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

Field Notes

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Sunday Worship

March 17th, 2024

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

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

9:15 a.m. Adult Forum: Supporting Trans People

Led by Dr. Charles Zinbrick-Rogers, Gender and Sexuality Development Clinic, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

10:30 a.m. Choral Holy Eucharist

5:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross with Musical Reflections

A service of approximately 30 minutes led by prayer, scripture, art, and music.

A Note From...

A Note from the Rev. Laura Palmer

Thursday morning, I awoke at dawn. It was still completely dark outside. But as the sun began to break through, I realized the bare branches I’d been seeing from my bedroom window had a blush of pink. 

Ready or not, it’s Spring! 

Suddenly the daffodils that were tight buds on Tuesday had bloomed by Thursday. The birds were singing and singing. The snow drops finally had some company with the crocuses, and the tulips were well on their way. Year after year, the brown, barren, bulbs that I drop into the cold earth in the fall, insistently push themselves onward and upward until spring.

Why can’t we do the same? Insist on beauty, claim our hope, carry it with defiance and defy expectations? Continue reading here.

A Note from the Rev. Britta Carlson

Dear Families,



This weekend at the Adult Form we will be blessed with a visit from Dr. Charles Zimbrick-Rogers. In his work in the Adolescent Medicine Division at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Dr. Zimbrick-Rogers specializes in accompaniment with trans youth and their families as they navigate the healthcare system and the world.

I encourage all parents and caretakers of children and youth to consider attending this session that is so relevant to the experience of our kids today, whether or not they identify as transgender.

In case your family regularly attends the 9am liturgy, Deacon Carol has graciously offered to help me tend to the children while their grownups participate in the Forum.

So, please come to the sanctuary at 9am and then feel free to head over to the forum at 9:15 while we continue with our service and formation time.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Peace,

Rev. Britta

Features

Bruce Butler Memorial Bell Ringing Weekend Reception

Tomorrow, Saturday, March 16th

5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Houston Room

All are invited to join St. Martin's change ringers for a wine and appetizers reception to celebrate the Bruce Butler Memorial Bell Ringing Weekend! The reception will take place on Saturday, March 16th, beginning at 5:30 p.m. RSVPs are not needed.

This Week's Adult Forum: Supporting Trans People

March 17th at 9:15 a.m. in the Houston Room

Led by Dr. Charles Zinbrick-Rogers, Gender and Sexuality Development Clinic, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Media and politics have highlighted the presence of people who are transgender and gender non-binary in our communities and churches, and not always with compassion and welcome. In this forum we'll discuss a basic overview of gender and sexuality. We'll also reflect on how the church can create spaces that support the flourishing of people who are trans and non-binary.

Please note: There will be no Forums on March 24th (Palm Sunday) or March 31st (Easter Sunday).

Fountain from the Monastery of St. Michel-de-Cuxa, 1125 – 1150  Artist / Maker Unknown 

Medium: Marble, Height 64 ¼ “ Philadelphia Museum of Art Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. William W. Fitler in memory of her husband, 1930

Wellspring Presents:

Meditating Like a Monk: Prayerful Looking in the Cloister

Sunday March 17, 2024, from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Facilitator: Rev. John B. Hougen, PhD

Many visitors to the PMA stop to rest, meditate, and listen to the flowing waters of the fountain in the museum’s Cloister

with Elements from the Abbey of Saint- Genis-des-Fontaines. It feels like sacred space just as it did in the 1100s when a

community of monks lived in the Abbey. We will begin our time together with an introduction to monastic meditation and the art and architecture of the Cloister. After the introduction, we will observe a brief time for silent meditation and then explore the symbols carved into the stone capitals crowning the columns surrounding the cloister. In our discussion, we will try to understand what the symbols meant in the 1100s and discern if they have meaning for us today.

Cost: Sliding scale; suggested price: $25

Register here. (limit 16)

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 [email protected] or call the office and leave a message for Connie. As is St. Martin's tradition, we will also memorialize each loved one's name in our Easter service leaflets. Please submit names no later than Sunday, March 24th.

Sign Up to Bring a Treat to the Easter Vigil Feast!

All are invited and encouraged to attend the Easter Vigil service on Saturday, March 30th at 8:00 p.m., followed by our traditional Easter Vigil Feast in the Parish Hall. We also invite you to bring a small dish to contribute to the Feast! If you are interested, please sign up on the clipboards in the back of the church. Contact Kate Maus at [email protected]g with any questions.

Sermon Transcript

The Rev. Laura Palmer

March 10, 2024

Nic at Night

Shortly after he arrived for a visit a few years ago, I was helping my brother, Mark, unpack. In a zippered pocket I found him emerging from water after his born-again baptism. Imagine my surprise!

