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

Field Notes

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Sunday Worship

October 6th, 2024

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

Guest Preacher: The Rev. Canon Betsy Ivey

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

Pet blessings during service

10:30 a.m. Choral Holy Eucharist

Guest Preacher: The Rev. Canon Betsy Ivey

Pet blessings following service

Please plan to attend a welcome reception for the Rev. Luke Selles

following the 10:30 service!

A Note From Rev. Laura

There are big joys and small joys to share and celebrate this week.

The Reverend Luke Selles became an official member of our St. Martin’s clergy staff on October 1st, as Priest Associate for Children, Youth, and families. Their bright smile, warmth of spirit, and delight to be among children affirmed how blessed we are to have Rev. Luke among us. 

There will be details in Rev. Luke’s note this week. They’ll be ordained on Saturday and then celebrating their first Eucharist here at St. Martin’s at all three services on Sunday. We’ll welcome Rev. Luke at a reception in the Parish Hall following the 10:30 service. Please join us. 

We are also blessed to have the remarkable Rev. Canon Betsy Ivey as our guest preacher this Sunday. She’s known to many of you in the parish for her powerful preaching and witness, as well as her former leadership role in the diocese.

The small joy last week for me was visiting “Danny’s House,” in West Mt. Airy, which recently received a $1,000 grant from the Community Engagement Committee. Most of you are aware of the much larger funds we give in support of our Companion Parish in Guatemala and The Episcopal Diocese of East Jerusalem. St. Martin’s also gives $10,000 annually to Face-to-Face, as one of our ministry partners. Continue reading here.



Learn more about Danny's House here.

Danny's House Book Nook

A Note From Rev. Luke

Dear St. Martin’s Family,

It’s a big week for me! This Tuesday I officially started as Priest Associate for Children, Youth, & Families (CYF), and Wednesday I updated my Voter Registration at St. Martin’s voter registration drive so I can vote here in Philadelphia come November. Tomorrow I move into my new apartment at Cherokee Apartments down the road, Saturday I will be ordained in Lancaster, PA (click here for your invitation!), and Sunday I will celebrate the Eucharist at all three services. So many wonderful and important things as I settle into my new life and call here with you all.

Even in my short time here, I’ve observed so much care, wisdom, and energy for CYF ministry. And based on the concerns, dreams, and gifts I’ve seen, an Advent CYF Fellowship and Formation series is in the works, which I look forward to sharing with you all very soon!

Moving forward, I’d love to continue to hear from and partner and plan with those of you I haven’t met yet so that this growing CYF ministry will be a blessing to each of you, your families, and the entire community. So, if you aren’t already signed up for the parish CYF list, you can sign up here to get updates and ways you can get involved in the coming weeks.

And please don’t hesitate to email me (lselles@stmartinec.org) so we can set up a time to chat, or you are most welcome to stop by my office anytime during the week except for Fridays. I’ve taken up residence in the Polly Randall Room, just to the left of the main entrance to the Parish House.

Faithfully,

The Rev. Luke Selles (they/them)

Features

Welcome Reception for the Rev. Luke Selles

This Sunday, October 6th, following the 10:30 service

Please join us this weekend for Rev. Luke’s first Sunday at St. Martin’s! All are invited to the Parish Hall following the 10:30 a.m. service to welcome Rev. Luke and congratulate them on their Ordination to Priesthood. A smaller welcome gathering will also follow the 9:00 a.m. service.

St. Martin’s parishioners are welcome to attend Rev. Luke’s ordination at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 5th! You can attend in-person at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lancaster, or via Zoom here.

Blessing of the Animals

This Sunday, October 6th, at 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

Our annual pet blessing will take place this Sunday, October 6th, on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. For the safety of people and pets alike, please bring your animal in a carrier or on a leash. Can’t bring your pet? Feel free to bring a photo instead! Children are also welcome to bring a stuffed animal in place of their pet. 

Voter Registration Drive

This Saturday, Oct. 5th, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Parish House

St. Martin's will be hosting our second voter registration drive this Saturday, October 5th, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. If you or a friend, neighbor, or family member would like help registering to vote, please stop by! Our volunteers can also help you find your polling place, locate an official drop box for absentee ballots, and help you check to make sure all your voter registration information is up to date if you are already registered. This event is strictly non-partisan.

There's Still Time to Register for Our Holy Cross Retreat!

Tuesday, October 29th - Friday, November 1st

Facilitated by the Rev. Gwyneth MacKenzie Murphy

Click here to register by October 15th

Listening for Utterances of God’s Love in Ourselves and in ALL that Has Life: A retreat grounded in Celtic Spirituality

During the retreat we’ll spend time together in prayer, reflection and conversation;  there will also be free time. We’ll create our own altar: you are invited to bring a poem, stone, photo …any symbol of journey. Celtic Spirituality will guide us on the journey.

Rev. Gwyneth is an Episcopal priest and retreat leader. She was introduced to Celtic Spirituality over 25 years ago and it has become integral to her life and ministry.  This past June, she and Rev. Laura Palmer met on the Isle of Iona, Scotland, the birthplace of Celtic Spirituality. Gwyneth writes: 

The roots of Celtic spirituality are ancient, but it is especially relevant today. It is about one’s personal journey AND about how we live in the world. Continue reading here.

