ChadNet – no 331

ChadNet – no 331 – Sunday 26th July 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

Opening the Book

I don’t think my early childhood was anything remarkable – it can’t have been, as I don’t remember much about it after all these years; except certain flashes, sometimes recalled by a glimpse of a photograph, unearthed in a long-forgotten box, amidst all those things we have carted about for decades and which one of these days we’ll have to get around to dealing with. My parents were wonderful and family life was happy and stable. They were not regular churchgoers, but I do recall one occasion when we did go, when I was about four years old, to our large church in Sheffield, lofty and spectacular, with a thirty strong choir accompanied by a magnificent organ. The hymns were a mystery to me, as was everything around me, but I wanted to join in – somehow. Seeing my frustration, my mother lifted me up, so that I stood on the pew, and whispered “you just stand there and sing something you know; how about ‘The little brown jug’?” So I stood there and sang “Ha, ha, ha, you and me, Little brown jug, don’t I love thee………”

I sometimes think of this when, as part of the St Chad’s ‘Open the Book’ team, we look down at the sea of around 120 upturned faces, seeking to absorb the Bible story we have just enacted before them. Some of the really little ones are probably just as non-plussed as I had been decades ago, but I hope that one day they too will recall something of that early mystery.

I suppose that early beginning was a foundation for me, since something resonated from then on, leading to my more regular churchgoing – importantly, being a chorister in the Parish Hall, used as a substitute for the bombed-out St Marks Church near my Sheffield home. Later at senior school, my continuing in the choir and in my final year becoming Chapel Monitor, where my responsibilities gave me more understanding of the traditions and patterns of church worship, which became important and familiar, carrying me through my adult years. I suppose too, that there was a full circle of circumstance, since Liz and I returned to Sheffield after 5 years of early marriage living south of Manchester, reacquainting ourselves with the same majestic, lofty and spectacular suburban church, where I had sung my little ditty on the pew, only to become, in my early thirties, Churchwarden for nine years.

The point of all this? Well, simply to underline, as the Princess of Wales does so elegantly, the fundamental importance of early learning. We are so blessed, since those who visit our St Chad’s First School cannot help but be struck by the profoundly Christian ambience, with scripture messages on the walls as you enter; the courtesy extended by staff and pupils alike both to visitors and to one another, moreover, the feeling that it is a deeply dedicated and safe environment within which children can be nurtured. Encouraged by Alison Colin-Stokes, St Chad’s Church started visiting with the Bible Society’s “Open the Book“ stories some 10 years ago, at that time with two teams presenting stories in turn each fortnight. The changes in timetables and additional curricula pressures mean that now seven or eight of us go in 3 times per term, enacting and recounting some of those stories, well-known and beloved by us all, in front of a rapt audience – simple messages culminating in a short prayer involving them all, before they raise a loud ”Amen” and join lustily in singing one of their favourite hymns.

These are magical moments for us and, we hope, significant ones for them. An additional joy, sometimes somewhere in the village, is when one becomes aware of a small figure looking up at you, who says, perhaps accompanied by a slightly wary and anxious-looking parent, “You are from Open the Book!”

I know I don’t open my Book as much as I should. What I do know is that my early experience helped to shape me all those years ago – may those small eyes and ears, before whom we perform, have that same experience.

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. 

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 26th July – Eighth Sunday after Trinity

At 10 am there will be an All Age Communion Service, led by the Vicar, in church. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for:
Those who work in care homes or care for people in their own homes.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Anne, Lower Penn.

This week

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

This is not a week when the Prayers for Peace group meets but some members of the group will be in church on Tuesday at 6 pm to say prayers. Anyone is welcome to join them.

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.

There is NO Pattingham Shower Singers this week. They are taking their summer break and will next meet in September. For 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.

Sunday 2nd August – Ninth Sunday after Trinity

At 10 am there will be a Family Service, led by Iain Coleman, in church. This will be followed by a short service of Holy Communion, led by the Vicar. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.

At 6.30 pm there will be a service of in the Iona style, led by Iain Coleman, in church.

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for those who live and work in:
Letchmere Close.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
Rural Dean and Lay Chair.

Wednesday morning coffee and cake

Due to unforeseen circumstances we are short of people to do coffee and cake after Communion on Wednesday mornings. July is covered but if anyone could help during August and September there is a rota up in the kitchen to which you can add your name.

We are a small but regular Congregation and coffee and chat after the Service is such an important part of fellowship and is open to all, whether they have been to the service or not.

Thank you
Mary Hayward

The Well – the Wolverhampton Food Bank

The Well

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

  • Meat soup
  • Tinned tomatoes
  • Tinned peas
  • Jam/marmalade
  • Sugar

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

God of compassion and grace,
we pray for all those who, through age and infirmity,
find themselves imprisoned within the loneliness of home,
watching a world outside that once had their full involvement increasingly pass them by.
Be with and bless them, Lord,
along with family and carers calling through the week to help,
still precious in your sight,
and feel your arms support them in the day and through the night.
Amen

(Faith & Worship)

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 19th July and 2nd August.

George Derek Thomason – 21st July 1990
Agnes Victoria Louise Fellows – 23rd July 1992
John Walker – 23rd July 2023
Matthew Robinson – 30th July 2008
Colin George Hartley – 1st August 2008
Ellen Hayhurst – 2nd August 2007
Pauline Ann Moore – 2nd August 2011

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 162 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