We hope this is information helpful as you plan for the coming 2024 year.

Let us know if you have any questions.

Click here for full details

Congregations Must Renew Their Tax Exemption Status Annually

All churches are required to renew their tax exemption annually. This is done to ensure that the property is still being used for exempt purposes. The due date is always January 5.

The tax year begins on July 1 2024-2025. To file go to www.nyc.gov/filenfp you should use the same username and password that you used last year.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. REMEMBER file now the deadline is January 5 if you have not filed by January 5 you will lose your tax exempt status an incur fines.

If you have already filed job well done!

Blessings,

Rev. Morgan-Thomas

Property Consultant

917 837-0928

You are invited to attend a free fellowship breakfast for both clergy and laity with the primary goal of facilitating connection and fellowship – as well as engaging in an enlightening discussion to consider the thoughts and concerns you experience in the course of your ministry.

The program will feature a community conversation.

When: Saturday, January 13, 2024, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Location:  The event will be held at Friendship Hall at the First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains, N.J. 529 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains NJ (see below for map).

Morning check in will begin at 9 AM and the event will begin at 9:30 AM  The event is free, but registration is required and is limited to the first 200 who sign up.

Click here to learn more and to register 

Click here to RSVP

Two Upcoming NYDIS Security Trainings for NYC Houses of Worship

 Reasons Some Young People Are Walking away from Their Faith

By Chuck Lawless

It’s alarming to me, actually. As a pastor and as a professor, I’ve had to deal with young people who were raised in seemingly strong Christian homes, yet who’ve now turned away from their Christian upbringing. Frankly, I’m grateful that some of these young people still trust me enough to talk to me—and in those conversations, I’ve learned some of the reasons they’ve walked in a new direction. Learn more

Who Makes the Budget in Your Church?

Most churches begin a new fiscal year in January. But there is much more variety when it comes to who is involved in making the budget.

For most pastors, the start of a new calendar year also indicates the start of a new fiscal year for their churches. But there is much more variety among pastors when it comes to who is involved in making the budget for the fiscal year.

According to a study from Lifeway Research, 74% of Protestant pastors say their church’s fiscal year starts in January. One in 20 say their fiscal year starts in July (5%), September (4%) or October (4%). Others say their fiscal year starts in February (2%) or April (2%). One in 100 say, for their church, it starts in March (1%), May (1%), June (1%), August (1%), November (1%) or December (1%). And 2% of pastors aren’t sure when their church’s fiscal years begin. Learn more

Holy Encounters: Preachers on Pilgrimage A 2-week Spiritual Pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago, North route May 29-June 12, 2024 Join us for a life-changing, pilgrimage experience! Our journey takes us across the Northern coast of Spain on the ancient Camino de Santiago northern route, also known as The Way of St. James. As we journey towards the purported resting place of the remains of St. James the Apostle, we will disconnect from the modern world and journey inward towards a deeper awareness of our self and our faith. As clergy, spiritual leaders, and preachers, you need time to invest in your own personal growth and faith development. This pilgrimage will facilitate opportunities for you to make space in your mind and soul for holy encounters, to explore the edges of your comfort zone, and to engage your spirituality in an embodied way. Morning devotions and reflections will be offered for spiritual growth, evening group processing of your experiences will be offered for emotional growth, and gentle stretching and restorative yoga will be offered for physical growth.

Preachers will be guided by two experienced pilgrims, walking 7-15 miles per day, and staying in semi-private rooms. We will begin our Camino, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in the beautiful and autonomous Basque region of Spain for the first week, hiking along coastal cliffs and through small, quaint villages. After a day off in the large city of Bilbao, we will transfer by bus to Vialba, in the Galicia region, to finish the final 100 kms, ending in Santiago de Compostela. There we will tour the Cathedral of St. James where the Apostle James’ remains are believed to be located, attend a special pilgrim’s mass, and receive your pilgrim’s Compostela, the official pilgrimage certificate of completion.

Learn more

Congregational Searches on PC(USA)'s NEW CLC System

The following congregations in our presbytery are currently engaged in active searches. These Ministry Discernment Profiles (MDP) are posted to CLC's new site:

• First Presbyterian Church, Far Rockaway, Solo Pastor, Part-time (3/4 time)
• St. Albans Presbyterian Church, Solo Pastor, Full-time
• First Presbyterian Church of Springfield Gardens, Solo Pastor, Part-time
• Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Solo Pastor, Full-time, click here for additional details

Congregations within our presbytery are currently seeking to fill these positions:

• Presbyterian Church of St. Albans, Senior Pastor, Full-time, click here for details

Presbyterian entities outside the bounds of New York City Presbytery seeking to fill positions:

• Bethany Presbyterian Church, Pastor, Full-time, click here for details

PC(USA) National Office

• The Presbyterian Church (USA) national office in Louisville, KY, is currently hiring. click here for a list of current openings. To access all Presbyterian Church (USA) national office job opportunities and online applications, please visit PC(USA)'s website for a full listing of openings. Referrals are welcome!

Prayers of concern, and care are extended to;

• Elder Geraldine Herrin (Beverly Presbyterian Church)
• Elder Dorette Winslow (Laconia Presbyterian Church)
• Rev. Alice Hermanus-Rampengan (Indonesian Presbyterian Church)
• Pastors in new ministries and churches in pastoral searches
• Practicing Matthew 25 in our churches and communities
• Those with Covid and long-haul Covid
• Addressing continued and senseless gun violence in our nation

Below you will find a link (to the presbytery approved ) Minister's Minimum Compensation for the 2024 calendar year.

We hope this is helpful!