Let us approach fees generally in the first place. Fees are paid to the clergy, to Parochial Church Councils, and to others who might be involved in providing assistance of one kind or another at church services, e.g. organists, choristers, bell-ringers. What the Church Commissioners lay down are the fees for the clergy and the Parochial Church Council - the basic fees. Fees for others, such as I have just referred to, are local fees and are a matter for agreement between the vicar and the people concerned. The basic fees, therefore, are the same in every parish, but the local fees may vary considerably. Regarding fees paid to the clergy, these form part of his stipend, i.e. part of his basic wage. A man who officiates at fifty weddings a year is on a footing with one who officiates at five: the only thing is that, the more he gets in fees, the less has to be found from church funds to pay a clergyman his basic wage. That wage - or stipend, to give it its proper title - is made up of the income from the endowment of the parish, any income from glebe, and fees, plus an augmentation from the diocese to bring the figure up to the Diocesan Minimum Stipend, which in this diocese now stands at £2,500. As to fees paid to the P.C.C., these go towards meeting the ever-rising costs of heating, lighting and the general care of the church.

Turning now to the particular, wedding fees will now be made up of basic fees of £16.00 plus local fees. That means that in this parish of Hartlip and Stockbury a wedding will cost up to £32.00, depending on what is involved. Although that is an increase of about ten pounds, I think that you will agree that, in the context of the cost of wedding arrangements as a whole (photographers, florists, caterers, etc.) the church fees are still very reasonable. The new list of fees can be seen on the notice-boards of our two churches.

W.N.B.

SCHOOL NEWS

The Juniors presented a Festival of Readings and Carols and the Infants performed a play, entitled 'Babaushka', to a large congregation of parents and friends on Tuesday, 14th December in the church. An indication of the appreciation of the children's performance is reflected in the amount of the collection, which was aver £23.00. The sum of £15.00 has been sent to the Neyyoor Children's Home in South India for the support of Gopalan, the Indian boy whom we regularly assist.

The children also collected the sum of £13.42 for the Kent Association for the Blind.

May I thank all parents and friends who helped us to raise these excellent amounts.

N.E.W.B.

MOTHERS' UNION

Once again we had a very enjoyable party and our thanks are due to Kay and Derek Williamson their hospitality and to Mr. Arthur ....(cont.)