What's On in the Parish

What's On Parish Diary - last updated 6 March

If you want to add anything then simply email news@stannessale.org

Flipping Pancakes

The usual team are going to have fun making and eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday (16th February) from 11.00am - 2.00pm in St Anne's Church Hall, Trinity Road

Ash Wednesday - 17th February

There will be a Eucharist with Ashing at St Anne's at 10.00am and 8.000pm 

Our Regular Lenten Pattern through the week

Sundays
8.00am Said Eucharist at St Anne’s
9.30am Eucharist with hymns at St Francis
10.30am Sung Eucharist at St Anne’s with Conversations
12 Noon Communion before Confirmation Course at St Anne's
12.15pm Lent Lunches (on most Sundays) at St Anne's Church Hall
6.00pm Evening Prayer: Healing and the Bible at St Anne's

Monday
8.00pm Hour Group - "When I survey...." at the Vicarage (for more information, see below)

Tuesday
7.30pm Stations of the Cross at St Anne's (for more information, see below)

Wednesday
10.00am Eucharist: Healing and the Bible at St Anne's
8.00pm Taize Service at St Anne's

Thursday
8.00pm House Group - "Talking about Jesus" at 15 Broad Road (for more information, see below)
8.00pm House Group - "Spot the Difference" at 8 Russell Ave (for more information, see below)

Friday
7.15am Eucharist at St Anne's
9.00am Lent Worship at St Francis

Lent Worship
Conversations in Faith

We call ourselves Christian. When we say that, we mean a whole variety of things; we attend a Christian place of worship; we went to a Christian school and/or went to Sunday School; we are baptised; we pray and read the bible; we have a firm belief in a God who makes himself known in the person of Jesus. The list could go on.

Most Christians struggle with three things. One is speaking about their faith. We find ourselves tongue-tied and unwilling to expose either ourselves to ridicule or others to a religious dialogue when that has never been part of our previous meetings. Because we do not flex these religious “muscles” we find them weak.

Another concern we have is ignorance. We employ “vicars” and a few others to do the speaking for us. We know the basics but are not sure how they hold together.

Finally, there is the little issue of linking faith and daily living. What difference does our being Christian make? Does it change the way we live at home?, the values we share with our family?, the way we treat our friends or invest our energy at work? 

During Lent, on Sunday mornings at St Anne’s, we are going to listen in to four members of our congregation as they share their struggles and joys in the faith. As we listen to them, we can ask ourselves about our own faith and discipleship.

Lent Lunches 2010: Supporting Haiti

We’re pleased to invite you and your family and friends to a basic lunch of home made soup and a roll and cheese at 12.30pmon the following Sundays during Lent: 21 February and 7, 21 and 28 March prepared by a variety of groups in the Parish.

Many people come to the lunches as a way of observing Lent, eating a basic meal and donating the amount they would have spent on Sunday lunch to meet the needs of the hungry in our world and at the same time enjoy the fellowship of sharing and eating together.

We are raising money to send to Haiti following the earthquake on 13th January. If you are not able to join us, can we encourage you to think about making a donation or sending money.

Please do join us. All welcome. This year we are raising money for 

Just come and join us - you are very welcome

The Healing Ministry: What do the Bible Stories tell us?

As a regular part of our ministry we offer the Laying on of Hands for Christian Healing on a monthly basis. 

On Sunday evenings and Wednesday mornings we will explore some of the bible stories around healing and ask what God is saying to us about being part of a Healing Community where Christ is present.

The Stations of the Cross 7.30pm on Tuesday evenings

You are invited to join in a pilgrimage as we visit each of the 14 “Stations”, pictures, showing the events in our Lord’s final journey through Jerusalem, from his condemnation by Pilate to his being laid in the tomb.

During our pilgrimage, as we seek to follow and reflect upon our Lord’s Passion, we journey as a group to each Station, pausing at each Station to pray and meditate.

We join in a devotion centuries old allowing us, unable to go physically to Jerusalem on pilgrimage, to share in the Way of the Cross – “the Via Dolorosa. Just as pilgrims halt 14 times on that sorrowful road in Jerusalem, so we, who follow that same road, in imagination, prayer and meditation, join with countless Christians throughout the centuries in this act of devotion – the Way of The Cross.

Please do come and journey with us as part of your Lenten discipline. 

Venue: St Anne’s Church, 7.30pm every Tuesday

Taize Services: 8.00pm on Wednesday evenings

On Wednesday evenings throughout Lent we will hold a Taize service of song, readings and silence in Church. We live a busy, busy life and it is good to stop and make time to pause before the Lord. The quiet, repeated songs from the Taize community invite us to put aside our chatty minds and let go so that God can minister his grace and healing to us. Do something different - come and join us. 

Francis on Fridays

Last year we joined together on Friday Mornings in Lent at St Francis for a diverse variety of worship.

