ChadNet – no 323

ChadNet – no 323 – Sunday 31st May 2026

ChadNet - the eBulletin of St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull

Welcome to this week’s edition of ChadNet – the eBulletin of St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull.

In this week’s ChadNet:

View from the Pews

Henry Ibberson

A friend of mine recently got me thinking by sending some thoughts about the emergence of new life, which we see all around us, as the natural world wakes up in all its glory. He referred to a book by Sir John Lister- Kaye, a Scottish naturalist and environmentalist, called ‘At the Water’s Edge’, subtitled ‘A Personal Quest for Wildness’. In one chapter he’s writing about the great outdoors and the healing it can bring to the mind and body. He quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson who in 1836 wrote…..”the simple perception of natural forms is a delight to the body and mind…….cramped by noxious work or company, nature is medicinal and restores their tone. The tradesman …..comes out of the do and craft of the street, and sees the sky and the woods and is a man again. In their eternal calm he finds himself.”

I rather like that image of someone looking up from his busyness and finding himself again through the wonders of nature.

Such was the pressure before 1939 when ordinary people, ably led, had the mass trespass on Kinder Scout moorland between Manchester and Sheffield, to open up the hills for the working man and woman to enjoy a few hours away from the grind and grime of two industrial cities. Now, the first national park The Peak District, not too far away from us, is the most visited in the country, where people are free to roam the hills and dales at will and enjoy its health restoring spaces. Today pressure is growing for vast tracts of the Scottish mainland to be made accessible to the public in a similar way.

Many people do find restored health and healing coming through the world of nature and it would be strange not to say that God doesn’t speak to us there. An example might be the story about Edward Wilson, a member of Robert Falcon Scott’s Antarctic expedition, testifying how he found, in his words, God in nature. It’s true too that thousands today would say that nature, and the great outdoors, is their church, or use a similar analogy, as to where they go for the refreshment of their soul and body. I know, from my own experience, how uplifting it is, walking very early with our dog these past few days to avoid too much heat later on, hearing the late dawn chorus, catching a glimpse of startled squirrels or a rabbit, perhaps a cautiously inquisitive fox, a flock of geese, cackling and v-formed, heading for… well, who knows where.

Edward Wilson, who died along with Captain Scott on that 1912 expedition to the South Pole, apparently wrote in one of his letters, “a happy life is not built up of tours abroad and pleasant holidays, but of little clumps of violets noticed by the roadside, hidden away almost – little whispers from the spiritual world…..” . I am informed that it was the late great Rev.Dr.Lord George Macleod of Iona who once said, in a sermon preached some years ago “the materialistic world is shot through with the Spirit of God, and where every thing cries glory”, and the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning who recognized, “earth crammed with heaven and every common bush aflame with God”.

A little food for thought, post Pentecost, as we seek to fill our lives with the Holy Spirit.

Henry Ibberson

(As always this View is the personal view of the author.)

Would you like to write a View from the Pews?

We welcome contributions for View from the Pews from anyone who would like to write one. It does not need to be on any particular subject. If you would like to write one please send it to or contact Henry Ibberson ( / 01902 701136).

.Contacts

The Vicar’s post is half time so Merry will not be working every day. Her usual working days are Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday but this is subject to change. Her phone number is 07486 066065 and her email address is  When she is not working she will not normally answer the phone, listen to messages or respond to emails. 

Calls to  the old phone number (01902 700257) are forwarded to Merry’s phone.

Emails to will be received by the churchwardens.

Contact details for church officers can be found on the Contacts page of the church website. You can use if you are nore sure who to contact and the churchwardens will be able to forward it to the correct person.

Notices, which should be received by Friday afternoon for inclusion in that week’s ChadNet, and other communications in relation to ChadNet should be sent to

Articles for the magazine should be sent to 

Sunday 31st May – Trinity Sunday

At 10 am there will be a service of Holy Communion with the baptism of Ava-Mae Mary Hambridge, led by the Vicar, in church. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.

At 11.30 am the Annual Church Meeting will be held in church. Everyone is welcome to attend.

  • Reports etc can be downloaded from the website at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/about-us/whos-who/pcc/pcc-membership/> and are also at the back of the church. As part of our commitment to EcoChurch please consider reading them on your computer.
  • The churchwardens, three Deanery Synod Representatives and up to six members of the PCC will be elected. Nomination forms are on the church website and at the back of the church.

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for those who live and work in:
Windsor Road, Greenway Gardens, Sandringham Road, Braemar Road.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
Christ the King, Aldersley.

This week

The church will be open every day. Look out for the “church open” sign outside the porch.

On Tuesday the Prayers for Peace Group meets in church at 6 pm. Please do join us and if you would like more information please contact Mary Hayward ().

On Wednesday at 10.00 am there will be a service of Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer, led by the Vicar, in church which will be followed by tea, coffee and cake.

After the service the church will be open from 10.30 am until at least 11.00 am as a Place of Welcome when anyone who wants to will be welcome to share in the coffee, cake and chat, whether they have been to the service or not. Those attending will receive a warm welcome.

At 6 pm on Wednesday the Pattingham Shower Singers meet in church. All are welcome – just come and sing and have fun! If you need more information, contact Alix at .

At 7 pm on Wednesday Choir Practice takes place in church. Anyone interested in joining the choir should contact Martin Fox or any member of the choir.

