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When the new website was launched in 2024, efforts were made to preserve the parish history captured by the previous public webpages. Below you will find much of the text and images that were includes on stmartinfields.ca.
St. Martin-in-the-Fields is fortunate in having a fine range of physical facilities, which are made available to and are used by a wide variety of non-church-centred community groups and organizations.
St. Martin’s facilities include a large hall – Congress Hall – and a smaller one – Rowland Hall (named after Rector Emeritus Tim Rowland), plus classrooms, a fine, newly updated kitchen and five washrooms. One of those is wheelchair accessible and located close to the wheelchair-accessible elevator.
Weekdays during school season, our facilities are used by Pinetree Montessori School. But evening sees things change as assorted community groups come in and bring their own buzz.
These groups include Brownies and Sparks, Air Cadets on Flag Days, a Creative Stamping Group, an AA group, and on occasion the local Ratepayers’ Association or a horticultural group.
Generous parking for evening activities is available in the paved church lot, and hall access is at street level from Oban Drive.
Our facilities are our connection and our gateway to the Oakridge community – a gateway that’s always open and offers a warm welcome.
The first service of St. Martin-in-the Fields, London, Ontario was held on Sunday, November 6th, 1955 in the rectory on West Mile Road. By March 1957 the present church building (worship area) was built and was officially opened and dedicated by the the sixth Bishop of Huron, the Rt. Rev. George Nasmith Luxton, on April 20, 1957. In 1963, additions were made which included Congress Hall and a new narthex and cloakroom, as well as the extension of the sanctuary area. An elevator was installed in 1999 making the church wheelchair accessible.
St. Martin was a Roman soldier before he became a Christian and Bishop of Tours (397 A.D.) The banner and font seal in our Church depict the famous incident when, having nothing else to give a beggar, he cut his cloak in half and draped it around him. Later Martin had a vision of Christ wearing the part of the cloak which he had given away.
St. Martin-in-the-Fields is named after a famous Church of that name in Trafalgar Square in London, England. It is the Parish in which Buckingham Palace is situated and is therefore the Parish Church of the Kings and Queens of England. King George I was its first Church Warden.
In 2005, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London, celebrated fifty years of Christian service to the people of Oakridge Acres. After a full year of celebratory events, the anniversary culminated in the dedication of a glorious St. Martin window by the Anglican Primate, Andrew Hutchison.
Building the Church
It was decided to build the hall first due to many community functions and use it as a church, temporarily, of course. From 55 to 57 services were held in the basement of the rectory or Riverside Public school. In 1965 the existing building was made a proper church by an extension at the back to provide altar and choir space, a new front entrance and construction of a large connected hall (Congress Hall) to the north. The original church doors were reused on the hall Oban entrance. In 1999 an elevator was installed near the main church entrance and in 2012 spaces were cut into the pews making St. Martin’s a more wheelchair/scooter friendly church. A detailed history of the first 50 years of St. Martins is available.
Image 1: The Original Plan
Image 2: Church building in 1957
Image 3: St. Martin's Today
Image 4: Rector Emeritus, The REV. TIM ROWLAND, shown here in a picture with his family. This dedication and photo hangs in Rowland Hall at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church.
St. Martin's Turns 60!
Sunday November 15th, St. Martin-in-the-Fields celebrated their 60th anniversary in the Oakridge Community with a special service followed by catered lunch for all. The Rt. Reverend Bob Bennett, Bishop of the Diocese of Huron, presided.
Mable Anderson (1st Female Warden)
Martini, St. Martin's Mouse & Mable Anderson
In 1984, Mable Anderson was appointed Rector’s Warden of St. Martin’s, becoming the first woman Warden in the Diocese of Huron. Among Mable’s many other achievements was the popularization of Martini the church mouse.
As well as being the author of Martini’s pithy observations in the St. Martin’s Newsletter, she was maestro of the Martini Mouse Collection, located in the display cabinets in Rowland Hall. Mable, and her many variations of Martini the Mouse, are shown here.
Peggy’s Garden is a loving memorial to Peggy Mosedale from her friends at St. Martins. An active member of the ACW and the Knitting Group, Peggy’s memory is cherished by those who knew her.
Our Community
Community Outreach
Our Parishioners are pleased to support the Daily Bread program at the Cathedral. Members bring items of non-perishable food each week to be delivered to the Daily Bread program.
In March each year, we have a Loaves and Fishes outreach. Each member of our congregation is asked to bring a small bag of groceries each week. At the end of March, we will deliver the collected food items. Thank you to everyone who donated this year.
Christmas 2017, St. Martin's is participating in the Reverse Advent Calendar. Please read all the details in our Christmas newsletter.
At St. John's the Evangelist: A team of four from St. Martin-in-the-Fields cook in the kitchen of St. John the Evangelist church downtown to support their Saturday night dinner program.
Baby Layettes: St. Martin's is actively supporting the St. Paul's Social Services program by providing layette kits. A client of the Daily Bread Food Bank who is expecting a first child, can register to receive a kit which includes Baby Powder, Baby Oil, Baby Cream, Newborn Clothes, Blanket, Bibs, Socks, maybe Toys, Diapers (preferably newborn size) and lotion.
Brenda Larsen, who lives in the UK, is a real friend to St. Martin`s. Brenda, a talented knitter, heard about our layette plan and immediately presented us with these gorgeous knitted and stuffed soft dolls to add to what we can provide.
Brenda is in the first photo with her dolls.
The second photo is showing the second 3 layette donations, being delivered March 2016.
Christmas 2016 - Kick Off to Christmas Event: On Saturday November 26th (day before the first Sunday in Advent), St. Martin's opened their doors and invited friends, family and the community to gather in the large hall for refreshments and Christmas Music. Sigmar Martin MC'd the afternoon with vocal performances by Emily Leye and Ricardo Lopez and orchestra performance and accompaniment for the singalong by Sigstrings - Sigmar's community orchestra. The teen group set up, served refreshments and cleaned up afterwards!
Anglican Church Women
This small but mighty group of women support activities within the Church family, and also local and global charities.
Image 1: June 6, 2016 - Lunch at McGinnis Landing
Image 2: Some of the ladies in the ACW who could attend the luncheon June 3, 2013 at Kelsey's
The Property Committee agenda is varied. Jobs include changing light bulbs and fixtures, to repairing leaky taps and pipes and inoperable toilets. Sometimes replacement items required. This committee also attends to painting touch-ups, window cleaning, cleaning fans and changing furnace filters. Occasionally there are water or heating problems which have to be addressed.
In the winter, the committee ensures that a responsible and competent contractor is hired to look after snow removal. Any other contractors required are reviewed and hired as well.
Committee members take care of lawn cutting and garden maintenance in the summer months. Everyone is welcome to join the Spring and Fall yard clean-up!
The efforts of this faithful committee is deeply appreciated and contributes to keeping St. Martin's an inviting place to worship and socialize!