Next to "The Rose Inn", at the junction of Ulley Road and Faversham Road (map) meets a church with a history of ministry to the people of Kennington which stretches back more than a century. Many of its current members are in their 20's and 30's, so for them the knowledge that God has brought His church, through such varied times, is a reassurance rather than a living memory.

But I am endebted to those with longer memories, who have lent photographs and experiences to colour this history. Also to those who have written before, and made this job much easier for me.

The Ashford Congregational Church built a daughter church in Kennington in 1863. Prior to this there used to be "open air" services at Kennington. This was a time of great expansion for Ashford. With the opening of the Ashford Railway works in 1849, the population of Ashford increased from 3,700 in 1841 to 6,000 in 1851. A number of people helped with the Kennington chapel, most notably Mr. G. R. Bacon, who served as superintendent from 1873 to 1909. The Ashford Congregational church also started a church at Beaver, on the other side of Ashford.

Click on image to see larger picture - each is about 36k.

The Congregational Chapel in Kennington, on Faversham Road, built in 1863 and demolished in 1971 to make way for the new church.	Ashford Congregational Church, stood in Church Road, where the magistrate's court now stands.

The first church was on the present site, but it was a wooden building with pews and a coke stove for heat. In 1913, the church was extended to provide a classroom and a kitchen. From this time an assistant pastor looked after the churches at Kennington and Beaver, this continued until 1929. Both churches owe a great deal to the faithful work of lay leaders.

Until 1954, the work at Kennington, had been under the direction of a committee based at the "mother" church in Ashford. Now a quarterly Church meeting of members was started. The women's meetings were a strong factor in the life of both Kennington and Beaver churches.

In 1970 the "mother" church in Church Road, Ashford, where the magistrates court now stands, needed a new roof and extensive renovation. Bank Street Methodist Church also needed major reconstruction work. It was decided to sell the Congregational church and then merge it into Bank Street church. One third of the proceeds went towards the reconstruction at Bank street. The second third went towards building the Cade Road Church and the remainder went into building a new church at Kennington, on the site of the old one.

Click on image to see larger picture - each is about 36k.

Kennington	Bank Street	Cade Road

The congregational church and the Methodist church united and became one church worshipping in three places: Bank Street, Cade Road and Kennington. During the building work, the congregation met in the W.I. hall in Faversham Road in Kennington.

A large Sunday School had been held on Sunday afternoons for many years in the old building, but had ceased for lack of leaders after the war. When the new building was opened in 1971 the Sunday School was restarted in the mornings with the services in the evenings. There was a family service once a month in the morning.

Later an extension was built in December 1979. This is now the church lounge. From 1980 there were regular morning and evening services. In the last few years the evening service has been replaced by a monthly service, which we take to a local retirement home, and a Saturday Evening Praise Evening - usually on the first Saturday of each month.

The church grew and developed. In May 1987 several of the members of the church felt led to start another fellowship in Kennington at the "TOC-H" hall. This was a very sad time for the church. For a few months housegroups continued meet, involving both fellowships. By July even these had separated.

But the church has continued to develop and explore new areas of ministry. Last year we organised a Holiday club for local children, and we have been sponsoring and supporting the training of one of our members at Bible College.

Over the last 10 years new members have joined us and others have gone to support other churches. A number have become preachers or worship leaders. The church has a reputation for being a loving fellowship, but also a bit radical in its approach to worship.