The Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields

Field Notes

For Pastoral Care 

Call 215-247-7466 and leave a message. If you are experiencing a pastoral emergency text or call the Rev. Dr. Mary Barber at 845-527-9545.

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Field Notes submission requests must be emailed by Tuesday at noon to ndiskan@stmartinec.org.

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Sunday, May 24th, 2026:

The Day of Pentecost

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Spoken)

9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist for Children, Youth, and Families

10:30 a.m. Instructed Choral Holy Eucharist with Baptism

Also via livestream here

Followed by Worship Reflections in the Houston Room

This Sunday's Readings

Acts 2:1-21 | 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 | or John 7:37-39 | Psalm 104:25-35, 37

Rector's Note

We have had another full week at St Martin’s. Three members of one family -- Stuart, Rowan, and Rorie -- were all baptized this past Sunday. It was a special and uncommonly beautiful thing for our community to witness. This Sunday, for Pentecost, we get to do it again, with another baptism. 

This weekend we will also say goodbye to a senior member of St Martin’s, Clifford Hood, whose funeral is Saturday. 

This is the life cycle in all its fullness. Marking life transitions is one important thing we do as a faith community. It is how we show up for each other, in celebration and in times of sadness. 

St Martin’s really showed up this week for another event, the St James School’s Dr Audrey Evans Benefit. There were fifty St Martin’s members there to witness our church getting an award for our many years of partnership with St James. 

We look forward to many fruitful years to come in the relationship, which is as much for our growth as for the growth and flourishing of St James’ mission. Through reaching out and getting to know our neighbors, we are changed too. This is how we live into our own resurrection life, and how we make Christ’s body real in the world.

Mary+

Features

Upcoming Memorial Service for Clifford Hood

This Saturday, May 23rd

Service: 11:00 a.m. (Church)

Reception: Following service (Parish Hall)

Click here to read the obituary.

Office Closed for Memorial Day

The Parish Office will be closed this upcoming Monday,

May 25th, in observance of Memorial Day. Regular office hours will resume Tuesday. If you are in need of emergency pastoral care on Monday, please use the phone number listed at the top of Field Notes or your Parish Directory to contact Rev. Mary.

Save the Date: Father's Day Reception in the Columbarium

Please join us on Sunday, June 21st after our 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. worship services for coffee, tea, and small bites in celebration of Father’s Day.

Location: Mary Hare Taylor Knight Columbarium & Lawn

(weather permitting - rain space: Parish House)

Please contact Cathy Glazer (cathyglazer@verizon.net) or Debra Roberts (DebraDRoberts@comcast.net) with any questions.

A Faithful Journey: Preparing for Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation

This fall, Mother Mary and Rev. Luke will offer confirmation classes for youth and adults. All seekers, age 12 and over, are welcome to join us between the 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. service from 9:40 a.m. 10:15 a.m. for five Sundays in the Houston Room (Adults) or Library (Youth):

• September 20th: “Baptism & Confirmation: Beginnings” (combined Youth & Adult session in the Houston Room)
• September 27th: “The Bible: Stories about Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow”
• October 11th: “Anglican History & The Episcopal Church"
• October 18th: “What Do We Believe?” 
• November 8th: “Anglican Spirituality & Worship” 

If you are interested in making a public confirmation or reaffirmation of your baptismal vows or being received into the Episcopal Church at the end of this course, please fill out this form by August 14th, and please plan to attend all five parish-wide sessions as well these additional sessions:

• 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Face to Face, Germantown: Meal Serving Shift
• Third Saturdays: September 19, October 17, OR November 21
• December 5th, 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at St. Martin's: Advent Quiet Day on Prayer
• December 6th: “The Mission of God: What’s Your Ministry?” (combined Youth & Adult session in the Houston Room)

All are welcome to join for one or all of the five parish-wide sessions (Sep 20, 27; Oct 11, 18; Nov 8) and the additional opportunities even if you are unsure about being confirmed/received.

Waking Up Old: Second Printing

Thanks to the positive response to parishioner Barbara Dundon’s illustrated book: Waking Up Old: An illustrated ballad for Baby Boomers and those who love them, and also in anticipation of the Chestnut Hill Local's upcoming feature about the book, Barbara has arranged for a second printing! Starting next week, books will be for sale at the Welcome Desk in the Parish House, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $25. You can pay by cash, check or online here. Benefits from the first round went to support Stephen Ministry, and sales from the second printing will support the ongoing work of St. Martin’s. Thank you!

Snapshots

St. James School Dr. Audrey Evans Benefit Event

Photos courtesy of the Rev. Luke Selles and Tyrone Whiting

Children, Youth, & Families

Honoring St. Martin’s Graduates

If you have a graduate in your life that you would like us to honor at St. Martin's services in June, please submit their name and information using this form.

Summer Sunday Musicians - Do you play a musical instrument or sing? 

