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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Send us your update here.

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

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Sunday, August 16, 2026

Gust Preacher: The Rev. Debora Brown

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Spoken)

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

Under the Tent

9:45 a.m. All-Ages Parable Study: “The Leaven” (Luke 13:20-1)

Under the Tent

10:00 All-Ages Parable Study Activity: Bread Dough Making

Parish Hall

10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music

Also via livestream here

Followed by Worship Reflections (in person only)

This Sunday's Readings

Genesis 45:1-15 | Psalm 133 | Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32|Matthew 15: 10-28

Rector's Note

Last week I was on vacation, a week so low-key that I didn’t take a single picture! I hope you are getting at least a little time this summer that is restful and relatively unscheduled.

Here at St Martin’s, the summer weeks are quieter -- fewer committee meetings, events, and offerings. But this summer has been far from quiet in many ways. Yesterday, the capital campaign team met with AOS architects and Delran construction to break down the costs and specifics of the proposed project for the sanctuary and parish hall. As the meeting was winding down, members of the Children, Youth, and Families committee arrived for a visioning session. 

Moving forward on a capital project. Envisioning next steps for our CYF programming. These are not lazy summer activities! And yet, these are seeds we are planting this summer, to grow and bear fruit in the coming season. It is holy time well spent by groups of St Martin’s ministry leaders. 

There is another big new thing happening this summer, that we heard about at Annual Meeting. After much back-end building and data cleaning by Lorie, Noor, and David Dieck, after a bunch of virtual training sessions, we are ready to launch Realm.

Continue reading here.

Pippa and her friends

on vacation

Features

Realm Invitation Coming Next Week!

As many of you know, St. Martin's is moving to a new church record-keeping software called Realm. It’s primarily an administrative tool for staff and clergy, but it also offers helpful tools for parishioners. With Realm, we’ll have more ways to communicate and connect as a church.

Realm will make it easier for:

• Members of ministries to communicate with each other
• Parishioners to track their giving
• Parishioners to securely access an online directory

You will receive an email next week with a link to join Realm and set up your online profile. Please note that this email will come directly from Realm, not Rev. Mary or staff.

Church Repointing

Repointing of the church has started! This involves removing cracked and damaged mortar and replacing it with new mortar to protect the building from water and other weather. 

Thanks to buildings and grounds, finance, vestry, office staff, and your pledges for this important work!

Parable of the Leaven: Bread Dough Making Class

This Sunday, August 16th

10 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. in the Parish Hall

Join Leslie Virnelson—parishioner, professor of Old Testament at United Lutheran Seminary, and accomplished baker—for a hands-on focaccia making workshop this Sunday at 10 a.m.! Please bring a bowl, spatula, and dried herbs if you’d like to add extra flavor. You’ll leave with dough ready to bake within an hour. This workshop is part of our final Summer Sunday Parable Series, beginning at 9:45 a.m. under the tent with a Godly Play telling of the Parable of the Leaven. 

Adult Forum Returns Next Month - Topic Suggestions Wanted!

Adult forum will resume Sept. 16 at its usual time and place: 7 p.m. Wednesdays in the Houston Room. The hunt for program ideas is on. Is there a parish ministry or initiative you'd like to learn more about? Are you doing something neat in your life that you're eager to share with the parish? Is there a writer, artist, thinker, activist, doer or leader in our Philadelphia community you think we should invite? Any trends in spirituality or theology that await exploration? If any such great ideas for a forum are rattling around in your brain, please send them to Chris Satullo at csatullo@gmail.com or 610-828-6935.  Note: Forums should be as interactive as possible, with no more than 40 minutes for presentation, leaving at least 20 for Q and A.

Seasonal Writing Retreat

Saturdays (bi-weekly) from 9:30-11 a.m. in Hilary House

August Dates: 15th and 29th

A quiet time to listen, reflect, create and share

Come and share time with others as we listen to poems/reflections/prayers that reflect the liturgical season we are in. After some time in silence, we write as the spirit guides us and the share our writing without judgement or critique. Find community, respite and inspiration as we move through challenging times. All are welcome. Come for one session or come often. For information contact Joanne Conway, joanneconway86@gmail.com

Exploring Spirituality with Wellspring: An Afternoon Retreat

Saturday, September 26th

Lunch (12-1 p.m.) followed by three hour-long sessions (1-4 p.m.)

 There are many ways to encounter the Spirit. Come experience with us three approaches to spirituality:

•  through the signs and symbols of the liturgy;
•  through the teachings of the spiritual scientist, Rudolf Steiner, founder of Waldorf education;
•  through praying the Psalms.

No cost. Stay tuned for more details!

Iced Tea & Chess Under the Tent

Weekly on Thursdays through August 27th

4:00-6:00 p.m.

Rain Space: Houston Room

This summer’s Iced Tea & Chess Under the Tent series continues each Thursday through the end of August! Our Iced Tea & Chess series is a great way to get to know each other, enjoy some snacks, and beat the summer heat with cool drinks and/or chess. No RSVP needed, but if you are able, please consider bringing a snack to share. We look forward to seeing you there!

