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.

Stop Press:

Updated 23/09/22

Alpha Banquets

Thursdays at 7pm

22 September 20 October 17 November 8 December

How you can help!

We are now on the way with our planning for Alpha.
We are looking for help in several ways...

Join our course as a guest or as a host!

Take our invitation leaflets and pass them to neighbours, family and friends.

Help us with setting out the Church, washing up, clearing away.

Making a starter, main course or pudding for us on one or more evenings.

And finally, pray for our guests, and also our leaders and helpers.

Please contact Naomi, Monica, Valerie or Sylvia if you can help!

Naomi's News...

23/9/22

Dear friends,

I know that many of you will have shared with millions of others on Monday in watching the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Streets were eerily quiet on Monday morning - reminiscent of the early days of the first lockdown - as the nation paid its respects to someone who served us all so faithfully for 70 years. I am aware that, in recent weeks, many of you have suffered a bereavement much closer to home, and have had the strange experience of grieving a loved one while the whole nation mourns. It was good, therefore, to be reminded by the Archbishop of Canterbury in his funeral address that the hope offered to us all - rich or poor, powerful or powerless, famous or obscure - through Jesus Christ is the same.

The pattern for many leaders is to be exalted in life and forgotten after death. The pattern for all who serve God – famous or obscure, respected or ignored – is that death is the door to glory.

Those present shared in that wonderful Charles Wesley hymn, Love divine, which reminds us again of that hope: a hope that allows Christians, in the face of death, to feel a sense of confidence, and even joy.

Changed from glory into glory,
till in heav’n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love and praise.

Some news and updates for the coming week:

Breakfast Church - Could you lend a hand on Sunday 2 October?

A number of our usual Breakfast Church team will be away on Sunday 2 October, so I'd be delighted to hear from you if you would be willing to lend a hand on a one-off basis. Could you help serve food and drinks, wash up, lead a Bible study, run a 'coffee and chat' table, or lead the children's activities? Do get in touch if so!

Harvest Festival - Sunday 2 October 10am

The 10am service on Sunday 2 October will be our Harvest Festival, and our Harvest gifts will be used to support the vital work of Maidstone Homeless Care. Here is some guidance about the sorts of donations they would find most helpful:

"MHC would welcome tinned and dried packet foods (fresh produce can present a problem with storage and distribution). Specifically, this year's list includes Pot Noodles, tinned ready meals (Frey Bentos type) tinned soups, fruits, vegetables and meats (hams, spam, corned beef etc) and tinned fish. They also welcome cereals, instant mash potato, long-life milk, energy bars and biscuits along with tea/coffee. Items always needed but often overlooked at this time are cat and dog pet foods (tinned) and male and female toiletries."

Would you like to become a member of the Methodist Church?

I will soon be holding some informal sessions for those who have expressed an interest in becoming a member of their local Methodist church. If you'd like to join them for three gatherings exploring what it means to be a Christian, a Methodist, and a member, with the option to be received afterwards as a member of your local church, please get in touch. The sessions will take place over lunch, or tea and cake, and there will be space to answer any questions you might have. You can find some FAQs about Methodist membership here.

Operation Christmas Child

Jeanette from Tonbridge Road has asked me to share with you the information below, about this year's Operation Christmas Child appeal, which will be heavily focused on families affected by the war in Ukraine:

Will you partner with us again to share God's love with even more boys and girls this season? This year our goal is to send two-thirds of shoeboxes from the UK to Ukraine or the neighbouring countries like Moldova and Romania that are hosting many Ukrainian refugee families.

During the early days of the Ukraine crisis, an Operation Christmas Child outreach event for refugees touched the lives of many families.

"It was the most emotional event," shared one of our local ministry partners. "We told each child how much God loves and cares for them. When they opened the gifts, it was like the gift boxes were packed especially for them. Many families came without anything, they just managed to grab their children and run. In the gifts there were so many things they needed."

Since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine, thousands of Operation Christmas Child gifts have been distributed to children there and in surrounding countries by our local church partners; but there is still the opportunity to bless many more who are in need.

You can find all the information you need to get started here.

Next dial-in service - Thursday 29 September 10am

I am very grateful to Monica, who has been sharing the leadership of our dial-in services with me for many months. Monica is taking a step back to focus on her many other commitments, so I am also deeply indebted to Irene Shepherd, who has kindly agreed to share the leadership of future services with me (along with those who generously offer to read and lead prayers). Our next service will take place at 10am on Thursday 29 September, and will be led by Irene. The details will be in next week's email.

Every blessing,

Naomi