ChadNet – no 48

ChadNet – no 48 – Sunday 21st February 2021

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:

There are no services in church for the time being but the church remains open for private prayer and Worship on the Web continues online.

View from the Pews

Clive Pendrell

After becoming Churchwarden recently, I have been studying how the changes over the next few months may affect our church, not least the well-earned retirement of our vicar at the end of May. One thing I have learnt is that the bible says that ‘church’ is not a building but the people who gather to worship and believe in Jesus Christ as their saviour.  In the early days, there were no buildings, and the story of how church began is recalled in verses 42 – 44 of the book of Acts:

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.”

Churches have been closed for much of the pandemic and many, including St. Chad’s, have turned to electronic platforms to continue reaching members of the congregation and beyond. The pandemic has forced us to reconsider how we gather, and helped return the church to its roots, so there is a church in each home rather than just one building.

Online services, daily sermons and Zoom meetings have proved popular as they mean people who cannot attend church have been able to continue public worship and at a place and time of their own choosing. They are also an effective way of achieving the primary purpose of a church, which is not to attract and draw people in, but to encourage them to continue the work of Jesus and send God’s mission out into the world.

On the downside of course, not everyone has access to a computer, so we must always focus on ways of being present where it matters most, and there is also a danger that online services become so good that they encourage people to stay at home, even when it is relatively safe to go back to church.

Personally, I hope people return to church at the first opportunity as there are some things that computers cannot replicate such as taking communion, preaching to a face rather than a camera, and singing – these are always more enjoyable as a group and it is not the same when people are missing.

Apart from the rise of the digital church, another effect of the pandemic has been the way people have chosen to support others during the crisis. The young have benefited from the donation of laptops, the poor have benefited from food banks, and volunteers have offered to do shopping for the old and keep in contact with them by regular phone calls to combat isolation and loneliness.

This impetus needs to be maintained, and in the words of the bible, we must think of our church as people and not a place, and our congregation not just as a weekly gathering that people are part of, but a community to which we all belong, and where we receive and provide support to each other and people within the parish, through our own individual contributions.

Finding ways of achieving this change will be challenging, but the church has gone through more change in the last 10 months than the previous 10 years, so we must make the most of the opportunity – ‘Out of darkness cometh light’.

By the way, did I mention there is also an interregnum to think about!

Stay safe

Clive Pendrell

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 21st February – First Sunday of Lent

There will be no service in church. The Worship on the Web service is led by Ken, with contributions from other members of the congregation, including Tracey Williams, who is a Sister in the Intensive Care Unit at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton. 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 Ash Wednesday’s service is on the phone line. Until Palm Sunday the diocese is providing sermons for parishes to use. This week’s preacher is Ven Sue Weller, Archdeacon of Lichfield. The sermon can be found on YouTube at https://youtu.be/aOSUIwiTaEQ

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 Archbishops invite us to continue to Pray for the Nation particularly at 6pm each day. Find out more at https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/prayer-nation

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 keeping apart from anyone else who is already in there.

The Lent Course starts on Monday evening and Thursday afternoon. More details are below.

Sunday 28th February – Second Sunday of Lent

There will be no service in church. The Worship on the Web service will be led by Iain Coleman. It will 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.

Lent

Lent course

Broken Bits and Weirdness (But God Still Loves Us) – A series for Lent 2021 – author: Fay Rowland

Mondays at 7.30 pm or Thursdays at 2.30 pm

Described as Bible study like you have never seen it!
Throughout Lent, we will be looking at five somewhat flawed hero characters from the Bible and exploring what they might have to teach us about ourselves today… Naaman, David, Ruth, Martha and Jonah. And aside from bible study, there will be suggested craft activities, mindfulness colouring, outdoor activities, and even cooking! Why not give it a go one week and join in the fun! (and yes, you can have fun in Lent!) It is suitable for any and all ages (which does not mean ‘for kids only’).

Fay Rowland is a best-selling author of resources for ministry with adults and children. She lives in the Midlands with her “children and pet dragon”, teaches maths for a living, and spends the rest of her time being creative.

Each week we will meet a new character from the Bible with a reading, a bible study, a wondering question with space for response, some meditative colouring, a craft, a recipe, suggestions for outdoor activities linked with the theme, and a prayer. Everything is optional – you are not expected to do the lot – just choose whatever seems helpful or attractive to you and brings you closer to God.

