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
2/2/2026
On this page:
Welcome Hub now has its own dedicated Welcome Hub page available from the main menu above.
Also check out the new, extended Notices page which now includes diary events and more...
Church Family Weekend
Family weekend
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.
News from the hot seat...
29/1/26
Dear friends,
I'm sure, like me, many of you have been deeply upset by the situation in America, with protests and unrest following the violent tactics employed by ICE, and by the spreading of misinformation by those in positions of power and authority. It can be hard to know how to respond, especially from afar.
Reflecting on the situation yesterday, I was suddenly reminded of the story in John's Gospel of Jesus' response to a woman caught in adultery. In this story, the Pharisees, seeking to trap Jesus, humiliate a vulnerable woman by forcing her to stand in front of a crowd while they question Jesus, all the while preparing to stone her to death. Jesus refuses to take the bait. He resists. He does not ignore the law, but he shifts the focus: from punishment to mercy, from condemnation to dignity. He places himself alongside the person most at risk, interrupting the cycle of blame and violence with presence, truth, and grace.
As followers of Christ, we are called to notice who is being exposed, shamed, or endangered in our own time. The Gospel consistently draws us toward those who are vulnerable and afraid, reminding us that God’s justice is never separated from compassion. In recent weeks, we have seen terrifying stories of individuals who have been killed because they chose to stand alongside their neighbours who were at risk of violence and victimisation. Their actions, which have carried such a cost, remind me of the actions of Jesus. Love means refusing to look away; choosing solidarity over silence; and trusting that love is stronger than fear.
Some news and updates for the coming weeks...
This weekend
Tomorrow, around 40 of us from Larkfield will be heading to Ashburnham Place near Battle for a weekend entitled 'A love that will grow.' There'll be worship, food, crafts, conversation, games, walks (weather permitting!) and lots of time to get to know each other better as a church family. I won't have access to my landline or emails, but if you need to contact me urgently over the weekend, please leave a message on my mobile (07485 072 407) and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
There will be no Breakfast Church on Sunday, but you are very welcome to join the 10am service led by Rev David Kichenside.
One family may need to withdraw from the weekend at short notice, so if you would be interested in taking their place (which has already been paid for), please do get in touch with me. The weekend runs from Friday evening until Sunday lunchtime.
Rev Bonni-Belle
Many of you will be aware that Rev Bonni-Belle (Superintendent of the North Kent Methodist Circuit) recently underwent an operation. I have attached an update from Bonni-Belle about her health and further treatment. Thank you to everyone who has been holding Bonni-Belle and Alfred in your prayers; please continue to do so in the weeks and months to come.
Grapevine
The latest issue of Grapevine, the circuit newsletter, is now available (on the Notices page) and hard copies will be delivered to the churches shortly. Some of you might spot yourselves in the write-up of Larkfield's Alpha Course! I've attached an electronic copy. Please note that, for reasons outlined above, the in-person services allocated to Bonni-Belle will be reassigned, and a revised preaching plan will be issued shortly.
Bonni-Belle's situation also means that we have decided to defer the 'Methodist identity' course that the circuit was going to organise in March. We do hope to be able to run this course again in the future.
Lent and Easter 2026
We are putting the finishing touches to the list of special services and events taking place over Lent (which starts on 18 February) and Easter this year, and will be in touch very soon with the details. In the meantime, please find a poster (on the Notices page) for the sunrise service taking place on Easter Day (followed by breakfast!).
Stationing for 2026/27
Please find a letter (on the Notices page) from Henry, our Senior Steward, regarding stationing (ie the ministers appointed to the circuit) from September 2026. I'm very aware that this will result in more uncertainty for Tonbridge Road in particular - if you have any questions, or if you want to talk, please don't hesitate to be in touch. We will let you know as soon as we have any further information, in particular with regard to who will be supporting Tonbridge Road from September.
Safeguarding training
Following on from last week's message about Safeguarding training, please find a poster (on the Notices page) for upcoming Foundation Module training, which is being offered both online and face-to-face. Please contact Paul and Trish on safeguardingtrainingnk@gmail.com with any questions or to book your place.
Maidstone Bible Week 11 - 14 May
Please find a letter (on the Notices page) about this year's Maidstone Bible Week, in which Nigel Styles from Cross Connections will be speaking about 2 Peter.
Gift Aid
And finally, for those who count collections at church... please remember to write the amount of money on Gift Aid envelopes. Tricia, who does a fantastic job with our Gift Aid, can only make use of envelopes that say how much was contained inside. Thank you!
Every blessing,
Naomi
Diary Notices
To find all upcoming events, please visit our Notices page, which includes the following:
Other Notices
Could you be a BB Leader - or do you know someone who could?
Our fabulous Boys' Brigade team are still looking to recruit new Leaders and Helpers. I've reattached the advert - please have a think and a pray about whether you know someone who might be suited to the role (or whether you might be!). Please do pass the advert to anyone who might be interested.
Could you help look after the church website?
As many of you will know, Martin and Irene are planning to move in the not-too-distant future. We're delighted for them (although we'll miss them terribly!). Martin does an excellent job of looking after our church website and keeping it up-to-date. Is this something you might be able to help with in the future? If so, please take the opportunity to have a chat to Martin and find out what the role entails. The website is an excellent tool for outreach - I know we've had folks come to join us because they've found our website to be attractive and interesting. So we'd love to keep it going! Larkfield Methodist Church | North Kent Methodist Circuit | Kent
Booking Church Facilities
We have a variety of rooms to suit your requirements, each with its own kitchen. The Church Hall and the Sycamore Tree rooms are available for booking at competitive rates. More details on our bookings page.
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:
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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.
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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.
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Support our fundraising efforts.
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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).
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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.
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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
November Traffic
In November there were 143 new visitors to the site, 130 from directly entering the site, 84 via Google, 14 from facebook and 12 from Bing! Together with returning visitors, that was a total of 167 unique visitors and 257 site sessions.
Obviously, most visits were from within the UK but we had 18 hits from Germany and 11 from Singapore! Even the Russians (4) are watching us, so I had better be careful what I write!
Popular pages visited were:
Services
Notices
Welcome Hub
The most busy time is 3pm 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.