ChadNet – no 251

ChadNet – no 251 – Sunday 12th January 2025

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

Geoffrey Dann

The Archbishop of York has written a letter addressed to all clergy and lay members of the Church of England. That is included below so that you can all read it.

I have been using an app on my phone called “The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel” which is a daily Bible reading plan going through the whole Bible in 365 days. Each day there are three bible readings and a commentary by Rev Nicky Gumbell, who was Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton and a pioneer of the Alpha course. More information can be found at <https://bible.alpha.org/>.

The theme of the readings which I read soon after I read the Archbishop’s letter was “Bring People Hope”. There was something in the commentary which I decided could be included in a View from the Pews to complement the Archbishop’s letter.

Geoffrey Dann

Bring People Hope
Introduction by Revd Nicky Gumbel

Twenty-one-year-old Matthew had been homeless for three years. Mark Russell (who was appointed head of the Church Army aged only thirty-one) met him on the streets of Charing Cross in London, bought him some food and led him to Christ.

As he was getting up to leave he said, ‘Matthew, over the next month I am going to be on platforms speaking to thousands of people. What piece of advice do you want me to give to the Church of England today?’

Matthew replied, ‘The church’s job is to stop arguing and to bring people hope.’

Mark Russell commented, ‘I have never heard a better definition of what we should be about: Don’t we have a gospel of hope? A gospel that brings hope? A gospel of life, a gospel of transformation and above all a hope of eternal life, the hope of Jesus.’

Many people see only a hopeless end; but with Jesus you can enjoy an endless hope.

Hope is one of the three great theological virtues – the others being love and faith. As Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa writes, ‘They are like three sisters. Two of them are grown and the other is a small child. They go forward together hand in hand with the child hope in the middle. Looking at them it would seem that the bigger ones are pulling the child, but it is the other way around; it is the little girl who is pulling the two bigger ones. It is hope that pulls faith and love. Without hope everything would stop.’


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 afternoon 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 January – Baptism of Christ

At 10 am there will be a service of Holy Communion, led by Revd Sue Watson, 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 Iain Coleman, in church.

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for those who live and work in:
Orchard Close, Damson Park, Highgate Court.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Mary the Virgin, Enville.


This week

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

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.

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 Martin Fox or any member of the choir.

Saturday is the First Day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.


Sunday 19th January – Second Sunday of Epiphany – Second Day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

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.

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for those who live and work in:
Hall Close, Dodds Field, Hall End Close.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Benedict Biscop. Wombourne.


Century Club

The winners of the December Century Club draw were: 

  • 1st Prize – £150
    • Paul Bywater  – ball 23
  • 2nd Prize – £100
    • Helen Smith – ball 7
  • 3rd Prize – £50
    • David Blount – ball 16

Congratulations to all of them.

Following the annual renewals last month there are now four vacancies. If you would like to join the Century Club or for more details, please contact Alan Smith on 07757 688518 or or see the website at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/information/century-club


Epiphany Letter from the Archbishop of York to all clergy, lay ministers and congregations in the Church of England

Archbishop Stephen
The Archbishop of York

6 January 2025,
Feast of the Epiphany

Dear Friends in Christ,

Mindful of the ongoing challenges facing the Church of England, I write to you, the clergy, lay ministers and people of the Church of England on this Feast of the Epiphany, trusting that with God’s guidance, we can look to the future with great hopefulness in Christ. The Magi came to the Christ child and their lives were re-directed. Please join me in praying for the renewal of our church as we come again to Christ to seek God’s way for God’s church.

First, I want to express my deep gratitude for your faithfulness. The unstinting witness and service of parish churches, chaplaincies and other Christian communities brings hope and light, embodying the message of the Gospel, a message of peace and of new beginnings that is needed so urgently in our world as well as our church.

The events of recent weeks, particularly the publication of the Makin Review, have sometimes felt as though we have been separated from the light and hope of Christ. Reading reports of abuse, cover-ups, and institutional failure, we are confronted with a darkness that has harmed so many. To those who have been hurt, I offer my deepest apologies.

These painful reports serve as a stark reminder that victims and survivors are asking for – and deserve – more than words of lament. They call us to action.

Significant progress has been made. Every week, thousands of parish safeguarding officers faithfully attend to their duties in churches across England. They are supported by over 100 professionally qualified safeguarding staff working at both regional and national levels. More than 20,000 clergy, lay ministers, and church officers now undergo safeguarding training as part of their roles. Alongside them, thousands of volunteers who work with children and vulnerable adults complete rigorous vetting through the Disclosure and Barring Service. This essential safeguarding work is so important, and I am profoundly grateful for the dedication and commitment of all involved.

However, there is still more to do in order for us to become a safer and more accountable church, and for our processes to be trusted. Whether it is my decisions that are called into question or anyone’s within the church, our safeguarding practices must be subject to independent oversight and scrutiny.

Consequently, the House of Bishops, the Archbishops’ Council and the other relevant National Church Institutions are committed to leading this change and are working with the lead bishop for safeguarding and others on several key initiatives, including:

  • Bringing forward new proposals on independent safeguarding to the General Synod in February. This would include models for independent oversight, scrutiny, audit, and complaints, as well as for day-to-day operational safeguarding.
  • Seeking final approval in February for new clergy conduct measures that will strengthen the Church’s disciplinary provisions.
  • Ensuring the Church’s National Safeguarding Team continues its work alongside Safe Spaces to provide support for anyone wishing to raise safeguarding concerns, while also managing the process for addressing issues raised in recent reports.
  • Reviewing the recommendations of recent reviews through the National Safeguarding Steering Group and implementing them with guidance from the independently chaired National Safeguarding Panel.
  • Finalising the provisions of the forthcoming Redress Scheme so as to express in tangible ways the Church’s heartfelt sorrow and shame for the abuse survivors have suffered.

