Larkfield and East Malling
Methodist Church
Called to Love and Praise
Minister: Rev. Naomi Oates naomi.oates@methodist.org.uk
Larkfield and East Malling
Methodist Church
Larkfield and East Malling
Methodist Church
Called to Love and Praise
15/11/24
On this page:
Candles representing loved ones at the recent Service of Remembering.
See our Gallery page for recent pictures of events including: Breakfast Church, Muffins Bluebell Walk, Messy Easter, Scratch Easter, Welcome Hub fund-raiser and Easter outreach and more...
more pictures on our Gallery page
Messy Pumpkins
31/10/24
Wowee! Somehow, we squeezed 75 of us (including 41 very excited children!) into the hall for Messy Church, when we thought about ourselves as pumpkins (no, really) with God’s love shining in our hearts. We made pumpkin biscuits and lanterns, decorated autumn plates, hunted for glowsticks, made lots of noise with our musical instruments, went doughnut-bobbing, and enjoyed our snacks.
If you like worship that involves lots of food, activities for all ages, and a small amount of chaos, we’d love to see you again for Breakfast Church on the first Sunday of the month at 9am in the hall.
Plus, do pop the date for our ‘Messy Christingle’ in your diaries - Monday 23 December at 2.30pm, for children and their families.
Thanks to our brilliant team
Welcome
We are a friendly, welcoming Church, of all ages with a membership of around 64, and many more in our wider Church family.
Our Church family comes mainly from the villages of Larkfield, East and West Malling, Kings Hill, Addington, Leybourne, Ditton and Aylesford, all of which are just west of the County town of Maidstone in Kent.
We enjoy worship in a variety of styles from traditional to modern, and our congregations usually include a wide variety of ages, from toddlers to octogenarians.
See our Services page for full details of in-person and on-line services and opportunities for worship.
There are a large number of regular groups and activities (see activities and Children and Family pages).
Girls Brigade, Boys Brigade and Messy Church are term-time only.
Are you interested in becoming a member of the Methodist Church?
We have a small number of people currently exploring becoming members of their local Methodist church. I'll soon be running some sessions for anyone exploring membership (thinking together about what it means to be a Christian, a Methodist, and a member of the Methodist Church), after which attendees will be invited to be received into membership, if they wish. These sessions usually take place over lunch, or tea and cake, and are a great chance to explore faith in a small group. If you'd like to be involved (or know someone who might), please let me know. You can find some FAQs about Methodist membership here.
Serving up cakes (what else?) at the Coffee Morning for Macmillan Cancer Support which raised over £215!
Welcome Hub
A huge ‘thank you’ to Monica, Tracey and all our fabulous volunteers at the Welcome Hub for a splendid coffee morning on Monday, which raised a whopping £215 for Macmillan Cancer Support. There was a real buzz in the Sycamore Tree Centre, with loads of people from all over the community popping in for a cuppa and a delicious homemade cake.
The Welcome Hub is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10am - 4pm in the Sycamore Tree Centre at Larkfield & East Malling Methodist Church (behind Wards Estate Agents). We offer free drinks, cakes and light refreshments, and a chance to chat to our friends community of volunteers and guests. Why not pop down and check us out?
If you would like to volunteer on a regular or occasional basis, please speak to Monica.
To see pictures from our activities check out our gallery page
News from the hot seat...
14/11/24
Dear friends,
This coming Sunday (17 November) is designated as 'Safeguarding Sunday.' The theme for this year is 'Let's Talk About It' - churches are encouraged "to reflect on, and talk about, where they may have got things wrong in the past, think about how they are supporting those who have been hurt or harmed, and highlight and celebrate all the good work that is being done behind the scenes to protect vulnerable people and create safer cultures and communities for all both now and in the future."
The events this week that led to the resignation of Justin Welby as the Archbishop of Canterbury have highlighted, once again, the importance of Safeguarding in our churches, and how much work there is still to do. Sometimes, it's easy to think of DBS checks and Safeguarding training as boring bureaucracy - hoops to jump through. But the news this week has shown, once again, that it's far better to do too much than too little, in order to protect those who may be vulnerable to abuse. The Church prides itself on offering a welcome to all - but that means we have even more of a responsibility to ensure we are a safe place for those who cross the threshold seeking to encounter the love of God.
I am hugely grateful to our Church Safeguarding Officers: Nellie at Tonbridge Road, Tricia and Emily at Larkfield, Dana at Eccles, and Alan at Hextable. If you have any Safeguarding concerns - even just a 'niggle' - then please do come and speak to your CSO, or to me.
Some news and updates for the coming weeks...
