ChadNet – no 62 – Sunday 30th May 2021
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 Vicarage
- Sunday 30th May – Trinity Sunday
- This week
- Sunday 6th June – First Sunday after Trinity
- Further ahead – after Maureen’s retirement, services from June and Sunday School
- Century Club Draw – Monday
- Survey – What would you like to see in Pattingham?
- Verger vacancy
- From the Memorial Book
- Resources to use at home and Virtual Sunday School
- Giving to the Church
Services in church have resumed. The church remains open for private prayer except on Sunday and there will be a combination of streamed services and recorded Worship on the Web online. Covid-19 guidelines should be observed in church at all times.
View from the Vicarage
So we come to my final view from the Vicarage!… Yes folks, I am still here – just! And looking forward to my final Sunday of official duty with a mixture of excitement ( for all that is to come) and sadness (at all that has to be let go).
My mind goes back to my first day at Westcott House, Theological College – 24th September 1995 (it is seared into my memory!) and the wise words of our Principal, Revd. Michael Roberts.
We were gathered in the chapel; a bunch of slightly nervous ‘newbies’ wondering what the next two years would bring… and for those of us who were of a ‘certain age’, wondering whether we could adapt again to communal living as students, having all had careers out in the ‘big bad world’. “Remember,” he said, “ that as clergy In the Church of England, you will always arrive in a place in order to leave!”
And he was of course right. Clergy come and go, and for a short time we are privileged to share in the joys and woes of our parishioners and communities. And it is an enormous privilege. But Communities and the Worship of God carry on – whether we are good, bad or indifferent. And, since we are above all human beings, of course we will please some people and offend others. And it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that we are in some way ‘essential’ to the spiritual life of a community. But that is not true, of course.
Several people have been kind enough to say to me in recent weeks “Oh, you will be missed.” And part of me is pleased to hear that. (As I said, I am only human). And equally I will greatly miss St Chad’s and all the wonderful people I have met through being Priest in Charge and then Vicar here for 12.5 years. And I hope that I shall be able to stay in touch with some of you who have become my friends – in ways that are not always open or advisable when occupying the role of ‘The Vicar’. But I also know that soon you will get swept up in the process of managing the interregnum and – I am sure – growing through it. Some may find new skills and abilities that they have no awareness of at present. As Ken has written in his piece in June’s magazine – you never know where the Holy Spirit will lead you! And last Sunday I was immensely pleased to learn that someone else in the congregation is contemplating starting to explore what their future vocation may be by undertaking the Pathways to Ministry Course in the autumn. (This is what replaced the old ‘Bishop’s Certificate’ that some of you may remember from times past).
And for those of you wondering what I am up to next, well, the first few weeks are officially a time of paid leave, so I will be taking some of them as holiday. But then I shall be gradually sorting through and packing my belongings so that most of them can be sent into storage. I will be moving to join a friend in Neston on the Wirral for a few months, while we sell a property in Much Wenlock and I look for a suitable new home near her. Then there will be the fun of moving in and establishing a new home – one that will be truly mine after 20 plus years of living in ‘tied accommodation’. So you will undoubtedly see me around for a few weeks yet – and of course I am looking forward to my farewell Tea-Party on 4 July (Roadmaps permitting). Please do not feel you cannot say ‘hello’ and talk to me, but equally, please do not ask me to undertake any funerals, weddings or baptisms! I shall have to politely but firmly decline. But I can assure you that you will continue to feature in my prayers, both individually and collectively, – but from now on only privately!
God bless and Goodbye!
Maureen
(All of these photographs were all taken at the Tea Party in the Village Hall to celebrate Maureen’s 60th birthday, which was the last time we had a party for Maureen. You can see more at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/PhotoGalleryPage062.html>. Photography by Mike Coope.)
Could you contribute a View from the Pews?
We welcome contributions for View from the Pews from all members of the congregation. If you would like to write a View from the Pews please email or contact Henry Ibberson.
Contacts
On Monday Maureen starts her well earned retirement. She will still be living in the Vicarage for a few weeks so we will still see her and Suzie about. She will no longer be our Vicar.
For matters which would normally be dealt with by the Vicar the churchwardens will be the first point of contact. The Vicarage phone (01902 700257) will be redirected to the churchwardens. When they are not available a message can be left on the voicemail and they will return the call when they are available. 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.
Communications in relation to ChadNet should be sent to
Sunday 30th May – Trinity Sunday
This is Maureen’s last Sunday before she retires. There will be two services of Holy Communion, both led by Maureen, in church at 10 am and 6.30 pm. Covid-19 guidance and restrictions continue to apply. Please wear a face covering, use the hand sanitizer and observe social distancing. Although numbers in church are limited it should be possible for all those who wish to attend either of those services to do so provided most people attend only one of the services.
