Tuesday Bible Study Groups: Each of these three groups explore the meaning of the Word of God as expressed in the Old and New Testament. We jointly select a book of the Bible to read, then explore together what it means and how it is relevant in our daily lives. Each is always open to newcomers.
- 6:30 - 7:30 a.m. Men’s Bible Study led by John Lange
- 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Women’s Bible Study led by The Rev. Susie Skinner
- 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. Adult Bible Study led by John Lange
Inquirer’s Class: In the spring of each year, a class is offered for adults desiring to know more about the Episcopal Church, worship, church history, personal spirituality, etc. The Saturday morning class provides an opportunity for personal growth in matters of faith. Attendance can lead to individuals being confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church. Many take the class for a personal “refresher course” for renewing their knowledge and love of God and the Church.
Altar Guild: St. Martin’s Altar Guild is made up of dedicated parishioners who see to it that all parts of the worship service run smoothly. We do things like a light cleaning of the Sanctuary (the sexton does the heavy cleaning) and setting up for Sunday services on Saturday. Then on Sunday, we set up between services for the next service. After the last service, we take it all down and clean everything and put it away. We also order the flowers, wafers, wine, candles and other worship items. We cover special Church services including holidays, funerals, and weddings.
The job does not take a great deal of time, generally 30-45 minutes on Saturday and another 10-20 minutes on Sunday. We generally work one weekend per month, but if we get more members, it might be only once every five weeks. If you are interested in finding out more information, or in joining the Altar Guild, please contact Maxine Heller (636-230-8221) or the church office. We would love to have you!
Acolyte: St. Martin’s Acolyte ministry is made up of members of the parish who volunteer their time and talent to serve during the liturgy by carrying the processional crosses, torches, banners and flags. The acolytes assist the clergy throughout the service and help lead and define the tone of worship for the community.
Our program is open to all church members from 5th grade through adulthood. Acolytes must be baptized. If they have not been confirmed, they should plan to participate in confirmation classes as soon as they are of an appropriate age. Also, because of the size of the crosses and banners and length of the services, acolytes must be of an appropriate physical stature and maturity level to actively participate. Training sessions are held at various times throughout the year.
Lector: A lector is the one who reads the lessons, either the Old Testament or the New Testament, at the Eucharist. Lectors, sometimes called readers, can be either a lay person or an ordained person who speaks well and is committed to the ministry of lectors. Training is provided.
Usher: Ushers assist the congregation in creating a more prayerful experience at our services. Some of their duties include interacting with members, guests and visitors as they arrive, providing bulletins and offering assistance to find seating in the sanctuary. Training is provided as needed.
Greeters: This ministry is purposeful in its attempt to make our guests feel welcome as soon as they enter the front doors. We also assure follow-up by staff if they desire more information on joining. Any member or regular guest of St. Martin’s can participate. The only requirement is a desire to welcome new people to our church.
Stephen Ministry: Stephen Ministers are parishioners who have been especially trained to participate in the pastoral care ministry of the parish. They are available not only to parishioners, but to members of the community who are experiencing difficulty dealing with issues such as hospitalization, grief, depression, divorce, or job loss.
For more information on Stephen Ministry, call (636) 227-1484 or e-mail and type “Stephen Ministry” in the subject line. You may also visit Stephen Ministries online.
Mary & Martha Guild: Mature-aged women of the parish meet monthly for support, fellowship, and service to others. The meetings have included activities such as visits to the Art Museum for special exhibits or tours to see the leaves in the fall. New members are always welcome.
Eucharistic Visitors: A Eucharistic Visitor is a lay person authorized to take the Consecrated Elements in a timely manner following a Celebration of Holy Eucharist to members of the congregation who, by reasons of illness or infirmity, were unable to be present at the Celebration. The Eucharistic Visitor may leave directly from a Sunday service or throughout the week.
Prayer Chain: The Prayer Chain is an organized way of praying for parishioners, relatives and friends when there is an urgent need for prayers. There are no “set prayers” to say. We simply name the person, asking for God’s healing, strength and comfort. We go about our regular duties as we hold that person up to God’s healing presence.
