The Experience, Mystery & Tradition of Worship at St. Anne’s

The Weekly Rhythm of Worship at St. Anne’s (by St. Anne’s Parishioners)

There is a gentle and steady rhythm to weekly worship at St. Anne’s that is defined by those who prepare and those who participate in many services offered on Sundays, on weekdays, and on special occasions.

What follows are reflections from parishioners about the experience, mystery, and tradition of each service.

8 a.m. Worship (by Susan Choquette)

The streets are quiet, the courtyard empty. The ushers greet us warmly and we take a seat in a pew toward the front of the church. It is a time to reflect, consider the readings, or simply sit and enjoy the light coming through the windows above the altar. Then the 8 a.m. service begins, and verses of praise are recited as the clergy approach.

The attraction to the 8 a.m. service lies in its restful simplicity and allows us to better focus on the lessons, sermon, and prayers. It is an introspective experience that sets a positive tone for the day. What is better than experiencing joy at 8 a.m. in the morning!

Music & Movement (by Chase Best)

The music and movement program at St Anne’s Parish has been an incredible addition to our Sunday experience. We have two little boys, one and three years old, and while they rarely sit still, they are completely captivated and excited to head into Music and Movement every Sunday morning. Ms. Tempest and Mr. Kimble make the class fun while still delivering a meaningful lesson directly from scripture.

My three-year-old has come home asking so many questions about Jesus and has started singing worship songs all day. I believe that this program will be an instrumental part of our children’s faith journey and understanding of scripture. We are so grateful for this class and truly believe the family centered approach St. Anne’s Parish prioritizes is a key component for a prosperous faith journey for each member of the family, regardless of age.

10 a.m. Worship (by Herb Fowler)

We are the largest congregation of the weekend, calling all types of people to gather for worship to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, Rite II. This gathering of disciples is responding to our baptism, recognizing that in Christ, we are brothers and sisters, who believe in a gracious loving Father.

There are lots of families with children in this congregation. Friendships are renewed and often there is a lot of chatter and general activity. Even so we expect that the gospel of Christ will be proclaimed and that we will be fed with the Holy Communion. A large choir leads worship. This congregation loves to sing the hymns of the Anglican congregation and we sing the canticles enthusiastically.

We look forward to being sent into the world to find our place in the building of the Kingdom of God.

5:30 p.m. Worship (by Karen Davis)

This service has a different rhythm than the other Sunday services. It’s casual and informal. You can come as you are. I love the quiet meditative atmosphere with soft music and the intimacy of this service. There is space to be reflective and to experience God in the music, the service, and in this beautiful sanctuary. I appreciate having more time for conversations with friends before and after the service.

Weekdays

5:30 p.m. Evening Prayer (by The Rev. Janice Gordon-Barnes)

Over 40 years the service of Evening Prayer held in the chancel of the church has developed from being offered once a week, to being available every evening of the week. It is lay led, and while participation is fairly small it can now be experienced through Zoom and YouTube as well as continuing in the church. It has become an important part of people’s spiritual journey and is an essential part of holding members of our parish and global community in prayer.

Healing Eucharist, Tuesdays at 12:10 p.m.

This is an intimate service in the Holy Family Chapel for those seeking healing through the eucharist and prayer. The laity reads the lessons and prayers. The clergy invite reflection in a brief sermon. At communion, we commit ourselves to the healing power of the Eucharist, bringing our brokenness, and finding healing through our faith in God. After the service, you are invited to pray at the rail. In confidence and faith, clergy and lay leaders lift your prayers to God, anointing your forehead with holy oil in a sign of the cross.

Sung compline (by Richard and Linda Johnson)

Enter St. Anne’s on Tuesday or Thursday evening for the 7 p.m. Compline service, and you’re in a quiet, dimly lit, lightly incense-scented, cocoon of prayer. The service is sung by a single cantor, with congregational response using a service booklet. Your return to the continuous outside bustle of Annapolis some 15 or 20 minutes later is somehow both calmer and more fulfilled – a wonderful way to close a day.

Sung compline (by Magnolia Vandiver)

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"

It is a given of modern life to be pulled in many directions. Often, I wake up with a knot in my chest, and each snarl on the news and my day-to-day adds another strand to the tangle. How am I to live a Christian life when so enmeshed in the million tiny anxieties of our weary world? I don't know, but I do attend compline twice a week. We put aside our pressing to-do list and walk through the dusk to the church. After only about fifteen minutes of prayer and song, the knot in my spirit is eased. The world still cries for aid, but I find it easier to pick out the nearest thread and gently tease it out from a place of loving prayer. More than anything else, compline illuminates the small acts that lead our faltering feet down the path of love, these small gestures of caring for our neighbors and ourselves. In these dark nights when I find no clarity within me, Christ waits to remind me once again to find him in myself and every other face in the candlelight.

Marriages, Baptisms, and Funerals/Memorials

The weekly rhythm of parish life also contains baptism, marriage and funerals. St. Anne’s honors these sacred steps. We joyfully baptize babies, children and adults into the family of God. We celebrate and bless the marriage of two people who choose to share their lives together. And we come together in grief, gratitude, and hope to honor the lives of loved ones.

An Invitation

St. Anne’s invites you to come and experience a service you have never tried before. May our hearts be open to experience God in a different setting this Christmas season and Epiphany tide.