There will be a service of Holy Communion led by Maureen in church at 10 am. Covid-19 guidance and restrictions continue to apply. Please wear a face covering, use the hand sanitizer and observe social distancing.
Both service will be screened live for those who cannot or do not want to attend. It will be available then and later on the Worship on the Web page of the website and also on YouTube. The morning service will be at <https://youtu.be/CvxVlXLbsU8> and the evening service at <https://youtu.be/D62ojOAYDsM>
The morning service will also be on the Dial a Service phone line (01902 906585) but not until about 12.30 pm.
The collect and readings for the Eucharist, which would normally be on the pewsheet, are available on the website.
This week
There will no longer be daily prayer on Facebook Live.
The church will be open for private prayer every day except Sunday. 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 Century Club draw will take place by Zoom on Monday. See below for the link.
On Wednesday there will be a service of Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer in church at 10.00 am.
Sunday 6th June – First Sunday after Trinity
There will be a Family Service led by Elaine Dow, which may be followed by Holy Communion, in church at 10 am.
It will be screened live for those who cannot or do not want to attend. It will be available on the Worship on the Web page of the website and also on YouTube.
The collect and readings for the Eucharist, which would normally be on the pewsheet, are available on the website.
Further ahead
Maureen retires this weekend. It will be some time until a new Vicar is appointed and until then we will be supported by other clergy in the area. The churchwardens will be the first point of contact and the Vicarage phone (01902 700257) will be diverted to them.
As we will not be able to mark Maureen’s retirement properly on her last Sunday she will return for a Special Celebration Tea Party on Sunday 4th July. More details will be available in due course.
Services from June
The pattern of the 10 am services on Sundays will be:
- 1st and 5th Sundays – a Family Service followed by Communion
- 3rd Sunday – a Service led by the Youth Group followed by Communion
- 2nd and 4th Sundays – a service of Holy Communion.
Some of these may be recorded Worship on the Web services which are also shown in church as part of the church service. We will continue to stream the other services at least for the next few months, provided someone is available to operate the equipment.
We expect to resume 6.30 pm services from 27th June twice a month – on the 2nd and 4th Sundays.
The evening service on Sunday 27th June will be a Songs of Praise style service to mark the return to normal – or at least nearer to normal – in church.
The resumption of evening services depends on the progress in the lifting of restrictions.
The Wednesday morning Communion services will continue.
Sunday School will resume in September but will move to the 2nd Sunday of the month.
Century Club draw
Thus month’s Century Club draw will be held on Monday at 6 pm and can be seen by Zoom. [The Zoom link is in the bulletin emailed to subscribers.]
For more information please contact Alan Smith on 07757 688518 or
What would you like to see in Pattingham?
Changes are coming! With changes taking place all over the country, the Church is no exception. What would you like to see in Pattingham? Please let us know your views by clicking on the link below and completing this short questionnaire – your views are important so do let us know what you think – and many thanks in advance for taking part!
Verger vacancy
We need a verger for St Chad’s Church. Could it be you?
Do you know St Chad’s Church?
Are you looking for a part time paid role which would support our church?
Duties would include –
Every day – unlocking the church by 9 am and locking the church before dusk.
On Wednesdays setting up for the 10 am service.
On Sundays setting up for the 10 am service.
When there is a funeral, wedding or baptism there will be additional duties for which additional payments are made.
This post requires DBS clearance.
For more information contact either of the churchwardens – Clive Pendrell (01902 700206 or ) or Dorothy Steel (01902 701855 or ).
The closing date for applications will be Saturday 19th June.
From the Memorial Book
Those whose anniversaries occur between 23rd May and 6th June.
George Weaver – 23rd May 1959
Ronald James Smedley – 23rd May 1987
Dorothy Louisa Newill – 24th May 2011
Alice Mary Bolland – 27th May 2003
Jordan Katherine Taylor – 28th May 1997
Brian Harry Cooper – 28th May 2017
Fiona Jane K. Morrison – 30th May 1975
Emily Jane Price – 31st May 1977
George Wilfred Selvey Clinton – 31st May 1980
Thomas Caddick – 1st June 1998
Harry Kibble – 1st June 2002
Stuart Gerard Bowley – 5th June 1975
Gerald Giles – 5th June 2002
Gunter Hanns Jonat – 6th June 1983
Jean Beryl Shelley – 6th June 2011
William Bull (Bill) – 6th June 2015
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 12.30 pm (or earlier if there is a recorded service) 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.
For those who are unable to attend church to make their communion there is a form of Spriritual Communion on the Church of England 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 now comes out every two weeks on a Saturday. Last week’s was Pentecost – What is the Holy Spirit?. There will be a Virtual Holiday Club in August – there is a video Pick Your Team for Virtual Holiday Club!
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