ChadNet – no 151

ChadNet – no 151 – Sunday 12th February 2023

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

Alan Smith

‘He’ll be late for his own funeral!’

Many of us have probably uttered these words about somebody we know who is never on time for anything. It can be infuriating, frustrating and amusing all at once, although it can also give the impression that their time is more valuable than yours.

Most of us have probably felt that way during the interregnum; seemingly interminable delays and prevarication from the powers that be regarding the appointment of our new vicar. Then, out of the blue, Bishop Clive announced a few weeks ago that we will get our 0.5 vicar, this to be combined with a new 0.5 post being created by the diocese. What a relief, what great news. This is what we had been waiting for and matters are now progressing apace, but had things happened earlier, we would almost certainly not have got what we wanted.

The story of Lazarus reminds us of how, when God responds, we are miraculously blessed with what wasn’t, after all, a delay. On Jesus’s arrival in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Martha and Mary said to Jesus ‘If you had been here, our brother wouldn’t have died’. Jesus said ‘Your brother will rise again’.

According to Jewish tradition, the spirit hovers around the body for three days in the hope of reuniting with it. After four days all hope is gone, so an observer would deduce that Jesus was too late, but he performed the miracle and raised Lazarus from the dead due to the faith of his sisters.

After many months of waiting, and what we  considered to be a delay, the synergy of the two posts means we are well on our way and will, we trust, make Pattingham a very attractive post and we hope for a lot of interest.

We may be late, but God never is.

Alan Smith

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).

Sunday 12th February – The Second Sunday before Lent

At 10 am there will be a service of Holy Communion, led by Revd James Makepeace, in church.Coffee (and tea and biscuits) will be available after the service.

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

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for we pray for those members of the congregation who live outside the parish.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for: Deanery Synod.

This week

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

Monday is the copy date for the March magazine. Send articles to Mike Moss at

At 7.30 pm on Monday there will be a meeting of the Deanery Synod in church.

On Tuesday Prayers for Peace will be said in church at 6 pm. Prayers for Peace now takes place on Tuesdays only during the winter months. Please do join us and if you would like more information or are willing to lead a session, please contact Mary Hayward ().

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.

After the service the church will be open from 10.30 am until at least 11.30 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. The church heating will be on so those attending will be warm as well as receiving a warm welcome.

Sunday 19th February – The Sunday before Lent

At 10 am there will be a service led by the Youth Group in church.This will be followed by a service of Holy Communion, led by Revd. Sue Watson, for those who wish to stay. After the whole service coffee(and tea and biscuits) will be available after the service.

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

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for: St Aidan Penn Fields.

The process for the recruitment of a new Vicar is now under way. The advert for the post of Vicar of Pattingham with Patshull and Bishop’s Adviser on the Environment is in this week’s Church Times and on the diocesan website at <https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/vacancies>

Food Bank Donations for The Well

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 5th and 19th February.

Beville Bentley – 7th February 1999
David Stephen Patrick – 8th February 2008
Brian William Broxton – 8th February 2011
Keith William Bishop – 9th February 2022
James Christopher Maclean – 11th February 2009
Margaret Watton – 11th February 2020
Ida Annie Knight – 13th February 2002
Patrick Curtis – 14th February 1959
Harold Taylor – 14th February 1976
William Stanley Smith – 15th February 1966
Alfred Ernest Davis – 15th February 2004
Stanley Frederick Chaplin – 15th February 2016
Alan Sadler – 16th February 1998
Florence Irene Steele – 16th February 2003
Pauline Jones – 18th February 2011
Mary Stubbs – 19th February 2019

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