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.

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, March 15th, 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

Also via livestream here

Followed by Worship Reflections in the Houston Room

5:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross

Music Reflection by Michael Miller, Bass-Baritone

This Sunday's Readings

1 Samuel 16:1-13 | Ephesians 5:8-14 | John 9:1-41 | Psalm 23

Rector's Note

There is so much going on at St Martin’s. One indication of that is the length of our e-newsletter! If you don’t realize that you need to click on the link at the end of an article or at the end of your feed, you may be missing some of the many announcements and offerings in Field Notes every week.

But neither do you have to know about or do everything. Lent might be a good time to just sample something new, to take a little step into this faith community. Continue reading here.

Stephen Ministry Retreat

Features

Stations of the Cross

Each Sunday in Lent at 5:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary

Join us for a short service of prayer, music, provided by St. Martin's professional musicians, in meditation on the Stations of the Cross. A 15 minute musical reflection follows the service

• March 15th: Michael Miller - Bass-Baritone
• March 22nd: Lisa Wooldridge - Soprano

St. Martin's Reconnection Ministry

Please join us this Saturday, March 14th, from 12 p.m. -

1:45 p.m. in the Parish Hall to be a part of our new Reconnection Ministry and participate in our Lunch & Learn Conversation.

This ministry is designed to identify and re-engage those households that have stopped attending St. Martin’s regularly, and where appropriate, reach out with a phone call to check in, e.g., “I haven’t seen you at St. Martin’s in some time, I hope all is well.” 

The Lunch & Learn Conversation will provide tips on making these calls and sharing the exciting news about what’s happening at St. Martin’s. We’ll wrap up each conversation with an invitation to join us at St. Martin’s on Easter Sunday, April 5th. Continue reading here.

Follow the Bread Crumbs: A Conversation about Fasting

This Sunday, March 15th

9:40 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. in the Houston Room

Join Sarah O'Connor and Rev. Luke for a parish community conversation about fasting: what is it, what does the Bible have to say about it, and what role does it play in our life with Jesus? This is an introductory conversation and reflection as we "follow the bread crumbs" and explore the spiritual purpose of fasting: bring your questions, stories, ideas.

Welcome Desk Volunteers

Have you ever wondered about the people who sit at the table on weekdays in the Parish House lobby? Would you like to be more involved in the life of our parish? Do you have 3 hours during the week to join the group of Welcome Desk Volunteers?

The Welcome Desk volunteers assist St. Martin’s staff with a variety of tasks that make the Parish Office run smoothly. In addition to answering the phone and welcoming visitors, volunteers may help with mailings, change the letters on our signs, launder tablecloths and keep the public areas of the Parish House in good order. Each volunteer covers the Welcome Desk once a week for a 3 hour shift in the morning or afternoon. Training is provided and staff or clergy are always in the Parish House during the hours volunteers work so you are never alone in the building. If this sounds appealing to you, please contact Kate Maus at katemaus@gmail.com or (267) 253-7755.

Save the dates and stay tuned for complete details next week!

Palm Sunday: March 29

• 8 a.m. Spoken Holy Eucharist with Palms & Passion Gospel
• 10:30 a.m. Choral Holy Eucharist with Palms & Passion Gospel

Ft. Positive Movement Drumline

• 5 p.m. Palm Sunday Concert: The Choirs of St. Martin's & Christ Church, Phila.

At Christ Church: 20 N American St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Holy Tuesday: March 31

• 7 p.m. Stabat Mater Concert

Ft. Fairmount Chamber Ensemble

Tickets here. Proceeds help support our Music & Arts ministries and Easter music!

Holy Wednesday: April 1

• 7 p.m. Taizé Tenebrae Service

Maundy Thursday: April 2

• 7 p.m. Choral Holy Eucharist with Foot Washing
• 8:30 p.m. Altar of Repose

Please sign up here to keep vigil at the altar in the Mary Chapel for approx. one hour.

There are three different shifts to choose from.

Good Friday: April 3

• 12 p.m. Communion with Sung Passion & Veneration of the Cross
• 7 p.m. Seven Last Words of Christ

Ft. Fairmount String Quartet

Saturday Vigil: April 4

• 8 p.m. Choral Holy Eucharist
• 10 p.m. Vigil Feast

Please sign up to bring a dish using the clipboards in the church!

Easter Sunday: April 5

• 8 a.m. Spoken Holy Eucharist
• 9 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music & Pageant

Followed by Easter Egg Hunt at ~10:15 a.m.!

• 11:15 a.m. Festival Choral Holy Eucharist

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 by including their name in our Easter service leaflets. Please submit names no later than next Friday, March 20th.

Snapshots

On the first Saturday of Lent, two St. Martin's families served our neighbors a meal at Face to Face, decorating belated Valentine's Day heart cookies and assembling plates of food, which some of us took out to each table in the dining hall. We look forward to serving another meal at Face to Face in July as part of a regular CYF community service day starting in April on every 3rd Saturday: stay tuned for more details. -Rev. Luke

Children, Youth, & Families

St. Martin's Families: Bowling with St. Luke's, Germantown

This Saturday, March 14th

4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Lucky Strike Feasterville

100 E Street Rd, Feasterville, PA 19053 

All ages are invited to join families from St. Luke's, Germantown for bowling! Cost is $14 per person, which includes two hours of bowling, shoe rental, and food (available buffet-style) through the event. Please email Rev. Luke, lselles@stmartinec.org, to RSVP by March 13th.

