The Vicarage,
26th February, 1924.

My Dear Friends,

We are now getting on with the arrangements for the enlargement of the Churchyard. At the Public meeting in the Schoolroon on February 11th, the Scheme drawn up by the Church Council was thoroughly discussed in all its details and those present, as representing the parishioners, gave their approval of it. The scheme is to take a piece of the Glebe Land about 30 yards wide by 23 yards deep and to fence this on the South and West sides with a Scotch spile fence. On the North side the public path will be in the Churchyard and on the West side will be the present wall which may perhaps be lowered to the level of the old ground. It is estimated that the new ground will provide for about 240 graves and it is proposed that all graves should be dug at least 7 feet deep, and so provision will be made for about 480 burials. Much work will be necessary to clear the new ground and to bring it to suitable slopes. A rough estimate of the cost of carrying out the scheme is £75 and it was decided that a general appeal should be made to the parishioners for the money and the opinion was expressed that a ready response would be given to such an appeal. The Meeting elected Mr. H. Hales and Mr. G. Pope to serve on a Committee to carry out the work, and Mr. Hales and the Vicar are the joint Treasurers. The Church Council have appointed as their members of the Committee, Mr. J. Harriss, Mr. W. Miles, Miss Faussett-Osborne and Mrs. Friar, with the Vicar and Col. Locke, ex-officio.

This Committee met on February 25th, and added to their number, Mr. Luck and Mr. Witherington. The latter kindly consented to act as Hon. Secretary. Various details in the Scheme were discussed and the Committee hope soon to be able to put before the parish more definite information as to the cost of the work and the way in which it will be carried out.

It is generally known, I suppose, that I have been chosen to represent our parish as Guardian of the Poor, and on the Rural District Council. I have accepted these offices in the hope that I may be of some help to the parish in them. I shall be glad for parishioners to bring to my notice, at any time, matters that they think their representative should attend to.

The Annual Church Meeting will be held in the Schoolroom on Monday, March 10th, at 7 p.m. All those whose names are on the Roll of Electors are entitled to attend this Meeting and we shall be glad to have as many of them as possible present at it. We do want Church people to show their interest in the affairs of their Church and to take their part in the management of it. At this Meeting the Churchwardens and other accounts will be presented, a new Church Council will be elected by those present and any matter concerning the welfare of the Church may be brought forward.

I remain,

Your sincere Friend and Vicar,
D. H. CREATON.

Lent.

On Ash Wednesday, March 5th, we begin the solemn season of Lent, and our Church appeals to us to make it a time of special effort to deepen our Spiritual lives, and to root out the thorns which so easily spring up to choke the good Seed. Of course we ought to be trying all the year round to do this, but a special season set apart for a special effort is a tremendous help. Let us use this Lent so that by extra prayer, meditation, instruction, and self-denial, we may draw nearer to God. We are all so apt to be like Martha "careful and troubled about many things" and to neglect the "one thing needful." Lent comes to pull us up and to encourage us to give more thought to this "one thing needful."

On Ash Wednesday, the services will be - 8 a.m. Holy Communion; 11 a.m. Matins and Commination Service; 7 p.m. Choral Evensong and Address. On the Sunday Mornings in Lent I propose to preach a coarse of sermons on "Sin," and on the Sunday evenings a course on "Discipline."

The Special Week-night Serviees in Lent will be on the Tuesday evenings at 7. The preachers at these services will be March 11th, the Rev. W. A. R. Ball, Vicar of Rainham, March 18th, and April 8th, the Rev. G. J. Browne, Rector of Frinsted, March 25th, and April 1st the Rev. A. P. McNeile, Rural Dean and Rector of Marston.

May I express the earnest hope that our people will try to follow through the courses of addresses on the Sundays and to attend regularly the Week-day Services.

Notice will be given in next Month's Magazine of the arrangements for Holy Week.

The Social Evenings.

The last of the series took place in the Club Room on Wednesday, February 27th. Throughout the winter they have been generally well attended, especially considering the weather and the amount of sickness there has been in the Village.

The proceeds will go far towards paying off the debt on the piano, but of course they have not been organised chiefly to make money; but to provide pleasant social evenings for us. The Committee arranged that none of these entertainments should be held in Lent as it was recognised that they should be given up in this Solemn Season. Possibly, we may have one more evening in the Schoolroom, after Easter.

Collections in Church.

£s.d.
Feb. 2nd & 25th - Vicar's Fund020
"3rd-Church Expenses1115
"10th-Quota to Diocesan Funds178
"17th-Church Expenses1811
"24th-Church Expenses178