ChadNet – no 36 – Sunday 29th November 2020
Welcome to the 36th edition of ChadNet – the eBulletin of St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull.
View from the Pews
Have you ever felt chills down your spine when you’ve listened to music! A Stanford University Study shows that music engages areas of the brain which are involved in paying attention, making predictions and remembering uplifting events in our memory.
Some of you may recall some years ago in The Parish News we had an article each month written by a parishioner based on Desert Island Discs? I was one of the people asked to contribute and it wasn’t easy!
Just take a moment and think what you would choose? There is music you’ve heard during significant events, music you’ve chosen specifically for something like a wedding or possibly a hymn you find uplifting or thought provoking. In the ‘on line ‘ services listening to the virtual choir or soloists I know is very meaningful to people listening at home and the chance to join in can be cheering in these difficult times, especially for those living on their own. Familiar hymns often bring stimulus to those with fading memory. Sitting at home recording your contribution thinking how awful it is but then hearing the magic worked by Greg and turning us into the virtual choir is miraculous!
Two weeks ago I went to a funeral held in a church with no choir or congregational singing and although we listened to the organist and a recording it really made me stop and think. Often until things aren’t there we don’t appreciate them. At present we can’t go out and meet friends, go for a meal, go to the theatre, worship in church in a service, to name but a few restrictions but did we fully appreciate these events until they’ve gone?
We need to stop and take stock of what we do have and not what we are missing. Living in this beautiful place, watching the changes in nature, the sunset reminds us that despite coronavirus life goes on. Outreach in any form from St Chad’s is sent to many people around the country and the pictures of the church and surrounding countryside I know are inspiring to many watching and listening in difficult circumstances.
When we can let’s join together in harmony and give thanks and just think what significant music you’d choose to remember and why? Not easy!
Jill Parker
Services in church should resume next week
After the current lockdown ends we will be able to hold services in church again with similar restictions as before. Services will resume from Sunday 6th December. The church will be continue to be open for private prayer.
Admission of Churchwardens
The Churchwardens are usually admitted to office by the Archdeacon on behalf of the Bishop at a Visitiation Service. Those have been cancelled this year and the Bishop has asked that Churchwardens should admitted by their parish clergy. Maureen admitted Clive and Gena to office over Zoom on Monday.
December magazine and Christmas cards
A reminder that publication of the December magazine has been put back by a week. Magazine distributors should receive their magazines on about Friday 4th December. The Christmas cards which are delivered to all homes in the parish should also be ready at the same time.
Contacts
Maureen can be contacted by phone, text or email. (01902 700257 – 07812 805371 – )
Contact details for other church officers can be found on the Contacts page of the church website.
Communications in relation to ChadNet should be sent to
Sunday 29th November – Advent Sunday
The Worship on the Web service for Advent Sunday will be led by Ken. The sermon is preached by the Bishop of Lichfield and the music is provided by Greg and the virtual choir.
It will be on the Worship on the Web page of the website from 10.00 am. For those without internet access it will also be on the Dial a Service phone line (01902 906585) from 9 am – until then last Sunday’s service is on the phone line. The collect and readings for the Eucharist, which would normally be on the pewsheet, are available on the website.
This week
During the week Maureen (or occasionally Ken) will stream Morning Prayer and Compline (Night Prayer) on Facebook Live. Morning Prayer will be at 8.30 am and Compline will be at 9.30 pm (there will be no Compline on Friday).
The church will be open for private prayer every day. The times may vary depending when the keyholders are able to open and close the church. Look out for the “church open” sign outside the porch. Please observe the instructions in the notice on the door, which include the need to wear a face covering, using hand sanitiser and not going into the church if someine else is already in there.
The Advent Bible Study Course on HOPE starts on Wednesday at 7 pm on Zoom.
Sunday 6th December – Second Sunday of Advent
The Worship on the Web service is a Family Service led by Sarah Yeomans. It will be screened in church as the main part of the service at 10 am, when it will be followed by a brief service of Holy Communion for those who wish to stay. It will also be available on the Worship on the Web page of the website from 10 am.
The collect and readings for the Eucharist, which would normally be on the pewsheet, are available on the website.
Further ahead
Plans for Christmas services are at an advanced stage. The Christingle service will be online on Sunday 13th December (it will not be in church). The Service of Nine Lessons and Carols will be online the following week. It will also be screened in church on two weekday evenings. There will be a Family Carol Service outside on the afternoon of Sunday 20th December, at which it is hoped that singing will be allowed.
The only services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be said services of Holy Communion – at 9 pm on Christmas Eve and 10 am on Christmas Day.
As there is a limit on the number of people who can be in church it will be necessary to book in advance to attend the screenings of the Nine Lessons and Carols Service and the services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Full details will be announced next week.
