ChadNet – no 196

ChadNet – no 196 – Sunday 24th December 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.

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

In this week’s ChadNet:

View from a Cheshire Pew

Maureen Hobbs

Greetings to you all from a slightly damp and chilly Wirral!

Ivy

It is hard to believe that it is 2.5 years since I left Pattingham. But I am now well settled into my new home in Neston, which I share with two doggy friends – Ivy who is eight years old and Maddy who will be three in January. Ivy is a schnoodle – a poodle/schnauzer cross – who I inherited from my friend Sherry when she died in March, and Maddy is another greyhound who I took on in July, having lost the lovely Suzie to cancer in May.

Yes it has been a year of loss and grief for me, as I know it has been for some of you. I stay in touch with you all through the medium of ChadNet (and of course occasional phone calls and emails from individuals in Pattingham), and social media. When I left, I decided to keep on receiving ChadNet until you had a new Vicar … well we are still waiting on that one, but I keep hoping and praying that you won’t have to wait much longer… maybe 2024 will be the year of new beginnings! But until that happy day occurs, I shall keep on praying for you as a parish. But I have been so pleased and impressed at how well the parish has kept thriving in the meantime and I know that in Dorothy and Clive you have two wonderful Wardens and in Iain and Ken two excellent Readers, and of course a great PCC under the leadership of Philip. Do continue to give them all the support you can.

Maddy

As a retired vicar I now have PTO (permission to officiate) in the Diocese of Chester and am helping out as needed in my new home parish. We have three churches; St Mary & St Helen in Neston, St Thomas in Parkgate – birthplace of Lady Hamilton – and St Michael in Little Neston. So Christmas Day will see me taking the 8am service in St Mary & Helen, and singing in the choir at the 10.45am Sung Eucharist there. I also got involved with Experience Christmas at St Michael’s the other week, so while I enjoy being retired, there is plenty to stop me getting too lazy!

Christmas is a time for looking back, but also looking forward. Christians traditionally use Advent as a time to imagine what will happen when Christ returns. What will he find? Hearts open and willing to receive him? Evidence of the Kingdom of God already active and working amongst the poor and marginalised? What is the power of this message that never fails to touch us each year as we contemplate the Baby lying in a manger? With so much in our world that is broken and despairing, his message of Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all, is needed more than ever.

May this Christmas be one of Peace and Joy for young and old, wherever it finds you, and may we all enjoy a happy and healthy New Year.

“God bless us everyone!” (in the words of Charles Dickens)

With my love and prayers,
Maureen

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 24th December – Fourth Sunday in Advent / Christmas Eve

At 10 am there will be the usual Sunday Family Communion service, led by Revd Paul Brown, in church. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.

At 4 pm the Crib Service, led by Lisa Ainsworth, takes place in church. This is particularly suitable for children and families. Help to build the Nativity Scene.At 11.30 pm the “Midnight” Communion Service, led by The Revd. Canon Dr Gregory Platten, takes place in church. For those who are still awake this is a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of Jesus as Christmas Day starts.

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for:
All children and young people in the parish.

Christmas Day

At 10 am on Christmas Day there will be a Christmas Morning Communion Service led by Revd. Jeanette Hartwell. All are welcome to come and celebrate with us the birth of Jesus.

For security reasons the church will be locked after the service and will remain locked on Boxing Day.

This week

The church will be open from Wednesday. Look out for the “church open” sign outside the porch.

There is NO Prayers for Peace this week. It will resume on Tuesday 9th January.

There is NO Wednesday Communion Service or Place of Welcome this week. Both will resume next week.

There is NO Who’s for Lunch this month.

There is NO Pattingham Shower Singers this week. It will resume on Wednesday 10th January.

There is NO Choir Practice this week.

Sunday 31st December – First Sunday of Christmas

At 10 am there will be aservice of Holy Communion, led by Revd. Sue Watson, in church. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for:
Those who teach and look after children

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
 St John the Evangelist, Swindon.

The Well – the Wolverhampton Food Bank

All at the Well are extremely grateful for the donations over the past year. You may be aware from recent press articles, however, that the Well is in need of our help as it has been an extremely challenging year. Reduced donations of food and toiletries have meant fewer referrals being accepted and there has also been a significant decrease in financial support, resulting in a big trading deficit. The trustees have been advised that the position is untenable going forward and without a significant increase in income and reduction in costs.

The PCC is considering ways to help over the coming months and there are ways in which we can all help. Please pray that God will guide and support the principals and trustees at the Well as they reflect on the way forward. For those able to do so details of financial donations can be found at the Well’s website at <https://www.thewellwolverhampton.co.uk/donatefull>.

The box remains at the rear of the church for donations of food and toiletries and the wishing well for donations of cash.

Century Club

Thank you to everyone who has renewed their subscription and those who have supported Century Club in the past. There are currently six vacancies. If you would like to join please contact Alan Smith on 07757 699518.

Due to the Christmas and New Year break, December’s draw will take place on 3rd January.

St Chad Network

The Autumn 2023 Newsletter of the St Chad Network is available on the church website at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/news-and-events/st-chad-network/>.

Dementia Friendly Church

Weekly Prayer

Becoming Dementia Friendly Church 2023-24

Father, we know that you love each person living with Dementia dearly and that you want them to experience life to the fullest.  We fervently ask that even in the midst of their difficulties, you would instill in them a sense of joy and purpose.  May the knowledge that you are with them at every turn bring them peace and hope.

We ask all these through your son and our saviour, Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.

AMEN
(avaprayer.com)

From the Memorial Book

Those whose anniversaries occur between 17th and 31st December.

Raymond William Haden – 17th December 2005
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

You can see all the pages of the Memorial Book on the Memorial Book Online page of the Church 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 126 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