Many Larkfield Community groups met again for a Spring Clean of Larkfield as part of the Love where you Live campain organised by parents of Lunsford Primary School and Larkfield Community Church members.  The weather was kind and approximately 60+ people met at the Dorcas Centre and collected many bags of rubbish from the surrounding area.  We were supported by Tracey Crouch MP, Kent Messenger, the local PCSO’s, Parish Council and Neighbourhood Watch.    A great and rewarding day was had by all.

Larkfield Community Church had the pleasure of  baptising James Preston on the 26th February 2012.   James is our intern student who joined us in September 2011 from Stockport, Cheshire.  He is studying for a degree via SWYM in Youth Work.  In addition, James has been working in the local schools during the week for CAST (Churches and Schools Together) and the Family Trust as well as helping to lead our Sunday evening youth group “Refresh”.  We celebrated this wonderful occasion with James and his family and had a fellowship meal at the Dorcas Centre.

Friday 23rd December - the church met at the Dorcas  for an evening of fun and fellowship.   It was a great family evening and everyone enjoyed the games and music quiz.

Friday 30th December - the church fellowship met again to enjoy some bowling in Maidstone followed by some fish and chips back at the Dorcas Centre.  Here are some photos from the event:

At 10.15 on the 17th December 2011 members from the Churches Together in Malling group met to sing with the Abbeyfields residents in Martin Square.   Home cooked mince pies were given out and carol requests were taken from the residents.  We always thoroughly enjoy our visits to Abbeyfields and the residents seemed pleased with our singing voices.

Following on from Abbeyfields, we all went to the Quarry Wood Sainsburys to sing more carols and, though it was cold, we all reminisced about last year’s carol singing at Asda when a sudden downfall of snow, within a short space of time, nearly left us stranded at the store.   Great fun was had none the less with many well known carols being sung. Donations will be given to Tearfund.

On Saturday 15th October 2011, a huge community litter pick and tidy up was planned by some Lunsford School Parents and Larkfield Community Church were happy to be able to provide the Dorcas Centre as a base and provide a litter picking team to help out.   There were many other community groups represented alongside Lunsford School and Larkfield Community Church, totalling about 80 people in all and they included Tracey Crouch MP, Holy Trinity Church, Parish Council, Guides, Larkfield Football Club, Russet Homes and others.    B&Q also kindly donated trowels and bulbs to plant around Larkfield in designated areas.  There was great weather, great community spirit and a great amount of litter that was picked up - 16 wheelie bins and 20 sacks.

Some members of the LCC team.

On the 8th October a small team from Larkfield Community Church gave gifts of daffodil bulbs away at Martin Square as part of our Harvest Celebrations.  In total about 75 bags of bulbs were given away to bless the people of the Larkfield area at this time of year.

We had a great time recently when LCC headed off to the seaside for a weekend of camping.  Everyone had a wonderful time, especially on Saturday night with some brilliant talents being shown off during Larkfield’s Got Talent!  Despite the weather being very windy and raining on the sunday, some of us came home more sunburnt than others… pictures to follow.

After many years serving the folk here at Larkfield Community Church, Mike Pearson has decided to retire from the role of Elder.  Mike & Rachel were among the small group of about 8 people who came to Larkfield to plant a fellowship in the area.  We would like to say a great big thank you and God Bless to them as they enter into the next phase of their life and ministry.