Are you interested in becoming a member of the Methodist Church
(or do you know someone who might be)?
On Saturdays 30 November and 14 December, I'll be meeting with a small group at The Friars in Aylesford to talk about becoming a member of the Methodist Church. We'll be chatting about our own faith journeys, Christianity, Methodism, and what it means to be a member, over tea and cake, from 2pm to 3.30pm. At the end of these sessions, attendees will be offered the opportunity to be received into membership of their local church if they wish - but there's no obligation. If you'd like to join us, please do let me know.
Country Lunch - Thursday 21 November 12.45pm
The next Country Lunch will take place at 12.45pm on Thursday 21 November at the Old School Community Centre in Burham. Join us for delicious homemade soup and crumble for only £3.
Auction of Promises - Saturday 23 November 7pm
At Larkfield, we're looking forward to our Auction of Promises fundraiser on Saturday 23 November at 7pm, with a bring-and-share supper. We have a wonderful array of promises to auction, from baked goods to trips to National Trust venues: you can see the list attached. All are welcome to join us on the 23rd, but if you won't be able to make it and would like to place a bid on an item in advance, please contact Gwen on gwendoline512@btinternet.com
Supporting emergency response in Gaza and Lebanon
The Methodist Church in Britain is relaunching and expanding its Gaza appeal to support emergency work being carried out there, and in Lebanon. The Gaza/Lebanon Justice Appeal will be supported by All We Can and the United Reformed Church and will benefit partners working in the area. If you would like to support the appeal, please click on the link above.
Maidstone Churches Winter Shelter
There are still plenty of opportunities for volunteers to join the team for this year's Maidstone Churches Winter Shelter (which will be based at Tonbridge Road on Sunday evenings). The deadline for applications is 1 December, and you can find more details and the form here.
New Community Bridge website
On Tuesday evening, I went along to the launch of a new website (a new experience for me!). The Community Bridge website has been developed by Councillor Andrew Kennedy, and contains details of around 150 activities in the Malling North East area of Kent. The Methodist churches in Larkfield and Eccles both have a presence, and Eileen is kindly working to update the information about the Church in Burham to reflect the work now happening in the local community. If you spot an issue with an activity you lead, or if it's missing from the website, then you can easily 'report a fault' or 'add an activity.'
Good news!
I'm delighted to let you know that Lunsford Primary School have been in touch with us to say that they'd love to build closer links with the local community, and specifically some of our groups and activities. If you lead one of our groups, and would be interested in hosting a class of primary school children on a visit (they specifically mentioned playing board games or singing carols!) then please let me know. Brookfield Junior School are returning in December for a Christingle session; it's lovely to be building stronger relationships with our local primary schools.
Every blessing,
Naomi
Reminder...
Advent and Christmas
With the fireworks almost over, Advent is just around the corner! I've attached a table showing plans for Advent and Christmas in Eccles, Hextable, Larkfield (including Burham) and Tonbridge Road. Do let me know if you spot any mistakes! Please do pop the dates in your diary - and why not join friends at another church for one of their celebrations this year?
I've also attached a couple of flyers for the Christmas tree festival (including the opportunity to sing '60 carols for 60 years'!). Please do spread the word - there will be hard-copy flyers at church to hand out to friends and family. We'll have a wonderful selection of trees from church groups and community organisations - it should be a brilliant weekend!
Welcome Hub
We're delighted to report that, once again, the Welcome Hub has been awarded a grant of £1000 from the South East Methodist District towards the costs of heating, lighting and food. We're very grateful for the district's support for this brilliant project. I was at the Hub yesterday - and it was buzzing! If you haven't visited before, why not pop in for a cuppa, a cake and a chat? The Welcome Hub is open from 10am to 4pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Safeguarding and Racial Justice - Tuesday 19 November
On Tuesday 19 November from 11am – 12:30pm, the Methodist Church’s Connexional Safeguarding Team will be offering a Zoom webinar on the subject of 'Safeguarding and Racial Justice.' The webinar will explore how we can offer an inclusive welcome to people of all ethnicities within the Methodist Church and quickly tackle any issues relating to racism, whether overt or covert. If you'd like to take part, you can sign up here.
Christmas toy drive
A friend of mine is collecting new and used, good-condition toys for Ellenor Children's Hospice in Gravesend between 11 November and 16 December. They can be dropped at the Bridgewood Manor Hotel or, if you prefer, you can give them to me to pass on. Any donations will be gratefully received.
Celebrating 60th Anniversary
Many thanks to Rob, our own Piano Guy
Some of us are planning to take part in sponsored '60 for 60' events to raise some money. Could you get involved? Ideas that have emerged already include knitting 60 squares for a blanket, walking 60 times around a lake (not all in one go), cycling 60 miles around churches in the circuit, and growing (and selling) 60 plants. Be as imaginative as you like!
