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 8th February 2026
Church Cleaning
Thank you to the volunteers who took on cleaning yesterday and do so every first Saturday of the month after Morning Prayer. Please join the team to make lighter work of the task. The building won’t clean itself after all. Speak to churchwardens Lois or Marueen. The big spring clean week will begin on 23rd March.
Charity of the Month 2026
Porchlight tackles issues of homelessness locally in Kent with practical help. More details at www.porchlight.org.uk. It is still possible to make donations in the wooden Offerings box at the back of the church up until the beginning of Lent.
MCK Food and Fun
Two sessions are planned for half term, between 11 am and 1 pm on Thursday 19th February at Manor School, Swanscombe and Friday 20th January at Greenhithe church hall. Are you able to help at these times, or before and after with set up and clear up?
Preparing for Lent
Lent begins on 18th February (Ash Wednesday), a time for getting serious with God. As usual prayer, fasting and almsgiving are three things to focus on.
· For a Lent discipline try reading the psalms of the day according to either the Book of Common Prayer or Common Worship. Download the Daily Prayer app and get praying!
· After church on Sunday we invite you to a soup-and-bread lunch as a way of encouraging your own abstinence.
· Each year you are asked to review the amount of money you give to God through St Mary’s, up – or if necessary down. This year we ask you to make a grant or pledge to the Lantern Appeal, or if you have already done so in the past, please share with your social network the fact that you have supported the appeal and why. Help us to get the word out. And for those who like to make a collection day by day, smartie tubes, pigs and some collecting houses will be available, with all gifts, collections and pledges to back at Easter, 5th April.
Ash Wednesday Communion
There will be two services of Holy Communion with imposition of ashes as a mark of penitence, at 10 am (sung) and at 7 pm (said).
Christian Initiation (Baptism and/or Confirmation)
It is not too late to join the group of candidates preparing for these sacraments of initiation at Pentecost, Sunday 24th May Speak to Kenneth, Paul or Kathryn.
This Week at St Mary’s: -
Daily (except Tuesday)
9 am Mattins (not Friday)
5 pm Evensong (not Wednesday)
Thursday 12th February
2-4 pm Open Church (ending with prayer at 3.45 pm)
7.30 pm Bell-ringing Practice
Friday 13th February
7 pm Choir Practice
Next Sunday is Quinquagesima Sunday
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.