Church of England in rural Kent: archive for St Michael Smarden

Christmas Tree Festival, 11th-13th December 2009

Prizes were awarded by popular vote. The winners are here, from left to right:
First prize: Smarden Patchwork and Quilters' Group
Second prize: Smarden Women's Institute
Third prize: Underdown family's tree.

Smarden Open Garden Weekend, 20th and Sunday 21st June 2009

Eight beautiful gardens were open to visit. There were teas at the Dragon house, plants stall and display of vintage cars on Saturday and classic cars on Sunday. Climb the church tower for views of the village.

Easter 2009

Both churches celebrated Easter by decorating bare crosses made from wooden sticks. The sticks were cut from a local wood and assembled during a children's activity club on Good Friday, taking place in both churches separately. The crosses were set upright in the churches on Easter Day and each person was handed a flower to place on the cross as they went up for communion. These are the results, with Biddenden on the left and Smarden on the right. The middle picture is of Smarden's Easter garden.

'Dens Alive' Cluster Praise Service, 21st September 2008

Smarden Charter Hall came alive as the praise band River, pictured, led five congregations in a service of praise and worship. The Anglican congregations of the '4 Dens' cluster joined forces with Smarden's Zion Baptists to pack the hall and praise God together. Best bits? perhaps the youth club poetry, or the energetic children's dance, but best of all of course, the music.

Flower Festival 2008: 'Brides Revisited'

This was a chance to relive wedding memories with an exhibition of wedding dresses from the last fifty years, enhanced by imaginative flower arrangements. The dresses were all connected with Smarden in some way, including three generations of one family married in the church.

A great event for everyone at which £3,000 was raised for church funds.