ChadNet – no 311

ChadNet – no 311 – Sunday 8th March 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

Mike Coope

We all know the verse in the Bible: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
 
When we hear that verse, we assume it means, “God loved the world so much.” We imagine the strength of God’s feelings, the depth of divine emotion behind the gift of Jesus.
 
But the verse can also mean something different: “This is how God loved the world.” The focus shifts. Instead of trying to picture what God feels inside, we look at what God actually does. God loves by giving. God loves by coming close. God loves by sending His Son into the world not to condemn it, but to save it.
 
John’s Gospel is often like this. It speaks with such clarity and simplicity that we miss it. We look for something more complicated, more mysterious, and overlook what is plainly said. Yet the simplicity is the mystery.
 
If we start with God’s supposed emotions, we may simply project our own feelings onto God. But if we start with what God has done in Christ, then our understanding of God begins to change. We learn who God is by looking at Jesus – His life, His self-giving, His cross.
 
In other words, we do not fit Jesus into our ideas about God. We let Jesus reshape our idea of God.

Mike Coope

(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 

Sunday 8th March – Third Sunday of Lent

At 10 am there will be a service of Holy Communion including  the baptism of Ada Starling, led by the Vicar, 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:
Patshull Park, Farm Road, Rushey Lane, Patshull Gardens, Patshull Lane.

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

This week

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

At 7.30 pm on Monday one of the Lent Course groups meets at the home of Philip Sims. Everyone is welcome to join them.

There is NO Prayers for Peace in church this week. It is now being held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. On those Tuesdays when the group is not meeting in church it will be possible for those who wish to do so to come into church to offer their own prayers (although those who do so should take care if it is dark by then). Others may wish to pause and say a prayer of their own at that time.

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 11.00 am on Wednesday the other Lent Course group meets in The Loft in church. Everyone is welcome to join them.

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.

Wednesday is the copy date for the April magazine. Send articles to the editor, Jess Robins, at  

At 11.00 am on Thursday the funeral of Michael Moss takes place in church.

At 12 noon on Friday the funeral of Ann Blount takes place in church.

On Friday Mary Hayward will be taking donations of items to the Ukraine Refugee Centre.  If you have anything you wish to donate please contact Mary at or 01902 700744 or in Church.

Sunday 15th March – Fourth Sunday of Lent – Mothering Sunday

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, led by the Vicar, to which you are all most welcome. Prizes will be presented to the winners of the Easter card competition at the Crafts and Pancakes! event which was held on Shrove Tuesday. 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:
Holy Cross Bilbrook.

Retirement of Bishop Michael

The Bishop of Lichfield, the Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave, announced his retirement on St Chad’s Day. He will retire at the end of September. He has been Bishop of Lichfield since 2016. More information is on the diocesan website at <https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/news/bishop-michael-announces-his-retirement.php>

Lent Lunches

There are two Lent lunches organised by The Covenanting Churches of Wolverhampton West to which we are all welcome.

  • Saturday 7th March – 12 noon to 2 pm – Tettenhall Wood URC
  • Saturday 21st March – 12 noon to 2 pm – The Church at Perton

The second of our parish Lent Lunches will be held on Tuesday 31st March at the home of Sue Stirk.

Pattingham Resident of the Year and Young Person (under 16) of the Year 2026

Are you, or is there someone you know, who goes above and beyond for our village, supports community relations and deserves recognition?

The Parish Council is inviting nominations for these two awards.

The deadline to nominate or apply yourself is Friday 17thAprfil 2026 at 5 pm at

Old Responders

A total of 25 people attended this event which took place on 18th February in the Village Hall and offered a further opportunity to learn basic first aid skills which may save a life. It was run by a fully trained instructor and included using a defibrillator, learning CPR and other techniques. 

The event was free of charge, courtesy of the church and a grant from the Co-Op Community Fund. We are grateful to Keith & Alix for organising this event.

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 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

A Caregiver`s Prayer

Lord provide strength, to face each new day, knowing you are always there.
Give patience, when frustration rises.
Provide guidance on the journey, knowing some days are  mountains, some days are valleys and some are quiet days beside still waters.
Grant wisdom, to know how to handle daily cares.
Teach what is needed to provide comfort knowing heart and hand go together.
Strengthen hands and feet as we travel this road together.
Give knowledge to see the beauty in the shadows, for a shadow is only cast in the presence of light.
You are the bright  light and eternal hope, that brings us through each dark night and leads us in each new day.
Amen

 (Caregiver quotes)

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 1st and 15th March.

Andrew Woodroffe – 1st March 1976
Edith Margery Whitty – 2nd March 1999
Gordon Frederick Roberts – 3rd March 2010
Roy Meredith Wilcox – 5th March 2016
Valerie Ann Edwards – 6th March 2024
Anthony John Harley – 11th March 1997
Gordon Francis Thomas – 12th March 1992
Dennis William Lovering – 12th March 2012
Emily Margaret Ada Pugh – 13th March 1991
Ronald Lacey – 13th March 1998
Arthur John Rogers – 14th March 2005
Hilda Northern – 15th March 1997

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.

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 156 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