Stone Church, St Mary the Virgin
13th Century parish church of Stone-next-Dartford, Kent
A place of welcome, prayer, healing and peace.
Notices for the week beginning Sunday 1st March 2026
Palm Sunday - 29th March
This year the joint service with our neighbours will be held at Swanscombe parish church at 10.30 am. Please make every effort to attend even though we’re not in our usual place.
Church Cleaning
Every first Saturday of the month after Morning Prayer, i.e. next Saturday 7th March. Speak to churchwardens Lois or Marueen if you can help out. Prepare for the big spring clean week beginning on Monday 23rd March.
Mothering Sunday Cake Sale
On Sunday 15th March, raising money for Mothers’ Union work at home and overseas.
Easter Journey
For the Yr 5 & 6 children at Stone St Mary’s to help them experience the Holy Week story, volunteer help is sought on Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st March to lead interactive stations in the church, or support in other ways. Please let Kenneth know.
Go and see DAODS
If you are interested in the latest production “We will rock you” (music and lyrics by Queen) at the Orchard West on Wednesday 15th April, please speak to Robin Hergest or Jeanne Hoadley.
Lent 2026 - A Time of Gifts
GIVE – Our Easter Smartie challenge; a 20p or £1 coin a day through Lent will fill one of our smartie tubes or collecting caddies. Gift Aid it where possible and bring it back at Easter, 5th April.
Proceeds go to the Lantern Appeal.
- If you have yet to give a sum to the Lantern Appeal, please make a donation or pledge for Easter.
- If you have already done so, encourage others in your social networks to do likewise. Say why you think it is an important project for Stone and why you have given. Respond to our Facebook post to get the message out.
GIVE UP – One or two or your luxuries, starting with Sunday lunch. We invite you to soup and bread every Sunday after church. During lunch there will be quiet time and a meditation on one of the sacraments.
Give up a bit more time to prayer (Our suggestion is to readi the psalms of the day according to either the Book of Common Prayer or Common Worship. Download the Daily Prayer app)
FORGIVE – Receive the gift of forgiveness by making a confession of your sins (‘shriving’) – hence Shrove Tuesday, the traditional day for doing this. Please remember that you may consult your clergy confidentially at any point in the year, and if you would like a private opportunity to confess and seek absolution do not hesitate to make contact. Once you have been forgiven you are better placed to forgive others.
And two bright spots to anticipate:-
Next Sunday 8th March is Edward King’s day, our own saint produced in Stone. Family Communion and soup lunch.
Sunday 22nd March is Mothering Sunday, with Mothers’ Union cake sale after the service.
Intercessions Workshop
As we seek volunteers to lead intercessions on Sundays, come to a workshop in church on Saturday 21st March at 10 am where we examine the principles and practice of this valuable service.
This Week at St Mary’s: -
Daily (except Tuesday)
9 am Mattins (not Friday)
5 pm Evensong
Thursday 5th March
2-4 pm Open Church (concluding with prayer at 3.45 pm)
7.30 pm Bell-ringing Practice
Friday 6th March
7 pm Choir Practice
Next Sunday is Lent 3 (St Edward King)
9 am Mattins
10 am Family Communion (and soup lunch)
5 pm Evensong
Hymns, Reflections & Prayers
Daily hope from the Church of England. Do share the following free phone number with anyone, especially those without access to the internet: 0800 804 8044
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
You are invited to give consent that we may contact you from time to time. To continue hearing from us or to join our contact list for the first time please complete the online form on our website or the sheet available in church. Our privacy notices are on the noticeboard in church and our website here www.stmarystone.org/gdpr.