Adult Forum Seeking Input for a December Event

Are you part of an interfaith family that has to communicate, compromise and improvise during the December holidays, in order to honor multiple religious traditions (or placate demanding relatives)? What stories do you have to tell, what lessons have you learned, what smart life hacks have you devised to make the period run smoothly and mean what you hoped? We'd love to have you share some of them with the Adult Forum group. We have this forum targeted for Dec. 11, though there's still some flexibility on the date. If you're interested in being part of the program, please contact Chris Satullo at csatullo@gmail.com or 610-828-6935.

Next Week's Adult Forum:

"Celebrating St. Martin's 135th Anniversary"

Wednesday, October 9th at 7:00 p.m.

Led by David Collins and Leslie Newbold

Parish House or via Zoom here

Passcode: 074688

Two members of the 135th Anniversary committee - David Collins and Leslie Newbold - will update us on the multi-pronged planning to celebrate our parish's legacy of worship and service in a way that will energize us for St. Martin's next era.

Sermon Transcript

The Rev. Laura Palmer

September 29, 2024

Come and See

Week after week we praise God “… joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your name.”  And then for the rest of the week, I’m betting, few of us give little thought to angels.

But today we celebrate, a day ahead of the calendar, the Feast Day of Michael and All Angels, or in church shorthand “Michaelmas,” for Michael’s mass. (Just as Christmas is “Christ’s Mass”) Michael, if you need a refresher is the leader of the angels, the angel above all angels—sorry Gabriel-- but conquering angels trump messengers every time and Michael got the job done by defeating the devil and his angels in heaven in the celestial war, as Revelations describes:

War broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Continue reading here.

Congregational Evensong

Sunday, October 20th at 5:00 p.m.

A Congregational Evensong may sound entirely contradictory to a Choral Evensong and it is… and isn’t! The Choir and congregation are one; the congregation a choir, and the choir the congregation. 

Join us on Sunday, October 20th at 5:00 p.m. to discover more about the tradition of Evensong, its purpose, power, and relevance to today through words and music in our beautiful sanctuary. The Choir will sit in the pews leading the music, and as part of, the congregation; all sung elements of the service will be enriched by all present joining together.

A short reception will follow the service. All are invited and encouraged to attend, no matter what your level of singing ability or even if you wish to remain silent. 

Cantate Domino!

Tyrone Whiting

Director of Music & Arts 

twhiting@stmartinec.org 

The Poetry Path

This Saturday, Oct. 5th, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Hilary House (Smith Room)

Facilitated by Sharon Thomson

Sponsored by Wellspring

What is the spiritual dimension of the poetic process? Come explore at a workshop for beginning and experienced writers who will practice using image-making, sensual description and the music of language to express the soul. The workshop will be led by St. Martin's parishioner Sharon Thomson, M.F.A., a published poet who has taught poetry writing for 50 years in a wide variety of settings.

To reserve a seat, sign up by contacting Sharon at 845-282-5500 or email: sharonthomson2001@yahoo.com. If you have questions before signing up, feel free to contact her. The workshop is limited to 12 participants.

Sharon has led many poetry-writing workshops in her longtime work with The Grail, an international women's organization founded in 1921 as a Catholic lay movement committed to spiritual search and social transformation. You can find out more about Sharon here.

Choristers Rehearsals

Every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 p.m.

Do you know a child who loves to sing? Sign up for our Children's Choir Chorister program! Rehearsals run Wednesdays from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. If you know a child interested in joining Choristers, please email Tyrone Whiting, Director of Music & Arts, at twhiting@stmartinec.org.

Coming Up

Save the Date: Chili Potluck

Wednesday, October 30th

6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall

As we enter into the heart of autumn, all are invited to a special Food & Fellowship on Oct. 30th where we will be serving up a variety of different chilis and corn breads. Both vegetarian and meat-based chilis will be available. Interested in bringing your own chili recipe to share? Please email Kate Maus at kmaus@stmartinec.org to sign up!

Spirituality of Aging

This Upcoming Wednesday, October 9th

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Houston Room and via Zoom

Spirituality of Aging is a conversation group bringing older adults together to share our stories, questions and insights about aging, in a supportive, congenial spirit. The group meets monthly, and is open to all who want to explore with others the experience of growing older (and, we hope, wiser). To RSVP, or for more information, please contact Elizabeth Morrison at elizabeth.donnell.morrison@gmail.com.

Upcoming Adult Forums

Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 7:00 p.m.

"How to Survive This Election - Like a Christian"

Led by Chris Satullo

Parish House or via Zoom here.

Passcode: 074688

A series of Adult Forums with Chris Satullo, an award-winning former journalist who was also an editorial page editor and a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Click here to learn more.

Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 7:00 p.m.

"A New Way To Do College"

Led by Oscar Wang, Founder of College Together

Parish House or via Zoom here.

Passcode: 074688

Stay tuned for more details.

Wednesday Nights at St. Martin's

Choristers Rehearsals 4:30 p.m.

Food & Fellowship 6:00 p.m.

Adult Forum 7:00 p.m.

Please mark your calendars for our Wednesday Night programming! Each Wednesday kicks off with our Choristers Rehearsals at 4:30 p.m., followed by our Food & Fellowship community dinner at 6:00 p.m., and culminating with Adult Forum at 7:00 p.m.

If you are interested in volunteering to help set up and/or clean up Food and Fellowship, please contact Lorie Hershey, Director of Administration, at lhershey@stmartinec.org. Volunteers are not expected to bring food for the meal. You can sign up to volunteer for specific date(s), or come every week!

Wednesday Noon Eucharist

Mary Chapel

Wellspring Worship Reflections

After the 10:30 a.m. service

Houston Room