"The Church, serving God, serving man, has an essential part to play making the mind of the people wise; its heart sound; its will righteous. The diocese of Canterbury has a special duty to be worthy of its position as the Mother Diocese of the Church of England and of the Anglican Communion.

"If you care for these things you will take your own full part in the life work of the Church, that the foundation of our National character may be strengthened by faith in God and obedience to Him.

"I ask you to give your ungrudging support to this appeal in gratitude io God who has done great things for you, that the Church may equip itself best for its work in this Diocese."

(Signed) GEOFFREY CANTAUR.

I wish there were space to copy the whole of the appeal. Here are a few etxracts, taken at random. The Vicar's Warden has promised to explain Hartlip's share to the Parishioners' Annual Meeting, but first of all let's cast our minds back to that afternoon of Sunday, September 15th, 1940, when our own little church missed, by just a very few trees, destruction or very serious damage; let us think of that and be thankful, and show our gratitude in a concrete form.

His Grace writes: "In the early autumn of 1940, the eyes of the whole world were fixed upon one small corner of England - the south-east corner. Over these historic acres was being fought the Battle of Britain, a battle upon whose outcome depended the future of mankind for generations to come. The enemy was but 21 miles from Dover, his great guns were shelling our Channel ports, our fields were littered with the debris of his aircraft. Men stood by every dawn to repel invasion. Yet life went on. Farmers tilled the fields, workers worked in factories, train and 'bus drivers stuck to their time-tables in spite of shell fire, bombing, flying bombs and rockets.

"So did the religious life of the people. The Church held steadily to her task in town and village. Churches, schools, halls, were wrecked, yet always, somehow, Christian worship and work was maintained. We put faith in God. He was our shield and strength.

"This Diocese was hard hit - 199 churches were very seriously damaged - some destroyed; also 70 halls and 160 schools. Yet we are a thankful Diocese. As we think what might have come to us during those years of crisis, we realise how much we have been spared and how greatly we have been blessed."

The Archbishop's Appeal for the Diocese is £205,000, and every penny is needed for new work and for reconstruction. We in Hartlip have been asked to be responsible for £500, that is roughly £1/5/0 per head for every man, woman, and child in the parish (1/0 a month for the next two years). Is our Deliverance worth that sum? What do you think?