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  8000 St. Martin's Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118  ·   215.247.7466  ·       Give

St. Martin-in-the-Fields
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Refugee Resettlement Ministry

Who does the ministry serve, and how?

Launched in 2016, the Refugee Resettlement Ministry (RRM) at St. Martin’s was created out of concern by several members of the parish about the global refugee crisis, particularly coming out of Syria. St. Martin’s Refugee Resettlement Ministry joins with leaders of faith communities, secular organizations, and citizens in the Philadelphia area to resettle refugees in a safe, secure, and welcoming environment.

We help resettle refugees as guided by the Bible in Leviticus 19:34: "The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the stranger as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God."

Who is involved?

RRM is led by a committee, including St. Martin's lay leaders, including: Andrew Christman, Ben Baehr, Hal Taussig, Lyn Buchheit, Marnie Kerr, Mims Zabriskie, Susan MacBride, Tanya Regli, Lanie Dilks, and Sandy Lentz. St. Martin's is a member of the New Sanctuary Movement, with whom we have taken action over the past several years. Other collaborators include other churches in the Wissahickon Deanery, the Church of the Crucifixion, HIAS PA, Nationalities Service Center, POWER's Live Free Strategy Team, the Driving PA Forward Coalition, JUNTOS, and the Shut Down Berks Coalition.

How do I get involved?

Anyone interested in working with and building up this ministry is welcome to join us for regular meetings. Contact co-chairs Jeff Meade or Lyn Buchheit.

You can also donate diapers to RRM's weekly Diaper Drive. Read more here.

Identify successes.

The Refugee Resettlement Ministry (RRM) was founded in summer 2016 as a response to the world refugee crisis.

The RRM began as part of a coalition of local churches helping to facilitate the resettlement of a young Syrian woman, Samra, who attends LaSalle University on a student visa, and Mohamad, and a young student at Friends Select School, now at Bard College.

In October 2016, the RRM began fundraising efforts in preparation to host a refugee family. In December 2016, St. Martin’s welcomed the Dahans, a Syrian refugee family of four, to Philadelphia.

Over the past two years, a core group of 20 parishioners and community members, supported by untold numbers in the St. Martin’s community, have ensured the Dahan family’s resettlement through generous donations of time, goods, and services. The RRM has hosted several public and private fundraisers raising over $30,000, and St. Martin’s Committee Engagement committee’s operating budget has contributed $20,000 to Samra’s LaSalle tuition.

Together, our community coordinated the Dahans' housing and transportation, and supported their access to health care, employment, and education.

The RRM is currently developing goals for the future in light of the Dahan family’s increasing independence and the changed landscape of refugee resettlement in the U.S. This discernment process has included a steering committee retreat, participation in the Community Engagement Forum, two summer Book Club sessions (Toxic Charity by Richard Lupton), and most recently, discussions with parishioners at Homecoming Sunday.

  • During the pandemic RRM has been able to provide $6,000 in support of crucial work with immigrants and Afghan refugees.
  • We were able to provide housing and food for a displaced asylee from Venezuela and return him to a support system in New York.
  • We have provided hundreds of immigrant families in South Philadelphia with diapers and supplies through JUNTOS and the Church of the Crucifixion.
Congregation members became part of advocacy teams at NSM, including
  • The Free Carmela Campaign, which resulted in the freedom of Carmela Apolonio Hernandez and her children.
  • Driving PA Forward, which has put forward legislation at the state level. Team members have helped draft clergy letters, gotten signatures, made calls and engage others in making calls.
  • Shut Down Berks Coalition: team members have participated in regular planning meetings, legislative calls, and rallies.

What are some struggles?

As refugee programs began to diminish because of reduced Federal support, RRM began a discernment process to find other ways to support immigrants in our community. Through reflection and planning RRM began to look for healthy ways to support immigrant led organizations and be effective allies. The pandemic also created additional barriers to connecting with immigrants while also creating more imminent needs around food and shelter.


News

​Refugee Resettlement Ministry Coat Drive Comes to an End

​Refugee Resettlement Ministry Coat Drive Comes to an End

Many thanks to members of the St. Martin-in-the-Fields community for their incredible generosity in providing coats and other winter apparel for asylum seekers arriving by bus in Philadelphia. In the end, we received the equivalent of more than ...
Read More
Refugee Resettlement Winter Clothing Drive Update: ​Target Gift Cards for Asylum Seekers Still Needed

Refugee Resettlement Winter Clothing Drive Update: ​Target Gift Cards for Asylum Seekers Still Needed

Recently, we appealed to you for new and gently used winter coats and other cold-weather apparel for asylum seekers from Texas. We are delighted to announce that we have dozens of bags filled with your generous donations. Please dona...
Read More
Winter Coat Drive for Asylum Seekers from Texas