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

This fall, St. Martin's 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 for five Sundays: Sept. 20th and 27th; Oct. 11th and 18th; and Nov. 8th. 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. All are welcome to join for one or all of the five parish-wide sessions and the additional opportunities even if you are unsure about being confirmed/received. Click here for more details.

Children, Youth, & Families

Summer Bible Series: The Parables of Jesus

This Sunday, Aug 16th: “The Leaven” (Luke 13:20-1)

Between the 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services

All ages are invited to encounter the parables of Jesus -- those elusive, challenging, and deceptively simple stories with imagery from everyday life, which teach something about spiritual realities -- with a story told using Godly Play followed by a collective activity led by members of St. Martin's community that corresponds to the story (i.e. singing, planting, baking).

Diocesan Youth Wild Adventure at Valley Forge

Sunday, August 30th

4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Washington Memorial Chapel 

2000 Valley Forge Park Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406

Get ready for a fun evening of adventure, music, food, and fellowship to kick off your fall! Youth and their family members from across the diocese are invited to join us for our Diocesan Youth Wild Adventure at Valley Forge National Historical Park on 8/30 from 4 pm - 6:30 p.m. Enjoy live music, wilderness walks, hands-on craft projects like nature mandalas, dinner, and outdoor worship under the open sky that will inspire you for the coming school year. The Rev. Dr. Charles Lattimore Howard will be our homilist. To register, go to this link.

A Beverage with the Director of Music & Arts 

As we look ahead to the start of the new program year, I warmly invite all members of St. Martin's for a one-on-one catch-up over a beverage of your choice to connect and discuss your hopes and wishes for our music and arts ministries this program year and beyond.

Meetings are available Monday through Thursday, ideally between noon and 7:00 p.m. (though I am happy to be flexible around work commitments, etc.) and will take place at the church or a mutually convenient local spot.

Please email me directly (twhiting@stmartinec.org) to schedule a time/location, and let them know your beverage preference!

Cantate Domino!

— Tyrone Whiting, Director of Music & Arts 

Summer Sunday Musicians

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to offer music this Summer. Upcoming Sundays will feature the following musicians:

Aug 16: Jonathan Leeds, Clarinet

Aug 23: Liam Maher, Violin

Aug 30: B'roke Ensemble, St. Martin's Amateur Baroque Ensemble

Title: A Coming Storm, Date: 1863, Artist: Sanford Gifford (American, 1823-1880), Medium: Oil on canvas, Credit Line: 125th Anniversary Acquisition. Gift of the McNeil Americana Collection, 2004

Nature and Spirit: Prayerful Looking at American Landscapes

Sunday, August 16th

1:30 - 4:30 p.m. at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Co-sponsored by Wellspring, Interfaith Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Office for Community Engagement

This program is currently at capacity for registration. We are hosting this session again on August 30th! You can register here for August 30th: same time and place.

This Mini-Retreat will take place in the PMA’s America250 exhibit, A Nation of Artists. We will focus on landscape paintings that express a variety of religious and spiritual commitments, helped create our national identity, and fueled our nation’s westward expansion. Guided meditation on two paintings will be followed by an opportunity for participants to explore the exhibit and select a work of art to contemplate on their own or with a partner. The retreat will conclude with a tour of the works selected, each person sharing their unique experience of prayerful looking.

Facilitator: Rev. John B. Hougen, PhD, Co-chair of Wellspring, Art of Interfaith Understanding Coordinator for Interfaith Philadelphia, and Volunteer Docent at the PMA.

Cost: The sliding scale fee for this program is $30-$150, with a suggested price of $50.

Parking and admission to the museum are free thanks to the generosity of the PMA’s Office of Community Engagement. 

Sermon

The Rev. Luke Selles

August 9, 2026

I don’t know about you, but being at the ocean, or a large sea or lake, inspires in me a deep sense of awe that can awaken both deep peace and fear. Encountering something so massive, mysterious, powerful, and beautiful awakens something spiritual in us. And there’s a fine line, sometimes between awe and terror, especially when you find yourself at the mercy of the wind and water. Continue reading here.

Coming Up

Coming This Fall: Wellspring’s Spiritual Classics Book Group

C.S. Lewis, Henri Nouwen, Julian of Norwich, Thomas Merton, Teresa of Avila, Meister Eckhart—we’ve heard their names but often haven’t had a chance to read their books. Is there a title you’ve heard about and always wanted to read? Is there a favorite that you’d like to read again? Would you value reading such books in a small group so you can talk about their insights together?

The Spiritual Classics Book Group will function like many book groups, meeting monthly in participants’ homes, deciding together on the year’s list oftitles. Although Christian writers are the main focus, spiritual classics from other traditions could be considered as well. Watch for further notices about our first meeting in September, and meanwhile, if you’d like to express interest in it, contact Lorie Simmons (loriesimmons@comcast.net) or Mike Gillum (mikegillum@gmail.com).

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 - Fridays 7-8 p.m. (Houston Room)

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