VICAR'S LETTER.

My Dear People,-

Lent was well observed by many of you as far a attendance went at our week-day services. I am very grateful to the Rev. Ronald V Bristow for coming on the Thursday nights and preaching here. Where you have to listen to the same preacher week after week a change of voice is an excellent thing, and I hope the exchange of pulpits was equally acceptable to the St. Augustine's, Gillingham, parishioners.

Good Friday vas a beautiful day this year, and was it good to see such splendid congregations at the services. I am most pleased to see so many children coming to the ordinary services each Sunday. The practice of regular public worship cannot be acquired too soon.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to the people who gave flowers and decorated the church. Our old village church looks very beautiful when adorned so tastefully with its spring blossoms.

Easter-day was a happy Festival. Nine-five communicants received their Easter Communion on this day.

The Treasurer tells me that just over £18 was given for help with the Dilapidation Fund of the Cure. This is a relief to me personally for I have to pay £37/17/6 annually towards this. It is a heavy charge on the Vicar's income, and I appreciate your generosity, especially when I tell you that the Queen Anne's Bounty Trustees were £81/13/4 in arrear last year, due I believe to the delay made by the non-payment of the parish tithes. The Vicarage and grounds are far larger than my modest requirements necessitate, but it forms a Trust, and I feel in duty bound to keep all in good order if I can. Nowadays with heavy taxation I am poorer financially than if I were acting as an assistant curate. I think it right that parishioners should know the financial position of their Vicar in this Cure.

I hope you will attend in good numbers at the Annual Meetings on Monday, April 4th, at 7.30 p.m. in the Schoolroom.

Yours sincerely,

CECIL G. MUTTER.

MOTHERS' UNION

This year Lady-Day, March 25th, fell on Good Friday. Such a coincidence will not happen again I believe until the year 2005. By that time most likely there will be a fixed Easter. If the Pope, who represents such a large part of Christendom, would agree to this the change would soon be effected. Our own Archbishop of Canterbury is in favour, so are the leaders of the great Eastern churches and the Nonconformist bodies are agreeable. By ecclesiastical rule the observance of Lady Day is transferred to Tuesday, April 5th, so the Mother's Union keep their great world-wide gatherings on that date. All our own members are asked to note this. There will be a corporate Communion Service at 6.30 a.m., and for those who cannot attend then a second celebration will be at 10 a.m. A Parents' Festival will be held the same day at Holy Trinity Church, Sittingbourne, at 7.30 p.m:, when the Rev. Canon T. K. Sopwith, the Vicar of Maidstone, will preach. All are invited.

Our annual afternoon service will be on the following Thursday, April 7th, at 3 p.m. The Vicar will give the address, and has invited members to a cup of tea afterwards at the Vicarage.

THE WAIFS' AND STRAYS' SOCIETY.

The Sunday School children took boxes for Lenten self-denial to be devoted to the Waifs' and Strays' Society. Mrs. W. Luck, the local Secretary, informs us that 16/1 vas received as a result. This Society is our great Church of England Body for the rescue and care of neglected and destitute children. Somehow the old Mother Church does not seem to be able to advertise like other religious bodies, but it is good to know that thousands of children have been cared for, and given a chance in life, and that we have hundreds of children in the Homes of the Society, and our Church does not fail in such noble undertaking.

ENTERTAINMENT.

This has been postponed from April 15th to the 22nd.

Mrs. Cook, our head teacher, is training her scholars to take the first part of the Entertainment, whereas Miss Faussett Osborne is with the Hartlip Band, and other friends of her's responsible for the second half. It ought to be a very interesting performance, and we hope for a packed house. The proceeds will be divided between the Parish Hall and the School Funds we believe.

MISSIONARY POTATOES.

Seed potatoes were distributed on Palm Sunday in the Church Porch. The idea is to plant them in your garden, and bring the proceeds to the Harvest Festival. Then the result will be sold for help to Missionary Work Overseas. It is asimple Way of helping, and the mission work will be gainers.