A safe space for under 5’s and their parents and carers. Craft, toys, breakfast and time to chat. Every Monday during term-time.

A place of welcome, information and support for all in the Rainham community, working in partnership with other agencies, community providers and locals. Cereal and toast. Toys and games for children to play with.
All welcome.
INCLUDES COMMUNITY LARDER - JUST SAY HELLO FOOD PROJECT

The Just Say Hello Food Project
Helping local people in crisis – Take what you need – Leave what you can

Our Community Fridge and Larder is run by a team of friendly volunteers and is open on Tuesdays 9-11am with Community Hub, and Thursdays 10am-12pm. During these times, Rainham residents are welcome to come along to collect some food and toiletries. We don’t require a voucher and all are welcome; we just need to record some basic details to ensure that the larder is being used fairly.

The aim of the larder is threefold: to help local people with food insecurity, to reduce food waste, and to benefit our community by also helping reduce loneliness and isolation. We strive to keep a safe, non-judgmental space where visitors are welcome to stay for a cup of tea and a chat, can take part in the groups running in Church at the same time. We also have a list of other organisations offering food and other support that we are happy to share.

We always welcome donations for our Community Fridge, and particularly need UHT milk, tinned meat, fish and vegetables, tea/coffee, cereals and toiletries. These can be dropped off at Church, and we just ask that donations are prior to Best Before and Use By dates.

We also provide emergency food parcels for those in crisis, and run various projects throughout the year, including Easter basket raffles to raise money for the larder, and Christmas dinner hampers to ensure local families have access to a good meal over the festive break.

All information is shared on the Church’s social media, and if you have any questions, please feel free to email [email protected].

This is an opportunity to spend time studying the Bible together in more detail than we are able to do on a Sunday. We meet weekly on a Tuesday evening in an informal setting, usually someone’s home, where a study is lead and together we explore the insights given to us by the Holy Spirit. The studies are usually delivered on themes, and to get the most from it it is probably best to attend all of the studies on that theme, but the studies also stand alone. Each session starts at 19.00 and aims to finish before 21.00.

Whilst the studies require no great Biblical knowledge or insight they do seek to look deeply into God’s word.

If you are interested in attending or would like more detail please catch up with Terry Whittaker, either face to face or by email on [email protected]

Midweek Communion
Join us for a quiet and reflective midweek Communion service held each week in the peaceful setting of the chapel at St Margaret’s Church. This smaller, more intimate service offers a time for personal reflection, prayer, and sharing communion. Whether you are seeking a moment of stillness in your week or a deeper connection with God, all are welcome to participate.

A fun and interactive group for community health and wellbeing, encompassing physical activity and education for future independence. Aimed at older populations and those with health and mobility conditions. Cost is a £3 contribution which goes back into the group’s funding pot for future classes and equipment. Refreshments are provided

Overcome Achieve Prosper

Our prayer group meets in the Tufton Chapel every Thursday morning from 9.30 to 10am. Do come along if you’re free – you will be very welcome! The group includes friends from other local churches and we often focus on praying for Rainham. There is no pressure to pray out loud or spontaneously. Some people prefer to pray in silence or to read a prayer they have written down. God hears all our prayers, whether spoken aloud or offered in the silence of our hearts. When we don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, even for needs that cannot be put into words (Romans 8:26).

Meeting every Thursday from 10am to 12pm, you will be very welcome to join us for coffee, cake and a chat.
Community Larder OPEN

Small Groups
The church currently has three small groups which meet weekly. These are belonging groups where we look out for each other, share, look at the Bible or a theme and just spend time together. They are a great opportunity to get to know a group of people, socialise and have some fun too. Our current groups meet on a Monday Evening at someone’s home, a Tuesday late morning in church and a Thursday afternoon in someone’s home. We appreciate that these times may not work for everyone and if you are interested but these days and times do not work then please be in touch as we are always looking to see if a new group needs forming.

If you have any questions, would like more detail or are interested in attending one of our Small Groups then please catch up with Terry Whittaker, either face to face or by email on [email protected]

Volunteer group from the community who give time to maintain the churchyard.
Equipment provided.
Weather dependant. Fresh air, exercise and good company. Includes a break for coffee.
New volunteers always welcome - variety of tasks to suit all.

St Margaret’s Church, Men’s Breakfast Club is an informal gathering of men for breakfast and a chat. We are from all walks of life and all ages – church goers or not. We eat and talk, arrange outings (we went to the cricket recently) and generally be ourselves. Come and join us on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays on the month.

Join us for a short, said service of Holy Communion

252 Kids. Weekly term time. 10.20am – 11.30am Children’s Ministry.

TWO FIVE TWO KIDS (The name is linked with the Bible verse – Luke 2:52)

252 Kids is our Sunday morning group for school aged children. Years R to 6.

We meet during term time from 10.20am in the Millennium Centre with leaders and children joining the church family in church at 11.30am.

