by Anika Rinker | Aug 16, 2021 | Christian Formation, News
St. Martin’s provides a truly wonderful place for young children to begin a life-long faith journey. The nursery invites all children from birth to 3 years of age to come join the fun each Sunday, during 9:15 am Christian Formation hour, the 10:30 am worship service, Christmas Eve, and other special services. The nursery room is located in the Christian education building.
Children are taught that they are precious gifts from God. They will also learn that God loves them very much! Children can sing songs, learn short prayers and make beautiful art work. The nursery follows the lectionary and curriculum, just like children and youth Christian Formation. Nursery staff will bring children to join their families for the Eucharist during the 10:30 am worship service.
When you drop off your child for the first time, we’ll ask you to fill out an intake form. Or you can do it now!
Our Nursery Staff
Nursery Directors Rose Ackley and Katy Gott are dedicated and experienced early childhood caregivers who adore each child that walks through the nursery door. Parents can rest at ease knowing that their children are not only being cared for, but nurtured and guided to know the love of Jesus. Want to know more about the nursery? Contact the Director of Family Ministries at liza.goodner@stmartininthefields.org or stop by on Sunday in the education building and check it out with your child.
by Anika Rinker | Aug 4, 2021 | News
Backpack Blessings on August 13
All students, teachers, school volunteers, whether you’re in preschool, public school, private school, Sunday School, college, or graduate school: you’re invited to receive a special blessing and backpack tag!
Please bring your backpacks to church when you come to worship on Sunday, August 13 at 9:15 am and we will pray for the excitement of learning, growth, and fun as we begin a new school year.
After church, join us for a potluck brunch in the large parish hall!. Cupcakes & snow cones will be provided.
Please bring brunchy potluck items to the kitchen before the 9:15 am service.
by Anika Rinker | Jul 1, 2021 | News, The Search for a Rector
Dear Parish Family,
It is with great pleasure that I announce that the Vestry has elected the candidate recommended by the Search Committee, The Rev. Canon Alan D. Bentrup, as the new Rector of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church.
Father Alan is a native Texan who grew up in west Fort Worth and graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington. After a ten-year career as a marketing consultant in Dallas and Houston, Alan and his family moved to Alexandria, Va., where he attended Virginia Theological Seminary.
Following graduation from seminary, Alan served as Associate Rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Cypress, Texas, and in 2018 was called to serve as Canon for Evangelism and Mission in the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina. He serves in numerous leadership positions across the Episcopal Church, including the Voorhees College Board of Trustees and Episcopal Relief & Development’s Council of Advice.
Alan has two young sons, Walker (11) and Ford (13), and has discerned that they belong back in North Texas.
We are so fortunate that he has agreed to share his leadership skills and experience with us at St. Martin’s and in the Episcopal Church in North Texas.
We will welcome the family in late July. Please watch for details as soon as the appropriate arrangements can be made. You can send a welcome greeting to the Bentrups by clicking HERE.
In the meantime, let us offer this prayer each day:
Almighty God, giver of every good gift: We give you thanks for Alan, chosen Rector of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, for his family, Elizabeth, Ford, and Walker, and for those whose faithful service and prayerful discernment led to his call to come to us. Watch over Alan, his family, and those they leave behind in this transition. Give Alan grace to lead us as a pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us to unite us as Rector and People that we may truly, devoutly, and generously serve you and our neighbor; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
I would like to take a moment to thank the Search Committee for their hard work and tireless effort. They did a wonderful job of finding a new Rector to lead St. Martin-in-the-Fields on the next road of our journey! I would be remiss if I did not say thank you to the members of the congregation for your patience, support and prayers throughout the Search Process. Now let me be among the first to welcome Fr. Alan and his family to St. Martin-in-the-Fields.
Fr. Alan sends his greetings in the video below.
Yours in Christ,
Keen Haynes
Senior Warden
by Anika Rinker | Mar 11, 2021 | Events, News
All are welcome!
Please join us on Easter Sunday, April 4, as we celebrate Jesus’ birth! Festivities will take place on the front lawn, in front of the sanctuary, starting at 9:30 am before the Drive-in Worship Service.
Family Photos
If you would like an Easter family photo, please use the form below to RSVP. Photos will be taken under a decorated arbor on the front lawn and will be emailed to you later that day or early in the week.
Please park in our parking lot by 9:30 am and wait in your car. We will text you when it is your turn for a photo. Please wear masks until you are instructed to take them off.
Flowering of the Cross
After taking pictures, please proceed to the cross on the lawn. Sunday school teachers will greet children with flowers which they can then place on the cross!
See you Easter morning!
by Anika Rinker | Mar 11, 2021 | News
In the waters of baptism, we are lovingly adopted by God into God’s family, which we call the Church, and given God’s own life to share and reminded that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ. Holy Baptism, which can be performed through pouring of water or immersion in it, marks a formal entrance to the congregation and wider Church; the candidates for the sacrament make a series of vows, including an affirmation of the Baptismal Covenant, and are baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are marked as Christ’s own for ever, having “clothed [themselves] with Christ” (Galatians 3:27).
All people of any age are welcome to baptized; we believe in one baptism for the forgiveness of sins, as the “bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 298).
-episcopalchurch.org
We will baptize children and adults on the following feat days throughout the year: Easter Vigil, The Day of Pentecost, All Saints’ Day, and the Baptism of our Lord (the first Sunday after the Epiphany.) If you would like to request a baptism on any other day, let us know in the form and we will do our best to accommodate you. The decision is at the rector’s discretion.