I've attached the sponsor form - there are printed copies at church. Folks can pay by cash, cheque, electronic transfer, or using their smartphone and the QR code on the form. Please encourage UK taxpayers to complete all the columns, so we can claim Gift Aid on their donation. Rob and Monica are able to receive cash and cheques to be paid in, and Tricia will need the completed forms so we can claim Gift Aid.
Do let us know what you're planning - or sponsor someone else, if you can. Thank you
Stop Press:
Updated 5/10/24
Dial-in service - Thursday 7th November at 10am
Our dial-in service is now taking place monthly, at 10am on the first Thursday of the month. You are warmly invited to join us this morning, as we reflect together on the theme of Epiphany, through poetry, through Scripture, and through prayer. The details for joining from a phone or computer are as follows:
Step 1: At 10am dial 020 3481 5237 from a mobile or landline
Step 2: When requested, enter the Meeting ID 999 8764 3710 followed by #
Step 3: When requested, enter the Passcode 345080 followed by #
You do not need a 'Participant ID' - just press #
If you have a laptop, iPad or phone, you can also get into the service on these devices with just one click using the following link:
https://zoom.us/j/99987643710?pwd=bmhvSlh2Nk45QUZXS2JubXgxbElYdz09
(In case you need it, the Meeting ID is: 999 8764 3710 and Passcode: 345080)
HMP Maidstone carol service - Tuesday 17 December
I know that some of you really look forward to attending the annual carol service at HMP Maidstone, and find it a very moving experience. This year, it will take place on Tuesday 17 December at 5.30pm. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Chaplaincy.Maidstone@justice.gov.uk by 6 December (noting that spaces are limited to two or three people from each church). The process for entering the prison has changed - you can find the details on the attached invitation.
Church funds - We need your help!
It's not always easy to talk about money, but at a recent Church Council, we spent a long time doing just that. Unfortunately, due mainly to rising costs, our church is currently running at an annual deficit of up to £10k - which means we're in danger of running out of funds in just a couple of years. Larkfield is a brilliant church, with a huge amount of energy, creativity and a real desire to reach out and share God’s love. It would be such a shame if that work came under threat, due to a lack of funds. As Brian said: 'I don't want to be shopping at Morrisons in a couple of years and hear someone say - didn't there used to be a church over there?'
There's not much we can realistically do to reduce our expenditure, so the Church Council has agreed various ways to try and increase our income. We appointed three small groups, to look at finding new lettings, applying for grants, and organising church fundraising events.
There are things that all of us can do - whether or not we're in a position to give financially. Here are some ideas:
-
If you donate to the church, and are eligible for Gift Aid, please ensure you're signed up - it's easy, and means we get an extra 25% at no extra cost to you. Please speak to Tricia for more details.
-
If you’re in touch with any groups, organisations and classes locally, ask whether they might be interested in hiring our hall or the Sycamore Tree. Chat to Mike, our lettings officer, about availability.
-
Support our fundraising efforts.
-
If you generously buy resources that we use at church, and don't claim the cost - you could claim, and then donate the same amount to the church, so we can claim the Gift Aid (assuming you're eligible).
-
Let me know if you'd like to join one of the groups looking at lettings, grants, and church fundraising events. We're looking especially for someone else to join Mike and Val on the 'lettings' group - making contact with local organisations and advertising our premises.
-
Pray! For God to provide the resources we need to do his work in our community.
No Cash?
No Problem!
Donate to the church the cashless way
You can now donate to the church with your smart phone!
Scan the QR code on the Donate page of the website or any of the QR codes displayed in the church.
For more information or questions contact Martin White
You can also now make contactless donations direct to Martin White's phone using card or smartphone!
Spreading the Word - Our Website
In the last month there were 142 visits to the site, 60 from directly entering the site, 61 via Google, 14 from theplaymap.co.uk and 4 from Bing!
In 2023 there were 1648 visits to the site, up 27%. Visits from NKM were up 75%
In 2022 we had more than twice as many visits as 2021 - 721 people visited the website 1299 times for an average of 4minutes 59 seconds.
In 2024, visitors were from all parts of the UK, with multiple visits from US (44), France (7), India (6).
Popular pages visited were:
Home
Services (41% up on previous month)
The most busy time is 4pm on a Monday but you are always welcome.
We are a busy church with many activities. If you spot any omissions or errors please the webmaster will be delighted to hear from you - email quantum.martin@btinternet.com
Welcome everyone.