There is no session on the first Sunday of each month, instead there is an all-age Holy Communion in church. 10.30am

The session helps the children grow in wisdom, faith and friendship through a variety of well-planned and fun activities.

Parents/Carers are welcome to stay for a taster session if they wish and support their children to settle in.

This is a weekly service with a mixture of traditional hymns and modern song, laced with liturgy.
ALL AGE SERVICE OF THE WORD (NO COMMUNION)- first Sunday of the month.

What to Expect at St Margaret’s Church
If you’re thinking about coming to St Margaret’s for the first time, we want to make you feel as comfortable as possible. Whether you’ve been to church before or this is entirely new to you, we’re here to welcome you.

Arriving at Church
When you arrive for our 10.30am Sunday Holy Communion Service, one of our friendly welcomers will greet you at the door. They’ll be happy to help with anything you need. On your right-hand side, as you come in, you’ll find the toilets and a small kitchenette. If at any point you’d like a drink, feel free to help yourself or ask a welcomer — they’re here to assist.

Seating
There’s no reserved seating at St Margaret’s — you’re free to sit wherever you feel most comfortable. Most seating is in traditional pews, but we also have tables and chairs at the back of the church if that suits you better. If you use a mobility scooter, don’t worry, you’re welcome to bring it in with you.

For Families with Young Children
We love having children in our church, so please don’t worry if they make noise or move around — they’re very much part of our community! If you have babies or preschoolers, we have toys at the back of the church to keep them entertained, and you’re welcome to breastfeed anywhere. If you’d prefer a quiet, private space, just let us know, and we’ll be happy to arrange that for you.

For primary-aged children, we run the 252 Kids Club every Sunday during the service. This takes place in the Millennium Centre, the building on your right as you come in from the Cricketers Car Park.

The Service
Our Holy Communion Service lasts around 1 hour and 10 minutes and follows a structure that’s easy to follow, whether you’re familiar with it or not. Everything you need will be in the service booklet or displayed on the screen at the front. If the words are in bold type, that’s your cue to join in with everyone else; the other words will be said by the person leading the service.

Here’s what you can expect during the service:

The service begins with a traditional hymn, led by our robed choir, with the words displayed on the screen.
After the first Bible reading (which you can follow in the pew Bibles), we sing two contemporary worship songs.
Following the exchange of peace, we sing another contemporary worship song.
During Communion, our robed choir will sing, and then the service will close with another traditional hymn led by the choir.

What to Wear
There’s no dress code at St Margaret’s — come as you are, and wear whatever you feel comfortable in.

Watch Previous Services
If you’d like to get a feel for what our services are like, you can watch previous services via our website. This will give you a good sense of what happens during a Sunday service.

After the Service
Once the service has ended, there’s a chance to enjoy refreshments and meet new friends. We’d love to have a chat with you, so feel free to stay and get to know us.

We look forward to welcoming you to St Margaret’s!

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Monthly Choral Evensong - everyone welcome.
Please check date with church office before making a special journey for this service.

Small Groups
The church currently has three small groups which meet weekly. These are belonging groups where we look out for each other, share, look at the Bible or a theme and just spend time together. They are a great opportunity to get to know a group of people, socialise and have some fun too. Our current groups meet on a Monday Evening at someone’s home, a Tuesday late morning in church and a Thursday afternoon in someone’s home. We appreciate that these times may not work for everyone and if you are interested but these days and times do not work then please be in touch as we are always looking to see if a new group needs forming.

If you have any questions, would like more detail or are interested in attending one of our Small Groups then please catch up with Terry Whittaker, either face to face or by email on [email protected]

Small Groups
The church currently has three small groups which meet weekly. These are belonging groups where we look out for each other, share, look at the Bible or a theme and just spend time together. They are a great opportunity to get to know a group of people, socialise and have some fun too. Our current groups meet on a Monday Evening at someone’s home, a Tuesday late morning in church and a Thursday afternoon in someone’s home. We appreciate that these times may not work for everyone and if you are interested but these days and times do not work then please be in touch as we are always looking to see if a new group needs forming.

If you have any questions, would like more detail or are interested in attending one of our Small Groups then please catch up with Terry Whittaker, either face to face or by email on [email protected]

Please contact the church office for more details.

If you're post - GCSE age (16+) and into your twenties we would love to invite you to our Young People's Group.
This is a space to meet others your age, build friendships and feel part of the church community. It is a chance to connect, chat and support one another in a relaxed and welcoming setting.
You don't need to know anyone already - just come along.
What to expect:
A typical session is relaxed and informal. We might:
Chat and catch up
Have tea, coffee and a pastry
Talk about faith and life
Read the Bible and pray together
Get to know each other better
When we meet:
We generally meet twice a month on a Sunday morning in church at 9am before the 10.30 service