ChadNet – no 289

ChadNet – no 289 – Sunday 5th October 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

Dorothy Steel

Scarecrow Festival 2025 reflection

The excitement began building when the signs appeared in the village announcing Scarecrow Festival 2025, but by this time the hard work by the committee led by Philip Sims was already well underway. The festival takes months of co-ordinated work to ensure it is the vibrant, community and family event we have come to expect. By the time the straw collection is announced the energy levels in the village are rising as we all finalise our plans for our scarecrow creations, and this year there were over 120!

On Thursday 25th the wonderful Harvest contributions from St Chad’s school arrived in church and on Friday 26th September the scarecrows were ‘unveiled’! Driving into the village they could be seen from the hedgerows, resting in gardens, sitting on walls and even suspended from houses, everywhere they were popping out to surprise, amuse and amaze us by the creative imagination of their makers. Friday evening brought the delights of the Barn Dance in the Village Hall and on Saturday evening we were entertained with a wonderful concert in church by the Staffordshore Brass Band. Our two Sunday Harvest services in church, led by our new vicar Merry, gave us opportunity to worship and thank God for the harvest and for being able to gather contributions of food to support those in need.

The street food, the fun ringing the church bell and the variety of raffle prizes available from our many generous donors made the weekend such fun and so special. Most of all, the festival gave us the opportunity to spend some family time together and to reach out to engage with our neighbours and our community. It is the people who make up our community who made the atmosphere of the festival so welcoming and enabled us all to be thankful for our community, village, church and most of all, be thankful to God for our worship and time together.

As each member of the Scarecrow Festival committee and every person who gave time to help over the weekend gradually recover, please accept a huge ‘thank you’ for all you have done to make our Scarecrow Festival weekend one to remember! Looking forward to seeing everyone at Scarecrow Festival 2027!

Dorothy Steel

(As always this View is the personal view of the author.)

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

The Vicar’s post is half time so Merry will not be working every day. Her usual working days are Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday but this is subject to change. Her phone number is 07486 066065 and her email address is  When she is not working she will not normally answer the phone, listen to messages or respond to emails. 

Calls to  the old phone number (01902 700257) are forwarded to Merry’s phone.

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 5th October – Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

At 10 am there will be a Family Service, led by Philip Sims, in church. It will be followed by a short service of Holy Communion, led by the Vicar, to which you are all most welcome. There will be a collection box for donations to the Farming Community Network at the back of the church. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for those who live and work in:
Dartmouth Avenue, Marlbrook Lane, Chesterton Road, West End Gardens, Copley Lane.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Michael & All Angels, Tettenhall Regis.

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 Rev Allan Roberts, 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.

On Friday from 2 pm to 4 pm ChadART takes place in church. For more information contact Jo Bramall on 07977 007537.

Sunday 12th October – Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity

At 10 am there will be a service of Holy Communion in church. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.

At 6.30 pm there will be a Service in the Iona style, led by Iain Coleman, in church.

In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for those who live and work in:
Clive Road.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Chad, Pattingham.

Century Club

The winners of the September Century Club draw were: 

  • 1st Prize – £150
    • Betty Thornton – ball 78
  • 2nd Prize – £100
    • Ken James – ball 76
  • 3rd Prize – £50
    • Martin Fox – ball 21

Congratulations to all of them.

Last weekend

Scarecrow Festival

We have seen Pattingham at its best over the Scarecrow weekend and whether you have been part of the organising committee, helping with the many months of planning and publicising the event, whether you made the car park available to us (many thanks to the Evans family!), whether you helped to man it, decorated the Church, sold raffle tickets or helped to supervise the various activities, provided sponsorship or donations, you deserve our untold thanks because your contribution has been inestimable.

I do though want to reserve special thanks to all those who created and displayed the Scarecrows. Every one has been a joy to behold, whilst you should all be proud of the level of creativity and ingenuity on display. Bear in mind that without the Scarecrows we have no Festival and therefore, on behalf of everyone involved in the Festival, I want to offer our massive and sincere thanks to you for making the weekend so memorable.