I knew he went to church on Sundays with others from his program, but I had no idea of the born again aspect to his faith. Yet I knew exactly how it happened: Mark, whose developmental disability guarantees that he’ll always be an outsider will always say “yes” to anything that makes him part of something. What’s a quick dunk if it makes you more likely to belong and besides, there may be donuts or pizza involved.

Mark also worships at a nearby Catholic Church on Saturdays with others from his program and I knew they always had communion. Once when I was with him during a brief hospitalization one of the priests from that church came to visit him. When I said we had grown-up in Evanston, Illinois, he asked what parish we’d belonged to. I said we went to the Methodist Church. The priest looked aghast. “You mean he’s not Catholic?” No, I said. “Well then he shouldn’t be receiving communion.”  

I don’t remember exactly what I said, probably because even I would be shocked by how I shot back at the priest about who’s in and who’s out. But I have no regrets.

Continue reading here.

An Invitation from the Director of Music & Arts

I wish to thank you all for your continued support and upholding of our Music & Arts ministries at St. Martin's. Your encouragement, compliments, ideas, and contributions are so greatly appreciated by me, our music staff, and all our volunteer musicians. Thank you, thank you! I want to invite you all to three facets of our Music & Arts Ministries. 

Firstly, I wish to invite you all to attend a Choir Rehearsal. We rehearse every Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.. I want to open the doors to you all for some or all of that time each week. Each rehearsal contains so much more than music-making. We discuss liturgy, the world, science, art, literature, and much more. Explore the behind-the-scenes of our choir. 

On March 24, at 5 p.m. our choir will join forces with and at Christ Church, Philadelphia, to sing a beautiful service for Passiontide. Featuring our excellent section leaders, and the amassed voices of both ensembles, it promises to be a wonderful evening of scripture and music. Parking is limited around Christ Church so please do plan your travel. Gather with some friends and carpool to support the choir! 

Finally, I invite you to give to our Music & Arts ministries as you are able, particularly in support of our Fairmount String Quartet and guest brass musicians for Easter Sunday. All contributions to our Music Fund, great and small, are received with deep gratitude and all gifts are acknowledged. Click here to give.

Cantate Domino!



Tyrone Whiting

Director of Music & Arts 

Coming Up

Lenten Breakfasts & Spiritual Journeys

Every Friday in Lent from 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Please join us Friday mornings in Lent for light breakfast and a chance to hear the powerful spiritual journeys of your fellow parishioners. If you are interested in sharing your journey, please contact the Rev. Laura Palmer. Each week will also have plenty of time for informal reflections. Bagels and coffee will be provided. RSVPs are not required.

Stations of the Cross

Each Sunday of Lent at 5:00 p.m.

Join us for a short service of prayer, music, and art in meditation on the Stations of the Cross. A 15 minute musical reflection follows each service.

March 17th: Tyrone Whiting, Piano

Kindling Faith: Annual Nolde Human Rights Lecture

Featured Speaker: Anthony Ray Hinton

Monday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m.

In Person at United Lutheran Seminary and via livestream (register to receive link)

Anthony Ray Hinton was wrongfully convicted of a double murder and spent 30 years on Alabama’s death row. With the assistance of the Equal Justice Initiative, he was freed in 2015. Hinton will discuss his book The Sun Does Shine: How I found Life and Freedom on Death Row. Signed copies will be available for $15.00. This event is free and open to the public. Click here to learn more or register.

Holy Week and Easter Service Times

Palm Sunday: March 24th

8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and

5 p.m. Passiontide service with Christ Church, Philadelphia

Maundy Thursday: March 28th

7:00 p.m.

Good Friday: March 29th

12:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m. Seven Last Words

Feat. music from the Fairmount String Quartet

Easter Vigil: March 30th

8:00 p.m., with Vigil feast to follow

Easter Sunday: March 31st

8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:15 a.m.

Vacation Bible School: Songs of Creation

Mon., June 17th - Fri., June 21st

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

This year's Vacation Bible School invites children to come celebrate the wonders of the earth! Our theme, Songs of Creation, is inspired by Psalm 150:6, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” We will explore the incredible ways people care for creation and celebrate it. Join us for a week of games, crafts, stories of faith, and lots of music!

Please contact the Rev. Britta Carlson for more information.

Email: [email protected]

Weekday Morning Prayer

Join on Facebook or Zoom for weekday Morning Prayer at 7:30 a.m.

Biblical Studies on Zoom or by phone

Monday and Tuesday sessions. Link up!