ChadNet – no 144

ChadNet – no 144 – Sunday 25th December 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.

We wish all our readers a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.


In this week’s ChadNet:


View from the Pews

Iain Coleman

Christmas. When we stop, exhausted, when the hurly burly of preparation and celebration is done, the shopping battle won.. or lost!  What vision of Christmas do we have when we probe beyond the “tinsel and fire”?  What memories do we have? Celebrating with families, relatives joining us, new arrivals and, sadly and inevitably that time when there is an empty chair. Walking up to church for Christmas services, greeting our friends. Perhaps you have little things you do every year. Watch “It’s a wonderful life (again)? I re-read Dickens “A Christmas Carol”, I’ve never tired of it and never failed to be moved by Scrooge’s redemption. Maybe even get that prickling behind the eyeballs! Perhaps you have something similar you do.

My other favourite Christmas read, poems by G K Chesterton. And this year I found another “fan” in the person of Father Michael Rennier who alerted me to a poem I had not read before. I found his introduction, followed by the poem provided inspiration and I simply cannot resist sharing it. The language may be a little quaint but the sentiments remain as fresh as ever.

Father Rennier reminds us:

“Chesterton was a prolific spiritual writer with a great love for Christmas. Although he had a giant intellect, when it came to Christmas he focused on its simplicity. I love reading all his newspaper articles and poems about Christmas because I always find in them some new insight that helps me appreciate the celebration more. In specific, every year I re-read one simple, beautiful poem called The Wise Men.

“To me, it’s one of his best. Whenever I read it, I’m reminded of how world-shattering an event Christmas really is and the fact that the universe is a grand, magnificent, and sometimes strange place.

“In the poem Chesterton writes, ‘We are the three wise men.’ Just like the Magi who set out to find the newborn King whose sign was the star in the sky, our faith, too, means that we are always searching and open-minded. Like little children who see and trust, the truth is unwrapped and right before our eyes on Christmas. It’s in the joyful wide-eyed expression of the kids as they tear into their presents, in the simple but thoughtful gift from a co-worker, and in the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes in the manger of the Nativity under the Christmas tree. It’s in the feeling you had when you were a child bundled up and making a snowman. Without fail, that same experience returns no matter how much we age. We are all at once small and innocent, a single spot of colour amid a field of white, and yet all of it seems to have been made just for us.

“Today of all days, we don’t need to over-think or over-analyse. We can simply be children again.”

G K Chesterton

Here is Chesterton’s poem:

The Wise Men

Step softly, under snow or rain,
To find the place where men can pray;
The way is all so very plain
That we may lose the way.

Oh, we have learnt to peer and pore
On tortured puzzles from our youth,
We know all labyrinthine lore,
We are the three wise men of yore,
And we know all things but the truth.

We have gone round and round the hill
And lost the wood among the trees,
And learnt long names for every ill,
And served the mad gods, naming still
The furies the Eumenides.

The gods of violence took the veil
Of vision and philosophy,
The Serpent that brought all men bale,
He bites his own accursed tail,
And calls himself Eternity.

Go humbly … it has hailed and snowed …
With voices low and lanterns lit;
So very simple is the road,
That we may stray from it.

The world grows terrible and white,
And blinding white the breaking day;
We walk bewildered in the light,
For something is too large for sight,
And something much too plain to say.

The Child that was ere worlds begun
(… We need but walk a little way,
We need but see a latch undone …)
The Child that played with moon and sun
Is playing with a little hay.

The house from which the heavens are fed,
The old strange house that is our own,
Where trick of words are never said,
And Mercy is as plain as bread,
And Honour is as hard as stone.

Go humbly, humble are the skies,
And low and large and fierce the Star;
So very near the Manger lies
That we may travel far.

Hark! Laughter like a lion wakes
To roar to the resounding plain.
And the whole heaven shouts and shakes,
For God Himself is born again,
And we are little children walking
Through the snow and rain.

