The Vicarage,
April 28th, 1927.

My Dear Friends, -

It is with great pleasure that I write about the observance of the Seasons of Lent and Easter in our Church, for the church people of our parish have shown that they realise the importance of both. All through Lent, on Sundays and weekdays, we had good congregations at the services, and it was particularly pleasing to see so many present each Wednesday evening.

I thought that I had never seen our church so prettily decorated as it was for the Easter Festival this year, and our thanks are given to the ladies who took so much pains with it, and to those who sent the flowers. The decorations, the glorious weather, the ringing of the bells, and the singing of the choir combined to make us enter more into the joy of the Easter Message. The large increase in the number of communicants this year (124 as against 83 last year) was remarkable. There were a good many visitors, and we welcomed 13 newly confirmed, but I like to think that the increase meant that more of our people realised the importance of our greatest service, and I trust that the Easter Communion will be followed by frequent attendance at the Lord's Own Service. Why should we not have about as many communicants on Whit-Sunday?

Quite a nice number from Hartlip went to Newington for the confirmation on April 5th. It was an impressive service, and Bishop Chatterton made us all feel the importance of it. Front our parish were confirmed Alfred William Chapman, Thomas George Harris, Osmond Hollands, Ronald Frederick Friar, Robert Savage, Howard William George Twort, Edith May Brooke, Mildred Ethel Harris, Ethel Florence Pepper, Ivy Saunders, Gladys Ellen Sedge, Mildred Lilian Simmons, Rhoda Mary Smith. May they all grow in Grace and be faithful to their promise.

The Children's "Missionary Hour" drew a big gathering on April 8th, and I am sure that those who came appreciated the excellent performance, and felt that it brought home (as it was intended to do) the call to carry throughout the world the message of the Gospel. We were much indebted to all those who so readily helped in preparing the stage and the room, and in dressing the children, and to Mr. Friar for the "Limelight." The collection for the S.P.G. amounted to £1/11/7.

The annual combined meeting of the Easter Vestry and the Church Council was held in the Schoolroom on April 25th. I had the pleasure of again nominating Lieut.-Colonel R. G. E. Locke as Vicar's Warden, and in doing so I expressed our thanks to him for all his valuable services to the Church in Hartlip. Mr. S. D. Hollands was re-elected as People's Warden with the thanks of the meeting for his help as warden during the past

year. Colonel Locke handed to me the sum of £9/3/8, being the amount of the Easter offering for the Dilapidations Fund. May. I say how much I appreciate this help towards meeting an expense which falls on me as Vicar, and to which so many contributed? At this meeting I spoke, as requested, on the Revised Prayer Book, and tried to show it was right that, after 250 years, our Prayer Book should be revised to bring it more into touch with the thoughts and needs of to-day, and pointed out how much the revisers have done to make the Book more helpful for public worship. Time did not allow me to speak on the Holy Communion Service, but I hope to have an opportunity of saying something about this soon.

I remain,

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

Colonel Locke has again kindly enriched our Church by the beautiful picture which was hung on Easter eve just outside the Lady Chapel. A few words about it may be interesting. It is a copy of Raphael's famous picture called "The Madonna of the Chair" which hangs in a gallery in Florence. Raphael (or Raffaelle) was born in 1483 and died in 1520. On the back of the picture in our Church is:- Prof. A. Sasso and Son, Florence, Italy. Painted by Mr. A. Sasso. Hartlip Church, Easter, 1927. Loaned in perpetuity it memory of F. Locke.

COLLECTIONS IN THE CHURCH.

£s.d.
March 27 - Church Expenses11711
April 3 - Quota to Diocesan Fund250
April 10 - Church Expenses1140
April 14 & 16 - Vicar's Fund026
April 15 - St. Mary's Home, Stone167
April 17 & 18 - Easter Offerings938
April 24 Church Expenses1154

EXTRACT FROM THE REGISTER.
BAPTISMS.

April 17 - Stanley Frederick, son of Frederick and Lilian Frances Scott.

April 24 - Margaret, daughter of Wilfred Stuart and Constance Muriel Stevens.

BURIAL.

April 16 - Edwin Friar, aged 68 years.

I much regret that the Gardeners' Assocition Balance Sheet cannot be inserted this month. It requires considerable space and the printers find it impossible to get it in. It will, I hope, appear in the June Magazine.

D.H.C.