Sermons from St. Martin-in-the-Fields

Sermon by the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel for Sunday, May 24, the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year A.

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel loves to garden, especially pulling weeds. One of his favorite plants in his garden is the ostrich fern, a plant that grows profusely, loves a shady spot, and catches the light in a way that makes them glow. He holds this image as he prays, trying to shine with God's light, glow with God's glory, the way the ferns do. It's important to realize that in the scriptures, the glory of God is where we see God most fully revealed. In John's Gospel that is on the cross. God transforms the cross - thought to be a place of shame and dishonor - into God's glory, the humble glory of self-sacrifice for others. In this time of being stripped away from work, school, church, and community, where can we seek the glory of God instead of the glory of man?

• Acts 1:6-14
• 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11
• John 17:1-11
• Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36

Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Easter 7, Year A.

Sermon by Sophia Robinson for Youth Sunday, May 17, Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A.

Sophia talks about being a teen, full of social pressure, and trying to understand the full meaning of Paul's words when he says, "For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil." She discusses the need for each of us to zoom out a bit from our lives and realize how our choices impact others.

• Acts 17:22-31
• 1 Peter 3:13-22
• John 14:15-21
• Psalm 66:7-18

Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Easter 6, Year A.

Sermon by the Rev. Barbara Ballenger for Sunday, May 10, the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year A.

The Rev. Barbara Ballenger talks about how she'd always imagined the Kingdom of God, the one described in today's readings, "In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" But how does this apply to us today, when we think of how God's places - the churches, mosques, synagogues - are empty of gathered worshippers due to COVID-19? Perhaps, Jesus' dwelling place is not where we had first imagined it, nor is it inaccessible until some future date. It is here, now.

• Acts 7:55-60
• 1 Peter 2:2-10
• John 14:1-14
• Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Easter 5, Year A.

Sermon by the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel for Sunday, May 3, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A.

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel shares one of his favorite hymns, reminding us of our own belovedness in God. He invites us to share the gift of the Gospel with others, without interpreting it or explaining it, just sharing it and letting God be present in it to do the work.

• Acts 2:42-47
• 1 Peter 2:19-25
• John 10:1-10
• Psalm 23

Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Easter 4, Year A.

The Rev. Anne Thatcher's sermon for the Third Sunday of Easter, Year A. Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net.

Stripped of everything in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is nowhere to hide. The Rev. Anne Thatcher implores us to be authentically ourselves, real, owning our vulnerability. Christ is with us in all these vulnerabilities. How open are we really, to revealing who is Jesus to us in our own lives? How do we learn to speak the truth of Christ's love without fear? Let us take this time as an opportunity to be true of who we are, and who God has created us to be, and how we are called to love.

The Rev. Carol Ducan's sermon for the Second Sunday of Easter, Year A. Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net.

The Rev. Carol Duncan says that Easter is really all time, Easter is the center of eternity. The first Easter with the disciples locked in together feels very familiar in our current COVID-19 pandemic world. So, what are the gifts that we can find even in this time?

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel tells the story of a man, "Jim", as he pastored Jim through his final days. Rev. Kerbel talks about how this man showed grace and gratitude through trusting in the promises of God, even in the midst of suffering and death.

From the Episcopal Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields's joyous celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Holy Eucharist with music including familiar Easter hymns; a song by parishioner, Scott Robinson, recorded by Mandala; and St. Martin's Treble Choir.

Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Philadelphia, PA.

A joyous celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Holy Eucharist with music including familiar Easter hymns; a song by parishioner, Scott Robinson, recorded by Mandala; and St. Martin's Treble Choir.

The Rev. Anne Thatcher, Celebrant
The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel, Preacher
The Rev. Carol Duncan, Deacon

Readers: Michael Blakeney and Michelle Williams.
Psalm 118 sung by Carolyn Green.
Intercessor: Marsha Blake.
Krystiane Cooper, Adenike Webb, John Wentz, musicians.

Jesus Christ Is Risen Today - EASTER HYMN. Words and Music - © OCP
Alleluia No. 1 descant and harmonization - Betty Carr Pulkingham, Music - ©1979 Celebration. Sung by Molly Kanevsky.

Everlasting Love by Mandala Interfaith Kirtan. Words from the Book of Isaiah. Music by Scott Robinson. From the CD Deep Mystery, available at CDBaby.com and iTunes. Used with permission.

Joy is come! - Andrew Carter, Words and Music - ©1998 Oxford University Press. Sung by St. Martin’s Treble Choir.

The Day of Resurrection - ELLACOMBE, Words and Music - © OCP

Contributing videography by William Previdi.

Contributing audio work and video for music by David Loewi.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-701187. All rights reserved.

Photographs and graphics by the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

A brief welcome to Easter with a message by the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel and music.

