ChadNet – no 267

ChadNet – no 267 – Sunday 4th May 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

Jo Bramall

I have recently been reading Hagseed by Margaret Atwood – a retelling of Shakespeare’s  The Tempest.  It is set in modern Canada yet deals with all the same themes of jealousy, betrayal and forgiveness.  I would thoroughly recommend it.  Likewise, The Gap in Time is a retelling of  The Winter’s Tale by another modern writer, Jeanette Winterson.  Both these books have brought me a greater understanding of the original plays.  In the same way, the RSC will often set Shakespeare’s plays in different times and settings.  I still remember seeing the “circus” version of A Comedy of errors as a teenager. 

Recently in the Youth Service, I read a version of the parable of the Prodigal son that I found very amusing but still retains the essential lessons to be learned.  I hope you will enjoy this too. 

Jo Bramall

The Parable of the Prodigal Son In the key of “F”

Feeling footloose and fancy fine, a feather-brained fellow forced his fond father to fork over the farthings and flew to foreign fields and frittered his fortune, feasting and fabulously with fickle fairweather friends and fancy floozies.

Fleeced by these fellows and facing famine, he found himself a feed-flinger in a filthy farmyard.  Fairly famishing, fain would he have filled his from with foraged food from the fodder fragments!

Fooey! The frazzled fuigive forlornly fumbled, frankly facting facts, “My father’s flunkies fare far finer!”  And frustrated by failure and filled with foreboding, he fled forthwith to his family.  

Falling at his father’s feet, he feebly faltered, “Father, I’ve flunked and fruitlessly forfeited family favour.”

But the farsighted father, forestalling further flinching, frantically flagged the flunkies to fetch a fatling from the flock and fix a feast.  

Now the fugitive’s fault-finding brother frowned on such fickle forgiveness of former folderol.  In fact, the faithful father figured, “Fillial fidelity is fine, but the fugitive is found!  What forbids fervent festivity?  Let flags be unfurled! Let fanfares flourish!”

And so the father’s forgiveness formed the foundation for the former fugitive’s fortitude. 

Finished!

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 4th May – Third Sunday of Easter

At 10 am there will be a Family Service, led by the Bellringers, in church. It will be followed by a short service of Holy Communion, led by Revd Sue Watson, 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:
All children and young people in the parish.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
Good Shepherd, Castlecroft.

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 Sue Watson, 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 on Wednesday 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.

At 2.30 pm on Friday the funeral of Matthew Jewkes takes place in church.

On Friday Mary Hayward is taking donations to the Ukraine Refugee Centre. See below for details.

Sunday 11th May – Fourth Sunday of Easter

At 10 am there will be as service of Holy Communion by Extension, led by Iain Coleman, in church. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.

At 11.30 am the Annual Church Meeting takes place in church. See below for more information. There are a number of vacancies for members of the PCC. Please consider whether you can support the church by joining the PCC. There is information about PCC membership on the church website at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/about-us/whos-who/pcc/pcc-membership/>.

At 2pm Pattingham Day takes place. See below for more information,

At 3 pm the Baptism of Colton Crowley takes place in church.

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:
High Street, Meadow View, Broadwell Lane, Old Smithy Close.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Philip, Penn Fields.

Ukraine Refugee Centre

After reading an article in the Wolverhampton Chronicle regarding a Ukraine Refugee Centre in Wolverhampton I decided to discuss with our Tuesday Prayer Group support for the refugees. I visited the centre myself to see what practical support was needed.

The Centre is open on Fridays between 10am and 3 pm. It is well attended by ladies and children. Lunch and drinks are available. It’s at 35 Merridale Street West, Pennfields (Opposite the Ukrainian Church).

At the front of the building is a large area where donated items of clothing, toys, small household items and toiletries are stored. Talking to the Centre Manager it was evident how much it helped the Ukrainian Community.

I am planning to visit the Centre on Friday 9th May with any donations received and thereafter once a month. If you have anything you wish to donate please contact me at or 01902 700744 or in Church.

Suggested donations:

  • Ladies Clothes
  • Children’s Clothes from 4 years old
  • Good quality toys
  • Toiletries
  • Unwanted gifts (to serve as raffle prizes)
  • Small household items
  • Towels and tea towels

Mary Hayward

Church Annual Meeting and Electoral Roll

The Annual Church Meeting will be held in church at 11.30 am on Sunday 11th May (after the 10 o’clock service).

At that meeting there will be various reports on the activities of the church as well as presentation of the Annual Report and Accounts for 2024. The churchwardens and up to seven members of the PCC will be elected. Nomination forms for Churchwardens and Elected PCC Members are on the church website and at the back of the church.

The Annual Report and Financial Statements and the agenda, minutes of last year’s meetings and other reports are on the church website (at https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/information/pcc-news-and-reports/pcc-reports/) and at the back of the church.

We have been developing plans for the North Aisle and these are awaiting formal advice from the Diocesan Advisory Committee in preparation for the submission of a faculty application. It is intended to share details of these plans at the Annual Meeting.

The preparation of the new Church Electoral Roll has been completed. The new roll can be checked in the church porch. Those who missed the deadline can still join but will not be added to the roll until after the annual meeting.

Pattingham Day – Sunday 11th May

Pattingham needs you to keep where we live beautiful and litter free.

Please spare an hour or so to join us and help litter pick in the streets and lanes surrounding Pattingham on Sunday 11th May.

  • We will meet at the church at 2pm
  • High-Vis vests, Black bags and litter pickers available.
  • Meet back at the church from 3pm where we will dispose of the litter collected
  • Refreshments served at the side of the church afterwards.

If you have any questions contact Tony Ainsworth.

Century Club

The winners of the April Century Club draw were: 

  • 1st Prize – £150
    • Mary Hayward – ball 44
  • 2nd Prize – £100
    • Michael O’Byrne – ball 45
  • 3rd Prize – £50
    • Margaret Lingford – ball 28

Congratulations to all of them.

There is currently one vacancy for the Century Club. For an annual subscription is £60 there is a chance every month to win £150, £100 or £50.  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>.

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.

Thank you for your generosity. If you wish to know more about the work of The Well, or would like to know how you can support it in other ways, do look at their website <www.thewellwolverhampton.co.uk>

Dementia Friendly Church

Weekly Prayer

Becoming Dementia Friendly Church 2024-25

Dear God,
Please be with all carers, especially children,
who find themselves having to stay at home in order
to keep a loved one safe.
Amen 

(Share a Prayer 2024 – 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.

From the Memorial Book

Those whose anniversaries occur between 27th April and 11th May.

John Stanley Scriven – 27th April 1954
Cliff Fletcher – 27th April 2013
Florence Maud Layland – 28th April 1999
John Anthony Breakwell – 1st May 2022
Lily Evelyn Woodall – 2nd May 2003
Neville William Joseph Rhodes – 3rd May 1998
William Henry Critchley – 5th May 2000
Alice Scriven – 6th May 1991
Terence Curtis – 6th May 2000
Donald Victor Newill – 8th May 1995
Lilian Graham – 10th May 2002
Ernest Brian Lindley – 10th May 2003
Paul James Claxton – 10th May 2008
Jennifer Jane Nicholson – 10th May 2017
John Weaver – 11th May 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 141 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