[The invitation to the Zoom meeting is only included in the edition of ChadNet which is emailed to subscribers.]

Lent @ home

Attached to ChadNet was a pdf of a booklet called “Lent @ home”. This is an opportunity to journey through Lent as an individual, as a family or as a support bubble. There are reflections, readings and prayers for each week between now and Easter.

It can be downloaded here.

#LiveLent

The Church of England is offering daily Lent reflections by email from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day. There is also a phone app available. Details can be found at https://www.churchofengland.org/livelent/ – to sign up for the emails go to https://www.churchofengland.org/node/27518

Century Club

Thus month’s Century Club draw will be held on Monday at 7 pm and can be seen by Zoom. [The invitation to the Zoom meeting is only included in the edition of ChadNet which is emailed to subscribers.]

The Century Club has supported church finances for many years but of late has not achieved its aim of 100 members. The PCC readily acknowledges that personal finances are suffering in the same way that the church’s are in these difficult times. However, if you like the idea of having the chance of a win every month, as well as helping the church, why not sign up?
There are three monthly prizes of £150, £100 and £50 for an initial outlay of £60 per year or £5 per month whichever you prefer.
If you’re interested please contact Alan Smith on 07757 688518 or

Annual church meeting – Church Electoral Roll

Annual meeting – 18th April

The Annual Church Meeting will take place on Sunday 18th April. We hope by then to be able to meet in person but if that is not possible it will be held over Zoom. We need a new Churchwarden as Gena is not seeking re-election. We also need someone to take over from Clive as Treasurer so that he can concentrate on his role of Churchwarden. There are also vacancies for elected members of the PCC. Please think about whether you – or someone you know – might be able to serve the church in one of those roles. For more information see <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/about-us/whos-who/pcc/pcc-membership/> or contact Maureen, Gena or Clive or any member of the PCC.

Electoral roll

Every year the church electoral roll is revised. There is no need for those already on the roll to do anything but those who would like to join need to send a completed application form to Michelle Pass, the Electoral Roll Officer.

Only those on the roll are entitled to vote at the Annual Parochial Church meeting. To be able to vote at the 2021 APCM the completed application must be received by Wednesday 31st March. More details and an application form can be found at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/church-electoral-roll/>

Sale of pews

A reminder that the closing date for bids is Monday 22nd February. Full details of the pews and the process can be found on the church website at https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/pews-for-sale/

Enquiries should be directed to Gena Richards on 01902 700188. Please note that in the article in the magazine Gena’s address is incorrect. It should be 10 Westbeech Road, Pattingham WV6 7AQ

From the Memorial Book

Those whose anniversaries occur between 14th and 28th February.

Patrick Curtis – 14th February 1959
Harold Taylor – 14th February 1976
William Stanley Smith – 15th February 1966
Alfred Ernest Davis – 15th February 2004
Stanley Frederick Chaplin – 15th February 2016
Alan Sadler – 16th February 1998
Florence Irene Steele – 16th February 2003
Pauline Jones – 18th February 2011
Mary Stubbs – 19th February 2019
Clive Brough – 20th February 1979
Lillian (Marg) Nicholls – 20th February 2007
Joseph Ernest Penny – 20th February 2009
Thomas James Heath – 20th February 2017
Muriel Noreen Swift – 21st February 1999
Victor James Jordan – 22nd February 2009
Tom Knight – 23rd February 1997
Kathleen Simpson – 23rd February 1999
Teresa Margaret Richards – 23rd February 2002
Iris Freda Thomas – 25th February 2004
Thomas Lockley – 26th February 1974
John Barry Hebditch – 26th February 1998
Simon Andrew Mackriel – 27th February 2019
Lily Bates – 28th February 1997
Jocelyn Ida Alice Mayne – 28th February 1999
James Andrew Potts – 28th February 2007

You can see all the pages of the Memorial Book on the Memorial Book Online page of the Church website.

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 resources 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 normally comes out each Saturday. This week’s is The Lost Coin! Ft. Beth’s Shark & Noir Rob

They can all be found on the Sunday School on the Web page of our website as well as on YouTube.

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.

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.

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 95 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

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St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull Registered charity no 1151604