Vicar’s page – March 2020

Previous month  –  Next month  –  Monthly index

‘Maureen’s Musings’

The Vicar’s monthly letter for the Parish News

The Vicar

March 2020

I wonder whether March will come in like a lion or a lamb? Here in mid-February, we seem to be getting all four seasons in one day more often than not. And the winter so far has been deceptively mild – but I am well aware that snow at Easter is not uncommon. At least the British weather can be relied upon to keep us all guessing!

Lent will be upon us by the time you are reading this. I do hope that as many people as possible will come to join in our Lent Group running on Monday evenings at 7pm in St Chad’s. We are beginning by showing the film The Theory of Everything in its entirety, before Lent starts. Then each Monday in Lent we will consider an excerpt from the film; the issues that arise from it and some reading/s from the Bible that may help us gain fresh insight. “The Mystery of Everything” is the title of the course we are following.

If you don’t fancy that, then there are some other Lent courses on offer through our Covenanting Churches grouping. Details are available in church.

Here in Pattingham we are invited to mark Lent also through our Lent Lunches/Suppers – with donations welcome for the Bishop’s Lent appeal. At present I think we have four generous hosts:

  • 12.30 pm, Thursday, March 5, Mere Oak, Hollies Lane, hosted by Sue Stirk;
  • 12.30 pm, Wednesday, March 11, Small Place, Wolverhampton Road, hosted by Sue Riches;
  • 7.00 pm, Wednesday, March 18, 4 The Square, hosted by Anna Davies;
  • 12.30 pm, Wednesday, March 25, at 2 The Greenway, hosted by Gladys Jones.

We will also be supporting the Covenanting Churches Lent Lunches which happen on Saturdays in Lent and we particularly share with our friends at Perton Church on Saturday, March 7, from 12 noon.

Soup and a simple meal helps us to focus on those people and places that need our help – although if past experience is anything to go by, you will not suffer a lack of tasty sustenance!

At our recent PCC Away Day, it was also decided that we should continue to offer a Messy Church for dads, granddads and kids on the day before Mothering Sunday – Saturday, March 21 at 4pm. Come along and make something to give to Mum the following day! And there will also be Messy Church on Good Friday morning from 10am to 12noon or thereabouts when we will be focussing on the Easter Story in our craft activities and helping to build the Easter Garden – which is always popular! If anyone can help with these, please let me know – we very much need extra help!

There will also be two more informal Sunday services – aimed at all ages, during Lent – on Sunday March 29 and then on Palm Sunday, which this year will be on April 5. We will again all take part in a dramatised reading of the events of Holy Week. If you have never experienced this, I guarantee it will give you a whole new understanding of the Easter story. And when it comes, your chocolate will taste even sweeter!

During Holy Week there will also be opportunities for prayer and thoughtful meditation as we build up to the greatest event in the Church’s Year: EASTER!

But in the meantime, I bid you a holy and blessed Lent.

Every Blessing

Maureen.