VICAR'S LETTER.

My dear People,-

Christmas will be with us this month, and so I will begin by wishing one and all a merry Christmas and a happy time in all your family re-unions. The world would he tremendously poorer without the observance of this season of goodwill. In our rejoicings let us not forget Whose birthday we honour, and thus put as our first duly the visit to the manger-throne of Jesus, the Son of God, born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem means the House of Bread. Jesus our Lord tells us He is the Bread of Life. So the faithful will come to adore at the Lord's Own service, to greet the new-born King and partake of the Bread of Life in that Holy Communion Service He Himself has ordained for us. A list of Christmas services is given below.

The G.F.S. girls are arranging for an Entertainment early in the New Year, and members of the Women's Fellowship have promised to assist these young people. The date will be announced in the next Magazine. We hope for a bumper house to encourage our local talent.

The Sunday School children will get their new stamp albums on Advent Sunday, and I hope to arrange for their Treat in the week after Christmas and the G.F.S. members will join in with them. Parents are invited to come at 6.30 p.m.

The Matron and Ladies' Committee of the Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital have sent a warm letter of thanks to those who helped on the "Pound Day."

Your sincerely,

CECIL G. MUTTER.

CONFIRMATION.

The Bishop of Dover has written to say that he will come to our Church on May 9th for a Confirmation Service. It is only occasionally we can have such a service in Hartlip.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES.

Sunday, December 24th, being Christmas Eve, the Choir will sing Carols at the 6.30 p.m. service.

CHRISTMAS DAY-
Holy Communion at 7, 8, and following the 11 a.m. service. Collection for the Sick and Needy Fund.

On the Sunday following the collections will be on behalf of the Sunday School funds.

VISIT OF A CHURCH ARMY VAN.

Early in January a Church Army Captain and his assistant will visit Hartlip for a week. The Church Army is a wonderful organization which does a splendid work for the poor and distressed.

The work accomplished in prisons and amongst discharged prisoners, as well as Police Courts, where they have both male and female Court Missioners, is most valuable. The Society has also a marvellous housing scheme; in fact, their religious and philanthropic activities seem endless. Much of their work consists of sending out Evangelists and Sisters to work in parishes.

When the van comes we must give the workers a welcome, and one way Of assisting is by giving them meals. Invite them to have a meal with you, or give them something such as butter, cheese, meat, jam, etc.; they largely depend upon gifts in kind.

Lastly, let us pray they may give us a message and be a means of quickening ur religious life.

PERSONAL SERVICE LEAGUE.

Miss Donaldson, of Hartlip Place, has organised a working party to knit and sew, and thus prepare garments for distribution to the very poor in the distressed areas. In the winter the sufferings of the unemployed in the North of England and in Wales are very acute. Ladies willing to work are welcomed to the meetings. The League is a big organization, and their distribution is made with discretion by their agents, who live in the needy districts.

MISSING WORD PUZZLE.

Mr. H. G. Faussett-Osborne succeeded in getting most of the words. It was a pity that more did not try. The words required were:- Rose, heartease, forget-me-not, sweet William, broom, briar, ragged robin, love-in-a-mist, love lies bleeding, sage, honesty, Solomon's seal, fig, arum, daisy, willow, lark-spur, leek, cornflower, mustard, stick, pear, iris, carrot, tomato, violet.

MOTHERS' UNION.

The Quarterly Service was on Nov. 23rd, and the address was given by the Rev. A. W. F. de Spailier, Vicar of Borden. We are grateful to him for coming and for his practical wards of advice.

CAROLS.

The Choristers will be singing Carols at your homes this month. They collect money in a box, which the Vicar opens, and he dispenses the money according to the attendances made. Parishioners are thus able to show their appreciation of the work our Choirboys do in the year.

BAPTISM.

Nov. 5th - Donald Alfred, son of Thomas George and Emily May Harris.