Larkfield and East Malling
Methodist Church

Called to Love and Praise

Welcome

We are a friendly, welcoming Church, of all ages with a membership of around 80, 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.

Muffins group in Trosley Country Park

Stop Press:

Updated 27/5/22

Craft Group decorate church for Queen's Jubilee -

more pictures on Craft page

Dear friends,

I'm sure that many of you are excited that the Known & Loved Mission Week for which we've been planning for such a long time begins this Saturday. Reminders of all the events will be included in tomorrow's weekly email, but I wanted to be in touch about the two events taking place over the Jubilee weekend. I'd love to see as many of you there as possible - both events will be excellent opportunities to build relationships with our sister churches in Larkfield, and to meet those in our communities who might not usually set foot in a church. We also need a little more help! The details are below - but, in particular, if you have a gazebo you could lend us for the weekend, that would be wonderful.

Picnic & Praise on the Rec - Saturday 4 June

From 2pm on Saturday 4 June, we'll be gathering on the Rec on New Hythe Lane. Bring your own picnic (and any picnic chairs, blankets etc) to enjoy from 2pm. There'll be live worship music from 3pm, led by the Larkfield Community Church band. We'll be offering free birthday cake (as the following day will be Pentecost - the Church's birthday!) and drinks to passers-by.

If the car park at the village hall is full, you might like to consider parking in the Poets Estate and walking through the cut-through.

Could you...

join us on the day?
advertise the event by putting a poster in your window? (There are plenty at church.)
lend us a gazebo for use on Saturday and Sunday?
make or buy a birthday cake for us to give away? (If you could do so, and haven't already let me or Monica know, please do get in touch.)

Picnic in the Park in East Malling - Sunday 5 June

On Sunday 5 June, we'll have a stall at Picnic in the Park in East Malling, giving away free cream tea packs and chatting to those who stop by. If you would be willing to help cover an hour or two on the stall, and haven't already let me or Monica know, you can fill in the form here. Everything for the cream tea packs will be provided, as well as some 'Known & Loved' materials for anyone who is interested.

If you have any questions, do let me know. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Every blessing,

Naomi

Known & Loved' Mission Week

It's hard to believe that the 'Known & Loved' Mission Week for which we've been planning and preparing for so long is now just around the corner! The update below contains a lot of useful information, so make yourself a cuppa and settle in for a read. Just a few things to highlight:

The opportunity to pray for the Mission Week with Chris (our Mission Enabler) and his team in Martin Square at 5pm on Saturday 28 May.

The 'Known & Loved' launch event with friends from Churches Together in Malling on Sunday 29 May at 4.30pm at West Malling Baptist Church.

'Go and Tell' - the opportunity to get creative and connect with people in Martin Square, with support from Chris and the team, on Monday 30 May. If you find the idea of speaking to people you don't know about faith frightening - you're not alone! But Chris and his team will be helping us to connect with people simply and sensitively. Why not give it a go?

You can also find details of all the K&L events taking place across the Malling area - and it's quite a list, on our Churches Together in Malling page.

If you're able to help in any way, and haven't already let us know, please do contact me or Monica.

Please do hold the week, and the opportunities it presents to bless our communities and share the good news, in your prayers.

Naomi's News...

27/5/22

Dear friends,

Greetings on this Ascension Day! Ascension Day, when we remember Jesus ascending into heaven and leaving the disciples to await the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, always falls on a Thursday, 40 days after Easter and 10 days before Pentecost. Because it falls on a day when many of us are busy with work, school, and other commitments, it sometimes goes unnoticed. So, if you can, why not join us for this morning's dial-in service and spend half an hour praying and reflecting on the story with friends from across the circuit? Or, if not, find a quiet moment during the day to pause and read the story in Acts 1:1-11 (or Luke 24:44-53) and see how it speaks to you today.

Some news and updates for the coming week...

United service this Sunday at St James the Great - No service at Larkfield & East Malling Methodist Church

Hopefully, you are all aware that, this Sunday, we will be worshipping with friends from Holy Trinity, Larkfield and St James the Great, East Malling in a united service at 10am. The service will take place at St James the Great in East Malling (opposite the King & Queen), led by a team of Anglicans and Methodists. There will be no service at Larkfield & East Malling Methodist Church. Pastoral Visitors, I would be most grateful if you could make sure that all those on your lists know where we'll be worshipping on Sunday!

Known & Loved

After years of planning, the Known & Loved Mission Week finally begins on Saturday! I'd love to see you at any or all of the following:

Praying for the Mission Week with Chris (our Mission Enabler) and his team: Saturday 28 May at 5pm in Martin Square
Known & Loved launch event with friends from Churches Together in Malling: Sunday 29 May at 4.30pm at West Malling Baptist Church
'Go and tell': the opportunity to get creative and connect with people in Martin Square, with support from Chris and the team: Monday 30 May, starting with briefings at 9.30am and 12.30pm at Larkfield & East Malling Methodist Church
Coffee and cake giveaway and prayer stations: Tuesday 31 May from 10.30am-12pm at Larkfield & East Malling Methodist Church
Jubilee cream tea and quiz: Tuesday 31 May from 3-5pm at Lawson House
Messy Church Jubilee tea party: Wednesday 1 June from 3-5pm at Larkfield & East Malling Methodist Church (contact Monica to book a place)
Picnic & Praise: Saturday 4 June from 2pm on the Rec on New Hythe Lane. Bring a picnic (and chairs, blankets etc) to enjoy from 2pm, with live worship music from 3pm. If you can make or buy a birthday cake for us to give away to passers-by, that would be great!
Picnic in the Park in East Malling: Sunday 5 June. We'll have a Known & Loved stall at this popular event with free cream tea packs to give away. If you can spare an hour or two to help with the stall, please fill in the form here.

Sunday 5 June will be an exciting (and busy!) day, with Breakfast Church at 9am, a special service at 10am featuring baptisms and receptions into membership of those who have recently joined our church family, and then the Picnic in the Park. Huge thanks to everyone working hard behind the scenes to prepare for these exciting events. Please do come along, and hold everyone involved in prayer. Please pray, too, for those we will encounter, that we might be a blessing to them, and that God might equip us to share the good news in word and deed.

This Sunday's online service

I'll be leading this Sunday's online circuit service at 10.30am. As the Gospel for the day is Jesus' prayer for unity among his disciples, I'll be joined by several ecumenical colleagues, including the Revd Dave Baxter (minister at West Malling Baptist Church and Chair of Churches Together in Malling) and Leon Mileham (Pastor of Connect Church Maidstone). The hymns will be led by Robin Oakley and an ecumenical team of singers and musicians who generously agreed to record some songs especially for our circuit services. You can watch live, or catch up later on this and all our circuit online services, by following the links here.

Ukraine

The Methodist Church and All We Can are running a joint appeal supporting organisations working alongside those affected by the war in Ukraine and the surrounding countries. You can watch a short video here and find out how to donate here.

You can also click here to read some amazing stories of those supporting people affected by the crisis, including David, a Methodist lay worker currently in Poland using his skills to help Medair with the logistics of transporting much-needed supplies into Ukraine.

Annual leave

Some of you already know that I'll be on leave (without access to my phone or emails) from 6-18 June inclusive. If you need an answer to a question before I go, please do feel free to give me a nudge! With the Known & Loved Mission Week starting on Saturday, the diary before I go is looking very exciting, but rather full. Please do forgive me if I don't manage to get in touch before the 6th. I'll send my usual weekly email next week - and then your inboxes will have a fortnight's break!

Every blessing,

Naomi