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

Field Notes

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Sunday Worship

November 3, 2024

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (spoken)

In person

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

In person

10:30 a.m. Choral Holy Eucharist

In person and via livestream

5:00 p.m. Requiem Choral Eucharist

In person and via livestream

A Note From Rev. Laura

Hello from Holy Cross Monastery, where I can report the “peace which surpasses all understanding” is alive and well. The monastery sits on the banks of the Hudson River and seeing the sun rise behind an ancient oak is a balm.

I’m blessed to be here with 14 other St. Martin’s parishioners on a Celtic Spirituality retreat. Led by the Rev. Gwenyth Murphy McKenzie, a priest I met in Iona last June, we’ve had a chance to share together the gifts Celtic wisdom has to offer through prayer, conversation, and study inspired by the writing of John Philip Newell and his new book, The Great Search.

I, like most others, arrived with a sense of fear, anxiety, and dread about Tuesday’s election which is real and understandable.

There is no magic wand to wave any of that away. But here it’s possible to tame it. Continue reading here.

Features

The Investiture of Presiding Bishop-elect Sean Rowe 

This Saturday, Nov. 2nd at 11:00 a.m.

The Episcopal Church will officially welcome the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe as its 28th presiding bishop this Saturday, Nov. 2nd. You can find a livestream on the national Episcopal Church's website here. In place of a viewing party held at St. Martin's, we encourage you to gather in each other's homes to bear witness to this momentous occasion.

St. Martin's To Honor Longtime Parishioners Charlie and Gene Dilks with Polly Randall Award at Fauré Requiem

As a highlight at tomorrow night's Fauré Requiem, The Rev. Laura Palmer will present longtime parishioners Charlie and Gene Dilks with the Polly Randall Award for their decades of service to the church. The award is named after a beloved member of St. Martin's who served for years as parish secretary. Please join us in celebrating Charlie and Gene this Friday!

Fauré Requiem with Orchestra

Tomorrow, November 1st, at 7:00 p.m.

Click here for tickets

There's still time to get your tickets for the kick-off event of our 135th anniversary year! Tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. our Director of Music & Arts, Tyrone Whiting, will lead an orchestral and choral concert featuring Gabriel Fauré's Requiem, a masterpiece of choral repertoire.

Fauré completed revisions of his requiem in 1889, which this year along with St. Martin's, celebrates its 135th anniversary. 2024 marks 100 years since the composer's death and also the 40th anniversary of our Resident Ensemble, the Fairmount String Quartet, which will form the core of the orchestra tomorrow. The Choir of St. Martin's will also be joined by singers from our community. What better way to honor such celebrations than with an evening of exquisite music! A reception will take place in the Parish Hall after the concert.

Photo courtesy of

Cathy Glazer and

Debra Roberts

All Souls' Day Reception

This Sunday, November 3rd, at 3:30 p.m.

Join us this Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in the Mary Hare Taylor Knight Memorial Columbarium to celebrate and commemorate those we’ve loved and lost with prayers and reflections while reconnecting with long-time St. Martin’s friends and neighbors. 

3:30 p.m. Welcome 

4:00 p.m. Reception in the Columbarium 

5:00 p.m. Choral Requiem Eucharist

Come early to place a votive candle on the marker of those you remember and hold dear. All are welcome.   

Requiem Choral Eucharist for the Feast of All Saints

This Sunday, November 3rd at 5:00 p.m.

This Sunday at 5:00 p.m. St. Martin's will offer a Requiem Choral Eucharist for the Feast of All Saints (not to be confused with our Fauré Requiem on Nov 1) with Renaissance and Baroque music led by the Section Leaders of St. Martin's. This service offers a time for reflection, remembrance, and hope as we remember those we have lost as well as praying for the future. Preceding the service, a reception and time for prayer in the Columbarium will be offered from 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. All are welcome.

Conversation and Compline

Please note there is no Adult Forum next Wed., Nov. 6th, the day after the election. In place of Forum, please feel welcome to come for Conversation in the Houston Room from 7-7:30 p.m., followed by Compline in the Sanctuary from 7:30-8 p.m. 

Our next Adult Forum will be Wed., Nov 13th:

"Annual Giving – Why Pledge? Why Now?"

Led by the Stewardship Committee

Sign Up to Host Or Attend An Advent Dinner!

Sunday, December 8th at 6:00 p.m.

Please register by Friday, November 20th.

St. Martin’s has a tradition early in Advent to attend a beautiful Advent Lessons and Carols service (Dec. 8th, 5pm) with candle light and then disperse to one another’s homes for a simple supper to celebrate our church family together. These small group meals help us better understand and appreciate who we are as a community as we journey through the reflective season of Advent. Click here to sign up to host or attend a dinner!

A Note for Families: If you would like to attend our second annual CYF Advent Dinner (6 p.m. in the Houston Room) please email the Rev. Luke Selles to RSVP (lselles@stmartinec.org). If your family prefers to attend or host a parishioner-led dinner, sign up via the link above.

Pictured: Coffee & Conversation

Let’s Light the Way Home! 

The 2025 Annual Giving campaign is underway, with packets mailed to 375 St. Martin’s households last week. This year’s campaign theme, “Let’s Light the Way Home!”, reflects the sense of promise, hope and urgency energizing our fundraising efforts. We look forward to ensuring that together we’ll fund the exciting plans and dreams that our Vestry, clergy, staff and lay leaders have for St. Martin’s.     