This year we are going to build on a new practice of regular midweek worship at St Francis by offering special Lenten services designed by the members of the Local Ministers Team. 

We would like to think that anybody, not just those who worship regularly at St Francis, might make space to come and join us 

Francis on Fridays begins 9.00am 19th February

Lent Courses

“When I survey…”

The death of Christ is a dominant and dramatic theme in the New Testament. So it’s not surprising that, over the centuries, the Cross has become the symbol of the Christian faith. But Christians do not honour a dead hero; we worship a Living Lord.

According to the Bible, the death of Jesus is not the end of a track – it’s the gateway into life. His crucifixion gives rise to many key themes and you’ll explore some of these in this course including: the place of silence in our noisy world; despair and hope; a suffering world; the challenge of living as disciples when Christianity is no longer mainstream …

Monday 22nd February – Darkness at Noon 
Monday 1st March - Into Great Silence 
Monday 8th March - The Child on the Cross 
Monday 15th March - Outside a City Wall 
Monday 29th March - Touching the Rock 
Venue: St Anne’s Vicarage, 8.00pm

For more information telephone Julian Heaton (973 4145)

Spot The Difference 

This consists of 5 sessions exploring the question – 
“You’re a Christian, are you? So what?” What difference does being a Christian make to our lives and what difference should it make? Are we simply going through the motions or does our discipleship actually show? 

We consider five ways in which commitment should manifest itself: in a quality of love, a spontaneity of witness, a disposition of joy, a generosity of spirit and a vibrant inner faith. 

Thursday 25th Feb – A love that shows
Thursday 4th March – An allegiance that shows
Thursday 11th March – A joy that shows
Thursday 18th March – A concern that shows 
Thursday 25th March – A faith that shows

Venue: 8 Russell Avenue, 8.00pm

For more information telephone Alan Ward (282 8789)

Talking about Jesus

Who is Jesus? What were His teachings? What should we make of His miracles? How can we understand His death? Did he really rise from the dead? What relevance does He have for us, here, today? 

Talking about Jesus uses a DVD containing some short films which look at aspects of Jesus’ life. The films are thought provoking and use images, discussion and words from the Bible. We will discuss the ideas raised in the films and, in a short prayer time, we will reflect on what this means for us today. Whether you are beginning to think about the Christian life, or have been a Christian for a long time, Talking about Jesus will be challenging and encouraging. Come for an informal and lively group.

Thursday 25th Feb – Jesus’ Birth
Thursday 4th March – Jesus’ Miracles
Thursday 11th March – Jesus’ Teaching
Thursday 18th March – Jesus’ Death 
Thursday 25th March – Jesus’ Resurrection

Venue: 15, Broad Road, 8 pm.

For more information telephone Lisa Redfern (976 6870)

Curate leaving

The Revd Janet Parker, Assistant Curate of St Anne's, has been appointed Vicar of St Thomas, High Lane. Janet will be leaving the Parish on 28th February and will be inducted on 22nd March

Wednesdays @ 8pm

For many of us, with busy lives and demands on our time, spending time in worship seems more of an ideal than something we can actually do. So, on Wednesday evenings at St Anne's, we have a variety of styles of worship. So, whether you would like the discipline of sitting in silence, being lead in prayer, the mental stimulation of listening to and talking about part of the Christian Faith, getting your more artistic side engaged and your hands active or sinking into the quiet rhythm of a Celtic Eucharist, come and see.

Confirmation classes

It has been my privilege to attend a number of confirmation services. There is always one phrase that sets my heart tingling. Are you ready with your own mouth and from your own heart to affirm your faith in Jesus Christ? This great sense of ownership, of personal belief, impacts my soul. I always quietly ask this question of myself. Am I ready? Well, for those who are not Confirmed and would like to be, we will be running a series of classes in Autumn. We will begin on 5th October. If you would like to join us please let Julian know

Cursillo

When I was a curate I was invited by a neighbouring priest to participate in a Cursillo. I did not know what he was talking about but as it involved a Sunday away from the parish and someone else was cooking, that sounded pretty good. I imagined that, as a newly minted priest myself, I would sit apart from the other folks and watch and learn. Instead, I was treated as an equal with all the other participants and was exposed to a really powerful presentation of the Christian gospel. It blew my mind. All that knowledge I had stored in my head suddenly took a back step as the reality of Christ and his grace was shared with us in an amazing yet gentle way. Chester Cursillo is running a weekend (Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon) at the end of October (29th October - 1st November). I cannot recommend this highly enough. 

There is more information about Cursillo here http://www.ukcursillo.org/

Change of Times for our Services

From 4th October, we will be changing the times of our services.

This is what they will be

St Anne’s 
8.00am Said Eucharist
10.30am Sung Eucharist
12.30pm Baptism 
6.00pm Evening Worship

St Francis 
9.30am Said Eucharist with hymns