I want to reach out to all people of goodwill, and especially those who have been consistently and courageously advocating for change in the Church of England and invite support for these proposals.

There are other things to consider this year. We must attend to issues around clergy wellbeing and do all that we can to increase the stipend level. It may also be the time to look again at clergy terms of service to increase accountability (including that of bishops) and possibly ask the question as to whether clergy should become employees.

Moreover, as we remember Archbishop Justin’s ministry and his decision to step down as an acknowledgement of the institutional and collective failings of the Church he served so steadfastly, we need to reflect deeply on what we expect from an Archbishop of Canterbury. It is at least four jobs wrapped into one. Spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Spiritual Head of the Church of England. Primate of the Province of Canterbury. Diocesan Bishop.

We also face decisions about Living in Love and Faith (LLF). I believe we should focus again on the things we have in common, whatever our theological conviction on these issues. In this respect, I am convinced we are united in our desire to ensure that all our churches are places of welcome for everyone regardless of difference, but we also live with profound disagreement about how that welcome should be expressed towards same sex-couples.

Prayers of Love and Faith have become one option. They are now commended for use in existing services. Many same-sex couples in faithful, stable relationships have benefited from this, something I welcome.

Later this year, we will consider introducing bespoke services. With this must go provision for those who cannot support these developments. We must, therefore, properly honour the conscience and theological conviction of clergy, lay ministers and churches who can’t use the services and then develop our practice of delegated episcopal ministry for these ministers and communities. In this way we will have that symmetry of provision I have always believed necessary. But since the Makin Review itself warns how tribalism can endanger accountability and make oversight more difficult, we must not do this in a way that further breaks the Body of Christ.

Working closely with Sarah, the Bishop of London, in her role as Dean of the Province of Canterbury, for most of the next year it falls to me to help guide the Church of England through these challenging times. I am hugely grateful for the affirmation and support I have received, though I know and accept that some people have concerns. But aware of my own needs and shortcomings I pledge myself to learn, and I pledge myself to do what I can to steer through the change we need on these important issues and to hold myself accountable, both to the processes we have at the moment and to the new ones we will introduce. I invite the clergy and people of the Church of England to do the same and in your parish and worshipping community to pray for the stability, good governance, and renewal of our Church. I will then look forward to working closely with whomever the Spirit calls to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury.

Alongside this, I will continue the work I have been called to in the North of England, particularly getting on the road to teach about the way of discipleship Jesus offers us in the prayer he taught us. The Lord’s Prayer, the prayer of Jesus, is the prayer that takes us right to the heart of God. It teaches us how to live, as well as how to pray. At the moment, we need this more than ever.

Such a renewal of prayer, a new dependence upon God and a new focus on discipleship, living out our Christian vocation each day, will, I believe, help us to become a simpler, humbler and bolder church – and by ‘church’ I mean here both the universal Church, the bride of Christ and the community of the redeemed, and the thousands of local parishes, chaplaincies and other expressions of Christian community that are the bedrock and lifeblood of the Church of England.

Finally, in this Epiphany-tide, I am reminded that in Christ God comes to us in the most vulnerable thing we can imagine: a tiny, newborn child. Let us learn from this and ensure that we are putting the needs of the vulnerable first. Let us commit ourselves to becoming a Church that looks and sounds like Jesus: penitent, kind, and in tune with the will and purposes of God, the safer and more accountable Church I believe we are called to be.

Yours in Christ,

+Stephen Ebor

The Well – the Wolverhampton Food Bank

The Well

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.

Donations into the wishing well from the parish and shower singers totalled £860 for 2024. In addition, the currency appeal and Mission Giving of £160 and £350 respectively, give a grand total of £1370, all of which goes to helping the needy in our community.

Thank you for your generosity.

<www.thewellwolverhampton.co.uk>


Dementia Friendly Church

Weekly Prayer

Becoming Dementia Friendly Church 2024-25

Loving God

You have been more patient with me and with humanity than we could ever expect or deserve.  Grant me the same loving patience.
Let me view the failing memory with the same compassion as I would a greater difficulty in walking.  Help me to be supportive ,not demanding.  School me to control my voice, so that I answer the seventh identical question as sympathetically as I did the first.
May I never be guilty of sounding as though this failure of memory is the fault of the one I love.
And when I fail, continue to be patient with me.
Amen

(Prayers for Dementia and how to live well with it Fay Sampson)

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.


From the Memorial Book

Those whose anniversaries occur between 5th and 19th January.

Elizabeth Toy – 6th January 1995
Alan Johnson – 6th January 1999
Caroline Mary Bradford – 6th January 2005
Leslie Harry Hawkins – 7th January 1984
Winnie Sheldon – 7th January 1993
Barrow Samuel Woodhall – 8th January 1999
Ewart Eardley Jones – 8th January 2009
William Ernest Whitty – 9th January 1986
Lisa Norman-Smallwood – 11th January 2001
Edward Albert Morgan – 11th January 2009
Kathleen Charlotte Gardener – 12th January 1981
Catherine Eugenie Warner – 12th January 2004
Cyril George Wheeler – 12th January 2012
Tony Douglas Warrilow – 13th January 2004
Alice May Woodroffe – 13th January 2022
Cis Harris  – 14th January 1990
Mary Elizabeth Hughes – 15th January 1980
Horace Charles James – 15th January 1987
Kathleen Parker – 15th January 2005
Sheila Galbraith – 17th January 1987
Eileen Mary Rowley – 17th January 2005
Annie Guest – 18th January 1994
John Neville Hayward – 18th January 2009
Peter Victor Lingford – 19th January 2001

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 138 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