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
20/3/2026
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...
Lent Breakfast Church
We had great fun at Breakfast Church last Sunday thinking about Lent and the different ways we can engage with the Bible. We made wilderness scenes from sweeties, and some of us got rather wet!
Our next Breakfast Church will be on Easter Day - Sunday 5 April - at 9am. We can’t wait to celebrate with you all!
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...
19/3/26
Dear friends,
At last night's Lent group, we thought about 'moulding culture.' 'Culture' was broadly described as 'the way we do things around here' - the behaviours that we take for granted, if we've been part of a particular group for some time, but which newcomers would have to learn (or be subjected to a great deal of tutting and disapproval if they don't). We thought mostly about our frontlines - those spaces where we are regularly in contact with non-Christians. But it's important to consider the cultures of our churches, and whether 'the way we do things around here' might sometimes unintentionally make newcomers feel uneasy, unsure, or excluded. Do we say the Lord's Prayer from memory, assuming everybody knows it by heart? Do we let people know what to expect if they come forward for communion? Is it obvious where to find a cuppa after the service? In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus says that we are 'salt' and 'light.' Just a small change (as small as a pinch of salt) can make all the difference to the culture of an organisation - or a church family.
Some news and updates for the coming weeks...
Services and events for Lent and Easter
Please find a reminder of the services and events taking place across the churches during the remainder of Lent and at Easter (on the Notices page).
The Archbishop of Canterbury's pilgrimage
The new Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, is undertaking a six-day, 87-mile (140 km) walking pilgrimage from St Paul's Cathedral in London to Canterbury Cathedral as part of her spiritual preparation for her installation on 25 March 2026. She'll be walking very close to some of the churches I serve later this week, and making a stop at The Friars in Aylesford. (We did offer her the use of the facilities at The Church in Eccles, but sadly her itinerary was already planned out!) Please hold Dame Sarah in your prayers as she journeys and as she prepares for her installation.
Holy Land visit by the President Designate
"Palestinians are exhausted and worn down. They have not lost hope but hope hangs by a thread. There is real urgency in the request our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ make of us.”
Rev Mark Slaney, the President Designate of the Methodist Conference, visited the Methodist Liaison Office in Jerusalem and partners in Israel/Palestine from 5 to 17 February. You can read his reflections here.
Job opportunities with Interserve
Interserve is an organisation committed to working cross-culturally amongst the peoples of Asia and the Arab World; to see lives and communities transformed through encounter with Jesus Christ. You might be interested to know that they are currently recruiting for a Finance Co-Ordinator, Finance Admin-Assistant, and Communications & Fundraising Coordinator. You can find more details on their website, here.
Every blessing,
Naomi
Don't forget...
Sabbatical dates
As most of you know, I'll be taking a sabbatical over the summer (the Methodist Church very generously offers its ministers a three-month sabbatical once every seven years). My sabbatical will begin on Monday 8 June, and I'll be back at work on Wednesday 16 September. I'll be breaking my sabbatical for just over a week in August, so I can be Chaplain to the Camp that Larkfield's Brigades will be attending on the Isle of Wight. Over the coming months, we'll be making more detailed preparations for my absence (although I know you're all more than capable, not least after two periods of maternity leave!). While I'm away, Rev Robert Zachar will cover Larkfield (including Burham) and Eccles, and Rev Alex Terrett will cover Tonbridge Road and Hextable. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to be in touch.
Could you be an e-steward?
Six years after they began, our weekly circuit online services continue to be greatly appreciated. The circuit is seeking someone to act as 'e-steward' on the first Sunday of the month - monitoring the chat thread, greeting worshippers as they arrive, and posting information in the thread about the order of service. Training will be provided. If you might be able to help, please contact James Walker on operations.nkmc@gmail.com
Exploring vocation
The Methodist Church offers an 'Explore' programme for anyone wishing to explore church leadership, whether lay or ordained. The next cohort begins in May 2026. If you might like to join them, you can book here to join a taster session on 14 April 2026 at 7pm.
Lent course
It was great to see some of you for the first instalments of our online Lent course, focusing on 'Fruitfulness on the Frontline'. Your frontline is anywhere you spend a significant amount of time with people who aren't Christians - and we realised what a wide range of frontlines we had between us, from the gym to care homes, the school gates, golf courses, foodbanks, hospital appointments and our family and friends.
If you weren't able to join us, you'd still be so welcome to come along for the next session on Wednesday 25 March at 7.45pm.
Here's a reminder of the Zoom details:
https://zoom.us/j/92097680710?pwd=6j4IImobHdCOSN4a52LIwjfMx7Aksw.1
Meeting ID: 920 9768 0710
Passcode: 479237
Church WhatsApp group
Did you know that the church has an informal WhatsApp group, so we can share news and prayer requests? If you'd like to join, please send me your phone number.
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
On the subject of the website...
Greetings fellow Larks, this is Martin reporting from the Shropshire town of Cleobury Mortimer. Today, for the first time, I am editing the website from the old Methodist Church, now used as a community hub. It is a vibrant space full of love and energy. It is well used, with the grey-haired running group popping in after their run, youngsters gaining self-confidence through using the climbing wall and several people just meeting up over a cup of coffee. A young lady, toddler in arms, is wearing a jacket quoting Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me". So although the Methodist church is here no more, the Spirit goes from strength to strength.
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
Latest Traffic
In February there were 118 new visitors to the site, 83 from directly entering the site, 55 via Google, 14 from theplaymap.co.uk (a site for parents/carers)! Together with returning visitors, that was a total of 124 unique visitors and 163 site sessions, viewing 288 pages.
Obviously, most visits were from within the UK but we had 10 hits from Germany and 7 from France! Even the Chinese (1) are watching us, so I had better be careful what I write!
Popular pages visited were:
Notices
Services
Kids
The 25th February was especially busy 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.