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, September 13, 2026

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Spoken)

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

Back indoors!

10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music

Also via livestream here

Followed by Worship Reflections (in person only)

This Sunday's Readings

Exodus 14:19-31 | Psalm 114 | Romans 14:1-12 | Matthew 18:21-35

Rector's Note

This past weekend was a glorious one for St Martin’s, with Mac and Nigel’s wedding bringing in visitors and old St Martin’s members from near and far to celebrate the day. The joy spilled into Sunday, with several out-of-town folk remaining for regular worship services.

Some unhappy realities also happened this weekend. Two people had their car windows smashed during services, one on Saturday and one Sunday, with bags that had been stowed under the seat taken. One car was parked in the parking lot, and the other on St Martins Lane in front of Hilary House. 

A few days after the wedding, we learned that a few wedding guests tested positive for COVID. 

No one was hurt in the car thefts. No one has gotten seriously ill from COVID. Yet these are stressful events that mar the otherwise joyous time we had together. 

Both of these things are a reminder to take care. Continue reading here.

Features

Upcoming Memorial Service for Nate Pierce

This Saturday, September 12th

11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary

Followed by Reception in the Parish Hall

Click here to read Nate's obituary.

Farewell Celebration & Purse Gift for the Rev. Luke Selles

Sunday, September 27th

Rev. Luke's last Sunday at St. Martin's will be Sept 27. They will preach and preside, and we will celebrate them and all they have done for and with our community with a festive coffee hour after the 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services! If you would like to contribute to a purse gift for Rev. Luke, please click here. Click the drop down menu and select "Purse Gifts".

Next Week's Adult Forum:

Saint Augustine of Hippo: Profile of A Restless Christian

Wednesday, Sept. 16th

7:00 p.m. (Houston Room & Zoom here)

Meeting ID: 892 4660 1988

Passcode: 074688

Parishioner Michael Cameron will talk about a church father, who despite living 1600 years ago, is having a moment. Contemporary musicians and politicians invoke his words. Pope Leo XIV speaks openly of his indebtedness to Augustine's teaching and its formative influence on his life . What are the essentials of Augustine's teaching? What does he offer to Christians seeking to live a serious life of faith today? This Wednesday Forum will dip into Augustine's works seeking answers to questions large and small. 

Michael is Professor Emeritus of Historical Theology at the University of Portland, Oregon. He has taught, written, and edited works on Saint Augustine and the Bible for more than 30 years, including a book, Christ Meets Me Everywhere: Augustine's Early Figurative Exegesis (Oxford, 2012). 

Realm Is Now Live!

St. Martin's has officially moved to our new church record-keeping software, Realm. With Realm, we’ll have more ways to communicate and connect as a church. Realm will make it easier for members of ministries to communicate with each other, parishioners to track their giving, and parishioners to securely access an online directory. All parishioners should have received an email from Realm with a link to access their online profile and opt-in to the online Directory. If you did not receive this email (it may have gone to spam), please alert our Director of Administration, Lorie Hershey: lhershey@stmartinec.org.

Exploring Spirituality with Wellspring—An Afternoon Retreat

Saturday, September 26th

12:00 - 4:00 p.m.

This no-cost retreat begins with free lunch at noon in the Houston Room, followed by three one-hour sessions that explore spirituality from different perspectives.

• 1-2 p.m. Liturgical Symbols: See how the symbols of our liturgy draw us to the Holy by experiencing them in the context of poetry and music. (Presented by a team of St. Martin’s liturgical ministers)

• 2-3 p.m. Mystical Teaching: Learn how the spiritual mystic, Rudolf Steiner, continues to inspire the spiritual development of students and teachers in Waldorf schools. (Presented by Laura and Mark Birdsall, seasoned Waldorf teachers)

• 3-4 p.m. Praying the Psalms: Discover the subtle power of the Psalms as they express our deepest desires and transform our hearts in the life of prayer. (Presented by Michael Cameron).