St. Martin’s has a wonderful story to tell. By sharing information about the plans being developed, we’re confident we can meet our goal of raising $650,000 in pledge giving. The 2025 Annual Giving campaign is the key component delivering the overall revenue necessary to fully fund St. Martin’s annual operations.  

The 2025 campaign has developed a series of events to educate the parish on the plans being developed at St. Martin’s. 

• Our two ‘Coffee & Conversation sessions’ were very well received! Featuring a presentation on the 135-year history of St. Martin’s architecture along with an overview of much-needed improvements now to our campus.  The next ‘Coffee’ is Nov. 17 @ 10:00 a.m.  
• St. Martin’s Day Brunch, Sunday, Nov. 10, will welcome The Rev. Luke Selles to share a brief overview of Children, Youth & Families plans.
• Adult Forum, Wednesday, Nov. 13: "Annual Giving – Why Pledge? Why Now?"   



Our first Annual Giving pledge report will be announced on St. Martin’s Day! Please join us, submit your pledge by Nov. 7 to be included in our St. Martin’s Day total – and help us fund our bright future.  

Sermon Transcript

The Rev. Carol Duncan

October 27, 2024

What Do You Want Me To Do For You?

Today’s Gospel describes Jesus’ last stop before arriving at Jerusalem. We’ve reached the pivot point where Jesus’ life turns toward his death. Now we hear about a healing and a call. It asks us if we are ready to love even a beggar on the road. Please enter the story with me. Let your mind add the sound effects, feel the breeze and smell the smells. Continue reading here.

Children, Youth, & Families

A Note on Upcoming CYF Worship Services:

1) This Sunday, November 3rd

9:00 a.m. Eucharist

9:20 a.m. Godly Play and Craft + Listening Session with Rev. Luke

This Sunday, November 3rd, there will be a shortened Children, Youth, and Families Eucharist at 9 a.m., followed by a Godly Play and Craft time for children and a listening session with Rev. Luke in the Mary Chapel for any adults or older children who wish to share their thoughts and hopes for the 9:00 a.m. service and for the future of Children, Youth, and Families formation in general. Since the Eucharist will be brief, we will begin right at 9:00 a.m. with the aim to split off for the Listening Session and Godly Play Formation around 9:20 a.m. For anyone who cannot make the Listening Session, but is invested in the 9:00 a.m. service, please email Rev. Luke at lselles@stmartinec.org with your thoughts or to set up a time to chat.

2) Next Sunday, November 10th: No 9:00 a.m. Service

Please note there will be no 9:00 a.m. service next Sunday, St. Martin's Day. In place of the 9:00 a.m. service please plan to attend our 10:30 a.m. Choral Eucharist for the Feast of St. Martin, featuring music from our very own Choristers children's choir, our adult choir, and our Resident-Ensemble, the Fairmount String Quartet. Plan to stay afterwards for a celebratory brunch beginning at noon, and don't forget to stop by the Guatemala Craft Fair in the Houston Room for some early Christmas shopping.

Voter Engagement

Election Day Is This Upcoming Tuesday, November 5th

If you are in Ward 9, Divisions 9, 10, or 11, your polling place is St. Martin's! Otherwise, you can click here to find your polling place. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Philly Souls 2 Polls is offering free rides to the polls for those who need transportation. You can sign up ahead of time on the website here or by calling their hotline at 215-948-6599. They will match you with a volunteer driver. PS2P is an interfaith, nonpartisan organization and the ride is free.

Take Action

Team Green Bean Canned Food Drive

St. James School is once again putting together Thanksgiving meal bags for those who might not otherwise be able to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner. The bags include a turkey and other fixings and will be given out shortly before Thanksgiving. Like last year, St. Martin's has been asked to be on Team Green Bean! Please consider purchasing a few cans of green beans to contribute to this effort - we are aiming for at least 250 cans of beans. In addition, St. James asks you to consider donating a $25 gift card to either ShopRite or Aldi. A card is placed in each meal bag for additional assistance. Please deliver your green beans by Nov. 15th to the bench in the Parish House foyer. For safekeeping, gift cards should be delivered to Noor Diskan, Director of Communications & Events.

Coming Up

St. Martin's Day

Next Sunday, November 10th

All are invited to come celebrate our patron saint day with a full morning of worship and fellowship activities, including:

Choral Holy Eucharist for the Feast of St. Martin

Featuring music from the Choir, Choristers, & Fairmount String Quartet

(10:30 a.m. in the church)

Guatemala Craft Sale and Tapestry Raffle

Hosted by the Guatemala Companion Parish Committee

(before and after worship services in the Houston Room)



St. Martin's Day Brunch

Hosted by the Stewardship Committee

(12:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall)

Guatemala Tapestry Raffle and Saint Martin’s Day Craft Sale

Sunday, Nov. 10th

The Guatemala Companion Parish Committee will be holding the annual Guatemala Craft Sale as a part of our St. Martin’s Day celebrations. Come and join us in the Houston Room to do some shopping for Christmas. Proceeds support projects in Guatemala and committee activities. To promote our sale and increase parish interest we will once again be holding a raffle for a chance to win a beautiful handmade tapestry. Raffle tickets will be sold on Sundays Nov. 3rd and 10th. Tickets will be 1 ticket for $1 and 6 tickets for $5 with the raffle drawing taking place on St. Martin’s Day at the end of the Guatemala Craft Sale. Please support these fundraising efforts that help us support our companion parishes in the western highlands of Guatemala.

Wednesday Noon Eucharist

Mary Chapel

Wellspring Worship Reflections

After the 10:30 a.m. service

Houston Room