Korean Partnership

The Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse (44 churches in four counties) is in the sixth year of a Covenant Agreement, approved by the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., as partners in Christ with the Pyongyang Presbytery, South Korea (175 churches, non-geographical). Since the beginning, there have been adult delegations that exchanged visits and attended each other's Presbytery Meetings. Cluster gatherings for educational and cultural presentations, as well as church and community tours, worship experiences and fellowship times, helped Presbyterians from both sides of the world identify their common ground in Christ and celebrate their differences in history and culture. Wonderful hospitality ensured the ease with which new friendships were made and have continued.

 Activities

During the summer of 2001, older youth from Pyongyang Presbytery visited in Syracuse and then attended the Presbyterian Youth Triennium at Purdue University, Indiana, where they interacted with 6000 Presbyterian teens from the U.S. and Canada, and 250 youth from around the world. After Triennium, twelve of our young adults flew to South Korea for a cultural exchange. For the 2004 Triennium, two college-age Korean youth were sponsored as Global Partners and came to Central NY for a week afterwards. Their favorite times were visiting Vanderkamp Conference Center, various worship experiences, and a farewell picnic with local church youth who had gone to Triennium or who had visited Korea.

For a month in the summer of 2002, twenty-four Korean children, ages 9-15, were hosted by 42 families around our presbytery. The purpose was English Immersion, but the fun, "expanding of cultural horizons", and the new family relationships that developed, proved to be the best benefits of all. The same may be said for the adult delegations!

A number of mission projects have evolved out of the interests and concerns of both presbyteries. These are some of the ways we have worked together so far:

            Funding Bible Printing for Bibles in North Korea

            Hearing about Educational Ministries

            Sharing the history of U.S. environmental problems

                  and solutions

            Learning about Korean Spirituality/ Evangelism/

                  Stewardship

            Learning about Korean Women & Children's

                  Shelters

            Teaching about PC (U.S.A.) Administrative

                  Oversight of Mission

            Youth Participation in Worship and Local Mission

            Providing an English Immersion experience for

                  Korean children

            Donating towards Hunger Relief in Malawi

            Korean delegation visited Malawi

  Funding for Educational Materials to Train Lay

         Pastors in China

  Donation for Katrina relief

Korean missionaries, who were the founders of Lay Pastor Training in China, lived with a family in Syracuse for more than a year, 2004-2005, while taking higher education courses in English language and theological studies. They returned to China in May 2005 to begin spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the whole of the country. Our presbytery continues to encourage donations towards this mission. For $10 per month for two years, a $240 donation will provide a two-year course of 24 books to train one Lay Pastor. Thousands of applicants are waiting for training books. The money generated here has also helped to fund a new correspondence course in China, using the same materials. Contributions may be sent to: The Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse, 600 West Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13204. Checks should be earmarked for "China Mission # 07-15". Thank you for your generosity.

Contact persons are Steering Committee Co-Chairs:

Linda Russell  LSRuss@aol.com

Robert Chambers (Mexico FPC) 315-625-4416 (no e-mail)

Jean Harshaw (Baldwinsville FPC & The Korean Church) cell- 315-383-0366 or h- 315-635-5189 or JLHarshaw1@aol.com

Rev. David Johnson, Executive Presbyter, davehj@twcny.rr.com

or call the Presbytery office (315) 446-6110.

[Note: LAMP (Latin American Mission Project) also provides an exciting exchange of delegations. Information about the budding partnership with Campeche Presbytery, Mexico, may be found on this web site under Mission and Ministry (M&M) Teams.]