HISTORY OF THE CHURCH      

• The church was originally founded on the site in the centre of the village 900 or so years ago.  The parish shares borders with parishes within the Maidstone Deanery on the North East side, as well as parishes within the Diocese of Rochester to the North and West, and serves a population of about 4,000 within the village and surrounding communities. The area used to be a predominantly farming community, but is now much more diverse with a high proportion of commuters, who leave early and return late each day. The church family has grown in recent years to a current level of 162 on the Electoral Roll. 

STYLE OF WORSHIP   

• Worship embraces both traditional and modern styles in a range of services.  The church is open daily for private prayer and visitors. 

YOUTH AND CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

• Children are welcome at all services and there is a play area set aside in the church to keep the younger ones occupied. There is a strong Sunday Club, held in the Vestry Hall, which caters for the 3-9 year olds, and also JAM (Jesus And Me), which has a growing number of 10-15 year olds, who meet in various houses on a Sunday morning. These groups regularly participate in the All-Age Worship Services on the 3rd Sunday of the month.  In the Vestry Hall, Noahs Ark, a time of worship for mothers and toddlers meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 1-45pm, and, during term time, a well-attended Mother and Toddler group meets every Wednesday morning.  Occasionally, other activities for children are held in the Vestry Hall during school holidays.  The appointment of a Children’s and Youth Worker has been made, primarily financed by very generous donations from members of the church, and she is developing initiatives to bring children in various groups together. 

FELLOWSHIP - NURTURE GROUPS, HOUSEGROUPS

• The well-established Ministry Leadership Team, who report to the PCC, shares responsibility for supporting the Vicar in the areas of Worship, Prayer, Pastoral, Outreach, Liaison and Youth. Alpha courses are held most years to help individuals to develop their faith, with a number who attend going on to join one of the house-groups that meet on various nights of the week.  House groups follow a common study theme, eg. York Courses, during Lent holding a joint service during Holy Week.

DETAILS OF OTHER CHURCH ACTIVITIES

• The bell-ringers can be heard practising every Thursday evening, and the Choir meet to practise on a Friday evening.  There is also a Junior Choir which meets fortnightly for practice and they join the Adult Choir for Sunday services. There is an active Prayer Fellowship Group that meets on Saturday mornings usually once a  month and our Prayer Ministry Team provides an opportunity for prayer and healing in the Lady Chapel at every 10.30am Service on a Sunday. A Village Café is open for tea, coffee, cakes etc. every Friday morning, Community Lunches on the first Monday of the month, with Men’s Breakfasts every two months on a Saturday morning.  There is a very active Mothers Union branch which is also very supportive of other events and activities in the church 

SOCIAL/FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES

• The church family supports a varied programme of events each year. Favourites each year are The Swinging Picnic in the Park, and the Christmas Fayre.  A range of other events, social or in aid of church funds or a specific charity, supplement these throughout the year. Other activities such as barbeques, table-top sales, etc are also organised by various groups in the church. A well-established Parish Magazine is produced monthly, with approximately 600 copies being distributed, and the Vestry Hall is regularly hired by groups/ individuals from outside the church. The church also has a very extensive website providing comprehensive information, a prayer page, an interactive discussion facility, as well as other innovative ideas, including a facility for donations to the church to be made online.

LINKS WITH SCHOOLS IN THE PARISH

• The church has a strong link with Marden Primary School which occasionally uses the church for services. Although just outside the parish, Bethany School uses the church for 2 major services a year.  There are no secondary schools in the parish, so children have to travel for their secondary education.

LINKS WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS/CHURCHES

• A unique partnership has been formed between the Church and Marden History Society with the formation of The Friends of Marden's Heritage, instead of each acting 'in competition' with the other.  The objects of the Friends are:
  1)  to preserve, maintain, restore, repair and improve the fabric of the Parish  
       Church, its monuments, fixtures, fittings, furniture, stained glass and
       ornaments and its churchyard, and
  2)  to seek, preserve, research, inspire interest in and transmit the history of
       the Parish.
  Along with other elected members, the PCC has two representatives on the Friends' Committee.  Various fundraising events will be held to support the above objects.
• The church has links with the Marden Congregational Church which has been involved in jointly running the Holiday Club for children in the Vestry Hall.  A joint service for The Women's World Day of Prayer was held in the Congregational Church.

 OVERSEAS LINKS/PROJECTS

• The church has, for a number of years, supported The Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed in Bangladesh and has also raised funds to rebuild and re-equip Nabbongo School in Uganda. Support is given to a number of other charities with strong overseas links.  A further link with the Diocese of Myitkyina in Northern Burma has been established to support the work of the Bishop of Myitkyina, who was the guest of the parish whilst visiting the Lambeth Conference.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The Church is open daily for visitors and private worship between 8.00am till 3.30 - 4.00pm.