The Vicarage,
January 2nd, 1928.

My Dear Friends, -

Once again we start on a New Year. I wish you all happiness and prosperity in it. We pray for God's blessing upon us and our work in it. To make it really happy we shall let the Christmas Message of Peace and Goodwill, which we have just learned afresh, guide us in our home life, our Church life, and in all our intercourse one with another.

With this month's magazine you will receive, as usual, a pretty card presented by the publishers of "Home Words," and also our Hartlip Church Kalendar for 1928 which I hope will be useful. We have to thank those tradesmen who insert advertisements in our magazine. They help us to make the magazine pay it's way. Please take notice of their announcements.

Rarely do we have such a spell of rough weather with rain, snow, and frost, as we have had this Christmas time, and it made the congregations small at some of the services in Church. Quite a good number came on the Sunday before Christmas when we had the special Carol Service. The singing of the carols and the reading (so nicely) of the passages of Holy Scripture by various officials of the Church made an impressive preparation for the Great Festival to follow.

On Christmas Morning there was a large number of communicants (77). A word of praise must be given to the choir for the rendering of the beautiful Anthem, "It came upon the Midnight clear," at the 11 o'clock Service. As usual, our Bellringers rang out merry peals, and the ladies did their part in making the Church look pretty with evergreens and flowers.

May I, on behalf of the choir boys, thank parishioners for the generous response to the collection made when the boys went round singing Carols?

I wrote in last month's magazine about the Revised Prayer Book going before Parliament. After it had passed the House of Lords by a large majority it was a surprise to find it rejected by the House of Commons. As a majority of the members representing English constituencies voted in favour of it and the division was a close one, we may, I think, look forward to the Book (perhaps slightly amended) being presented again and passed before long. I have faith to believe that there is some wise purpose in the delay. Perhaps it may bring about greater unity. It is for us now to pay for guidance for those upon whom the responsibility for further steps lies.

Soon use shall be having a meeting of the Church Council to revise the electoral Roll. We shall be glad to have any fresh names upon it, and forms to be signed will be found in the Church.

I am most pleased to announce that the Rev. Dr. A. Jones, Vicar of St, Michael's Sittingbourne, has kindly promised to come and preach here on five Tuesday evenings next Lent. For some time I have wanted to get Dr. Jones to preach at Hartlip, and you will be glad to know that we are to have so good a preacher for our special Lent Services. Will you keep Tuesdays, February 28th, March 6th, 13th, and 27th free from other engagements?

Just know we are in the midst of Treats and Festivities. On December 29th the members of the Women's Meeting were entertained in the Schoolroom and spent a pleasant evening. On the 30th there was the Grand Whist Drive and Fancy Dress Dance promoted by the British Legion when the Schoolroom was crowded. There is not space here to write much about this splendidly organized event, but the "East Kent Gazette" will have something to say, I think, as I noticed our friend Mr. Bennett in the room! On the 3lst the G.F.S. Candidates had their Christmas Party and were very happy.

On January 3rd we are to have the Sunday School Treat. All such things help to draw us gether and together and to make life happy.

I remain,

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

COLLECTIONS IN THE CHURCH.

£s.d.
Dec.4-S.P.G.1127
"11-Organ and Choir Fund1610
"18-Police Court Mission176
"25-Sick and Needy Fund3180
"27-Sick and Needy Fund020
Jan.2-Sunday School Fund1186

Extracts from the Register.
MARRIAGES

Dec. 3 - Frank Musselwhite and Winifred Miles

 "  24 - Thomas George Harris and Emily May Philpot.