THE VICAR WRITES ...

Although when you read this Easter will be a distant memory, I am writing on the Thursday in Easter week and the festival is still fresh in my mind. Easter Day was a happy day, with services well attended and both our churches looking attractive, inside and out, thanks to the efforts of a lot of people. Sadly, my memories of the week prior to Easter, Holy Week, are not so good. Holy Week was badly observed this year, and attendances at church on Good Friday were particularly poor. The joy of Easter came after the sorrow of Good Friday, and every Christian ought to want to mark both by spending some time in church. Perhaps next year we shall do better!

During the last few weeks both Hartlip and Stockbury have had their Annual Parochial Meetings and officials were elected far the next twelve months. The Churchwardens remain the same in both villages, George Sprott and Henry Greaves at Stockbury, and Arthur Lawrence and Norman Burgess at Hartlip. I welcome all these along with all the others who are to serve on the P.C.C.'s or as Sidesmen (and Sideswomen, for we have both). Mrs. Jeaneete Page did not stand againn for election to the P.C.C. at Hartlip, and Mrs. Judith Mowll was elected in her place. I would like to thank Mrs. Page for her past service, and to welcome Mrs. Mowll back to the P.C.C. after an absence of some years.

It has been suggested that there are gaps in the news that appears about Hartlip in this magazine. In other words, there are groups about whom we read nothing. Well, the answer is that these groups send in nothing to be printed! So, came on, let's hear from the 'silent ones' and then we can rectify the position.

Yours sincerely,

Neville Brook

HARTLIP DIARY AND CALENDAR

May

1 ST. PHILIP AND ST. JAMES, Apostles.
3 Young Wives' Outing - evening.
4 Whist Drive (Christian Aid).
14 KIRCHENTAG at Canterbury.
15 ROGATION SUNDAY: Preacher at the Parish Communion - Canon Donald Nicholson, Warden of Stacklands Retreat House, Sevenoaks.
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK BEGINS.
18 Whist Drive (Hall).
19 ASCENSION DAY: Holy Communion 7 a.m.;
School Eucharist 9.30 a.m.;
M.U. Meeting 2.30 p.m.
28 Silver Jubilee Party for Children in the Hall: organised by the Hall Committee.
29 WHITSUNDAY: Holy Communion 8 a.m.; PARISH COMMUNION 10.30 a.m.; Evensong 6.30 p.m.

June

3 Deanery Synod Meeting at Wormshill: 8 p.m.
4 Silver Jubilee Dance in the Hall.
5 THANKSGIVING SERVICE TO MARK THE SILVBR JUBILEE OF HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN: 11 a.m.
Holy Communion will be celebrated at 8 a.m.