The Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields is an Episcopal parish in the Diocese of Pennsylvania that is centered on the worship of God, the ministry of all baptized persons, and the call to be agents of Christ’s love in the world.
Contact
Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
8000 St. Martin’s Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19118
215.247.7466

The Rev. Louis H. Temme

ONGOING ADULT FORMATION EXPERIENCES

Wednesdays Holy Eucharist and Healing
Each Wednesday the Holy Eucharist, with laying on of hands for healing, is celebrated at 12:00 noon in the Chapel.

Thursdays Centering Prayer
Anyone interested in the ‘prayer of silence’ (centering or contemplative prayer) with a small group is invited to come to the chapel on Thursday evenings, 6:45 - 7:30. We begin by listening to a portion of a teaching on prayer, spend half an hour in silent prayer, and end with a brief opportunity for comments.

Sept. - May Books and Banter
Second Tuesday of the Month
The St Martin’s Book Group offers adventures in reading and lively discussion. If you are open to reading a wide
variety of books, both fiction and nonfiction, then this is the group for you! The St Martin’s Book Group meets the
Second Tuesday of every month, at 7.30 pm in the Parish Library. For information on the current selection of books, contact Barbara Baumgartner at 215.849.8783.

Oct. - May The Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke
Thursday Mornings
Following the outline of the Gospel of Mark, the texts of Matthew and Luke are read in parallel comparison with Mark. In succeeding sessions, the texts are read in sequence following the order that has been preserved for more than 2000 year. Led by Helen White, participants are encouraged to respond to the texts with questions that evoke discussion and conversation. This class will be covering the second half of the Gospel accounts, beginning at the critical midpoint just before Jesus ‘… turns his face to go to Jerusalem…’ All are encouraged to read the texts as if for the first time, evoking the possibility of fresh insight and discovery; perhaps even doing so with a beginner’s mind. There is no addi- tional preparation outside of class. This group meets on Thursday mornings, beginning October 8, 7.30 – 9 am in the Parish Library.

Oct. - June Education for Ministry (EfM)
Thursday Mornings
This four-year course from the School of Theology of the University of the South offers a comprehensive program for those who desire more intense study. The emphasis is on examining solid biblical and theological material and apply- ing it to one’s own life and ministry in the world. About 2-4 hours of work each week, outside the weekly seminar
sessions, are required in order for participants to take maximum advantage of the course. The group will meet on Thursday mornings at 9:30 am in the Parish Library, beginning on October 1. The cost for the program is $340 per year. Please call Cathy Cowling, 215.247.7466, with questions about EFM.

Oct. - May The Acts of the Apostles
Saturday Mornings
The Acts of the Apostles is the second book of Luke, in which the evangelist tells a dramatic story of the birth and ex- pansion of the church, from the time of the ascension of Jesus until the arrival of Paul in Rome. It is Luke’s own dra- matic account of the earliest memories of the forming church and stands along from the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Participants learn early on that after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, events in Jerusalem flow quickly. Though titled ’Acts of the Apostles’, it is primarily the story of Jesus’ closest disciple, Peter, and a man named Paul, who could never claim a personal relationship with Jesus, save through his dramatic conversion on the road to Damas- cus. Led by Helen White, this class meets on Saturday mornings, beginning October 17, 9 - 10:15 am in the Parish Library.

Jan. - May Niebuhr’s Moral Man and Immoral Society:
Alternate Tuesday Evenings A Study in Ethics and Politics
Moral Man and Immoral Society is Reinhold Niebuhr’s foundational early study in ethics and politics. Forthright and realistic, it discusses the inevitability of social conflict, the brutal behavior of human collectives of every sort, and, ultimately, how individual morality can overcome social immorality. This seminal work which has influenced the likes of Martin Luther King and President Obama is offered for those who wish to tackle a major theological work. This class will meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, beginning January 12, and will require outside reading.