ChadNet – no 95 – Sunday 16th January 2022
Welcome to this week’s edition of ChadNet – the eBulletin of St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull.
There was an error in the numbering of the emailed edition of last week’s ChadNet. It should have been no 94 not no 93. At least the date was correct.
In this week’s ChadNet:
- View from the Pews – Ken Scott
- Sunday 16th January – Second Sunday of Epiphany
- This week
- Sunday 23rd January – Third Sunday of Epiphany
- From the Memorial Book
- Resources to use at home and Virtual Sunday School
- Giving to the Church
Face coverings must now be worn in church, except by those who are under 11 or exempt for medical or other reasons. They may be removed while singing.
The church doors will remain closed during services to help to keep the church warm. The PCC has considered the official guidance on the need for ventilation and is content that there is sufficient ventilation with the doors closed. It will, of course, continue to monitor the guidance.
So that those who wish to ensure that they can maintain social distance feel comfortable social distancing must be maintained in the pews by the wall in the South Aisle.
Do not attend church if you have any covid symptoms or are meant to be isolating.
View from the Pews
Six Months in ……..
As we enter 2022, we are now six months into the interregnum at St. Chad’s. Time to have a look at how we are doing and where we are going in the next six months!
Well, we set ourselves a realistic schedule for services in June last year and with a few small glitches we have been able to deliver what was promised. That in itself is no small achievement, and we owe a great debt of gratitude to our two Wardens, Dorothy and Clive. I have been a Warden during an interregnum in a previous life and I can assure you that it is a tough job. You can never keep everybody happy and of course those who are unhappy are the most willing to tell you!
We have been able to provide a variety of worship, greater than we had before, while maintaining the ecclesiastical requirement of Holy Communion every week. We have also maintained the service of Communion on Wednesdays, thanks to the good offices of Revd. James Makepeace. Those who find it inconvenient to attend Communion on Sundays can always make use of this alternative.
We have also provided two evening services a month at 6.30pm alternating Evensong with an Iona form of worship. The provision of Baptisms and Funeral services has also been maintained throughout, the general maintenance of the building and churchyard has continued, and the church has remained open every day for private prayer.
The fact that you are reading this on ChadNet is another reason for optimism. It has proved an invaluable source of information during the last 2 years, and we are really grateful to Geoffrey for producing 95 editions.
Of course, there are still things which are not as we would wish in an ideal world!
We are still coping with Covid restrictions and that may be to some extent responsible for the reduced numbers attending services. In 2019 the number attending 10 am services was in the 60s whereas now it is in the 40s. This has occurred in all churches, but we still need to address the issue. Also, almost more concerning, is the disappearance of children from our services, even the ones aimed at families. As Dorothy has put it so succinctly “we don’t know where the Pied Piper has taken our children, but we do wish he would bring them back!”
We also struggle to maintain a pastoral service to the many people in Pattingham, both within the congregation and without, who are ill, sad or lonely.
Looking forward, what does the immediate future hold and what can we all do to sustain and improve our Church?
The service pattern has been continued for the first three months of 2022 with the addition of a trial of having coffee in the middle of the service on the third Sundays. The purpose of this is to be able to meet and chat to the young people who take the services.
The PCC has not been sitting back waiting for something to happen during this spell. There has been an extensive consultation carried out in the community about how people see the role of the Church today. The Parish Profile has been prepared ready for a possible advert for the vacant post and there is an ongoing dialogue with the Rural Dean and the Archdeacon about the nature of a replacement. This has been to some degree delayed by the Diocese wide review of all clergy posts. We are investigating the possibility of lay people taking Communion to people in their own homes when they are unable to attend Church. The development of the Church building into a more useful resource in today’s world continues with plans for the North Aisle and the West Door progressing.
So, six months in we have a lot to be grateful for as well as much still to achieve. An interregnum reinforces the concept that a Church can continue to function without resident clergy, but it requires assistance from those outside and a lot of effort by many people in the pews. We all need to keep in mind the old adage “What can I do for the Church?” rather than “what can the Church do for me?”
If you feel able to offer any of your time or talents to make St. Chad’s a more vibrant Church and one that is better able to meet the needs of the whole Pattingham community then please speak to the Wardens or any member of the PCC.
Let’s look again at Isaiah Ch 6 verse 8:
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I ; send me!”
Not my brother, or sister or my partner or the Wardens or a new Vicar or anyone else for that matter, it’s “send me”.
Ken Scott
Contacts
We do not have a VIcar at the moment. For matters which would normally be dealt with by the Vicar the churchwardens are the first point of contact. The Vicarage phone (01902 700257) is 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.
Notices, which should be received by Friday evening 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 (note – this is different to the address used before November 2020 which no longer works).
Notices, which should be received by Friday evening 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 (note – this is different to the address used before November 2020 which no longer works).
Sunday 16th January – Second Sunday of Epiphany
At 10 am there will be a service on the theme “All in God’s Time” led by the Youth Group in church. At the end of that part of the service there will be a break for coffee, tea and biscuits after which the service will resume with a service of Holy Communion, led by Revd Sue Watson, for those who wish to stay.
On the third Sundays in January, February and March we are trialling a change to the arrangements for coffee after the service. On these Sundays refreshments will be served for about half an hour after the first part of the service (which is led by the Youth Group) before the service resumes with Holy Communion for those who wish to stay. An explanation about this can be found on page 3 of the January Parish News and on the website at <https://www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk/web/services/trial-of-break-after-youth-services/>
This week
The church will be open every day. Look out for the “church open” sign outside the porch. Please observe the instructions in the notice on the door.
On Wednesday there will be a service of Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer, led by Revd James Makepeace, in church at 10.00 am which will be followed by tea, coffee and cake.
On Friday there will be a Memorial Service in church at 3 pm.
Sunday 23rd January – Third Sunday of Epiphany
At 10 am there will be a Family Service, led by Ken Scott, in church, which will be followed byHoly Communion, led by Revd Anne Furness, for those who wish to stay. Coffee (and tea and biscuits) will be available after the service.
At 6.30 pm there will be an Iona Style Service, led by Ken Scott, in church.
From the Memorial Book
Those whose anniversaries occur between 9th and 23rd January.
William Ernest Whitty – 9th January 1986
Lisa Norman-Smallwood – 11th January 2001
Edward Albert Morgan – 11th January 2009
Kathleen Charlotte Gardener – 12th January 1981
Catherine Eugenie Warner – 12th January 2004
Cyril George Wheeler – 12th January 2012
Tony Douglas Warrilow – 13th January 2004
Cis Harris – 14th January 1990
Mary Elizabeth Hughes – 15th January 1980
Horace Charles James – 15th January 1987
Kathleen Parker – 15th January 2005
Sheila Galbraith – 17th January 1987
Eileen Mary Rowley – 17th January 2005
Annie Guest – 18th January 1994
John Neville Hayward – 18th January 2009
Peter Victor Lingford – 19th January 2001
Raymond H Sampson – 20th January 1990
Mabel Pritchard – 20th January 2006
Jim Pritchard – 21st January 2004
Geoffrey Victor Giles – 21st January 2019
You can see all the pages of the Memorial Book on the Memorial Book Online page of the Church website.
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 there are still a number of services which are available online, including a weekly service on the Church of England 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.
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.
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“.
ChadNet
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St Chad’s Church, Pattingham with Patshull Registered charity no 1151604