ChadNet – no 204 – Sunday 18th February 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 – Philip Sims
- Sunday 18th February – First Sunday of Lent
- This week
- Sunday 25th February – Second Sunday of Lent
- Work to the church
- Lent
- The Well Foodbank – donations and prayers needed
- Dementia Friendly Church – weekly prayer – and a polite reminder
- From the Memorial Book
- Giving to the Church
View from the Pews
At our services last Sunday I was able to share the outcome of a meeting held on the previous Wednesday by the PCC with our Archdeacon and Rural Dean. For those who did not hear me, I outlined that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the prospect of our securing the appointment of a new Vicar.
We all know that Clergy are now free to apply for posts but we were keen to determine whether the Diocese does, on occasions, place them into Parishes. Apparently this is the case but the Archdeacon confirmed that there are no current candidates for Pattingham. We discussed whether we should, yet again, advertise the post and placed on our agenda the issue of our Parish Share as we have no Incumbent, use of the Vicarage and the possibility of our collaboration with another Parish.
We have agreed:
1. To continue to advertise the post and this will again appear in the Church Times towards the end of the month.
2. That the Archdeacon will pursue a reduction in our Parish Share to account for the fact that we are in extended interregnum.
3. That the Archdeacon will prompt the Diocese to let the Vicarage on a 6 month shorthold tenancy. This should allow us sufficient time to achieve vacant possession to accommodate a new Vicar wishing to move in.
4. That the Archdeacon will consider whether there could be possible Parishes with which we could collaborate and advise us accordingly.
What is evident is that there is little prospect of our attracting a Vicar in the very near future. The positive aspect of this is that we retain the flexibility which we have come to enjoy in our regular worship. The fine array of visiting clergy, our talented Readers and those gifted individuals from our own congregation who lead our worship are all contributing to the variety which is serving us well. I say this advisedly because our worshipping congregation has grown marginally over the last year and we should give thanks to God that we appear to be moving in the right direction, despite the ongoing interregnum. Whilst talking of positive developments, we must also acknowledge the very positive impact which Martin Fox, our new Organist, is having on our services together with his wife Cath, who creates so much atmosphere through the vibrancy and skill of her flute playing.
The PCC also has other plans for the development of our worship but we are inevitably dependent on finding and nurturing additional talent from within our congregation. Whether this is leading worship or serving tea and coffee, acting as Sidespeople, assisting with Communion or joining the PCC, we need to grow our resource and I would plead with each of you to come forward and offer your help. We should no longer rely on others but ask “What more can I do for my Church?”
I do ask that we all pray for the future of our Church as well as our role within it. We are undoubtedly in a good place but we will only truly flourish if we flourish together.
Philip Sims
PCC Chairman
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 18th February – First Sunday of Lent
At 10 am there will be a service led by the Youth Group in church.This will be followed by a short service of Holy Communion by extension, led by Ken Scott, to which you are all most welcome. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.
At 12 noon the Lent Fellowship Lunch takes place in church.
In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for:
Those who live and work in Great Moor Road, Nurton Brook, Nurton Bank, Warstone Hill Road, Hollies Lane.
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.
Contractors are continuing work on various repairs and work to the church this week. 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. See below for more details.
On Monday at 7.30 pm the first session of the Lent Course “Act on Poverty” takes place in The Loft. More details below.
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 Tuesday evening there is a PCC meeting in church.
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.
On Thursday at 10.30 am the repeat of the first session of the Lent Course “Act on Poverty” takes place at Christ Church, Tettenhall Wood. More details below.
Sunday 25th February – Second Sunday of Lent
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 6.30 pm there will be a Service of Evensong, led by Ken Scott, in church.
In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for:
Those who are in residential care.
In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Aidan, Penn Fields.
Work to the Church
The co ntractors have completed the repairs to the roof and are now starting work on the area by the west door. The west door itself has been taken away to be draught proofed. While it is away the doorway has been boarded up. Work to remove the wooden screen inside the west door has started. Once this work is complete the west door will be visible in all its splendour both from inside and outside the church and there should not be draughts through the door while it is closed.
Lent
Lent Lunches
Lent Lunches will be held at 12.30 pm on Wednesday 6th March (at the home of Sue Riches) and Thursday 21st March (at the home of Sue Stirk). There will be sign up sheets at the back of the church in due course.
Lent course
We are sharing in the Lent Course with Tettenhall Wood.
The Act on Poverty resources have been produced by Christian Aid, with other partners, to enable churches and individuals to gain a deeper understanding of poverty, local and global, and to offer inspiration for actions we can take to tackle poverty together.
Each session contains:
• A short Bible study
• Audio recordings of conversations featuring anti-poverty practitioners and activists, many with lived experience of poverty
• Questions and prompts for small group discussion
• Inspiring videos from churches taking practical action on poverty
• A guide to simple steps your church can take to advocate for change
When and Where?
Monday Evenings, 7.30pm, St Chad’s, Pattingham (begins 19th February)
Thursday Mornings, 10.30am, Christ Church, Tettenhall Wood (begins 22nd February)
Also available online:
Wednesday afternoons, 3.00pm led by Bishop Sarah (from 14th February)
Thursday evenings: 7.00pm led by Bishop Matthew (from 15th February)
(Details of the online course can be found at <https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/our-faith/lent-courses/>)
Lunchtime Lent Talks in Wolverhampton
“Praying the Lord’s Prayer… Our Father…”
There will be a series of Ecumenical Lent Lunchtime Talks in St Peter’s Church, Wolverhampton every Monday from 19th February to 26th March from 12 noon to 1 pm.
Soup and rolls will be available from 12.00 noon, the talk will begin at 12.30 pm promptly and finish by 1.00 pm including time for discussion.
Holy Week
There will be the usual services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
- Maundy Thursday (28th March)
- 7.30 pm – Holy Communion and stripping of the altars
- Good Friday (29th March)
- 10.00 am – Building the Easter Garden – service for children and families
- 2.00 pm – Good Friday devotional service
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 put into the wishing well (in a separate bag please) and they will also go to help the needy in Wolverhampton.
Thank you for your support.
Dementia Friendly Church
Weekly Prayer
Lord we bring all those suffering with memory loss and the army of your angels that care for them daily, administrators, all in Social Care, the policy makers and its implementers concerning the health and well-being of those living with memory loss.
We also bring to you those at Alzheimer`s research who in their work are striving to discover drugs to alleviate the symptoms of memory loss and halt the progress that results in such devastating life changes.
Lord, pour out your healing balm on all those hurting today, bring a sense of being loved to all those who feel desperate and unsupported.
Let them be still and know that you are God.
Amen
(Lichfield Diocese“Share a Prayer” Dementia 2023)
… and a polite reminder …
A polite reminder from our Dementia Friendly Church Co-ordinator:
“If you have borrowed the Wendy Mitchell Dementia books, could you kindly return them to the church once you have finished reading them.
Many Thanks, Tracey”
From the Memorial Book
Those whose anniversaries occur between 11th and 25th February.
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
Clive Brough – 20th February 1979
Lillian (Marg) Nicholls – 20th February 2007
Joseph Ernest Penny – 20th February 2009
Thomas James Heath – 20th February 2017
Muriel Noreen Swift – 21st February 1999
Victor James Jordan – 22nd February 2009
Tom Knight – 23rd February 1997
Kathleen Simpson – 23rd February 1999
Teresa Margaret Richards – 23rd February 2002
Iris Freda Thomas – 25th February 2004
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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St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull Registered charity no 1151604