This is how the Prayer Chain works: If you are called for a prayer request, you call the next person on the list and relate that prayer request. If that person is not home, you leave a message and call the following person on the list. The goal is to get the word out quickly that this person or family needs our prayers.
Anyone can be a member of the Prayer Chain. If you have a prayer request, contact the church office or one of the clergy.
Growing in Faith: This small group meets for the purpose of growing spiritually. We read the lessons from the previous Sunday and discuss the sermon. We reflect on the readings and sermon, drawing implications for our lives. We often raise questions and everyone participates in trying to answer those questions for ourselves. New members are always welcome!
Meetings are held Wednesdays 10:15-11:30 a.m. (except 2nd Wednesday / Mary & Martha meetings) in Packwood Library.
Mothers of Young Children: The Mothers of Young Chilren Group meets weekly on Thursday mornings during the school year from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. for fellowship and a lively book discussion. (We do not meet when either the Parkway or Rockwood School Districts are not in session.) Babysitting is provided. For more information on St. Martin’s Mothers of Young Children Group, contact the church office at (636) 227-1484 or by e-mail stmartin@stmartinschurch.org and type “Mothers of Young Children Group” in the subject line.
Episcopal Church Women (ECW): We are a welcoming, vibrant sisterhood of all ages. Our Episcopal Church Women are dedicated to growing together through fellowship, as a spiritual and service-oriented community. We aspire to allow God’s love to shine through us as we share our gifts.
All women of St. Martin’s are members of ECW and are welcome to attend any functions or meetings. Our ministry recognizes the importance of providing a balanced approach for the group, blending the needs of business and outreach programs with social and fellowship activities and events to provide a service to the church.
Monthly meetings, alternating business and social, usually beginning at 7 p.m. in Packwood Library. Other fellowship activities are planned throughout the year for the women of St. Martin’s as well as parish-wide events.
Men of St. Martin’s: The men of St. Martin’s meet monthly on the first Saturday of the month for breakfast at 9 a.m. They also meet socially on Friday evenings during the spring, summer, and early fall to play golf and relax with fellow parishioners.
Social functions in addition to golf outings include card parties and steak fries.
Service projects include assisting the church when needed. Other service projects have included hosting a birthday party for the St. Louis Juvenile Detention Center, delivering Christmas baskets, and making several monetary donations to charity. For more information on St. Martin’s Men of St. Martin’s, contact Jim McLaughlin via e-mail or call 636-537-0493.
Supper Club: Supper Club is an activity for St. Martin’s adults. Participants are divided into groups of 12 and each month (during the school year) they take turns gathering in someone’s home for dinner. The hostess for the month may choose to invite group members for dinner, a cookout or brunch. Each member of the group is asked to bring something to go with the main course, which the hostess prepares.
We also offer a Restaurant Supper Club for those parishioners who prefer to dine out. Each month a member of the group takes a turn selecting a restaurant for the group to visit. Restaurants are moderately priced. No matter which version of Supper Club you try, it is fun way to relax and get to know other members of the church! For more information, e-mail and type “Supper Clubs” in the subject line.
Retirees: Enjoy friendships with fellow retirees and visit some of the great places the St. Louis area has to offer. This group meets the 4th Thursday of each month at 11:30 a.m. in Park Hall to plan their next “field trip.”
Book Club: Book Club members choose the books they read and the leader for each monthly discussion rotates among members who volunteer. Membership is open to any parishioner and newcomers are always welcome. Book titles are published in Messages and the Sunday bulletin, so obtain a copy of the book and come join the discussion! Meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of each month; 7-8:30 p.m. in Packwood Library.
Hospitality Committee: The Hospitality Committee was established in order to be more focused and organized in the way special dinners, receptions and other events are conducted at St. Martin’s. We help run special receptions for church-sponsored events or assist other committees with their events. Anyone is welcome to join our group! Meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.
