Prepare for New Life with Wellspring
This Saturday
Why do I put ashes on my forehead on Ash Wednesday?

Saturday, March 20
9:00 a.m. on Zoom

The Rev. Barb Ballenger posed a follow-up question in her Ash Wednesday sermon when she also asked, "The trickier question is what of me is not dust? And what remains when everything goes back to dust?" These questions can lead us deeply into ourselves and our relationship with God. 

All women are welcome to this seasonal mini-retreat with Wellspring at St. Martin's. Each gathering invites spiritual reflection inspired by the church season. Through the gifts of silent reflection and deep listening, participants share and receive each other in the stories they tell.
Holy Week in Art

Tuesday, March 23
7:00 p.m. on Zoom

Anticipating Holy Week (March 28 – April 3), participants will explore how each artist becomes a spiritual guide for us by including details and perspectives that invite our contemplation.

Dr. John Hougen returns as facilitator in conjunction with Interfaith Philadelphia. Cost is $10.

Image:  The Mocking of Christ; Follower of Hieronymus Bosch, Netherlandish, c. 1450 – 1516; Date: 16th century; Philadelphia Museum of Art Credit Line: John G. Johnson Collection, 1917.
The Power of Story

Weekly on Wednesdays, April 7-21
7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Zoom.

Stories frame our lives. Stories we grow into have the power to inspire us, to give us direction, and to impart values and vision.

In this workshop we will explore the power of stories. Using a process from Ignatian spirituality, we will deepen our understanding of stories from both the Christian and the Native American traditions. We will then look to stories that are personally meaningful and have the potential to guide our continued spiritual development.
Bedtime Stories for Lent and Easter

March 21, April 2, April 18 and May 2, premiering at 5 p.m. on YouTube.

Our Parents Connecting group will again offer seasonal bedtime stories during late Lent and Easter season for parents and children. The programs, which can be viewed any time after their premier on St. Martin’s YouTube Channel, are about 10 to 15 minutes.

Providing a gentle way to mark our church seasons, the sessions begin with some seasonal music followed by a story read aloud quietly with a lit candle nearby. Families are encouraged to gather in their own quiet space, light a candle if desired, and listen. 

The following stories will be featured on St. Martin’s YouTube Channel, premiering at 5 p.m. All stories will have a general Easter theme and will be appropriate for children of all ages. 

  • March 21: The Saint and the Mountain Spirit  by Muntz Kounzoury
  • April 2: Robin Redbreast by Selma Lagerloff 
  • April 18: Offerus the Giant (St Christopher legend) by Jacob Streit  
  • May 2: St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio from Saints and Friendly Beasts by Abbie Farwell Brown.

Holy Week and Easter at St. Martin's

Come back to life with St. Martin's this Holy Week and Easter through in-person and live-streamed liturgies, programs, and reflections starting March 28. It culminates in an in-person Eucharist for 400 on the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy football field across the street on Easter Sunday, April 4.
St. Martin-in-the-Fields’ Wellspring Ministry assists the congregation and broader community in nurturing their spirits and deepening their relationships with God and one another through practices rooted in, or resonant with, the Christian tradition.

In quiet and unhurried ways, sometimes playful, sometimes challenging, always informed by love and acceptance, Wellspring’s programs and services foster awareness of God’s presence and provides encouragement and support for spiritual exploration.