Finally, it is my delight to confirm the financial outcome of the Festival. Together, we have achieved a profit of £18,920, all of which will go to worthwhile causes in our Village. This surely represents a wonderful outcome and, once again, I want to thank everyone for their amazing contribution to this total.

Philip Sims
Festival Chairman

Harvest donations

Almost 300 kilograms (that’s almost 6 hundredweight in old money) of food and toiletries were donated by the school and congregation and have been distributed to the Well food bank and Ukraine Refugee Centre.

Thank you for your generosity.

Brass band concert

Almost 100 people packed the church last Saturday to a wide ranging repertoire of high class music by the Staffordshire Band. A total of £855 was raised in aid of the Scarecrow Festival.

Many thanks for your support.

Alan Smith

The Farming Community Network

In recent years the profit from the Harvest Supper has been donated to The Farming Community Network, a charity that supports farmers and families within the farming community.  In 2023 and 2024 these raised over £400 each.

This year, as there has not been a Harvest Supper, we are providing an opportunity to make donations to the charity. Those at Evensong last week were able to donate through the collection, which raised about £250. There will be a box at the back of the church at the service on Sunday morning for anyone else to make a donation.

Christmas card competition

The box for entries to the Christmas card competition is at the back of the church. It is open to all children and young people up to school year 8 (that is those who are under 14 years old on 1st September 2025) who live in the parish or attend St Chad’s School. The closing date is Monday 20th October.

Details are on the website at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/information/christmas-card-competition-2025/>. Please spread the word to the children and young people you know.

All Souls’ Memorial Service

The All Souls’ Memorial Service will be held at 6.30 pm on Sunday 2nd November. We will remember by name all those for whom funerals have been held in the last 2 years and those whose names are in the Memorial Book who have died within the last 6 years.

There will be a list at the back of church to allow the addition of other names. The list will be removed on Thursday 30th October. Please ensure any names are placed on the list before that date.

Link to Hope Shoebox Appeal

Link to Hope

The closing date for the Shoebox Appeal is approaching. Boxes need to be taken to Barbara or left at the back of the church by Sunday 26th October.

There are leaflets at the back of church (and on the church website) which give greater details and make suggestions about what they would like us to include in the boxes. It is important to read the instructions on the leaflet which clearly define what you can put in the boxes. Due to customs and import regulations, you cannot just put anything in but there are loads of items to choose from.

More details can be found on the Link to Hope website at <https://linktohope.co.uk/shoebox-appeal-2025/> and on the church website at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/news-and-events/shoe-box-appeal-2025/>.

Barbara Tritton
17 High Street, Pattingham
(01902 700065)
email –

The Well – the Wolverhampton Food Bank

The Well

Everyone at the Well is extremely grateful for the gifts of cash and goods which are donated regularly. 

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

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

Almighty God,
I lift up those affected by 
dementia, asking for Your
divine intervention in restoring
their precious memories.
Please guide their minds and
help them recollect cherished
moments.  Let Your healing
touch bring back memories
that once brought them joy
and comfort.
Amen

(Prayerslife.com)

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 28th September and 12th October.

Edna Elizabeth Bristow – 28th September 2008
David Simpson – 1st October 2002
John Edward Lavender – 1st October 2018
George Weaver – 3rd October 1930
Stephen Young – 3rd October 2018
M.G. Stuart Jones – 5th October 2017
Janet Sampson – 6th October 2009
Sidney Herbert Guest – 8th October 1976
John Beagle – 8th October 1982
Clive Fordham Parker – 9th October 1993
Barbara Alice Titley – 9th October 2003
Colin Charles Robinson – 9th October 2020
Evelyn Eileen Carlile – 10th October 2010
Graham Roger Gilbert – 12th October 2002
Carol Jane Higginson – 12th October 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

This bulletin is sent to those who have requested it. We now have 152 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