ChadNet – no 332 – Sunday 2nd August 2026
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 – Sue Riches
- Sunday 2nd August – Trinity 9
- This week
- Sunday 9th August – Trinity 10
- Century Club – result of July draw
- North Aisle Project
- The Well Foodbank
- Dementia Friendly Church – weekly prayer
- From the Memorial Book
- Giving to the Church
View from the Pews
Henry’s View from the Pew inspired me to think about my childhood. As did Henry, I had a very happy time growing up on a farm. My parents were churchgoers, Matins most Sundays. However, in complete contrast to Henry, I was a convent educated girl! But unlike some stories about convent life, we did not spend our time on our knees.
At 11 years old I went off to the school run by the Community of St Mary the Virgin, (CSMV.) This was an order of Anglican nuns, founded in the mid 1800’s, very much in the tradition of the Oxford Movement. I think it was the first Anglican order since the Reformation. The nuns were, dare I say, worldly, they encouraged looking outwards, yet instilled into us, I hope, kindness, caring and looking out for others, but in a very Christian way. Think of the “Call the Midwife’ sisters!
The sisters, some of whom taught, were (mostly!) a friendly and happy group of people, and many had taken their vows later on in their lives. We had an ex-concert pianist, the Head was a German who had left Nazi Germany just before the war (she spoke with a very strong German accent) and a sister who had been a scientist. There was Sister Valeria, who had taught me, but many years on was involved in running a multi faith women’s shelter in Smethwick. She came to Pattingham a couple of times to talk to the Fellowship group that used to meet in various houses.
But Christianity was important in our lives as pupils, as was a well-rounded education. We started the day with a 20 minute service in the chapel, and again 20 minutes in the evening between tea and supper. We had a service on Saturday evenings, a lot of incense and many bells. Then on Sundays the main service of the week, a sung mass. It all sounds a lot of chapel, but somehow it was just part of school life. If Easter was early we spent it at school. On Maundy Thursday we had lessons as usual, but in the late afternoon were given cakes and buns for tea, then nothing till breakfast the next morning – Good Friday. This was a day of silence, of retreat, services to which we could go if we wished. We were allowed to read at mealtimes, it was meant to be a holy book, but I fear that some of us chose a book with a dust jacket and smuggled in novels under the dustjacket! And then huge celebrations on Easter day, and we went home later on that week. Singing was very important, as was music.
The order was active throughout the world, they had houses in India, various African countries but also had an old peoples’ home, in which we were encouraged to volunteer. They had a business making communion wafers. So, there was no feeling of being locked up away from the world. The sisters talked about their calling, and why they had taken their vows. Later on about 4 or 5 of those girls I was at school with became priests, and one became a sister.
Looking back, it was a happy time and we all left with a feeling that one should make the most of what the world had to offer and we had a solid faith. The school motto says it all, ‘In Great Things – Unity, In Small Things – Liberty, In All Things – Charity.’
Sue Riches
(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.
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
2nd August – Ninth Sunday after Trinity
At 10 am there will be a Family Service, led by Iain Coleman, in church. This will be followed by a short service of Holy Communion, led by the Vicar. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available after the service.
At 6.30 pm there will be a service of in the Iona style, led by Iain Coleman, in church.
In the Parish Prayer Diary we pray for those who live and work in:
Letchmere Close.
In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
Rural Dean and Lay Chair.
This week
The church will be open every day. Look out for the “church open” sign outside the porch.
On Monday at 11.30 am the Funeral of Bob Taylor takes place at church.
On Tuesday the Prayers for Peace Group meets 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.
There is NO Pattingham Shower Singers this week. They are taking their summer break and will next meet in September. For 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 10.00 am on Saturday there will be coffee and cake in church for those who are making poppies for the Poppy Display. Please let Tracey know if you are attending.
On Saturday morning a visiting band of bellringers will be ringing a peal (a special piece of ringing which takes about 3 hours).
Sunday 9th August – Tenth Sunday after Trinity
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:
The Greenway, The Square, High Path, Green Close.
In the Trysull Deanery Prayer Diary we pray for:
St Joseph’s Merry Hill, Wolverhampton.
Century Club
The winners of the July Century Club draw were:
- 1st Prize – £150
- Hazel Wilde – ball 27
- 2nd Prize – £100
- Steve Jones – ball 77
- 3rd Prize – £50
- Henry & Liz Ibberson – ball 43
Congratulations to all of them.
North Aisle Project
Our plans for the reordering of the North Aisle have taken a step forward. The Diocesan Advisory Committee have issued their formal advice to the Chancellor, which is that the proposal should be approved.
The next step is for a formal faculty application to be submitted. It is hoped that will be done within a few days. There is then a period of at least 28 days in which notice of the application is published. The application will then be considered by the Chancellor of the Diocese who will decide whether or not to grant it. He will take account of the advice of the DAC but is not bound by it. It is not possible to say how soon he will make a decision although it will obviously not be earlier than mid September to allow for the 28 day notice period.
For those interested in seeing details of the proposals they will be available on the church website next week.
The Well – the Wolverhampton Food Bank
All donations are welcome but, in particular, our top needs are:
- Meat soup
- Tinned tomatoes
- Tinned peas
- Jam/marmalade
- Sugar
Thank you for your continued support.
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
Memory fades and recollections become hazy clouds,
Fading outlines of strangers` faces and forgotten places.
Even the familiar, loved ones and names that once tripped lightly off the tongue cause confusion, in what seems a cruel
dismantling of a life once lived.
Compassionate God, for all who live in fear of what they might become, and those already walking down this lonely road we call dementia, grant them peace.
May each moment, however brief be filled with joy not sorrow.
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 26th July and 9th August.
Matthew Robinson – 30th July 2008
Colin George Hartley – 1st August 2008
Ellen Hayhurst – 2nd August 2007
Pauline Ann Moore – 2nd August 2011
Henry Parton – 4th August 1980
William Pugh – 4th August 1995
Phillippa Bullock Reeves – 5th August 2003
Christine Harley – 5th August 2013
Stephanie Diana Lilly Roberts – 6th August 2023
Hilda Cecilia Whitty – 8th August 1993
Patricia Mabel Fildes – 8th August 1995
Sheila Eileen James – 8th August 2020
Daniel Wood – 9th August 1943
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