ChadNet – no 201 – Sunday 28th January 2024
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 – Jane Horton
- Sunday 28th January – The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas)
- This week
- Sunday 4th February – Second Sunday before Lent
- Young Responders – first aid course for 12-18 year olds
- The Well Foodbank – donations and prayers needed
- Ash Wednesday – 14th February
- Lent Fellowship Lunch – Sunday 18th February
- Dementia Friendly Church – weekly prayer
- From the Memorial Book
- Giving to the Church
View from the Pews
The ‘Pattingham’ sign in front of the village hall was donated by a local family to celebrate the Millennium. It’s full of reminders about important things connected with village life and history. The villages name itself tells us that in Anglo Saxon times it became the homestead of the tribe whose leader was called Paetta, or Patt for short, who were no doubt drawn to this sheltered fertile spot as a lovely place to settle and farm the land.
On the left we see a damson tree with a ladder and a basket full of fruit on the ground below. You can still see masses of their white blossom around the village in springtime. They were grown in large numbers as a village industry for the production of a vegetable dye which was used in the manufacture of a strong blue paper used until the 1940s for packaging sugar. Pattingham became well known as ‘The Damson Village’. I’m sure quite a few damsons also made their way into jams and pies, of course!
Moving clockwise we see the church spire, which is such a familiar Pattingham landmark. It’s easy to assume it has been there as long as the church has been there, but actually the church stood with just a square tower before the spire was added in 1871, donated by the Earl of Dartmouth. There are two drawings of the church with just its tower in church, on the north aisle pillar near the choir vestry. Which do you prefer? Tower or spire?
Central to the sign, and central to working live in this rural village for centuries, we see the farmer and his horse ploughing the field. Pattingham was a busy, almost self sufficient village in times gone by. Not only were ploughs used by farmers, they were made here too, and in large numbers. Trade directories tell us that early in the 19th century a Mr Rudge was producing Northumberland ploughs, and by the 1860s blacksmith James Harper employed three men making agricultural implements in his smithy at St Chad’s Cottage, opposite the church. In his spare time was a bell ringer. You can see his gravestone as you walk up the drive from the lychgate – it’s easy to spot – there’s a bell depicted on it!
On the right hand side of the sign we see an oak tree. The roots of the oak stretch way back into European history, but Britain has more ancient oaks than all the other European countries put together and in fact more than half the ancient oaks in the world are in Britain. For centuries it has touched every part of Britons’ lives, literally from cradle to coffin. Its very name is resonant of strength and endurance. In Pattingham, between the road to Rudge and the road to Copley, we are fortunate enough to have the remains of a once extensive ancient wood called Hamley Park. It appears mentioned as a wood as early as 1312. Since the millennium it has been accessible for walks. You will find many lovely oak trees there, some no doubt hundreds of years old. I wonder what stories they would tell, if only they could talk?
Beneath the main picture on the sign there is a representation of the magnificent (but ill fated) Pattingham Torc. It was found in 1700 under a stone that had been disturbed by ploughing on Fantley Hill. That’s not a name that is familiar to us now, but on the old tithe map it is recorded as a field to the west of the church, between the Patshull Road and Broadwell Lane, behind Tan House Farm. The torc was made of gold wires twisted together and shaped to fit around the waist or neck of a person of high standing, a symbol of power, wealth, and status. It was recorded as weighing just over 3lb. Torcs were typically made in the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, so it would have been some 3000 years old or more when it was came to light. The labourer who found it thought it was a piece of brass, and sold it for a tiny sum to a Mr Orme, a brazier in Wolverhampton. Disastrously, it was then sold on to a goldsmith in London, who melted it down. If only it could have stayed hidden until it was discovered by someone who realised what it really was!
Jane Horton
Sources: Staffordshire Sites and Monuments Record; Victoria County History Vol XX; Pattingham by RF Bond, and Pattingham and Patshull a Millennium history by Peter Leigh and Mary Mills.
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 28th January – The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas)
At 10 am there will be aservice of Holy Communion, led by Revd Paul Brown, in church. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.
At 4 pm at The Church at Perton there is a service for the Covenanting Churches of Wolverhampton West. All are welcome to attend.
At 6.30 pm there will be a Service in the Iona style, led by Ken Scott, in church.
In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for:
Those who live and work in Letchmere Lane, St Chads Close, Yew Tree Road, Retreat Gardens.
In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Paul, Pendeford.
This week
The church will be open every day. Look out for the “church open” sign outside the porch.
Contractors are continuing work on various repairs and work to the church this week. There will be scaffolding and the contractors will be working in and around the church. The church and churchyard will remain open but please take care while using them. Access to the toilets will be kept unlocked.
On Tuesday Prayers for Peace will be said in church at 6 pm. Please do join us and if you would like more information or are willing to lead a session, please contact Mary Hayward ().
On Wednesday at 10.00 am there will be a service of Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer, led by Revd Paul Brown, in church which will be followed by tea, coffee and cake.
After the service the church will be open from 10.30 am until at least 11.00 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. Those attending will receive a warm welcome.
