Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields: Weekly Field Notes

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 or the Rev. Laura Palmer at 267-418-0123.

Have you had an address, email, or phone number update?

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 Worship

March 30, 2025

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

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

10:30 a.m. Choral Holy Eucharist

5:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross

Rector's Note

Another weekend has passed, and with it another retreat for St Martin’s folk. This time we got away, to Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, NY. We took part in the rhythm of five daily prayer services. We walked the grounds next to the Hudson River. In the quiet and spaciousness we noticed things we might not otherwise appreciate in our usual busy daily life, like the rainbow over the river one afternoon.

Continue reading here.

Features

Upcoming Memorial Services

All services will take place at St. Martin's.

The Rev. Sharline Fulton

Saturday, April 5th, at 11:00 a.m.

View obituary here.

Craig Johnson

Monday, April 14th, at 10:00 a.m.

View obituary here.

Raymond "Skip" Lynch

Sunday, May 18th, at 3:00 p.m.

View obituary here.

Charles "Charlie" Harmar

Saturday, June 21st, at 3:00 p.m.

Easter Memorial Flowers

If you would like to make a donation to this year's Easter Flower Fund in honor of, or thanksgiving for, a loved one, please contact Connie Haggard at choirconnie@gmail.com. As is St. Martin's tradition, we will memorialize each loved one's name in our Easter service leaflets. Please submit names no later than Sun., March 13th.

Parish Elections

Deadline for Vestry and Convention Nominations: April 27th

At the June 1 Annual Meeting of the parish, new Vestry members and Diocesan Convention delegates will be elected. Following the bylaws changes adopted by the parish at the February Parish Meeting and Financial Report, here is the process:

A Nominating Committee has been formed, consisting of the Rev. Dr. Mary Barber, Rector; David Collins, David Dieck, Rob Jennings and Paula Wineland, who will be cycling off the Vestry this year; and Richard Haggard and Rita Downs, parishioners at large. The Nominating Committee welcomes recommendations of parishioners to be considered for the slate of nominees. The deadline is April 27 for submitting recommendations, which may be made to any member of the Nominating Committee. Parishioners interested in serving in these positions may inform the committee of their availability.

The committee’s slate (four Vestry members for four years, one Vestry member to fill a one-year vacancy, two Diocesan Convention delegates, and one convention alternate) will be published by May 4.

Additional nominations by petition are allowed. Ten parishioner signatures, not including the nominee, are required. The deadline is May 18 to submit nomination petitions to the secretary of the Vestry, David Collins. (Nominations from the floor at the Annual Meeting are not permitted.)

Eco Fair

This Sunday, March 30th, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Parish Hall)

Co-hosted by the Climate Action Team, CYF Ministries, and the Buildings & Grounds Committee

St. Martin’s annual Eco Fair will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. this Sunday, March 30^th. Celebrate spring with the Climate Action Team (CAT), Children, Youth, and Families (CYF), and Building and Grounds (B&G).

Join us for tasty treats, seed-planting and fun activities with CYF, a tour of our beautiful campus and information on future eco-friendly projects with B&G, earthwork art displays by St. Martin's parishioners, and updates from from Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light (PAIPL), a St. Martin’s partner doing wonderful work on climate resiliency. To learn more about the PAIPL annual Bike and Hike this spring, you can go to paipl.us for more details, or reach out to PAIPL Southeast Pennsylvania Organizer and Outreach Coordinator, Tyler Fowler at tyler@paipl.org. For more information about the Eco Fair, email Jason Martin at jason.martin.temple@gmail.com or The Rev. Luke Selles at lselles@stmartinec.org

A Holy Eucharist for Transgender Day of Visibility

This Upcoming Monday, March 31st at 6:00 p.m.

Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church on 22nd St.

2212 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

The Rev. Luke Selles will be presiding at a festive Holy Eucharist hosted by Trinity Memorial Church downtown in honor of Trans Day of Visibility. Allies are welcome to join! There is no parking lot, so be sure to carpool, arrive early, or search for a parking space in advance with SpotAngels.

During Lent our Wednesday Food & Fellowship meals are centered around a simple meal of soup and bread. For the remaining Wednesdays in Lent, you are invited to help create these community meals by bringing either:

1) a soup that could feed 8-10 people or 2) a loaf of bread

We are looking to include both gluten-free and vegetarian options for each meal. Please contact Lorie Hershey at lhershey@stmartinec.org if you would like to contribute on one April 2nd or 9th. Thank you!

Lenten Altar Branches

Our gratitude to Kim Kopple for creating this year’s Lenten altar arrangements. The branches are a striking contrast to our usual altar flowers, symbolically representing the stripping away of ourselves from worldly maters as we prepare our hearts and minds for the Resurrection.

Children, Youth, & Families

Youth Interest Survey (ages 8-18)

St. Martin's Youth:

The Gospel of Mark

March 30, April 6, and April 13, 4-5 p.m. in the Library

Watch and discuss a stage adaptation of the most dramatic retelling of the Gospel, the story of Jesus’ life and death. For youth ages 10-18.

St. Martin's Youth:

Game Night!

Sunday, April 6, 6-7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall

Join us for pizza, snacks, games in the Parish Hall. Children and youth of all ages are welcome! There will be ping-pong, card games, board games, and more but feel free to bring your favorite game with you!

VBS 2025:

Come Grow with Us!

Monday, June 24th-Friday, June 27th. Click on the poster to learn more!

St. Martin’s Art Fair & Auction

Sunday, May 4 | A Celebration of Creativity!

Join us for a joyful day of art, music, food, and community as we celebrate 135 years of creativity St. Martin’s—including paintings, rare books, photography, musical scores, vinyl collections, and more!

