St James the Great is a friendly, liberal and inclusive Church that welcomes everyone. We follow the seasonal and sacramental traditions of the Church of England and encourage preaching that is solidly linked to real life experiences. We are proud to be members of the 'Inclusive Church' movement.

We have a strong musical tradition with a well trained, robed choir made up of men, women and young people. The choir is open to anyone who enjoys singing and wants lively and fun musical training. We are also part of the Royal School of Church Music 'Voice for Life' Programme and encourage our choir members to take part. We have a regular band of bell ringers who also train other ringers. Our tower welcomes newcomers, people who just want to have a go at bell ringing and seasoned ringers alike.

The Church is regularly used as a concert venue by our friends at East Malling Singers as well as other groups. 

We are part of the Bradbourne Benefice together with our sister Church Holy Trinity Larkfield, you can find them here Holy Trinity Larkfield

"The parish of St James the Great, East Malling is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of Rochester’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services."