easter day 2021
Wonderful return to Holy Communion
What a fantastic turnout for our first service of Holy Communion for over 12 months! As we are still not allowed communal singing in church, we had a spoken service led by the minister Rev Brian Rostill. Over 30 people in attendance; the popular comment was "it's great to be back to something like normality". There were ten 'newcomers' also. We look forward to seeing regulars and newcomers alike. Everyone is welcome. The pattern for now will be Holy Communion on the first Sunday in the month followed by Morning Worship on the remaining Sundays. We will periodically review this in line with government guidance and parishioners wishes.
New for 2021
As we turn this chapter over and move into 2021, our intention (government regs permitting) is to offer Holy Communion on the first Sunday of each month. This Sunday - 3rd January will be Holy Communion at 10:30am and then each other Sunday will be morning prayer at 10:30am.
children's mental health week
1-7 February 2021
From 1-7 February 2021 schools, youth groups, organisations and individuals across the UK will take part in Children’s Mental Health Week. This year’s theme is Express Yourself.
Expressing yourself
Expressing yourself is about finding ways to share feelings, thoughts, or ideas, through creativity. This could be through art, music, writing and poetry, dance and drama, photography and film, and doing activities that make you feel good.
Exploring creativity
For Children's Mental Health Week 2021 children (and adults) are encouraged to explore the different ways we can express ourselves, and the creative ways that we can share our feelings, our thoughts and our ideas.
Scale of Children's Mental Health Issues
Around three children in every primary school class has a mental health problem, and many more struggle with challenges from bullying to bereavement.
Further help and advice
There is a dedicated website to Children's Mental Health Week 2021, where resources, ideas and other useful help may be found. Go to: https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/parents-and-carers/
Christmas Eve 2020
Carol Service 2020
What a wonderful start to Christmas. A brilliant turn out for our first ever, outdoors Carol Service at St Chad's. Over 50 members of the congregation and village turned out for the short service on the lawn today. Thank you everyone who turned up to make it a lovely start to Christmas. May you all have a happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas.
toy service
Sunday 13th December 2020
We apologise for the short notice but we didn't think we would be able to hold a Toy Service this year due to Covid-19 and the fact that Tamworth Borough Council will not be distributing presents this year. However, we have discovered that the Food Bank will distribute them for us. We will celebrate our annual Toy Service this Sunday at 1030am. Please donate any new, unwrapped presents by placing them in the church porch. We ask you not to bring them into church so that we can minimise the risk of transferring Covid into the building. Thank you.
New Altar Cross
The hidden talent that's all around us! This beautiful new altar cross was made out of an old coffee table belonging to Bruce and Ann by David Hines who lives in the parish. Originally intended to be a plain wooden cross, David saw the brass cross that we use during services and decided to style the new wooden one along those lines. Such skill and patience. A good friend of his turned the buttons depicting the nails. It was blessed at this morning's service by Rev Brian. Thank you David.
Eric Symonds & John Hambridge
A update
I know that some of you will be wondering how Eric Symonds is doing after his fall and subsequent surgery and stay in hospital. Eric is beginning to get about a bit now on his mobility scooter; so watch out! He recently took a trip out and visited John Hambridge. Both of them seem to be doing well, looking at this photo.
Looking Back From The Tow-Path
This beautiful poem by Margaret Dale was chosen by her family to be read at her funeral. Lovely words from a lovely lady. RIP Margaret.
You can see more of Margaret's works on our Poet's Corner page on this website.
Margaret Dale (Funeral Arrangements)
Thursday 29th October
Margaret Dale's funeral will be this Thursday 29th October at 11.30am at Fradley Crematorium. There is a limit on the number of people allowed to attend because of Covid-19 regulations. If you wish to pay your last respects to Margaret, the cortege will leave her home in Godolphin at approximately 1050 and travel past the Fox Inn and up Hopwas Hill.
Donations may be made, in lieu of flowers, to the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity - https://www.moregivingcorporate.co.uk/maac/tribute/
RIP
Margaret Dale
We are sad to report the passing of yet another stalwart member of the Hopwas and St Chad's Church Community.
Margaret Dale passed away at the weekend aged 90. She lived in Hopwas with her family before downsizing to Riverside, but she always remained involved with village activities.
