Compensation based on clergy-only health and dental premiums, but this is negotiable.

Liturgical style and practice: Traditional
URL: https://www.stmartinalex.org/Priest-In-Charge-Search
Videos: Welcome to St. Martin de Porres (July, 2023); https://youtu.be/aRBN340Aca8
Our 3-Year Journey to St. Martin de Porres (2022); https://youtu.be/tXHNVsiyzHg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stmartinalex

St. Martin de Porres is a friendly, welcoming and inclusive Episcopal church community in Alexandria, VA committed to Opening the Doors to Christ’s Love to all.  Parishioners often express feelings of “coming home” and “church family” when speaking of this church.   St. Martin’s was created from three churches, Church of the Spirit, Olivet, and St Mark’s, each with an extensive history in the community and with a dedicated group of long-term members.  The churches have been worshiping together since 2020.  Their combined activities for Worship, Mission and Outreach, and Social Justice have become stronger than they were separately before the covid pandemic.

These congregations voted to merge in November, 2022 to become St. Martin de Porres church, forming a new congregation which is exceptionally diverse, racially, ethnically, and culturally, and representative of the northern Virginia region. A resolution is expected to pass at our Annual Convention of the Diocese of Virginia to ratify the merger.

Through the merger St. Martin’s has gained a talented church band which provides an engaging variety of music every Sunday.  There are two beautiful church campuses located in the Franconia and the Groveton neighborhoods.  An historic chapel provides Rite I services on Sundays and a traditional church sanctuary offers the Rite II service.   Outdoor areas are available for worship, fellowship (community garden, fire pit) as well as spiritual reflection in a lovely and peaceful Memorial Garden.  A parish hall with a well-outfitted kitchen, meeting rooms, classrooms, nursery, and an out-door playground offer spaces for fellowship and Christian formation activities. They also allow for shared space and community with local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops and a private school focusing on both indoor and outdoor nature learning.  Both campuses lease space to other congregations.

The church is located in Fairfax County, Virginia near Washington, DC., which offers many cultural and economic opportunities, an excellent public school system, public transportation by metro and bus, and close proximity to the Virginia Theological Seminary (Alexandria, VA) and the National Cathedral (Washington, DC).

Continued effort is needed to fully form a merged congregation with a common identity and shared priorities and goals.

Strategies are needed to attract more people to the church, particularly families with children.

The congregation must grow in order to reach financial stability and to reestablish activities which were largely lost during covid e.g., programs in youth formation, fellowship and pastoral care.

The church operates through the efforts of a small core group of volunteers.   Expanding volunteer participation by more parishioners is needed for a sustainable future.

Seeking a priest:

With strong spiritual and preaching skills, able to give sermons relating bible readings to real life.

Capable of leading and facilitating organizational change. Committed to helping us complete our merger.

Who is accessible with good listening skills and who demonstrates empathy and understanding.  Supports people at significant points in their life and willing to provide pastoral care to all including the sick and elderly.

With a collaborative leadership style, involving church members in planning, decision making and leading church activities.

Who is mindful of issues of inclusion and social justice and also able to speak pastorally from the pulpit to people with very different ideas of how the Gospel should apply to civic and community life.

The Rev. Shirley Smith Graham, ssmithgraham@thediocese.net, 804-622-3180