ChadNet – no 314 – Sunday 29th March 2026
Welcome to this week’s edition of ChadNet – the eBulletin of St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull.
Remember that the clocks go forward this weekend.
The church clock will stop for 11 hours to make the adjustment.
In this week’s ChadNet:
- View from the Vicarage
- Sunday 29th March – Palm Sunday
- This week – Holy Week
- Sunday 5th April – Easter Day
- Memory Walk – Sunday 12th April
- The Well Foodbank
- Dementia Friendly Church – weekly prayer
- From the Memorial Book
- Giving to the Church
View from the Vicarage
As we enter Holy Week, we step into a story that is both familiar and yet almost impossible to comprehend. We walk alongside the disciples, those first followers who witnessed extraordinary moments, heard life-altering teaching, and still struggled to grasp what was unfolding before them.
Again and again in the Gospels, we see their confusion. Jesus speaks of suffering, death, and rising again: and they do not understand. How could they? They were trying to make sense of something vast; the healing of all that is broken, the forgiveness of sin, the restoration of humanity to God.
Luke’s Gospel captures this tension with striking honesty:
“‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.’ But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.” (Luke 9:44–45)
And so they falter. They argue about greatness when humility is required. They fall asleep when called to watch and pray. They scatter in fear when courage is most needed. Even Peter, so bold in declaration, finds himself undone.
Yet this is precisely where Holy Week meets us.
For we are not so different. We long to understand God’s purposes, yet often see only in part. We want faith to feel clear, yet find ourselves dogged by doubt and limitation. The mystery of grace, this “cure” for sin, remains beyond our full comprehension.
But Holy Week reminds us that understanding is not necessary for salvation.
The disciples did not fully grasp what Jesus was doing, yet they were still called, still loved, still held within God’s unfolding story. Their weakness became the place where God’s power would be revealed. The cross stands at the centre of this mystery: where human limitation and divine power meet, and what seems like defeat is transformed into victory.
So how might we live this Holy Week differently?
Perhaps it begins by resisting the urge to rush ahead. Like the disciples, we are invited to stay close, to watch and to pray, even when we feel tired or distracted. We might choose to make space each day to sit with the story, rather than skipping too quickly to its ending.
We can practice humility, letting go of the need to have everything resolved, and instead entrusting ourselves to God’s greater purposes. We can bring our questions honestly, without fear, trusting that faith does not depend on perfect understanding.
And we can remain present at the cross without turning away from its cost, instead, allowing it to shape our hearts with gratitude, repentance, and hope.
The disciples could not yet see the fullness of what God was doing. Neither can we. But this Holy Week we can keep trusting that God is already accomplishing, what we cannot yet understand.
Rev Merry
A prayer for Holy Week
Loving God, as we walk the way of the cross, give us the courage not to turn away. Shape our hearts with humility, repentance, and trust. Help us to see, the depth of your love and the mystery of your grace.
Holy Spirit, meet us in our weakness. Take our questions, our incomprehension, and our faltering faith, and draw us deeper into relationship with you, that we may not only remember your story, but be changed by it.
And as we wait in hope, help us to trust that even when we do not understand, you are at work bringing life out of death, and light out of darkness.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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 29th March – Palm Sunday
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.
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:
Holy Week Services across the Deanery.
This week – Holy 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.
On Tuesday at 12.30 pm there is a Lent Lunch at the home of Sue Stirk. If you are attending please sign up on the sheet at the back of the church.
On Tuesday Prayers for Peace will be said in church at 6 pm. Please do join us and if you would like more information 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 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.
There is NO Pattingham Shower Singers this week or next. It will resume on 15th April.
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.
Thursday is Maundy Thursday. At 7.30 pm there will be a service of Holy Communion which commemorates the Last Supper. This is followed by the Stripping of the Altars as we anticipate Good Friday.
Friday is Good Friday.
Come and join us as we observe Good Friday and look forward to celebrating Easter. All are welcome to join for all or part of our activities.
- 10.00 am: Walk of Witness
- walk the way of the cross through Pattingham, starting at St Chad’s Church and returning to the Village Hall.
- 10.30 am: Hymns and Prayers in front of the village hall,
- with Hot Cross Buns and refreshments.
- 11:00 am: Fun on Good Friday @ St Chad’s
- Family fun with Easter eggs, songs and building the Easter Garden
- 12:00 mid-day finish.
At 2.00 pm the traditional Good Friday devotional service will be held in church.
Sunday 5th April – Easter Day
All are welcome to join us on Easter Day to celebrate the Resurrection.
At 10 am there will be an All Age Service with Communion, led by the Vicar, in church. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.
At 6.30 pm there will be a more traditional Communion Service, led by the Vicar, in church.
In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for those who live and work in:
Moor Lane, Elms Paddock, Little Moor.
In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
Easter Sunday.
Memory Walk
You are invited to a MEMORY WALK in aid of Alzheimer’s Society
Sunday 12th April 2026 Meet at 2.00 pm at St Chad’s Church, Pattingham WV6 7BQ
How and where:
1). Around Hamley Woods, about 1 hour.
2). Use your own route choice, walk or run, or take part in a larger event elsewhere.
3). Walk at home? Make a few laps around your garden.
If you are to take part, please email Tracey at , so that we can organise sufficient refreshments, to be available in church.
For more information see the church website at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/news-and-events/memory-walk/>
The Well – the Wolverhampton Food Bank
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
Dear Lord
You looked down on me, chose me, and singled me out,
as I lived as a good Christian and without any doubts.
Please help people to understand, dementia is not just for the old,
it has no parameters and preys totally uncontrolled.
Help people to not judge me, avoid me, for not remembering their name, forgetting words, losing my way, it`s all part of dementia`s game.
Lord, help me be brave, to fight, continue to survive.
With my friend`s support, my family spurring me to strive.
Please be by their side and hold their hands tight,
as they walk dementia with me, with all of their might.
Amen
(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 22nd March and 5th April.
Dennis David Cave – 23rd March 2017
Geoffrey Warrilow – 24th March 1956
Lillian Elkin – 26th March 1991
Christine May Watton – 29th March 2007
Bert Hughes – 30th March 2009
Christopher John Harrison – 30th March 2015
Isaac John Fellows – 31st March 1990
Kathleen Mary Parkes – 31st March 1999
Joan Selvey Fellows – 31st March 2019
Elsie Jane Williams – 3rd April 2001
Mary Grace Russell – 3rd April 2002
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“.
We have a JustGiving page to enable people to make one off donations. It’s at <https://www.justgiving.com/page/pattingham-church-jg>. 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.
ChadNet
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St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull Registered charity no 1151604