Patches Chabala

NEWS: 11 September 2008 - Patches just got engaged, before family and friends gathered at their home Church in Zambia, where their bishop prayed for grace and faithfulness for Patches and Mwale (see photo below - click for larger image) as they look forward to marriage. The happy couple haven't set a date yet as Patches will return to the UK on the 19th September to begin his ordination training. Our love and congratulations are warmly offered to Mwale and Patches. May God bless them both richly.

NEWS: late July 2008 - We're delighted that Patches has recently learned that he has been accepted for training for the priesthood and that he will return to the UK after a short break, with his family in Zambia, to begin studies at St John's Theological College in Nottingham in September 2008. We continue to hold him in our prayers and affection, as we do Lynda Pugh, currently in training at Ripon College, Cuddesdon. 

please click on these photos to enlarge - more photos here

PATCHES CHABALA was born and raised in Zambia. We are delighted to have Patches with us from April through to July 2008 on what is called a "parish placement" as he engages with the process of discernment about a possible call to the priesthood of the Church. Patches has most recently been working at St Cuthbert's Cheadle and before that served for a year in the Parish of St Paul's, Kersal Moor, Salford. You'll see Patches around and about in the parish: sometimes accompanying the clergy on parish visits, at church services, and at other places of meeting. Patches loves talking quietly about his Christian faith and - refreshingly for many people - says that being willing to admit what we don't know about God is as important as speaking of what we believe we do know!