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 26th July
Big Butterfly Count
The annual nationwide Big Butterfly Count takes place between 17th July and 9th August. Find out how to take part at https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/
Cemetery Blessing
Today, Sunday 26th July, the Sunday following St James’ Day, the annual service in the parish cemetery in St James’ Lane takes place at 3 pm, with visits to bless individual graves therein.
Altar Flowers
As the long summer season of non-festal time continues, your gifts of flowers are more than welcome should you wish to remember someone in particular. Write their name on an envelope and they can be included in prayers.
Charity of the Month
Home-Start North West Kent offers free, confidential support, friendship and practical help to parents of children under five in Dartford, Gravesham, Swanley and surrounding villages; who are going through a difficult time. Donations may be made in Offerings box until the end of the month.
St Mary’s Day
The church’s patronal festival is on Saturday 15th August. Join the service in church at 12 noon followed by a bring-and-share picnic in the rectory garden.
MCK Donations
Thank you to those who regularly donate to MCK’s foodbank in the trolley. At present toiletries aren’t needed, but tinned meat, pies, fish and other high-protein foods are always welcome.
Sponsor-a-Floorboard
Labyrinth of Life
Explore life’s twists and turns by walking the labyrinth in the churchyard. A simple path, no false turns, but with no apparent meaning until viewed from above. Use it for your prayers when traversing the churchyard.
Sponsor-a-Floorboard
Please encourage all your friends to sponsor a floorboard in the main hall of the new Lantern Centre. We have many floorboards to lay in the final phase of the building fit-out. Boards are about a metre in length and can be sponsored for a donation which you can then Gift Aid (we suggest £25 each but it’s up to you) and, when available, you will be able to sign the underside of them and be part of the new centre for ever.
This Week at St Mary’s
Daily (except Tuesday)
9 am Mattins (not Friday)
5 pm Evensong
Thursday 30th July
2-4 pm Open Church (ending with prayer at 3.45 pm)
7.30 pm Bell-ringing practice
Next Sunday is Trinity 9
9 am Mattins
10 am Holy Communion
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.