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, May 17th, 2026:

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 Baptisms

Also via livestream here

Followed by Guatemala Companion Parish Committee presentation in the Parish Hall and Worship Reflections in the Houston Room

This Sunday's Readings

Acts 1:6-14 | 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 | John 17:1-11 | Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36

Please note: There will be NO Food & Fellowship, Adult Forum,

Chess Club, or Choristers next Wednesday, May 20th,

so that all may attend the St. James School benefit!

Rector's Note

Sunday’s Mother’s Day coffee hour by the columbarium was glorious. The weather cooperated, and the gardens and columbarium plantings were in their full beauty. Several people remarked to me that they had never looked closely at the columbarium before, even though it is right by the church. Thanks to Debra and Cathy for all their work on these sacred grounds, and for making the reception happen.

This past weekend’s Retreat at Daylesford Abbey was intimate and lovely. We talked about how to pray, shared our stories, practiced different ways to pray, and joined the Norbertine community for their daily worship services. It was just an overnight, but the silence, the grounds, and the learning we had together made for a real sense of getting away for a while with God and each other. If you’ve never been on a retreat before, consider joining us next time!

During the week, several St Martin’s members were a part of Need in Deed’s Shout Out event at Arch St Meetinghouse. For these 3rd through 8th graders in public schools around Philly, this is their version of a science fair. Each class had a poster representing their yearlong project, and some of us got to present awards to the classes. Need in Deed is a service-based learning program that was founded by St Martin’s members. 40 years later, it is still a partner organization for St Martin’s.

Continue reading here.

Features

Guatemala Companion Parish Committee Presentation

This Sunday, May 17th following the 10:30 service

Parish Hall

Please join us following this Sunday's 10:30 a.m. service for a

presentation by members of the GCPC committee, who traveled to Guatemala last summer to reconnect with our parish partners in Quetzaltenango, Chichicastenango and

Totonicapan. The presentation is tailored to present more details about the human rights, food security and recreation projects that St. Martin’s has supported over the past

several years. Please join us for a PowerPoint presentation by the 3 committee members with a Q&A at the end. Come and see the good works of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Parish in Guatemala!

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!

St. Martin's Time and Talent Survey

We have all been blessed with the talent and skills entrusted to us by God, who asks us to use our spiritual gifts in service of our church and neighbors. We are asking every member and friend of St. Martin’s (including our youth) to complete this survey, which will help you find ways to steward your time and talents and connect with fellow community members. We ask that you please submit your response by Next Wednesday, May 20th. 

+ Save the Date:  Sunday, June 7th

1) Ministry Fair (9-10:15 a.m. on the Hilary House lawn)

2) Annual Meeting (Parish Hall following 10:30 a.m. service).

Please note: There will be no 9 a.m. worship service on this day.

St. James Benefit Event Is Next Wednesday!

Get Your Tickets and Reserve Your Spot on the Shuttle Bus

Next Wednesday, May 20th, St. Martin's will be honored at St. James School's Dr. Audrey Evans Benefit, alongside the Epiphany School of Dorchester, Massachusetts. If you haven't yet purchased a ticket for the benefit, you can do so here. St. James has also kindly agreed to provide a shuttle bus to take St. Martin's parishioners to the event - please sign up here to reserve your spot! Any questions about the gala or shuttle bus can be director to Gillian Golson, St. James' Annual Giving Manager, at ggolson@stjamesphila.org. If you would like to attend the gala but are unable to afford a ticket, please contact Rev. Mary.

Snapshots

Mother's Day Reception in the Mary Hare Taylor Knight Columbarium

Photos courtesy of Debra Roberts

Pipe Choir Spring Concert

Our CYF Music Leader, Julia Finegan, directed her Pipe Choir's spring concert last weekend, with members of St. Martin's community in both the choir and audience.

In addition to singing, St. Martin's own choir member Lucy Guida also served as a guest conductor.

Photos courtesy of the Rev. Luke Selles

Children, Youth, & Families

St. Martin’s Families Volunteer Day

This Saturday, May 16th 

8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at St. James’ School

3217 W Clearfield St, Philadelphia, PA 19132

Volunteer with other St. Martin’s families at the St. James School Welcome Table on May 16th as we support their weekly Farmer's Market, a service of free food distribution to the neighborhood community. Bring a canned good to distribute and a smile!

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.

Support Parish Family During Surgery Recovery

Please consider supporting one of our parish families, the Hagan-Bryants, as Stephanie Hagan recovers from surgery. Options for support include bringing a meal and helping to provide childcare. Click here to sign up/learn more.

The Fairmount String Quartet Presents: Starry Night

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 Mass Eucharist

Sunday, June 21, 2026 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

Primary Elections

This Upcoming Tuesday, May 19th

Polls Open 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Click here to access a non-partisan Voter Guide to help you determine who you'd like to vote for and find out where your polling place is. If you are in Ward 9, Divisions 9-11, your polling place is St. Martin's!

Sermon

The Rev. Dr. Mary Barber

May 10, 2026 - Easter 6

This past Wednesday, a group of St Martin’s people stood in front of the ICE offices on 8th Street and Cherry, in a vigil in support and solidarity with immigrants. We were part of a larger effort sponsored by New Sanctuary Movement, to have faith communities sign up to be a witness and presence on that sidewalk every Wednesday for forty weeks. St Martin’s was week number 25.

And it was not without some trepidation that we signed up for our week and anticipated how it would go. The scripture I had chosen felt a little risky. How would our offering be received? Continue reading here.

Coming Up

Upcoming Memorial Service for Clifford Hood

Next Saturday, May 23rd

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

Reception: Following service (Parish Hall)

Click here to read the obituary.

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)