A member, and past President, of Hopwas W.I, she organised show exhibits both at local and county level.She also wrote and produced plays - again for members to enjoy and take part in. She also wrote a book of poems, some of which are published on our website page - Poet's Corner
About 20 years ago she started a village painting group, meeting once a week in the chapel school room. (Hopefully this will be able to restart soon, covid-19 permitting.) Less experienced members have always benefited from her expertise. Margaret was one of the village show's original committee members and has always been involved, especially with showing her very talented water-colour paintings.
Always willing to he!p out and be involved, she supported church barbeques, Christmas fairs and attended services regularly. She was also a member of Hopwas garden club.
She will be remembered fondly by all at St Chad's and the wider community. Our condolences are offered to her family at this sad time.
RIP Margaret Dale. God Bless.
Margaret Dale RIP
NOTICE BOARD
Harvest Thanksgiving
Our Harvest Thanksgiving service will be Morning Prayer, Sunday 4th October at 1030 am. If you are bringing produce to the service, please place it in the porch and do NOT bring it into church. This will minimise movement. All harvest gifts will be donated to the Foodbank in Glascote. They have informed us that they would very much appreciate the following items which they are short of:
Tins of Fruit
Tins of Rice Pudding
Tins of Custard
Tins of Meat
Squash (fruit drink)
2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner
Shower Gel
Deodorant
Toothbrushes
Toilet Rolls
NHS Track and Trace
Please note that the NHS Track and Trace app is now available from the Apple store or Google Play store. If you have downloaded it we now have the QR code in the entrance of the church. You simply click on the app to open it and select 'Venue Check-in' and point the camera at the code. That's it!
rip
Honor Evans
Many of you at St Chad's will remember Honor Evans, a stalwart member of our congregation until a short while ago. It is with sadness that we have to announce her recent passing (Friday 11th September). Honor turned 96 a few days before. The family (Perry and Roger) have been in touch and provided the following details regarding her funeral. A funeral service is being held at Seven Hills Crematorium in Ipswich on 6th October at 1.30pm. Further details can be found on the following website link, which also gives you an opportunity to share your memories of Honor with us by posting a message. We have requested no flowers at the service, but Mom spent many hours volunteering at the Acorns children’s hospice charity shop in Tamworth, so we would love to be able to make a donation to them. Details on how to donate are also on the website link. https://honorevans.muchloved.com/ If you would have liked to have come to the funeral but are unable to get to Suffolk (& due to Covid restrictions, we are having to limit numbers), there will be a live webcast of the funeral which we can send you a link. Please contact Perry on 07738022223 or perryevans63@gmail.com & he’ll be able to give you details. However, we will be scattering Mom's ashes at Sutton Coldfield Crematorium on 23rd October. Covid restrictions are also in place for this, so please contact Perry in advance if you wish to attend. RIP Honor Evans.
Covid-19 update
We are pleased to announce that we will be returning to regular public worship from Sunday 2nd August. We have asked for followers of our website and facebook pages to advise us of their preference for the form of worship and there is no clear preference. We have decided that during August we will alternate between Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer and continue to provide the service of Holy Communion on-line as we have done throughout the pandemic. The first and third Sunday in each month will be Morning Prayer whilst the second and fourth will be Evening Prayer. Where there is a fifth Sunday it will be Morning Prayer. The first Sunday of the next month will resume the cycle with Morning Prayer. This will be kept under review and may change in subsequent months if the majority of people request it. The accompanying calendar shows the dates and times of the services for August. We look forward to seeing you at one of our services in the near future.
It should be noted that the Church of England, acting on Government advice, strongly advise that everyone wears a face covering in church and that no singing is allowed at present. Hand sanitisers are provided on entry into the church and you are required to clean your hands with them on entering and leaving the church. If you need to adjust your face covering during the service, we request that you carry hand sanitiser to clean your hands after doing so. We will be recording those who attend the service for the purpose of the NHS ‘Track and Trace’ service and request that you provide us with a contact telephone number. Can we ask you to please maintain social distance, preferably of two meters when walking up to church and especially when going through the church entrance, unless you live at the same address. Service sheets will be printed off for you to collect on the way in – you are requested to take them home with you and not leave them in the building. We shall be cleaning the church thoroughly after each service. This will allow us to open the church each Wednesday for private prayer/reflection. A collection plate or box will be provided at the font for any offertories as we are unable to distribute a collection plate at this time due to the regulations. We are actively encouraging people to donate their offertory by electronic means or by cheque to Roy, so that we do not have to handle cash if possible.