For service times click here.
Worship at St Michael and All Angels is centred around the sacraments. Sacraments are visible, tangible, signs of God's grace and ways in which we experience God. In the Eucharist (or Mass), bread and wine become the way in which Jesus Christ is made present to us – we ‘re-member’ that in and through the risen Christ, life is stronger than death and love is stronger than hate, not only in the celebration of the Eucharist itself, but always and everywhere in every moment of our existence. In the Eucharist we are called and strengthened through God’s grace to live out that reality in our lives.
In Baptism, we use water to signify our entry into the Christian community. We thank God that through the waters of baptism God cleanses us, renews us by the Holy Spirit, and raises us to new life.
Sacraments involve both head and heart, our bodies, and all of the senses. And so we emphasise beauty in our worship. We also aim to transform the world around us, so that God's love is ever more visible in the heart of Ōtautahi Christchurch.
We invite you to join us in the sacramental life.
The Eucharist is celebrated regularly at St Michael and All Angels. At the heart of the Eucharist is the real presence of Jesus in bread and wine, but everything around it can look and feel different depending on the service.
Our largest regular Eucharist is Sunday 10am, where hymns and many parts of the service are sung by our choir and the congregation, with accompaniment from our pipe organ. The service also has a full serving team and the use of incense. There is a sermon of around 10-15 minutes. For recent sermons click here.
Our Sunday 8am service is smaller and more intimate. It is said rather than sung and often uses more traditional language than the 10am Sunday service.
We also celebrate the Eucharist during the week. This is a said service and typically lasts about 30 minutes, with the exception of Thursday in which we also offer prayer for healing and anointing with oil.
The Eucharist demonstrates that material reality can become charged with Jesus’ life, and so proclaims hope for the whole world of matter.
Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury
From early in the history of the Church, Christians have engaged in daily prayer, often structured around the psalms.
Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.
Psalms 119:164 (Coverdale)
In the Anglican tradition, evening prayer developed a characteristic form with a particular emphasis on choral singing. We are proud at St Michael and All Angels to be able to offer a full choral Evensong three Sundays a month. Evensong follows the structure found in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
We also observe the Daily Office with Morning Prayer at 8am on weekdays (except Monday). All are welcome to join in this daily pattern of prayer.
Baptism is the introduction to Christian life. In baptism, a person is sprinkled with or immersed in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:16-17 (NRSV)
Usually baptism is carried out as part of a Sunday service. Please contact us if you are interested in baptism for yourself or your child.
In marriage, two people are joined together in lifelong commitment.
Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.
Mark 10: 8-9 (NRSV)
Many couples have celebrated their marriage in our beautiful church, either with our own clergy, another Anglican minister, or a minister from the couple's own Christian community.
For more details view our Wedding Brochure 2024.pdf
The Anglican Parish of St Michael and All Angels is...
part of the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch,
within the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia,
and in partnership with St Michael's Church School.