Do you have any artwork you want to sell? Something you wish to donate? Maybe you want to create a piece of art to sell in this Fair & Auction? Get in touch with our Director of Music & Arts, Tyrone Whiting: twhiting@stmartinec.org or

office@stmartinec.org.

Midday Art Activities

Silent Auction: 1:00–4:30 PM

Live Auction: 4:30–5:30 PM

And there's more!

Food & Beverages

Creativity Stations for All Ages

Door Prizes & Raffles

Whether you’re an artist, art lover, collector, or just looking for a great community event, our Art Fair and Auction has something for everyone of all ages!

Volunteers needed!

Greeters, guides, cashiers, hospitality helpers, and more. Let’s make this event unforgettable—together. Please reach out if you are interested in helping!

Upcoming Music Events

Click on the images below to learn more about each event.

Call for Art:

Stations of the Cross

Stainer's The Crucifixion

Sunday, April 13th at

5:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary

Pergolesi's Stabat Mater

Tuesday, April 15th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary

Donations for Holy Week & Easter Music

Music plays a vital role in our Holy Week and Easter celebrations, deepening our worship and enhancing our celebration of the Resurrection. This year, alongside our Stainer Crucifixion and Pergolesi Stabat Mater concerts we welcome back the Fairmount String Quartet to play for the Good Friday Seven Last Words service and Easter Day, when they will be joined by the excellent young trumpeter, Aidan Peterson. We will also welcome back the Positive Movement Drumline on Palm Sunday.

Your generous support makes it possible to sustain and enhance our music and arts ministries during this most sacred season and ensure that our musicians are fairly compensated. To contribute, please click here or write “Music Fund” in the memo line of your donation.

I am very grateful for your continued and generous support of our music & arts ministries at St. Martin's. — Tyrone Whiting, Director of Music & Arts

Good News

A Big Win for Pets and their People

Thanks to all who contributed to the enormous success of the Germantown Pet Pantry last Saturday which was sponsored by the Familiar Hearts rescue in Mt. Airy.

St. Martin's parishioners donated close to 2k worth of food, toys, and supplies-- include an electric fence -- that helped support 68 pet owners and 248 pets.

A line began forming at the Boy's Club in Germantown at 6am - four hours before doors opened.

As one of the organizers said, "This is a community problem a community can solve."

All of you who helped are part of the solution we are building together. Familiar Hearts plans to have another Pet Pantry in May.

Heartfelt gratitude to all and let's keep the momentum going come May!

Take Action

Wanted: Community partners for Need in Deed classrooms

Our newest outreach partner, Need in Deed, is looking for parishioners who are willing to spend an hour in a Philadelphia public school classroom (grades 3-8) sharing their skills/ particular experience related to a social issue the students have chosen for their year-long service-learning project (i.e. food insecurity, addiction, animal abuse, homelessness.) To learn more, contact Barbara Dundon or Pam Prell (contact info in directory).

Face to Face Spring Celebration

Saturday, April 5th, at 6:00 p.m.

Chestnut Hill College

St Martin’s Ministry Partner, Face to Face, is hosting their annual spring celebration, featuring a silent auction, a raffle, “exquisite food and beverages, and the opportunity to mingle with friends,” at Chestnut Hill College on Saturday, April 5th.

If you are interested in a raffle ticket, sponsorship, ticket to the event, or more information, contact Jason Martin at jason.martin.temple@gmail.com or Mark Birdsall mdbirdsall@gmail.com, or click here and use the left sidebar to purchase tickets, see raffle items, and more. Mark Birdsall will also be selling raffle tickets this Sunday, March 30th, after the 10:30 service, or you can purchase tickets at the Face to Face table at this Sunday’s Eco Fair (Parish Hall, 8:45am-1pm). The price is $25/ticket, or $50 for 3. There is a $1,000 cash prize.

POWER Town Hall on Education Justice

Sunday, April 6th, 2:30-4:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall

Hosted by St. Martin's Local Organizing Committee

Attention: all who care about public schools and our children’s education. St. Martin’s is excited to be hosting POWER’s Northwest Philly Education Town Hall on April 6th. Please join with our members and our neighbors from other Faith Communities,

Neighborhood organizations, Public Schools, Home/School Associations and The Philadelphia Teacher's Union. Representatives Andre Carroll, Tarik Khan and Chris Rabb will be there to hear our concerns and answer questions. They want to hear from their constituents on why this is so very important. Your presence and voice matter! Please RSVP here. Click here to view the event poster.

Sermon Transcript

The Rev. Laura Palmer

March 23, 2025

The Glory of God is a Human Fully Alive

Modern life conspires against patience. And life demands answers. The gravity in our worlds is gone if we don’t know why something happened. We’re hard wired to be meaning makers, looking for explanations for questions that have stalked humanity throughout the millennium. It is a quest embedded in the human heart. Continue reading here.

Coming Up

The Last Supper by Rod Borghese (Contemporary Indigenous Ojibwe Canadian Artist)

Image:https://curiouschristian.blog/2014/03/04/jewish-jesus-art/

Connections: Passover and Holy Week Illustrated in Art

Sponsored by Interfaith Philadelphia and Wellspring

Sunday, April 6th, from 2 - 3:30 p.m. (Virtual)

In 2025, Passover and Holy Week will be observed simultaneously. Paraphrasing Krister Stendahl: “If Christians from different denominations are brothers and sisters in Christ, then we might say that Christians and Jews are cousins in faith.” This program focuses on the themes and rituals of Passover and Holy Week: significant days in closely related traditions. The presentation and discussion will feature art illustrating fascinating similarities and notable differences in the themes and rituals being observed.

Facilitator: Rev. John B. Hougen, PhD, Co-chair of Wellspring at St. Martin’s and Coordinator of Interfaith Philadelphia’s series, the Art of Interfaith Understanding.