FROM THE METHODIST MINISTER

Dear Friends,

At the Methodist Church we are looking forward to another winter's programme of United Christian Fellowship Meetings and also to the various joint services which we arrange. As I write another thunderstorm is raging outside. By the time this is published we shall have celebrated our Harvest Festivals. We may have felt dubious about singing " All is safely gathered in ". We may have also not felt like thanking God for the sunshine and the rain, having had so much of one and so little of the other. However, it is always a good thing to get our troubles into perspective. No doubt communities who have suffered complete devastation by flood, drought, or earthquake would very happily change their situation for ours.

We feel very sorry for those people in our own country whose homes have been flooded this summer. I heard a welfare worker saying how difficult it was to provide hot meals for flood victims. Even so people in other countries who have hardly any food, hot or cold, would not be impressed by our ideas of "catastrophy" and "hardship". When we feel like grumbling about anything it is as well to remember those whose situation is so much worse. It is also a good thing to thank God for all the good things we do enjoy and usually take for granted.

As this may be the last magazine before the Vicar leaves Hartlip I would like on behalf of the Methodist Church and of myself personally to thank him for his friendship and help, and for his work in increasing co-operation between our churches.

Yours sincerely,

David C. Lapworth.

PARISH NOTES

Welcome

To Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin and their son and daughter, David and Jennifer, who have recently come from Gillingham to live in Dane Close. Also to Mr. and Mrs. Mowll, and Jonathan and Catherine, who have arrived at 28 Dane Close from the rather more distant setting of Milan, Italy. We hope that both families will soon feel part of our community, and be very happy here.

Best Wishes

To Miss Mary Ambrose, late of the Vicarage flat, who has just started a further tour of teaching overseas - this time in Zambia. News of her safe arrival there has just-arrived.

Volunteers

Are needed rather urgently in the ringing chamber - to learn to handle a bell and help keep our bells ringing. With myself leaving and Richard and Colin Ford now at University we shall be short during term-time and Mr. Mannerings asks for anyone at all interested to see him or me, or simply to turn up any Monday evening practice, 7.30 to 9 p.m.