ChadNet – no 16 – Sunday 12th July 2020
Welcome to the 16th edition of ChadNet – the eBulletin of St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull.
View from the Vicarage:
“It’s Church, Jim, but not as we know it!”
(with apologies to Startrek fans)
Tomorrow, (Sunday), sees the start of public worship once more in St Chad’s – which I am sure will be a cause of much rejoicing throughout the parish and our whole worshipping community.
BUT there are some new guidelines which I hope you will help us all to observe and please be patient with the Sidespeople and Churchwardens/PCC who will have the main responsibility to ensure that everyone observes them, and that everyone remains as safe as we can humanly make you.
I cannot guarantee that there is absolutely no risk of acquiring Coronavirus – or indeed any other infection, associated with returning to church. So if you know that an underlying health condition makes you particularly vulnerable, please do consider carefully whether now is the right time for you to venture back to public worship… We’d love to see you, but only when the time is right.
Entry into church should be done by households. So if you see a group ahead of you on the church path, please wait a few moments and maintain your 2m distance before following them into the building. Perhaps allow an extra 5 or 10 minutes to allow for a possible wait? Please don’t leave it till the last possible moment before arriving for 10am if you possibly can (I appreciate that some people travel a considerable distance to worship in St Chad’s).
As you enter, a sidesperson should check your name and contact details – now even if this is someone you know very well, don’t be surprised if they ask your name. It is amazing how the mind can go blank at the most inconvenient moments! And please make sure you leave us with a phone number and/or email address. These details will be kept for the next 21-28 days, after which they will be destroyed.
Once inside, make sure you use the hand sanitiser – even if you have just applied your own or washed your hands before coming out please.
Your collection, if you have brought it, should be placed in the plate beside the hand sanitiser. We will be encouraging everyone to make their collection cash-less as far as is possible, either by using the machine which we hope shortly to install, or online from home or by standing order (ideally using the parish direct giving scheme – if you need details, please ask me or one of the PCC) The plate cannot be passed around as part of the service.
There should be a welcomer inside (no handshakes or hugs please) who will indicate which pew you should occupy. You will find that many of the pews are blocked off with spare cushions and/or kneelers. You should choose a pew with no cushions etc., on it (if you need a cushion, please bring your own from home and make sure you take it with you)
The service will begin around 10am with a short prayer and introduction to the online service, which will be screened to coincide with the broadcast over the internet for those who continue to worship with us from home. While you can listen to the singing of our virtual choir and organist, I am afraid I must ask you not to sing along at present. You can of course use the words of the hymns to pray silently as you listen. Spoken responses which may appear on the screen may be said quietly.
At the conclusion of the screened service we will pray together, exchange a ‘no touch’ peace and those who wish to may depart – using both the South and West Doors and using hand sanitiser again.
Meanwhile I will move to the Altar to begin a short said service of Holy Communion, beginning with the prayer of consecration. Administration of Communion (in one kind only I am afraid) will be performed from the Chancel step and you are to approach one at a time, maintaining social distancing – other than those with very young children- to receive standing. There will be no words of administration and I cannot touch any child or adult to give a blessing.
We will finish with a brief post communion collect and the blessing, after which you will be asked to leave the building – again using the hand sanitiser and via the South and West doors.
I know it all sounds somewhat draconian, but I am sure we will adapt and get used to the “new normal” quite quickly. We have worked out that our maximum capacity in church at present is no more than 40 people. If we should find that we have more than that present, I am afraid you will be asked to remain outside – I hate having to do this, but am hoping it will not arise any time soon.
I can’t offer you refreshments in church, but if you are missing that social fellowship, why not join our after church zoom session? The link will be given below and you can join any time from 11am to 11.30am-ish. It gives you a chance to greet those whom you may only have been able to wave at across the empty pews, or those who have stayed at home.
Time for us ‘to boldly go’ back into church!
God bless you and protect us all!
Maureen.
Contacts
Maureen can be contacted by phone, text or email. (01902 700257 – 07812 805371 – )
Contact details for other church officers can be found on the Contacts page of the church website.
Communications in relation to ChadNet should be sent to
Sunday 12th July – 5th Sunday after Trinity
This week’s Worship on the Web service, which is will be led by the Youth Group. The theme this month is Parables and in particular the Sower.
It will be screened in church as the main part of the service at 10 am, which will be the first service of public worship in the church since March. This will be followed by a brief service of Holy Communion for those who wish to stay. Details of the arrangements are in the View from the Vicarage above.
The Worship on the Web service will also be available as usual on the Worship on the Web page of the website from 10 am. For those without internet access it will also be on the Dial a Service phone line (01902 906585) from 9 am – until then last Sunday’s service is on the phone line.
Join Maureen and other members of the congregation for a chat and a virtual cup of tea or coffee over Zoom from 11 o’clock. [The invitation to the Zoom meeting is only included in the edition of ChadNet which is emailed to subscribers.] You can join at any time up until 11.30 am.
The collect and readings for the Eucharist, which would normally be on the pewsheet, are available on the website.
During the week Maureen will continue to stream Morning Prayer and Compline (Night Prayer) on Facebook Live. Morning Prayer will be at 8.30 am and Compline will be at 9.30 pm.
The church will be open for private prayer from 2.30 to 4.30 pm on Tuesday and Friday.
Sunday 19th July – 6th Sunday after Trinity
The Worship on the Web service will be led by Maureen and will be on the theme “Waiting and weeding/ Testing and tracing? How can we be certain?”. It will be screened in church as the main part of the service at 10 am, and will be followed by a brief service of Holy Communion for those who wish to stay. It will also be on the Worship on the Web page of the website from 10 am.
