From the Rector              October2001 One of the hazards of the clerical life is the amount of junk mail that lands through the letter box week by week.  It comes from many different sources, and much of it is trying to sell church requisites of one sort or other.  Worst of all, this type of mail is just so impersonal.  Junk mail seems to be big business, too.  It seems that the Post Office are cashing in on it, and Monday mornings always seem to bring large amounts of advertising and other unwanted mail through the Rectory door. I also receive many appeal letters from various charities.  One would, in principle, like to help many of them, and from time to time at PCC meetings difficult decisions have to be made about which organisations we will support. However, a few months back an appeal letter arrived which seemed very moving.  It was from a charity called WaterAid.  WaterAid is the UK's only major charity dedicated exclusively to the provision of safe domestic water, sanitation and hygiene promotion to the world's poorest people.  WaterAid works in fifteen countries in Africa and Asia helping some of the world's poorest people gain access to safe water supplies, close to home and to basic latrines.  The correspondence sent to me asked our churches to support WaterAid at the forthcoming harvest festival. It is so easy for us to take a fresh water supply and good sanitation for granted - but tragically for many these are simply dreamed of luxuries.  As a result, it is my hope that at both Brede and Udimore we will support WaterAid at this year's harvest festival.  We celebrate harvest this year on Sunday 7th October, and after all services that day I hope to hold retiring collections for WaterAid.  In addition, I hope that the proceeds from both the harvest lunch at Udimore and the harvest supper at Brede will go to that same cause. If you would like to contact WaterAid directly, this can be done at Prince Consort House, 27-29 Albert Embankment, London  SE1 7UB.  And the inevitable website address is www.wateraid.org.uk So please share in giving thanks to God for the harvest, and join in our harvest time services and meals.  Details appear elsewhere in this magazine, and I very much hope that as many as possible - ideally all in this benefice - will be with us on Sunday 7th October. Father Duncan.