Request for Baptism under age 16
Request for Baptism over age 16
If you have any questions, please contact our parish administrator Anika Rinker at stmartin@stmartininthefields.org or Fr. Alan Bentrup at alan.bentrup@stmartininthefields.org.
by Anika Rinker | Mar 11, 2021 | News, Vestry Updates
ST. MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS VESTRY MEETING
January 17, 2021
Present: Bob Bess, Bob Garrity, D.J. Mitchell, Kristy Pemberton, the Very Rev. Ron Pogue (Interim Rector), Linda Seeber, Becky Snell, Julie Sutton, Christopher DeClerk
Absent: Ben Taylor, Christopher Mullaney, Keen Haynes
Also Present: Paula Jefferson, Sue Mitchell, and Gary Wilkinson
This special meeting of the Vestry of St. Martin-in-the-Field Episcopal Church was held Sunday, January 17, 2021 virtually via zoom meeting. The meeting was opened with prayer by the Very Rev. Ron Pogue at 12:30 p.m.
Consideration of Vestry Minutes from previous meetings:
Minutes from the December 20, 2020 meeting were approved as distributed, no revisions.
Treasurer’s Report:
All were given copies of the drafted 2021 budget and treasures report prior to the meeting.
- Thankfully, we ended 2021 on a positive note, $52k ahead. If we had not received the PPE loan we would have ran out of money in November.
- Expenses were under budget overall, the only are that was above budget was in the worship ministry, up $6k and that was 100% due to an increase is costs during the pandemic as previously as reported from all of 2020.
- The Christmas offering was almost $7k
- Snell asked the question about maintenance costs in 2021. What is the plan going forward when the church re-opens? Bess confirmed that we will be able to stay within the budget as planned and that 2020 was a good opportunity to catch up on much needed projects including changing out the light fixtures. The light project will be an ongoing effort in 2021. Bess also noted that Zander is doing a great job of assisting with the lights, this is helping our costs as well.
Treasurer’s Report Approved:
- All approved the reports as presented.
Finance Committee Report:
The committee met on January 16, 2021
- Gary Wilkinson personally thanked the Vestry for watching every penny in 2020 and expressed how important the donations were to get us through a tough year. The Vestry agrees, we are all so thankful for everyone!
- Copies of the budget were presented to the Vestry.
- So far the pledged budget for revenue is $475k and the budget is $472k, we will also be carrying over the surplus from the 2020 budget. The pledge revenue includes $344k pledges and $64k in other pledge income. The other income is based off several years average for this revenue stream.
- It is important to note that there is no money in the budget for a youth minister or a financial manager. We currently have a volunteer financial manager and for that we are thankful.
- Gary Wilkinson also noted that our 2020 financials are un-audited at this time. The final budget will be ready by the annual meeting January 31st.
- Julie Sutton asked if the surplus school items can be sold, like furniture that is no longer needed and books that other schools may be able to use. We all agreed that items that can be filtered into the children’s ministry should be and then anything else that is needed can be sold. The money earned from this sale will be used for 2021 Children’s ministry only.
Financial Report Approved:
All approved the reports as presented. The budget was approved, motioned by Linda Seeber, seconded by Becky Snell. All approved.
Rector search committee:
Sue Mitchell reporting
- The final profile was submitted to the Bishop on Tuesday January 12th and is awaiting his review and subsequent approval. Canon Waggoner confirmed receipt via email. Sue Mitchell shared our eagerness to see this approved so we can move to the next step.
Endowment update:
- A committee will need to be established now that the paperwork and processes are in place. Some gifts come with very specific requirements for usage and we need a team to decide ahead of time if the gifts and requests line up with the guidelines of the fund.
DJ Mitched moved to accept this recommendation, Bob Bess seconded and all approved.
Senior Warden update:
Keen Haynes had excused absence, no report given.
Father Ron said the only thing he would add here is that the litigation is under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court and we will report any updates as they are given.
Junior Warden update:
Bob Bess reported
- The roof is complete and the ring doorbells are still working great.
- The Fever Soccer League added markers on the side of the driveways hoping to deter people from driving into the ditches.
- The buildings and grounds committee still needs to be organized.
Curate Report:
Paula Jefferson reporting.
- Human Flourishing adult class is going really well. They finished the book and have entered into a two-week lecture regarding homosexuality which was spurred on by Bishop Curry’s book. Some attendees are not affiliated with St. Martins and that is exciting.
- The next book will be Not in God’s Name and will be facilitated by DJ Mitchell.
- The visiting Eucharistic Visitor is thriving. At Christmas over 130 people were served.
- Calls to our community are continuing and Morning Prayer is going great.
- Jefferson asked that during lent that all vestry members write a Lentin reflection to be shared with all. A schedule was set for the members to help. Rev. Jefferson asked that all submissions be to her by the end of January.
- Linda Seeber suggested a drive through pancake meal this year since Covid limits our getting together. There were no objections from the vestry, we just need to figure out the logistics.
Interim Rector’s Report:
- Stations of the cross will be virtual this year and planning is still in the works for ashes for Holy week.
- Annual Parish Meeting discussions:
- It will be via zoom this year and each qualified member will be sent a link on the day of the meeting and can be voted online.
- The vote counting committee, Leslie Pemberton, Becky Snell, and Christopher DeClerk will verify and monitor the voting and Anika Rinker will report results back to Father Ron before the meeting adjourns.
- Father Ron asked that all vestry members stay online after the meeting to elect new officers for the 2021 year and set up all the meetings as well.
- A new clerk will need to be elected, please keep in mind it does not have to be a member of the vestry, but can be.
Adjournment and Closing Prayer:
The Meeting was adjourned with prayer by Linda Seeber.
NEXT REGULAR VESTRY MEETING WILL BE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 AT 12:30 PM VIRTUALLY ON ZOOM.
Respectfully submitted,
Kristy Pemberton
Clerk