Iain Coleman


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).


Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th December – Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

At 4 pm on Christmas Eve the Crib Service, led by Lisa Ainsworth, takes place in church. Join Joseph and Mary on the journey to Bethlehem and help us to build our Crib Scene in Church.

At 11.30 pm  on Christmas Eve the “Midnight” Communion Service, led by Rt Revd Clive Gregory, the Bishop of Wolverhampton, takes place in church.

At 10 am on Christmas Day there will be a Christmas Morning Communion Service led by Rt Revd Janet McFarlane, Canon Custos at Lichfield Cathedral.

There will be no evening service on Christmas Day.


This week

The church will be closed after the service on Christmas Day. It will then be open on the following days. Look out for the “church open” sign outside the porch.

There will be no Prayers for Peace this week.

There will be no service or Place of Welcome on Wednesday morning.

The Century Club draw will take place on Wednesday.


Sunday 1st January – Naming and Circumcision of Jesus / Christmas 2

At 10 am there will be a Family Service in church, led by Elaine Dow, which will be followed by Holy Communion by Extension, led by Ken Scott, for those who wish to stay. Coffee (and tea and biscuits) will be available after the service.

The church will be closed after the service.


Christmas Tree Festival

Our Christmas Tree Festival was a great success. We enjoyed viewing over 30 decorated trees whilst there was a competition for the title ‘Favourite Tree’, with front runners from St. Chad’s PCC, St. Chad’s First School, Patchwork (the Junior Drama Group) and the ‘Peace Tree’. In the end the tree voted favourite was the ‘Peace Tree’ which was superbly decorated in Ukranian colours of blue and yellow, the decorations representing different aspects of traditional Ukranian culture.

The Saturday night concert featured Brewood Singers and was enjoyed by all whilst that event raised money for Acorns Hospice and for the Church. We place on record our gratitude to our generous Sponsors and Donors, to all who shared their imagination and creative skills decorating trees and to all who supported the event by attending over the three days.

It raised over £3,000 for church funds and £350 for Acorns Children’s Hospice.

Philip Sims
PCC Chairman


Century Club

The December Century Club draw will take place on Wednesday 28th December.

Annual subscriptions for the Century Club are now due.

  • Payment of £60 can be made by bank transfer to
  • Account name: Pattingham Parochial Church Council
  • Sort Code: 20-97-78
  • Account No: 50655023
  • Payment reference: Centuryclub

Due to recent deaths and resignations there will be a number of vacancies from December. If you would like to join the Century Club at a cost of £60 per year or for any further information please contact Alan Smith on 07757 688518 or


Food Bank Donations for The Well

Thank you to all those who contributed to the Well’s Reverse Advent Calendar. The need for the Food Bank continues and the box for donations for the Food Bank at The Well in Wolverhampton continues to be at the back of the church. Details of the items wanted are on the table and can also be seen on the church website at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/harvest-2022/>.


From the Memorial Book

Those whose anniversaries occur between 18th December and 1st January.

Margaret Alice Gardener – 19th December 2003
Stanley Charles Bentley – 21st December 1989
Elsie May Nickholds – 21st December 1999
Audrey Mary Vaughan – 21st December 2008
John Stanley Scriven – 22nd December 2008
Graham Bartlett Smith – 22nd December 2019
Dorothy Shepherdson – 23rd December 1995
Dorothy Amy Harris – 24th December 1977
Ruby Sampson – 24th December 2007
Thomas Howe Pattison – 25th December 1994
Kim Harley – 26th December 1964
Kathleen Williamson – 26th December 1988
Jane Sarah Dulson – 27th December 1958
Maurice Scarth – 27th December 2005
Evelyn Annie Taylor – 28th December 1982
John Earl Titley – 28th December 1983
A.B. Thorma Bridge – 28th December 1990
Eileen Shelton – 28th December 1999
Iris Postance – 31st December 2011
Percy George Williams – 1st January 1976

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 113 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