Our Choir, Choristers, and Staff Musicians will soon be on vacation for the summer. I want to invite and encourage those of you with musical talents who play an instrument or sing to help support our 9:00 a.m. and/or 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship from June 28 through August. If you are interested or curious, please contact me at twhiting@stmartinec.org. It is always so great to share in music-making with you all!

-Tyrone Whiting, Director of Music & Arts

The Fairmount String Quartet Presents: Starry Night

Next Friday, May 29th

7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary

St. Martin’s ensemble-in-residence, the Fairmount String Quartet, invites you to join them on Friday, May 29th at 7:30 p.m.  for "Starry Night", an evening of music inspired by the night sky. The program includes Imogen Holst's "Phantasy Quartet", Osvaldo Golijov's "Tenebrae", and Ludwig van Beethoven's String Quartet, Op. 59, #2. Admission is pay-what-you-can. Reserve your spot here. A reception in Parish Hall will follow the concert. They will also perform this program on Sunday, May 31st at 3:00 PM at Main Line Unitarian Church, 816 South Valley Forge Rd. In Devon. PA. 

LGBTQIA+ Pride Evensong

Sunday, June 14 at 5:00 p.m.

Celebrate Pride Month with joy, music, and sacred community at our LGBTQ+ Pride Evensong—a beautiful, affirming service of sung Evening Prayer honoring the diversity and faith of our LGBTQ+ communities.

The Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields was the first in the Diocese of Pennsylvania to offer a Choral Evensong specifically in celebration and recognition of LGBTQ+ Pride in June 2022. The Choir of St. Martin's will sing music exclusively by LGBTQ+ and other underrepresented composers. Singers interested in joining us for this event should email Tyrone Whiting, Director of Music & Arts, at twhiting@stmartinec.org or sign up here. More information: www.stmartinec.org/pride

Mis'rable Sinners Folk/Bluegrass Mass

Sunday, June 21, at 10:30 a.m.

The return of our annual Folk/Bluegrass Mass! Co-led this year by David Dieck and Children, Youth, & Families Music Leader Julia Finegan, the service will bring together musicians from the congregation who will share a variety of wonderful music. We look forward to seeing you there! If you are interested in playing with the band of "Mis'rable Sinners", please contact Julia Finegan at cyfmusic@stmartinec.org.

Take Action

Guatemala Student Scholarship Fundraising Campaign 2026

St. Martin’s Guatemala Companion Parish Committee will be collecting pledges for the 2027 San Juan Apostol and Totonicapán Scholarship Funds from Sunday, May 24th through Sunday, June 21st. 

Our parishioner’s generosity has enabled scholarship programs in Chichicastenango and Totonicapán in the Western Highland parishes of San Juan Apostol and San Martin Obispo de Tours. The Reverend Alvaro Fidel Miranda Velasquez manages the scholarship programs in both communities. Scholarship programs are critically important in Guatemala because they enable children to go to school and have a chance of breaking the cycle of poverty. They are important for another reason as well: education gives students and their families hope for the future and happiness in the present as they pursue that education in their own community.

In 2025 St. Martin’s parishioners generously pledged and donated over $22,000 to support young learners otherwise unable to attend school due to economic hardships. The annual awards of $550 per student support tuition, uniforms and healthy nutrition for students and provide families with hope for bright futures. The young people we sponsor and their families are so very thankful for our support.

This year our goal is $15,000. Please consider pledging a contribution to this scholarship fund for the 2027 school year in Guatemala. Pledges beginning at $25 dollars can be made. A full scholarship for a student is $550. Committee members will be available at the end of all services with clip boards for you to sign up or you can contribute directly online or via the plate. Contributions of pledged funds are expected to be paid on or before September 30th. Thank you for your continued support for these children and their families!

Sermon

The Rev. Dr. Mary Barber

May 17, 2026 - Easter 7

This week I heard a heartwarming story amid all the ongoing bad news, about a project to revive coral reefs around Jamaica. The warming planet and an especially bad heat wave three years ago did a lot of damage, bleaching the coral and turning once vibrant reefs eerily silent and ghostly. Continue reading here.

Coming Up

Diocese of Pennsylvania Men's Fellowship BBQ

Saturday, May 30th at 4:00 p.m.

St. David’s Episcopal Church Fairgrounds

Bishop Gutiérrez invites you to a barbecue on Saturday, May 30 at 4:00 p.m. The event takes place on the fairgrounds near the original (smaller) church at St. David’s located at 763 S. Valley Forge Road in Wayne, PA. In addition to grilled meat, salads, sides, and refreshments, roundtable discussions will be held on how to start and grow men’s fellowship groups at church. Click here to RSVP.

Wednesday Noon Eucharist

Mary Chapel

Wellspring Worship Reflections

After the 10:30 a.m. service

Houston Room

Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA)

Thursdays 7-8:30 p.m. (Library)

Al Anon

Sundays 6-7 p.m. (Houston Room)

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

1 - Tuesdays 8-9 p.m. (Houston Room)

2 - Thursdays 7-8 p.m. (Houston Room)

3 - Sundays 8-9 p.m. (Houston Room)