What do we Believe?

Christian Spirituality

Defining Spirituality is difficult but it is a term we recognise in our culture. At the most simple level, it suggests that we are not comfortable with the story about the world we are often told; that happiness and meaning, purpose and fulfilment come solely from what we do, where we live and what we own. So, interest in spirituality can simply mean a searching for another value system.

St Anne’s is a Christian community. Our values and foundations are grounded in the Jesus story. For us, Jesus describes holistically a way of living that brings a deep sense of unity with the One who created us whom we call God, with each other and with the world. This Spirituality is what underpins everything that you will read in this “What’s On”. 

You see, Christianity is not just about “going to Church”. In fact, it’s not about that at all. It is about sitting before the Jesus story and asking how we can live that out authentically in the 21st Century. Christian Spirituality is not about “me” but about how I can work with others to bring about what Jesus called “The Kingdom of God”.

There is nothing dull about the Christian life. It is a roller-coaster journey with a Divine companion, calling us to live riskily for other people in lives of service, love and hope. At St Anne’s you will find that Church, God and Faith are all verbs, drawing us consciously on to witness to the presence of Jesus. Why not take a risk yourself and give us a go?

St Anne’s is part of the Church of England. That means we are under the authority of a Bishop and that our worship and our understanding of the Christian Faith is fed and nurtured by the Anglican Tradition. As part of a wider Church, we share resources, ministry, service and mission with our sisters and brothers not only in Sale but in Diocese of Chester and across the world. 

Our Worship

Worship is the most important activity of the Christian Community. All the other things we do as Christians spill out from this. At St Anne’s we aim to provide, over the month, a rich tapestry of worship, from the formal and traditional to relaxed and children/young family orientated.

Our worship feeds deeply from the well of Anglicanism. Central to the Christian life is feeding on Christ, in word and sacrament and then living out the Christ-like life in the world. The rhythm of our worship draws us in to ponder the mystery of God’s love for us in Christ and empowers us to serve him in our daily lives, at home, at work, at play.

Our worship pattern is shown on our Worship page. You will be very welcome at any of these services.

A few notes about these services:
  • We use the Book of Common Prayer at 8.00am and 6.00pm on the first Sunday of the Month. The other 8.00am services use traditional language (thee and thy).
  • Our 10.30am Eucharist uses modern language and a wide musical repertoire, supported by the organ, our wonderful choir and the music group.
  • On the Second Sunday of each month, we have an All Age Eucharist at which we welcome those who have been baptised the previous month. If you want to ask about baptism, this is the service to come to. Read more on baptism here.
  • During term time, the Prayer Book Evening Prayer service is sung with a setting of the canticles.
  • On the Third Sunday of each month the evening service takes the form of Cafe Church. We sit around tables, drink and eat nibble and engage with a variety of issues from a Christian perspective.