News from the hot seat...

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13/3/25

 

Dear friends,

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I was very struck by a poem I read, earlier this week, called Atlas by UA Fanthorpe. It struck me because, over the past couple of weeks, I have been especially grateful to those in our churches who offer 'a kind of love called maintenance' - who place paper towels around toilets to see where a leak might be coming from (and remember to check them); who carefully weed the church car park; or who clean on top of the kitchen cupboards (none of which are hypothetical examples!). Such care often goes unseen by most, but it is indeed an expression of love, and enables us to meet for worship and fellowship in a space that is clean, welcoming, and accessible. Thank you. Here's the poem - feel free to scroll past if poetry is not your thing!​

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There is a kind of love called maintenance

Which stores the WD40 and knows when to use it;

Which checks the insurance, and doesn’t forget

The milkman; which remembers to plant bulbs;

Which answers letters; which knows the way

The money goes; which deals with dentists

And Road Fund Tax and meeting trains,

And postcards to the lonely; which upholds

The permanently rickety elaborate

Structures of living, which is Atlas.

And maintenance is the sensible side of love,

Which knows what time and weather are doing

To my brickwork; insulates my faulty wiring;

Laughs at my dryrotten jokes; remembers

My need for gloss and grouting; which keeps

My suspect edifice upright in air,

As Atlas did the sky.

 

UA Fanthorpe, from Safe as Houses (Peterloo Poets, 1995)

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Some news and updates for the coming week...

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Services and events for Lent and Easter

Please find a table (below) showing the services and events taking place across the churches to mark Lent and Easter. There may still be one or two tweaks - but hopefully this will enable you to get the important dates in your diary. Please do take a look at the events taking place in other churches - why not join them for a meal, a service, or some outreach?

 

In particular, I'm delighted to say that we'll be engaging in some outreach in Martin Square again this year, with friends from Holy Trinity and St James the Great, on Saturday 19 April in the morning. We'd love to have as many of you join us as possible, to give away gifts and leaflets, chat to people, and be a visible presence. If you'd like to be involved in planning for this, please do join us at the Welcome Hub at 12 noon on Monday 24 March. 

 

Cafe worship in Burham - Starting this Sunday! 

This Sunday will see the first of our new cafe-style services in the village of Burham. We will be offering these services in partnership with our friends from All Saints in Wouldham, as a way of reaching out to the local community and offering opportunities to worship in the village. Please join us this Sunday (16 March) at 3pm in the Old School Community Centre for tea, coffee, homemade cake, friendly conversation, and space to think and pray.

 

School visit on 31 March - Could you help? 

On Monday 31 March, children from St Mark's Primary School will be coming to visit the Church in Eccles to explore the Easter story with us through a range of activities. Several classes are keen to come, so we'll be running workshops from 9.30 - 10.30am, 10.45 - 11.45am, and 1.45-2.45pm (with a break in the middle for lunch and a rest!). 

 

We'll have various activities: an Easter puzzle, a palm branch craft, a story, snacks, and planting cress seeds (or at least, that's the current plan!). If you could help for all or part of the day, I'd be delighted to hear from you. 

 

Burham Buzz 

The latest edition of the Burham Buzz, which includes information about the new cafe-style services, is on the Notices page.

 

Picnic on the Rec 

As you know, this year, the church will once again have a stall at the hugely popular Picnic on the Rec - a brilliant opportunity to meet people from the local community and to publicise our many services and activities. The event will be on Sunday 6 July (not 5 July, as I wrote in a previous email!) from 1pm - 5pm (with setup beforehand). If you could join us on the day, please let me know. 

 

Interested in ordained ministry?

At a school visit to Larkfield yesterday, one of the children asked me if I enjoy my job - and I could honestly say I do! If you feel God might be calling you into ordained ministry, why not sign up for a session being run on Saturday 14 June from 10am - 12.30pm by the Methodist Church in Britain, especially for those exploring a call to ordination? You can find all the details here. 

 

Next week

A reminder that I'll be on leave from 17 - 22 March (and preaching in Coventry on the 23rd). I'll be sorry to miss the Country Lunch in Burham next week, but do pop along to the Old School Community Centre on Thursday 20 March at 12.45pm for a delicious two-course meal of homemade soup, crusty bread, crumble and ice-cream, for the bargain price of £3. 

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Every blessing,

Naomi

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Some Reminders...

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Cafe worship in Burham - Could you help? 

As you know, we'll shortly be launching a new, monthly cafe-style service in Burham, in partnership with friends from All Saints, Wouldham. We're very excited about this new venture, and the first service on Sunday 16 March at 3pm in the Old School Community Centre. We need some volunteers to help set up tables and chairs in the hall, provide homemade cakes and/or serve teas and coffees. If you could help in any way, please do get in touch. 

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Mental Health First Aid training

There are still spaces available on the Mental Health First Aid two-day in-person training course taking place at Larkfield on
25 and 26 March, from 9.15am to 4pm on both days. Having undertaken this training a little while ago, I can confirm that I have found it hugely valuable, and I would highly recommend it for anyone involved in offering pastoral care and support. It can be emotionally draining, however, so try to ensure you leave the evenings free to rest and recover. We are very fortunate that James, our Circuit Operations Manager, is a MHFA accredited trainer, as usually this training costs £350 to attend! If you would like to take part, simply contact James on operations.nkmc@gmail.com / 07769 219581 ​

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An update on Sunday 30 March 

Sunday 30 March, as the fifth Sunday of the month, would usually be one of our united ecumenical services with Holy Trinity and St James the Great. However, it's also Mothering Sunday, and the two Anglican churches have some special traditions they'd like to be able to celebrate as usual. At the Methodist church, we'll be focusing on one of the strands of the 'Methodist Way of Life' as part of our MWoL preaching series. So, Sunday 30 March won't be a united service - but we will look forward very much to welcoming our friends from both churches to Larkfield & East Malling Methodist Church for the next united service, on Sunday 29 June.

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Explore course - May 2025

Explore is open to any member of the Methodist Church in Britain and is a valuable opportunity to consider how you are being called to respond to God's calling (inside or outside the church). You can register at any time of year, although the course element has two cohorts a year and usually runs from September to May, and May to January. You will be offered support through working with an Accompanist; journalling your experiences; shadowing people; learning and development resources; and being part of a group working together over the course of nine months. 

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Next Church Council meeting - Save the date 

Our next Church Council meeting will take place on Thursday 16 October 2025 at 7.30pm. All are welcome, so please pop the date in your diary.

 

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. 

 

A note to all hall users

Mike has kindly agreed to produce some helpful signs with photos for the hall, to remind us of how it should be left for the next users. The blue chairs should be arranged neatly against the walls, but not stacked - the remaining blue chairs should be stacked in the cubby hole at the end of the hall. I had to confess to frequently getting this wrong myself!

 

Christ the Worker - Resources for those leading worship

As many of you know, I'm one of the Trustees of Kent Workplace Mission, an ecumenical charity supporting chaplaincy in the world of work. 1 May is International Workers' Day, and on the first Sunday in May, KWM marks 'Christ the Worker' Sunday, designed to help Christians to consider, connect and celebrate faith and work. This fits neatly with Vocations Sunday in the Methodist Church. You might like to take a look at the attached resources, especially if you are leading worship on Sunday 4 May. ​