The collect and readings for the Eucharist, which would normally be on the pewsheet, are available on the website.
From the Memorial Book
Those whose anniversaries occur between 5th and 19th July.
Molly Dermot Pass – 5th July 2018
Bunty Genna – 6th July 2001
Campbell Harris – 10th July 1966
David John Rushton – 11th July 1995
Walter Newman Foggin – 11th July 2014
Jennifer Anne Baxter – 14th July 2007
Henry Charles Peever – 15th July 1991
Charles Herbert James Gosling – 16th July 1989
Florence Gladys Roberts – 17th July 1998
Green bins in the churchyard
You may have noticed that there are no longer any green bins in the churchyard. As a result of the introduction of charges for emptying them the PCC has decided to dispense with the green bins. The contractor will be taking the grass cuttings away to dispose of them. Those tending graves should use the large bin (which of course ends up in landfill) for their rubbish – or could take it home if they wish to ensure that it is composted or recycled.
Rotas
Rotas for July and August have been sent to those who are normally on the rota for whom Peter Nicholls had an email address. They are also on the website. Because of the reduction in services they are only for the 10 am service and only include sidesmen but should have been sent to all those who are on the rota in any role. If you have not it that is probably because Peter does not have your email address. Please let him have it if you would like to receive the rotas by email. Peter’s email address is
Magazine distribution
The August magazine should be published at the usual time this month. Martin and Jill Parker will deliver them as usual to the distributers for the weekend of 25th July. Any distributor who is unable to (or would prefer not to) distribute their magazines this month should let them know.
Annual Church Meeting and Revision of the Church Electoral Roll
The Annual Meeting for the Election of Churchwardens and the Annual Parochila Church Meeting will take place on Sunday 11th October at 7.30 pm. This should be after the Youth Service.
The date for completion of the revision of the church electoral roll will be Monday 14th September. Anyone not already on the roll who wishes to join it must make an application by then if their name is to be added before the annual meeting.
For those without internet access – listen to a Pattingham church service by phone
Several members of our congregation who do not use the internet are using the dedicated phone number – 01902 906585 – to listen to our services. Calls are charged at normal rate. The service for each Sunday will be available from about 9 am and will continue to be available until it is replaced be the next week’s. If you know someone who might find it useful please let them know.
The Daily Hope phone line from the Church of England on 0800 804 8044 is also available. It has been announced that this will continue beyond lockdown and has now received 173,000 calls from over 37,000 people – with calls topping more than two million minutes. (As a matter of interest our phone line has received 195 calls totalling over 3,000 minutes. Ours will also continue as long as it is needed.)
Virtual Sunday School
In the absence of our own Sunday School we encourage children and families to look at the Virtual Sunday School YouTube channel. A new Sunday School video comes out each Saturday. This week’s is Walking on the Water & how to make jelly!
They can all be found on the Sunday School on the Web page of our website as well as on YouTube.
They are running a Virtual Holiday Club fro 3rd to 7th August. There are details here – Virtual Holiday Club – All you need to know!
Other resources for worship and prayer at home
In these times we are all needing to find different ways to pray and worship. There are a lot of different resources which have been made available in lots of different ways. Some of those are listed on the Resources Available Online page of the website. This not anything like a complete list of everything which is available. We also now have a Resources Available for Children, Young People and Families page.
Maureen often shares inspirational posts on the Church Facebook page so it is worth looking at that from time to time.
The Taizé Community has an online programme for families
For the first time this year the Taizé Community has put together an online version of its family programme. This is for all the families who will not be able to travel to Taizé this year because of the pandemic, and also for any other families who want to take part. The programme is designed for parents as well as their children. Find it at https://www.taize.fr/en_article28320.html
If you have found something which you have found useful please send the details to so that it can be shared with others.
ChadNet
This bulletin is sent to those who have requested it. We now have 79 subscribers but there may still be some people who are not aware of it and would wish to receive 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
Giving to the church
In the current circumstances there will inevitably be a reduction in the money which the church receives. However we will need to continue to pay our bills and we would ask that those who can afford to do so should continue to give regularly.
As we are now starting to hold services again it is possible to put money in the plate again. However with the current problems surrounding handling cash we would prefer that you consider one of the other ways of giving your offertory if you can. There are a number of other ways in which you can give to the church. These include the Giving Direct scheme, Just Giving, a standing order or even one off transfers to the church bank account. Details of all of these can be found on the Giving page of the website. Those who normally use the green or yellow envelopes may wish to continue to put their donations in the envelopes ready to bring to church when they are able to come to a service.
We have set up 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.
If you wish to make a payment by bank transfer the details of our bank account are: Account name: Pattingham Parochial Church Council – Sort Code: 20-97-78 – A/c No: 50655023. If you wish to gift aid it contact the Gift Aid Secretary or the Treasurer.
You can also now give by text.
Text PATT 5 to 70085 to donate £5 – texts cost £5 plus one standard rate message.
You can donate any number of pounds between £1 and £20. Just replace the 5 by the amount you want to give.
For a regular monthly donation text PATTREG 5 to 70085 to donate £5 per month – texts cost £5 plus two standard rate messages.Again you can donate any number of pounds between £1 and £20. Just replace the 5 by the monthly amount you want to give. Donors receive a receipt message every time they donate – this tells them how to cancel their donation should they wish – which is by texting STOP to 70085 at any time.
Changes due to the current situation
Although the church building is closed for public worship the church community remains active. Further details can be found on the church website. There is an update page which gives more information.
- The 2020 Scarecrow Festival has been postponed to 2021.
- This year’s Holiday Club has been cancelled.
- The Who’s for Lunch lunches are suspended for the time being.
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