Family Movie Night: The Prince of Egypt (1998)

Next Sunday, March 22nd from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Families are invited to join for a movie night featuring a classic musical retelling of the biblical Exodus out Egypt focusing on Moses, the unlikely hero and prophet. This story is central to our faith, to both the Jewish celebration of Passover as well as our celebration of Easter, and it's also thrilling. Snacks will be provided! Learn more about the movie here.

Lenten Quiet Day for Families

Saturday, March 28th from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

At St. Paul's Episcopal Church

22 E Chestnut Hill Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118

Join us in the sanctuary at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on March 28th, Join us at St. Paul’s in the church on March 28th, the Saturday before Palm Sunday, for a time of sacred story, play, and prayer for all ages as we prepare together for the joy of Easter. A collaboration between St. Paul's, Chestnut Hill and the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Please email Mother Madeleine (madeleine@stpaulschestnuthill.org) or Rev. Luke (lselles@stmartinec.org) with any questions.

Support Parish Family During Surgery Recovery

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

Bruce Butler Memorial Bell Ringing Weekend Reception

Next Saturday, March 21

5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Houston Room 

All are invited to join St. Martin's change ringers for a reception to celebrate the 4th Annual Bruce Butler Memorial Bell Ringing Weekend. The reception will take place on Saturday, March 21st, beginning at 5:30 p.m. RSVPs are not necessary. Ringers from all around the country and the UK will be in attendance and would love to meet some of the parish!

Call for Art: Stations of the Cross

St. Martin's is looking for Artists and Creators to help create a series of artworks to form a Stations of the Cross Exhibition for Lent. Artists should create works which respond to the title and/or text of the fourteen Stations of the Cross Titles & Texts which can be accessed here. Any form of art is accepted, from photography, to small sculpture, folk art to fine art, and all in between! Artwork is welcome from amateurs and professionals, children and adults! An honorarium of the most engaging work will be made in three categories: professional ($300), amateur ($200), and children/youth ($100). Contact Tyrone Whiting, Director of Music & Arts, at twhiting@stmartinec.org for questions and submissions. Please submit artwork by April 1st.

Stabat Mater - Pergolesi & Rheinberger

Tuesday, March 31st at 7:00 p.m.

Ft. The Choir of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the Fairmount Chamber Ensemble

Join us for a contemplative evening featuring Pergolesi and Rheinberger’s settings of the Stabat Mater. This concert brings together sacred text and powerful music in the resonant space of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, where worship and the arts meet.

Your presence supports our inclusive community of prayer, music, and outreach. Come listen, reflect, and share in a time of beauty and quiet hope.

Tickets are available here. Proceeds help support our Music & Arts ministries and Easter Music.

Take Action

Please Donate to the March Germantown Pet Pantry!

Familiar Hearts Animal Society is hosting their next Pet Pantry on March 28th. Lack of resources is the number one reason people surrender their pets - let's help make sure that doesn't happen! Please consider donating pet food, cat litter, leashes, carriers, flea and tick ointment, etc., or you can make a financial donation here. Donations are kindly requested by end of day Thursday, March 26th, so we can deliver them on Friday morning. Please bring your donation to the Parish House. Thank you, thank you!

Sermon

The Rev. Dr. Mary Barber

3.8.26 - Lent 3

Today’s Gospel is a healing balm for these times. Two people from different sides of a border meet. But there are no missiles thrown, no bombs dropped, no one’s leader is kidnapped or beheaded. No one is thrown into a police car and sent to prison. Instead the two people talk to each other. They see each other. They both leave the encounter changed. Continue reading here.

Coming Up

Next Week's Adult Forum

Wednesday, March 18th

7:00 p.m. in the Houston Room & via Zoom here

2026 and You: Breaking Bread and Breaking Barriers

Led by Chris Statullo

Chris Satullo will give the St. Martin's community an interactive introduction to the huge project that the Welcoming Center of Philadelphia is doing throughout the city in 2026, tying together the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the immigration/citizenship controversy.  The initiative is bring more than 700 Philadelphians from the city's most immigrant-rich neighborhoods to break bread together, to talk about what makes a good meal, what makes a good neighbor and what makes a good citizen.  The end goal is to craft a Philly-flavored "recipe for 21st-century citizenship," to be unveiled on Independence Mall on Sept. 17, Constitution Day.

Lenten Food & Fellowship Soup Dinners

Every Wednesday in Lent at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall

During Lent our Food & Fellowship dinners will center around connection over a simple meal of soup and bread. You are invited to help create these community meals by bringing either: 1) a soup that feeds 8-10 people; or 2) a loaf of bread, pan of cornbread, or rolls. We are looking for gluten-free and vegetarian contributions for each meal. If you would like to contribute on March 18th or 25th, please email Lorie Hershey at lhershey@stmartinec.org.

St. Martin's To Be Honored at St. James School's Dr. Audrey Evans Benefit Event

Wednesday, May 20th, from 6:00-9:00 p.m.

We are excited to share that St. Martin's will be honored at the 2026 Dr. Audrey Evans Benefit, alongside the Epiphany School of Dorchester, Massachusetts.

This year’s theme, “Sharing the Spark,” reflects how small acts of kindness and faithful service can kindle lasting hope and inspire others to share their spark. Members of St. Martin’s are invited to take advantage of early access to tickets and sponsorship opportunities here. For questions, contact Gillian Golson, Annual Giving Manager at ggolson@stjamesphila.org or (484) 224-3891.

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 p.m. (Library)

Al Anon

Sundays 6-7 p.m. (Houston Room)

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

1 - Tuesdays 8-10 p.m. (Houston Room)

2 - Thursdays 6:30-9 p.m. (Houston Room)

3 - Sundays 8-10 p.m. (Houston Room)