Come for lunch and stay for all three sessions, or drop in on a single session that interests you. Please RSVP if you will join us for lunch: loriesimmons@comcast.net

Children, Youth, & Families

St. Martin's Church School 

Starting Sunday, Sept 13th

Weekly on Sundays, 9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

Church School will resume on September 13th! Join us immediately following the 9 a.m. service in Hilary House, around 9:45 a.m., for time with Bible stories and stories of our faith. To learn more about Godly Play, the curriculum that we will be using for ages 4-12, you can click here.

A Faithful Journey: Preparing for Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation

This fall, St. Martin's will offer confirmation classes for youth and adults. All seekers, age 12 and over, are welcome to join us between the 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. service for five Sundays: Sept. 20th and 27th; Oct. 11th and 18th; and Nov. 8th. If you are interested in making a public confirmation or reaffirmation of your baptismal vows or being received into the Episcopal Church at the end of this course, please fill out this form. All are welcome to join for one or all of the five parish-wide sessions and the additional opportunities even if you are unsure about being confirmed/received. Click here for more details.

Welcoming Back Our Choir & Choristers!

After a well-deserved summer break, our Adult Choir returns to the 10:30 a.m. service this Sunday, September 13th! Our Choristers Children's Choir also resumed rehearsals last night and will support our 9 a.m. service every second Sunday of the month, starting with this Sunday's service!

If you are interested in joining the Choir, or know a child who loves to sing, please email Tyrone Whiting, Director of Music & Arts, at twhiting@stmartinec.org

Do You Want to Join Our Handbell Ensemble?  

The Handbell Ensemble of St. Martin's rehearses each Thursday at 6:00 p.m. and performs throughout the year at various Feast Days and other services/events. Potential ringers should be familiar with music notation. Please contact me at twhiting@stmartinec.org and/or Wendy Leaver, Volunteer Handbell Leader, at braidedset@gmail.com. 

Campanas Domino pulsate!

— Tyrone Whiting, Director of Music & Arts 

Take Action

What’s Happening in Haiti Now: Beyond Borders Forum

On Wednesday September 30 at 7 p.m., Beyond Borders Co-Chair Coleen Hedglin will visit St. Martin’s to eat supper with us and share the work of her organization. We will view the brand-new documentary that captures the heart of Beyond Borders’ movements to overcome poverty, prevent violence and develop leaders in Haiti. Shot in June during a stretch of intense heat (and months since the last rainfall), the short film tells the story of our interwoven programming through the personal lens of one woman’s life and lived experience. Continue reading here.

St Martin’s Successful Guatemala Scholarship Drive

Muchas Gracias, Saint Martin’s parishioners, for your support through the pledge drive for the 2027 San Juan Apostol Scholarship Fund and the Totonicapán Scholarship Fund. Sixty-eight pledges totaling $18,110 were received for the Guatemala Student Scholarship Drive in the month of June. This year we exceeded our goal of $15,000! Without your help, these students would not be able to go to school. Your support opens the door to a better future for them and provides hope to their families and communities.

So far $10,245 in pledged funds have been received. Pledges may be paid via the St Martin’s website or via the plate. If pledges are paid via the online payment option, please use the “Guatemala Scholarship” choice in the drop-down box, when paying the pledge. If a check is provided via the collection plate, please write “Guatemala Scholarship” in the memo section of your check. 



Pledges are kindly due by September 30th. Donations are accepted even if you did not have the opportunity to pledge during the scholarship drive. Thank you to everyone who supports this wonderful mission!

Sermons

The Rev. Dr. Mary Barber

The Wedding of Mac Prell and Nigel Law

Sat., Sept. 5th

Click here.

The Rev. Luke Selles

The 15th Sunday after Pentecost

Sun., Sept. 6th

Click here.

Coming Up

First Meeting of Wellspring's Spiritual Classics Book Group

Saturday, October 3rd, at 2:30 p.m.

Our new Spiritual Classics book group will hold its inaugural meeting on Oct. 3rd at the home of parishioner Lorie Simmons in Mt. Airy. We will discuss Henri J. M. Nouwen's book, The Return of the Prodigal Son, A Story of Homecoming. After the discussion we will decide what titles to read next and when and where to meet in the future! Please contact Lorie Simmons with any questions and for the exact address: loriesimmons@comcast.net.

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 - Fridays 7-8 p.m. (Houston Room)

4 - Sundays 8-9 p.m. (Houston Room)