On Wednesday at 6 pm the Pattingham Shower Singers meet in church. All are welcome – just come and sing and have fun! If you need more information, contact Alix at .
At 7 pm on Wednesday Choir Practice takes place in church. Anyone interested in joining the choir should contact any member of the choir.
At 7 pm on Thursday episode 7 of series 3 of The Chosen will be screened at Christ Church, Tettenhall Wood. Refreshments and snacks provided! Contact Christ Church on 01902 238988 for more information. Catch up for free at https://watch.angelstudios.com/thechosen
Sunday 4th February – Second Sunday before Lent
At 10 am there will be a Family Service, led by Iain Coleman, in church. It will be followed by a short service of Holy Communion, led by Revd Paul Brown, to which you are all most welcome. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.
In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for:
Those who live and work in Windsor Road, Greenway Gardens, Sandringham Road, Braemar Road.
In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Anne, Lower Penn.
Young Responders
The church is supporting a 2 hour Young Responders course which is being run by St John Ambulance in Pattingham Village Hall on Thursday 15th February 2024 1.30pm to 3.30pm.
It is totally free of charge to attendees and is open to anyone aged 12 to 18 and places are limited. Those attending will learn lifesaving First Aid for real life situations to keep them and their friends safe.
Moe information can be found on the church website at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/news-and-events/young-responders/>. Those interested should contact Keith Eden on 07527 237862 or
The Well – the Wolverhampton Food Bank
The Well continues to need our donations and prayers.
The box remains at the rear of the church for donations of food and toiletries and the wishing well for donations of cash.
Foreign coins can be a Well of love
If, over the years, you have travelled abroad, you may have a veritable treasure trove of random notes and coins from countries you’re not sure you ever visited, or still exist (and even if the country does, the currency may not). These can be turned into spendable cash, including pre Euro notes and coins such as the French Franc, German Mark and Italian Lire.
You may have found you cannot exchange foreign coins and low denomination notes which means you’re left with worthless currency but they can be used for a good purpose.
So, if you have any of these, please put them into the wishing well at the back of the church (in a separate bag please) and they will go to help the needy in Wolverhampton.
Thank you for your support.
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is on 14th February. In addition to the usual Wednesday morning Communion Service at 10 am (which will be taken by Revd Paul Brown) there will also be a service in the evening at 7.30 pm, which will be taken by Revd Sue Watson.
Lent Fellowship Lunch
On Sunday 18th February, which is the first Sunday in Lent, there will be a chance for everyone to join together for a lunch of soup, bread & cheese. This will be an opportunity to extend the fellowship that has grown in the successful gatherings after morning services.
The lunch will be held in church and will commence at 12 noon to give time for the usual refreshments after the morning service.
To give an idea of numbers attending we would ask you to put names on the list available on the table at the back of the church, ideally by Sunday 4th February.
A voluntary donation of £5 is suggested with proceeds going to the Bishop’s Lent Appeal.
Lent Lunches
Lent Lunches will be held on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 21st March. More details will be available in due course.
Dementia Friendly Church
Weekly Prayer
A Prayer for Comfort
Dear God
Please guide me as I walk down paths new and unknown and hold my hand should I get lost on my journey.
Give me the wisdom to take steadying breaths, to hold my head high and take each step with the confidence that comes from knowing I will be caught should I fall.
Help me see the lights in the darkness, to feel their warmth and remember that I am part of that warmth, for I have walked kindly in this world and given it my love.
Amen
(author unknown)
If you would like to suggest (or write) a prayer for inclusion in this series please let Tracey Williams, our Dementia Friendly Church Co-ordinator, know.
Notices
There are some new notices on the Dementia Friendly Church notice board in church and on the Dementia Friendly Church page of the website (<https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/information/becoming-dementia-friendly-church/>)
They are about:
- Share a prayer through dementia – the diocese invite us to write and share our own prayer through dementia
- Care and Share groups – 12.30 to 3.30 pm on 1st and 3rd Fridays at Albrighton Methodist Church
- Dementia Focus Group at The Seniors Hall, Curriers Lane, Shifnal.
The next Forget-me-not Tea at St Andrews Shifnal will be on Thursday 15th February at 2pm. You can be guaranteed a warm welcome.
Tracey Williams ()
Dementia Friendly Church Co-ordinator
From the Memorial Book
Those whose anniversaries occur between 21st January and 4th February.
Jim Pritchard – 21st January 2004
Geoffrey Victor Giles – 21st January 2019
Ivy Rhodes – 25th January 2001
George Lloyd – 27th January 2000
Rex Pellow – 27th January 2011
Walter James Matthews – 29th January 1988
Ethel Brough – 30th January 1979
Dorothy Eileen Cooper – 30th January 2020
Edna Joan Custance – 30th January 2022
Norman Bartlett – 31st January 2003
John Stuart Hague – 1st February 2010
Sean Peter Mark Lingford – 2nd February 1995
William Ritchie Farquharson – 2nd February 2007
William John Evans – 2nd February 2010
Gordon Kennedy Morrison – 2nd February 2016
Nigel Martin William Vaughan – 4th February 2000
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
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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