ChadNet – no 343

ChadNet – no 343 – Sunday 18th October 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

Jane Horton

I returned recently from a visit to World War 1 sites on the Western Front in France and Belgium. I am not able to do justice here to the many unforgettable moments of my visit, so I will limit my self to just one. At Passchendaele, our local guide made the point that wars don’t end when the fighting stops: for the people like him who live there, war leaves enduring scars, daily reminders, in the form of shattered buildings and farmland, unexploded bombs, mines and shells, caustic mustard gas canisters, and the continuing discoveries of human remains. The Great War has now passed from living memory and into history, but its aftermath is still present every day. Our guide went on to say that, of course, it will be the same for the people of Ukraine: the eventual declaration of Peace will be just the first step on a decades long journey towards healing and reparation.

This poem was written by Lt Col. John McCrae, a Canadian poet and surgeon, on 3rd May 1915, while he was sitting on the back of a field ambulance near Ypres, after attending the funeral of his friend and fellow soldier Alexis Helmer. John McCrae himself died in 1918:

“In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard, amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with those who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.”

Let us all continue to pray for peace with justice for Ukraine.

Jane Horton

(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 not 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 18th October – Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

At 10 am there there will be a service led by the Youth Group in church, including 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 Evensong, led by the Vicar, in church.

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for those who live and work in:
Hall End Lane, Beech Close. Beech Croft.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
Good Shepherd, Castlecroft.

This week

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

Work on the churchyard paths continues all week. Please take care if visiting the churchyard during working hours.

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. If you haven’t yet ventured in but would like to, why not give it a try?  No charge, no commitment, just lots of fun.If you need more information contact Alix at .

There is NO Choir Practice this week.

Sunday 25th October – Last Sunday after Trinity

At 10 am there will be an All Age Communion Service, led by the Vicar, in church. The theme is Living Legacy. Great for kids – everyine welcome – something for everyone. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.

This is the deadline for the Link to Hope Shoebox Appeal. Boxes need to be taken to Barbara Tritton or left at the back of church.

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for those who live and work in:
Wolverhampton Road, Newgate, Merchant Close.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
The Church at Perton.

Churchyard paths

The paths in the new churchyards, the area by the west door and the path from there to the new churchyards are being relaid over the next few weeks.

Paths in the two new churchyards will be relaid between Wednesday 14th October and Friday 13th November. While this work is being done the contractors will do their best to ensure that access to the churchyards is possible.

From Monday 16th to Friday 23rd November the area by the west door and the path to the new churchyard will be relaid. While the contractors are working access may not be possible. When the contractors finish for the day (by 3.30 pm each day) and over the weekend they will leave the paths safe so that people can use the paths. Those who wish to visit the churchyard on weekdays during that period may find it better to come after 3.30 pm to be certain of access.

While the work is taking place the contractors will be using dumper trucks which will be going along the path between the church and the lychgate as well as the paths in the new churchyard. For those who are able to do so it will be safer to use the path from the gate on Patshull Road to come into the church while they are working.

All Souls Memorial service

The annual Memorial Service for All Souls will be held on Sunday 1st November at 6.30 pm.

At the service we will remember by name those for whom funerals have been held in the last 2 years and those names from our Memorial Book who have died within the last 6 years. There is an opportunity to add extra names, as there will be a list at the back of the church where additional names can be written. The list will be removed on Thursday 29th October for administration purposes. Please ensure any names are placed on the list before that date.

Worshipping God through Music and Song

Saturday 14th November – 4.30 pm to 6.00 pm

This is a new style of worship at St Chad’s where all are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome, in this place.

Vicar Merry will led the service accompanied by Martin – the worship band is Martin Fox and friends.

Join us for refreshments and a natter at 4.30 pm – the service starts at 5.00 pm – approx 1 hour.

Everyone welcome. It’s free and no need to book.

Step into Christmas

Step into Christmas will take place from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th December.

Following the success of previous Christmas Tree Festivals and Follow the Star this will be a celebration of the Christmas Carol.

The Church is to be full of various displays and pictures celebrating peoples’ favourite Carols and printed readings from the bible under the banner “Step into Christmas”.

To attract people in, the Churchyard will also be full of various life-sized Christmas related silhouettes, a total of 25 in all, which will be, hopefully, lit up at night to give a wonderful Christmas feeling to the whole village.

Activities are being arranged for children both inside and outside the church and refreshments.

There are still some areas of the Church available for displays, mainly in the Chancel. If anyone is feeling artistic please contact Debbie Sims.

Over the next few weeks rotas will appear at the back of Church asking for volunteers on the three days to man the Church, to serve refreshments and sell raffle tickets. We hope that the fellowship we feel in church each Sunday will be extended over the festival and those taking part will have fun.

For more information contact Debbie Sims -phone 07974 032075 or email:

Link to Hope Shoebox Appeal

A reminder about the Link to Hope Shoebox Appeal. Details are on the church website at https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/news-and-events/shoe… It is important to follow the instructions.

Boxes need to be taken to Barbara Tritton or left at the back of church by Sunday 25th October. If you don’t have a box some are available at the back of the church.

The Well – the Wolverhampton Food Bank

The Well

The Well continues to need our donations and prayers. The box remains at the rear of the church for donations of food and toiletries and the wishing well for donations of cash (including foreign and obsolete currency which should be in a separate bag).

<www.thewellwolverhampton.co.uk>

Dementia Friendly Church

Weekly Prayer 

Becoming Dementia Friendly Church

Gracious Lord,
I entrust my loved ones
affected by dementia into
Your nurturing embrace.
Please shower them with Your
grace and love, providing them
with comfort and reassurance.
Give them the strength to
endure their condition and the
assurance of Your unwavering
presence.
Amen

(Prayerslife.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 11th and 25th October.

Graham Roger Gilbert – 12th October 2002
Carol Jane Higginson – 12th October 2004
Emily Elizabeth Penny – 14th October 1993
Philippa Ciceley Bramall – 15th October 2017
Doris Pugh – 16th October 1987
Lilian Mary Monckton – 17th October 1982
June Hazel Wilcox – 17th October 2009
Thomas Stanley Inett – 18th October 1992
Gillian Bloomfield – 18th October 2003
David Thornton – 20th October 1997
Hazel Jeanette Frost – 20th October 2004
Violet May Watkins – 21st October 1977
Margaret Gosling – 21st October 2012
John Robert (Bob) Pinches – 21st October 2013
Mary Margaret Parker – 23rd October 1994
Derek William Littleford – 24th October 1998
Ian Beavis Hall – 25th October 1999

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

Enquiries about adding names to the Memorial Book should be addressed to Margaret Lingford.

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 170 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