At 1.30 pm on Saturday the wedding of Alix Jones and Keith Eden takes place in church.

Sunday 7th June – First Sunday after Trinity

At 10 am there will be a Family Service, led by Geoffrey Dann and Dorothy Steel, in church. It will be followed by a short service of Holy Communion, led by the Vicar, in church. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.

At 6.30 pm there will be a service in the Iona style, led by Iain Coleman, in church. (Note: evening services are now on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month and not on the 2nd and 4th Sundays.)

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for those who live and work in:
Orchard Close, Damson Park, Highgate Court.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Michael & All Angels, Himley.

What’s Henry done now!?

Many of you will know that Henry Ibberson did a freefall tandem skydive in aid of charity last month. A video and more details, including a link to the fundraising page, is on the church website here. It’s worth a look.

Midsummer Melodies
An evening with Shifnal and District Male Voice Choir

This will take place in church on Saturday 20th June at 7.30 pm. Tickets are £15 and include a glass of Prosecco or non alcoholic alternative. Under 16’s free if accompanied by a paying adult. Proceeds will be split between the church, the Well and Wolverhampton Interfaith. Tickets available from Alan Smith (07757 688518 – ) or any member of the PCC.

Fete – bottle stall

The church fete is on Saturday 4th July and the bottle stall is a big money spinner. If you are able please can you donate bottles. Anything is fine from a bottle of water, sauce, squash, wine or whisky. Please place them at the back of the church or they can be collected if needed. Just speak to Dorothy, Graham, Alan or any member of the PCC.

Century Club

The winners of the May Century Club draw were:

  • 1st Prize – £150
    • Sue Riches – ball 94
  • 2nd Prize – £100
    • John Blount – ball 16
  • 3rd Prize – £50
    • Barbara Curtis – ball 17

Congratulations to all of them.

The Well – the Wolverhampton Food Bank

The Well

We are pleased to report that our financial problems have eased dramatically over the last few months following receipt of a number of generous donations. Supplies, unfortunately, are running low. We are currently in the middle of the ‘dip’ between the big Christmas and harvest donations, so please give as generously as you are able.

All donations are welcome but, in particular, our top needs are:

  • Female toiletries
  • UHT milk
  • Tinned vegetables
  • Tinned tomatoes
  • Cook in Sauces
  • Noodles

Thank you for your continued support.

If you wish to know more about the work of The Well, or would like to know how you can support it in other ways, do connect via their website, where you can sign up to the newsletter and link to their Social Media pages: <www.thewellwolverhampton.co.uk>

Dementia Friendly Church

Weekly Prayer 

Becoming Dementia Friendly Church

Heavenly Father,
Grant me the gift of profound insight and understanding as I navigate the labyrinth journey of dementia caregiving.
This path is fraught with the unexpected and the unknown and I humbly seek your guidance.
Help me see beyond the fog of confusion that envelops my loved one, allowing me to glimpse the person they once were.
May I find strength to cherish the fleeting moments of clarity and to recognise the beauty within their unique journey.
I offer my heartfelt gratitude for this sacred privilege and for the wisdom you bestow upon me, my refuge and source of unwavering strength in these moments of vulnerability.
Amen

(Strengthinprayer.com)

If you would like to suggest (or write) a prayer for inclusion in this series please let Tracey Williams, our Dementia Friendly Church Co-ordinator, know.

From the Memorial Book

Those whose  anniversaries occur between 24th May and 7th June.

Dorothy Louisa Newill – 24th May 2011
Alice Mary Bolland – 27th May 2003
Jordan Katherine Taylor – 28th May 1997
Brian Harry Cooper – 28th May 2017
Fiona Jane K. Morrison – 30th May 1975
Emily Jane Price – 31st May 1977
George Wilfred Selvey Clinton – 31st May 1980
Thomas Caddick – 1st June 1998
Harry Kibble – 1st June 2002
Stuart Gerard Bowley – 5th June 1975
Gerald Giles – 5th June 2002
Gunter Hanns Jonat – 6th June 1983
Jean Beryl Shelley – 6th June 2011
William Bull (Bill) – 6th June 2015

You can see all the pages of the Memorial Book on the Memorial Book Online page of the Church website.

Giving to the church

Details of the various ways in which you can give can be found on the Giving page of the website.

You can make a bank transfer to our bank account (Account name: Pattingham Parochial Church Council – Sort Code: 20-97-78 Account No: 50655023).

If you are paying by cheque please make the cheque payable to “Pattingham PCC” or “Pattingham Parochial Church Council“.

JustGiving

We have a JustGiving page to enable people to make one off donations. It’s at <https://www.justgiving.com/page/pattingham-church-jg>. You will be asked if you want to make a contribution on top of your donation. If you do it will go to JustGiving and not to charity. If you do not want to make such a contribution select “other”. If you are a taxpayer please consider gift aiding your donation.

ChadNet

This bulletin is sent to those who have requested it. We now have 159 subscribers but there may still  be some people who are not aware of it and would wish to receive it. The weekly bulletin for each Sunday will normally be sent on the preceding Friday or Saturday. Additional bulletins may be sent if required. It is only being sent to those who have requested it.

If you know of anyone who might be interested please tell them about it and ask them to sign up using the form on the website (www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/information/chadnet/sign-up-to-chadnet/) or by email to

St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull Registered charity no 1151604