ChadNet – no 105

ChadNet – no 105 – Sunday 27th March 2022

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:

We are returning to something closer to normal.
It is up to each individual to decide whether or not they should wear a face covering in church.
The church doors will remain closed during services to help to keep the church warm.
In the pews by the wall of the South Aisle we will continue to ask that social distancing be maintained so that those who wish to maintain social distancing can do so.
Do not attend church if you have any covid symptoms or are meant to be isolating.

View from the Pews

Henry Ibberson

Mothering Sunday? Or Mother’s Day?

I have to admit, along with many others I suspect, that these two have sometimes been conflated in my mind, so I looked up the origins. You’ll have to forgive me if you already know, but I found it wholesome to be reminded of why Mothering Sunday exists in our calendar.

It always falls on the 4th Sunday in Lent, exactly 3 weeks before Easter. Beginning in the 16th Century as a specifically religious event, it had absolutely no connection at all with Mothers, since the term ‘mothering’ meant the Mother Church, the main Church or cathedral of the region. It became a tradition on the 4th Sunday in Lent for folk to return to their Mother Church for a special service, and this particular pilgrimage became known as “going-a-mothering“; it became a holiday event when domestic servants were given the day off and encouraged to visit family as well as the Mother Church. And Simnel cake, often regarded as an Easter delicacy, is in fact traditionally linked to Mothering Sunday, as a bit of indulgence amidst the general austerity of Lent ( and as a pleasing gift for Mother! ). Consisting of layers of cake and marzipan, it also has Lenten religious overtones, traditionally topped with eleven balls of marzipan representing all the disciples of Jesus, minus Judas.

So where does Mother’s Day come in? Well, Mothering Sunday had begun to fall out of fashion by the early 1900’s, but one lady, Constance Penswick-Smith, daughter of a vicar, battled to revive the fading festival, which eventually she did, although with much more of a focus on motherhood. And this was due to American influence, because another lady, Anna Jarvis, invented Mother’s Day there to honour her own mother, who had been a militant peace activist in the US Civil War. It was officially approved by the US government in 1914.

So when all our mothers receive their posies on Sunday morning, along with celebrating those here with us, and those sadly departed, let us reflect on the origins of all this and remind ourselves of the Mother Church too. And especially now, let us hold in our hearts and prayers, all those mothers whose families have been ripped apart in the last 4 weeks; those who have lost husbands, their children, along with their homes and everything they owned, yet who still display a strength and courage which shines through the despicable atrocities being committed.

If a mother had been in charge, this war could never have happened.

Henry Ibberson

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

We do not have a VIcar at the moment. For matters which would normally be dealt with by the Vicar the churchwardens are the first point of contact. The Vicarage phone (01902 700257) is redirected to the churchwardens. When they are not available a message can be left on the voicemail and they will return the call when they are available. 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 evening 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 (note – this is different to the address used before November 2020 which no longer works).

Notices, which should be received by Friday evening 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 (note – this is different to the address used before November 2020 which no longer works).

Sunday 27th March – Mothering Sunday – Fourth Sunday of Lent

At 10 am there will be aservice of Holy Communion for Mothering Sunday, led by Revd Rich Clarkson, in church. Mothering Sunday posies will be distributed at the service. Coffee (and tea and biscuits) will be available after the service.

At 2 pm Tobiah Darby will be baptised in church.

At 6.30 pm there will be an Iona Style Service, led by Iain Coleman, in church.

This week

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

Every day (except Sunday) Prayers for Peace will be said in church at 6 pm.

The Century Club draw will take place by Zoom on Monday. See below for the link.

On Tuesday morning the Lent Course on Living in Love and Faith takes place at The Church at Perton. (There is also a course on Thursday evening.) If you would like to attend please let Julia Cody, the Vicar of Perton, know (01902 750232 / ).

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

On Thursday evening the Lent Course on Living in Love and Faith takes place at The Church at Perton. (There is also a course on Tuesday morning.) If you would like to attend please let Julia Cody, the Vicar of Perton, know (01902 750232 / ).

On Saturday Alfie Yates will be baptised in church at 12.30 pm.

Sunday 3rd April – Fifth Sunday of Lent

At 10 am there will be a Family Service in church, led by Henry Ibberson, which will be followed by Holy Communion, led by Revd Roberta Maxwell, for those who wish to stay. Coffee (and tea and biscuits) will be available after the service.

Century Club draw

Thus month’s Century Club draw will be held on Monday at 9.30 pm and can be seen by Zoom. [The link is in the edition of ChadNet emailed to subscribers.]

There are still two vacancies. It you are interested in joining please contact Alan Smith on 07757 688518 or

Ukraine

We are all aware of the current situation in Ukraine. It may seem that there is little or anything that we in Pattingham and Patshull can do but we can pray and those of us who are able can give either money or items which are needed. These can either support the aid efforts in Ukraine or support those refugees who have left Ukraine, particularly those who have come to this country. Donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal will be matched pound-for-pound by the UK Government up to £20 million. To donate or find out more go to https://www.dec.org.uk/ .

Prayers for Peace

We are saying Prayers for Peace in church every evening (except Sundays) at 6 pm. This normally lasts about 15 minutes. We have a rota so that there are one or two people present to lead the prayers although anyone else who wishes to come and join them is welcome to do so and can also say a prayer if they wish. Those who are not able to come to church may wish to pause and say a prayer of their own at that time.

If you can offer to join the rota – or even just do one or two evenings – please contact Dorothy Steel ( / 01902 701855).

From the Memorial Book

Those whose anniversaries occur between 20th March and 3rd April.

Ronald Arthur Painting – 20th March 1980
Olive Harris – 20th March 1990
David Spencer Haddock – 21st March 1996
Leslie Thomas Price – 21st March 1997
Dennis David Cave – 23rd March 2017
Geoffrey Warrilow – 24th March 1956
Lillian Elkin – 26th March 1991
Christine May Watton – 29th March 2007
Bert Hughes – 30th March 2009
Christopher John Harrison – 30th March 2015
Isaac John Fellows – 31st March 1990
Kathleen Mary Parkes – 31st March 1999
Joan Selvey Fellows – 31st March 2019
Elsie Jane Williams – 3rd April 2001
Mary Grace Russell – 3rd April 2002

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

Resources for worship and prayer at home

Some of resources which can be used at home are listed on the Resources Available Online and the Resources Available for Children, Young People and Families pages of the website.

For those who are unable to attend church there are still a number of services which are available online, including a weekly service on the Church of England 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.

We have a JustGiving page to enable people to make one off donations. It’s at www.justgiving.com/pattingham-church. 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.

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“.

ChadNet

This bulletin is sent to those who have requested it. We now have 109 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

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