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel, Officiant

David Dieck, guitar

Contributing videography by William Previdi.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-701187. All rights reserved.

Photographs and graphics by the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

The Great Vigil begins in darkness outside the church on the terrace. Each person is given a candle, lit from the Paschal Candle, as we listen to the lessons recounting God’s saving acts of creation, preservation, and redemption under the Old Covenant. In them are powerful symbols of water and fire; of death and rebirth; of Passover that was, is, and is yet to come. We hear the Word, let it possess us, and actively respond in song and prayer. Please bring your own candles and bells to worship in your home.

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel, officiant

Readers: James Fairburn, Anne Swoyer, Barbara Dundon, Court vanRooten, and Lydia Ogden.

Thanks to bell ringers: The Rev. Barbara Ballenger, The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel, Lyn Loewi, Mary Button, Barbara Dundon, John Needles, and Richard and Constance Haggard.

Contributing videography by William Previdi.
Exsultet sung by Krystianne Cooper. Public domain.

Collects cantored by the Rev. Anne Thatcher. Alleluia No. 1 descant and harmonization - Betty Carr Pulkingham, Music - ©1979 Celebration. Sung by Molly Kanevsky.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-701187. All rights reserved.

Photographs and graphics by the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

This liturgy combines music and prayer as we hear the Gospel of John's account of the Lord’s trial, suffering, and death. We will engage in intense intercessory prayer for the church and for the world. It was on the cross that Jesus made his full intercession for us, and we are united with him through Baptism in that intercession. The final portions of this liturgy take place before a cross, where we praise Christ for his love, which he demonstrated on the cross.

St. John’s Passion, setting by Erik Meyer, sung by St. Martin's Choir. Soloists: Alyson Harvey, John Wentz, Krys Cooper, Matthew Vickers, and Lyndon McNall. Used with permission.

The Rev. Barbara Ballenger, preacher.

The Rev. Anne Thatcher and the Rev. Carol Duncan, solemn collects.

Were you there (harmonization) (Hymn #172) - C. Winfred Douglas, Music - ©1961 Church Publishing, Inc.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-701187. All rights reserved.

Photographs and graphics by the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

Holy Thursday, Maundy Thursday, April 9, 2020.

The Rev. Anne Thatcher, Celebrant

Intermezzo in B minor, Opus 119, no. 1 by Johannes Brahms. Ralph West, piano.

Ubi Caritas / Live in Charity - Jacques Berthier, Taizé Words and Music - ©1979 Taizé, Les Presses de Taize (North America) Ross Drucker, soloist.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-701187. All rights reserved.

Photographs and graphics by the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

For Palm Sunday, April 5, 2020, our worship service begins with Palm Sunday's entry into Jerusalem and continues to the passion with the Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross - spoken reflections on each word and Haydn's composition of the same name for string quartet.

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel, Officiant

Reflections, in order, by Harry Gould, Daniel Cooper, Tanya Regli, Krystiane Cooper, Andrea Fine, Scott Robinson, Barbara Thomson.

Prayers from the Book of Common Prayer available from Church Publishing, Inc.

All Glory Laud and Honor (Valet will ich dir geben) The Hymnal 1982 #154 sung by Alyson Harvey. Words: Theodulph of Orleans, Tr. by John Mason Neale.

Music: Melchior Treschner. The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross by Joseph Haydn. Played by the Fairmount String Quartet, Rachel Segal and Leah Kim, violins; Beth Dzwil, viola; Mimi Morris Kim, cello, as performed at Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields on Friday, April 19, 2019. Used with permission. Find them on Facebook or YouTube. https://fairmountstrings.com https://www.facebook.com/fairmountstr... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHHA...

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-701187. All rights reserved.

Thanks to Daniel Cooper for audio editing assistance.

March 29, 2020.
For the fifth Sunday in Lent, the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel talks about the lifelong impact of the story of the dry bones from Ezekiel. Readings from Lent 5, Year A.

For the fourth Sunday in Lent, the Rev. Anne Thatcher's sermon on the healing of the man born blind has more to deal with our own need for healing, and to heal others. Based primarily on the Gospel reading of the day, John 9:1-41.

For the third Sunday in Lent, the Rev. Barbara Ballenger ties together the longings of the people of Israel in the desert with the thirsts of Jesus and the Samaritan woman as they meet at the well. In what ways are we thirsty today, and what can we do to quench our own thirst, the thirst of others, and even the thirst of God?

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel has some very specific reasons for extending our Gospel reading this second Sunday in Lent, from John chapter 3.

The Rev. Anne Thatcher offers the sermon for the First Sunday in Lent, focusing on the Gospel of Matthew 4:1-11, the temptation of Christ in the desert.

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel gives us some modern saints from this past week to look to for guidance as we consider the Transfiguration readings for the Last Sunday after Epiphany and our entry into Lent.