Funerals and Burials
A Celebration of Life
End of life and burial services at St. Martin’s is open to all people. Please contact the clergy so we can minister to you or your loved one during illness and at the time of death.
Funeral Planning for the Bereaved
Burial services will follow the Rites for Burial in the Book of Common Prayer, involve the clergy of St. Martin’s, and require at least one planning meeting with the clergy beforehand. The Burial Office is a celebration of the resurrection, therefore we do not allow for open caskets in the church. If a pre-plan was not created, families of the deceased may use our funeral worksheet with the assistance of the clergy.
Pre-Planning: for the Living
If you would like to pre-plan your funeral please let us know. You can download our Living Wishes form to fill in and mail back to us, or contact a member of the clergy and we will assist you. We will keep your wishes on file in our church office. Please also consider our Planned Giving options at this time.
Fees
There is no fee for the clergy or the facility for the funeral service. Required fees include the services of the music director, sexton, and altar guild. There are additional charges for optional offerings such as musicians, bulletin preparation, and candle poles. Additional fees are also charged related to receptions and the Mary Hare Taylor Knight Memorial Columbarium.
"Remember St. Martin's" Financial stewardship is an important component of a balanced spiritual life. Returning to God that which God has given us is a tangible way to express and grow our faith. Making Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (hereafter, “St. Martin’s” or “the church”) part of your estate planning is one way to continue your generosity to the church after your death. The Mary Hare Taylor Knight Memorial Columbarium on St. Martin’s grounds, is available for those who plan to be cremated. This beautiful, sacred space is tucked between the sanctuary and attached Mary Chapel, on a quiet, inside portion of our grounds. Lovingly maintained by volunteer gardeners and landscapers, as well as our sexton, this is an enduring place for your family and friends to return to for comfort and memory.Planned Giving
Mary Hare Taylor Knight Memorial Columbarium
Funeral Planning Resources
Living Wishes Form
Funeral Service Planning sheet (for families of the deceased)
Lessons Appointed for Burial of the Dead
Suggested Funeral Hymns
Funeral and Memorial Service Fees
Contact a Member of the Clergy
The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel (he/him) was educated at Northwestern University, the University of Chicago and Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He was ordained Priest in 1995 in Danville, Pennsylvania where he worked as a Hospital Chaplain and a Head Start teacher. Pastoral positions followed at the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Flossmoor, Illinois, St. Paul and the Redeemer in Chicago, and then Rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Park Ridge, Illinois. After following his wife, the Rev. Dr. Alison Boden, to her new position in Princeton, New Jersey, he was called to be the Executive Director of the Crisis Ministry of Mercer County. The largest food pantry and the gateway agency for Homelessness Prevention services in Mercer County, the Crisis Ministry also runs a Welfare to Work program and an innovative free farmers market. Jarrett became Rector of St. Martin’s in February 2011. He formerly served as the co-chair of Philadelphians Organized to Witness Empower and Rebuild (POWER). Jarrett serves as Dean of the Wissahickon Deanery and is an Associate of the Order of the Holy Cross. He is an Adjunct Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary where he co-teaches a regular class on Faith Based Community Organizing, Theology and Practice. Jarrett has been published in Sojourners, the Huffington Post, Yours the Power, and the Journal of Public Theology. He is the father of two children, Timothy and Martha. Barbara (she/her) joined St.
Martin’s in 2014. In June
Barbara’s family moved from State College to Philadelphia, where her husband
works at Drexel University. They’re excited to be a part of St. Martin’s
vibrant faith community. Barbara’s family includes her husband, Jess, adult
son, Jesse, and high school-aged daughter, Hannah. Non-human family members
include Tara the rat and Oakley the dog. Barb began
seminary in the fall of 2017. Read more here. In June 2019, Barb was ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church,
on her path to full priestly ordination later in the year. Read more about becoming a deacon here. On Friday, December 13, 2019, Barbara was ordained to the Priesthood at St. Martin's.The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel
Former Rector
(215) 247-7466 ext. 101 | The Rev. Barbara Ballenger
Associate Rector
(215) 247-7466 ext. 102 |
Barbara hales originally from northeast Ohio, where she grew up and went to
school. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Kent State
University and a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Ursuline College.
Barbara’s ministry background is based largely in the Roman Catholic Church
where she worked for more than 17 years in a variety of faith-based positions,
including parish faith formation director, campus minister, newspaper reporter
and program coordinator for Catholic Relief Services. She also worked for eight
years in a performing arts ministry as a retreat leader, songwriter and
storyteller.
Most recently Barbara worked for Episcopal Relief & Development as a
training coordinator in US Disaster Preparedness and Response. She joined the
Episcopal Church in 2010, with the long-term goal of priestly ordination.
Woven through her work in ministry is a passion for social, economic and
environmental justice. Over the years, Barbara has worked on issues of peace
and non-violence, cultural understanding, global and domestic poverty,
sustainability and environmental stewardship.
For fun Barbara loves to read, make music, and turn broken things into mosaics.
You’ll probably also see her riding her bike around West Mount Airy and
Chestnut Hill. She might even stop and ask you for directions.