ChadNet – no 305

ChadNet – no 305 – Sunday 25th January 2026

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

Robert Burns

Sunday 25th January is Robert Burns’ birthday – celebrated as Burns Night north of the border and often down here too, amongst all the sassenachs.

Iain reminds us with this poem that one Sunday while sitting behind a young lady in church, Robert Burns noticed a louse roaming through the bows and ribbons of her bonnet. The poem “To a Louse” resulted from his observations. The poor woman had no idea that she would be the subject of one of Burns’ best poems about how we see ourselves, compared to how other people see us at our worst moments.

Maybe at this time as we end the first, somewhat gloomy, month of the year, this might give us another pause for reflection.

Iain Coleman

To a Louse, On Seeing one on a Lady’s Bonnet at Church
(by Robert Burns – translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch)

Hey! Where’re you going, you crawling hair-fly?
Your impudence protects you, barely;
I can only say that you swagger rarely
Over gauze and lace.
Though faith! I fear you dine but sparely
In such a place.

You ugly, creeping, blasted wonder,
Detested, shunned by both saint and sinner,
How dare you set your feet upon her—
So fine a lady!
Go somewhere else to seek your dinner
On some poor body.

Off! around some beggar’s temple shamble:
There you may creep, and sprawl, and scramble,
With other kindred, jumping cattle,
In shoals and nations;
Where horn nor bone never dare unsettle
Your thick plantations.

Now hold you there! You’re out of sight,
Below the folderols, snug and tight;
No, faith just yet! You’ll not be right,
Till you’ve got on it:
The very topmost, towering height
Of miss’s bonnet.

My word! right bold you root, contrary,
As plump and gray as any gooseberry.
Oh, for some rank, mercurial resin,
Or dread red poison;
I’d give you such a hearty dose, flea,
It’d dress your noggin!

I wouldn’t be surprised to spy
You on some housewife’s flannel tie:
Or maybe on some ragged boy’s
Pale undervest;
But Miss’s finest bonnet! Fie!
How dare you jest?

Oh Jenny, do not toss your head,
And lash your lovely braids abroad!
You hardly know what cursed speed
The creature’s making!
Those winks and finger-ends, I dread,
Are notice-taking!

O would some Power with vision teach us
To see ourselves as others see us!
It would from many a blunder free us,
And foolish notions:
What airs in dress and carriage would leave us,
And even devotion! 

(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 the editor, Mike Moss, at or to  (Mike will acknowledge emails so if you do not get an acknowledgement he may not have received your email).

Sunday 25th January – Second Sunday of Epiphany – Last Day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

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

At 6.00 pm the Annual Covenanting Churches Service for Christian Unity will be held at St Michael and All Angels, Tettenhall.  The service will be in the context of choral evensong, but adapted to the theme of Christian unity and including members of different churches with readings, prayers, etc. All are welcome. Tea and cake will be available after the service.

At 6.30 pm there will be a service of Evensong, led by the Vicar, 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 Paul, Pendeford.

This week

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

At 12 noon on Monday the funeral of Elaine O’Byrne takes place in church.

There is NO Prayers for Peace in church this week. In December and January it is being held only once a month. On those weeks when it is not being held in church some people may wish to pause and say a prayer of their own at that time. It will resume in February on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.

On Wednesday at 10.00 am there will be a service of Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer, led by the vicar, 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.

Sunday 1st February – The Presentation

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 the Vicar, in 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:
The Greenway, The Square, High Path, Green Close.

In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Anne, Lower Penn.

Pastoral activity

A message from the Vicar

As I’m still fairly new in post I would like to get to the bottom of where we are at with pastoral care in the parish. Please could you let me know any pastoral support you might be giving?

Please also contact me if you are interested in providing some pastoral support by calling people, visiting people, taking home communions or being part of a bereavement team to support funeral families.

Please call (07486 066065) or email ().

Merry Smith
Vicar

February edition of the Parish News Magazine

Publication of the February edition of the magazine has been delayed. The editor hopes to get it to the printers in the next few days and the magazines should be ready for delivery by next weekend.

A reminder that the annual subscription of £10 will be collected by the distributors.

If you don’t currently have the magazine delivered and would like it please contact Martin Parker (phone 700755).

Old Responders – Wednesday 18th February

This event will take place in the Village Hall on Wednesday 18 February from 2pm – 3.30pm.

It offers a further opportunity to learn basic first aid skills which may save a life and is specifically tailored for older and retired people in and around Pattingham. It is run by a fully trained instructor, enabling you to ‘get down to it’ using a defibrillator, learning CPR, wound care, treating farming injuries and other techniques. 

Places are limited so please contact Alix or Keith as soon as possible to book your place on 07527 237862, or come and see us at Shower Singers in church on a Wednesday evening.

The event is free of charge, courtesy of the church and The Midcounties Co-operative.

The Well – the Wolverhampton Food Bank

The Well

We are extremely grateful to all on the Douglas wing at HMP Oakwood who have kindly donated 41.5 kg (91 lbs) of food and toiletries to the Well. This is a difficult time for many families who are struggling, and their support is very much appreciated.

Alan Smith

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 connect via their website, where you can sign up to the newsletter and link to their Social Media pages: <www.thewellwolverhampton.co.uk>

Dementia Friendly Church

Weekly Prayer 

Becoming Dementia Friendly Church 2024-25

Shepherd Of My Path.

So I have dementia.  Give me grace to accept this as part of the pattern of my life and that of many others.  May I enjoy the present moment and all the life I have yet to live.
Grant me the humility to accept the assistance I will need.  I give you gratitude for all those I am finding who so readily offer that help.
Lord, you walked an unwelcome path you feared into a dark unknown.  It took greater courage than mine to do that willingly.  In my darkening path, take me by the hand and share your courage 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 18th January and 1st February.

Annie Guest – 18th January 1994
John Neville Hayward – 18th January 2009
Peter Victor Lingford – 19th January 2001
Raymond H Sampson – 20th January 1990
Mabel Pritchard – 20th January 2006
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

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 155 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