I know that some people do not like the thought of change, and feel that we have had far too much of it in recent years - and I appreciate their feelings and share them up to a point. Some criticisms of the new services produced by the Liturgical Commission are well informed, but others arise from prejudice, and it is necessary to try to separate these two kinds of approach. It is true that because a thing is new it is not necessarily good; on the other hand, it is equally true that because a thing is new it is not necessarily bad. In order to come to a proper assessment of Series 3 it is surely right that we should use it for a time so that we can 'get the feel of it', as we say, and decide from experience whether we consider it a worthy form of celebrating the Eucharist. And that, surely, brings us to the heart of the matter. Whether we use Series 1, 2 or 3, or the 1662 Prayer Book Order for Holy Communion, we are taking part in the Eucharist, the service given to us by our Lord when he took bread and wine and gave thanks and distributed it to his disciples with the words that are at the core of every Eucharist still: "This is my Body ... This is my Blood ... Do this in rememberance of me".

Let us approach this experimental period prayerfully and with as open a mind as any of us can muster in situations like this, when we are doubtful and disturbed, so that in due course we can make a decision about the service which will be right for the parish and to the glory of God.

One more thing. It will be necessary for us to learn some music for Series 3, and I ask everyone, members of the P.C.C. and all regular worshippers, to give a lead in this case and to support Mr. Carey and the choir so that we can use the service, said or sung, to the best of our ability.

Finally, I am concious of the fact that there are some people who would appreciate the occasional use of the 1662 service of Holy Communion, and in the future this will be used on the first Wednesday in each month at the ten-o'clock celebration. Other Wednesdays we shall use the Series 2 and 3 rites (not together, of course!) and on Fridays at seven-o'clock, Series 2.

W.N.B.

LENT 1977

Lent begins this year on Wednesday, February 23rd. ASH WEDNESDAY. Again Wednesday evenings will be set aside for special Lenten observance, this year in the form of Study Groups based on the Questionnaire sent round to parishes last autumn, and upon which we shall have to report progress at the Deanery Synod meeting in March. Look out for details later, but please note the dates involved and try to take part.

W.N.B.

GREEN SHIELD STAMPS

It has been realised that money can be raised by collecting Green Shield Stamps, and we should be grateful for any of these if you can spare them. A box will be placed in church for depositing the stamps.

HARTLIP BAZAAR 1976

Detailed results were as follows:
Flowers£77.30
Toys19.78