Winter Coat Drive for Asylum Seekers from Texas

St. Martin’s Refugee Resettlement Ministry Launches Winter Coat Drive for Asylum Seekers from Texas Asylum seekers from Texas are arriving by the busloads in Philadelphia, a Northeast Sanctuary hub, where they transition to other sites...
Read More
Come to Hospitality on January 15 to Reunite with the Dahans and Payabs, and Join Asylum Seekers Welcome Team

Come to Hospitality on January 15 to Reunite with the Dahans and Payabs, and Join Asylum Seekers Welcome Team

The Refugee Resettlement Ministry has been actively and personally involved in helping to resettle two families over the past few years. The Dahans arrived in Philadelphia from Syria in 2016 with two children, Ayman and Iman, and now a new...
Read More
​Join Refugee Resettlement Ministry’s Asylum Seekers Welcome Team!

​Join Refugee Resettlement Ministry’s Asylum Seekers Welcome Team!

Asylum seekers from Texas are arriving by the busloads in Philadelphia, a Northeast Sanctuary hub, where they transition to other sites in the Northeast, hoping to join family and friends. Many arrive in warm-weather clothing, unprepared f...
Read More

Related Posts

Tomorrow is Friday and that means it is Diaper Drive and Blessed Baking day! Refugee Resettleme…
2 years ago
TONIGHT at 7, hear from the Refugee Resettlement Ministry about a new partnership with New Sanctu…
2 years ago
How can you put faith into action, and uphold values of hospitality, dignity, and justice for imm…
2 years ago
Along with Blessed Baking for St. James School tomorrow, we encourage you to bring diapers for Ju…
2 years ago
The Refugee Resettlement Ministry of St. Martin's offers you this opportunity to assist our immig…
2 years ago
Action Alert: Only 5 days left to speak up to defend our asylum system!...
3 years ago
#refugeeswelcome
3 years ago
On June 15, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) propose…
3 years ago
Good News from our Refugee Resettlement Ministry! #generosity #belovedcommunity #refugee #bless…
3 years ago


Jeff Meade

215-806-8028

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Lyn Buchheit

215-495-8115

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Calendar

Sunday, 2/5 at 10:30 AM
Choral Eucharist with sermon
Sunday, 2/5 at 11:30 AM
Refreshments and an Urgent Parish Conversation. We invite and encourage everyone to attend.
Sunday, 2/5 at 12:00 PM
Worship Reflections In Person
Sunday, 2/5 at 6:00 PM
Online: Al-Anon Sunday-Nighters
Sunday, 2/5 at 8:00 PM
A.A. (in person)
Monday, 2/6 at 8:15 AM
Silent Meditation
Monday, 2/6 at 6:45 PM
Education for Ministry (EfM)
Monday, 2/6 at 7:00 PM
Online Bible Study: Grace Epiphany Church/Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Monday Night Bible Study

Choral Eucharist with sermon

Sunday, February 5, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Live-streamed to YouTube.com/StMartinECPhilly and StMartinEC.org/live.

One Service Only
10:30 AM
Choral Holy Eucharist
followed by
Refreshments and an Urgent Parish Conversation.
We invite and encourage everyone to attend.


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Refreshments and an Urgent Parish Conversation. We invite and encourage everyone to attend.

Sunday, February 5, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Topic: Parish Meeting
Time: Feb 3, 2023 11:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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Worship Reflections In Person

Sunday, February 5, 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

In person only.

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Online: Al-Anon Sunday-Nighters

Sunday, February 5, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Click here to view on Google Calendar.

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A.A. (in person)

Sunday, February 5, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

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Silent Meditation

Monday, February 6, 8:15 AM - 9:15 AM


All are welcome to join for silent meditation in the church at 8:15 am every weekday. For more information, please email Leslie Newbold at [email protected]om . Free, No need to RSVP, just show up! Anyone in the community is welcome.


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Education for Ministry (EfM)

Monday, February 6, 6:45 PM - 9:15 PM

Click here to view on Google Calendar.

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Online Bible Study: Grace Epiphany Church/Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Monday Night Bible Study

Monday, February 6, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Grace Epiphany Church/Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Monday Night Bible Study

MONDAYS AT 7:00 PM
Meets online. Contact Cathy Glazer at [email protected] for information.


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Sermons

© 2023 St. Martin-in-the-Fields
8000 St. Martin's Lane · Philadelphia, PA 19118
215.247.7466
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Service Times

Join us online for Sunday morning worship!

  • 8:00 a.m. Traditional spoken Holy Eucharist with sermon - live streamed.
  • 9:00 a.m. Living in Faith Together: Outdoor, intergenerational worship with eucharist, immediately followed by formation at 9:40
  • 10:30 a.m. Traditional Holy Eucharist with music and sermon - live streamed.

StMartinEC.org/live

Location

St. Martin-in-the-Fields
8000 St. Martin's Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19118

Contact Us
215.247.7466

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