Advent Online
Advent Online is a set of resources to be used each day by individuals and clergy. There are five topics: music, scripture, tradition, art, and literature.
For each day of Advent, there will be an offering of music, visual, written, and scriptural content that will cover the themes of hope, peace, love, and joy; but equally not shying away from the themes of lament and waiting. Churches might directly share the resources to their parishes, or individual Christians might use the site for their own personal devotions.
The website is at https://adventonline.faith
Advent Bible Study Course
HOPE
Something we are all looking for in these difficult times. Advent is traditionally a time of looking forward, of anticipation, of hope.
Ian Budd and I would like to invite you to join with us over the four weeks of Advent exploring how we as Christians can understand the extra dimension our faith can and should bring to the seasonal hope for joy and love. As the author, John Birch, writes… “hope is … a source of energy to live differently, not according to the values of a society based on the thirst for possession and competition.”
Why not take a little time out to join us via Zoom, on the Wednesdays through Advent? Starting at 7pm on Wednesday 2nd December. You should be able to join by clicking on the link below, or send me an email () for help with joining.
Maureen
[Zoom session details are in the copy of ChadNet emailed to subscribers. Others can request a link from Maureen]
Prayer for the Nation
The Archbishops ask that the nation continues to pray each day at 6 pm.
Resources are available at https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/call-prayer-nation
The weekly prayer for 23rd to 29th November is:
Lord Jesus Christ,
in these dark and difficult days, we turn our hearts to you.
In ages past, you have delivered our nation from disaster.
Do it again, we pray.
Give wisdom beyond human wisdom to our leaders,
Give strength beyond human strength to the NHS and all our frontline workers.
Give comfort beyond human comfort to the elderly and all who grieve.
Lord Jesus Christ,
in these dark and difficult days,turn your face towards us,
have mercy upon us,
and heal our land, we pray.
Amen.
The weekly prayer for 30th November to 6th December is:
Loving God,
your Son Jesus Christ came that we might have life and have it abundantly;
pour out your blessing upon our nation;
where there is illness,
bring your healing touch;
where there is fear,
strengthen us with the knowledge of your presence;
where there is uncertainty,
build us up in faith;
where there is dishonesty,
lead us into truth;
where there is discord,
may we know the harmony of your love;
this we ask in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
From the Memorial Book
Those whose anniversaries occur between 22nd November and 6th December.
William Ernest Davis – 22nd November 1970
Marjorie Gwendoline Greenway – 22nd November 1996
Brenda Rose Pendrell – 23rd November 2015
Vivienne Roper – 25th November 2009
Alan Thomas Hastilow – 28th November 1975
Raymond Edward Perks – 30th November 1996
Edna Dorothy Wheeler – 30th November 2017
Harry Bramall – 1st December 1983
Olive Peever – 1st December 2004
Iris Bull – 1st December 2009
Ethel Medlicott – 3rd December 1987
John Reynolds – 4th December 1985
Lorna Briscoe – 4th December 1994
Stanley William Thomas Jones – 4th December 2007
James Ellis – 5th December 2019
Julie Amanda Morgans – 6th December 2011
You can see the pages of the Memorial Book for the second half of the year on the Memorial Book Online page of the Church website. The pages for the remainer of the year should be added during the course of this week.
For those without internet access – listen to a Pattingham church service by phone
Several members of our congregation who do not use the internet are using the dedicated phone number – 01902 906585 – to listen to our services. Calls are charged at normal rate. The service for each Sunday will be available from about 9 am and will continue to be available until it is replaced be the next week’s. If you know someone who might find it useful please let them know.
The Daily Hope phone line from the Church of England on 0800 804 8044 is also available.
Resources for worship and prayer at home
Some of resiources which can be used at home are listed on the Resources Available Online and the Resources Available for Children, Young People and Families pages of the website.
In the absence of our own Sunday School we encourage children and families to look at the Virtual Sunday School YouTube channel. A new Sunday School video comes out each Saturday.
This week’s is Don’t Worry! Feat. Game – Suspended Fear Splash
They can all be found on the Sunday School on the Web page of our website as well as on YouTube.
They are prodicing a Virtual Advent Calendar. From 1st to 24th December they will release a new short video to get us in the Christmas mood. Find them on the Virtual Sunday School YouTube channel.
ChadNet
This bulletin is sent to those who have requested it. We now have 87 subscribers but there may still be some people who are not aware of it and would wish to receive 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
Giving to the church
In the current circumstances there will inevitably be a reduction in the money which the church receives. However we will need to continue to pay our bills and we would ask that those who can afford to do so should continue to give regularly. Details of the various ways in which you can give can be found on the Giving page of the website.
If you are paying by cheque please make the cheque payable to “Pattingham PCC” or “Pattingham Parochial Church Council“.
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
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St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull Registered charity no 1151604