Welcome to Bramhall Parish Church

St Michael & All Angels is the Parish Church of Bramhall. We are part of the Diocese of Chester within the Church of England. We have existed as a Parish Church since 1910 and before that existed as one of 10 mission churches planted by St Thomas’ Church in Stockport.

Since the early 20th century we have been a family of faith, following Jesus, building community and serving the people of Bramhall and beyond.

One of my favourite descriptions about church is within a book entitled “Why Bother with Church? and other questions about why you need it and why it needs you.” Sam Allberry, the author, writes:

“The Church is God’s family. It is not those who have signed up to a human institution, or who find themselves in natural sympathy with Christian ethics and Church life. It is those who have been brought into God’s family through the reconciling work of his son. When we were adopted into his family – we became part of the familial community. When God draws people to himself, he draws them into family.”

I joined St. Michaels in July 2017 as their Interim Minister and went on to be appointed their Vicar in February 2019. My experience of church both before I became a priest and since my ordination was of the church being a group of people who strove to worship God, support one another through all of life whilst also seeking to do some good outside the building it owns.

The church, as a whole, has an incredible potential to make such a positive difference in the life of every individual and in every community. This is possible because within a church community you see at work the true nature of God – love.

During my time at St. Michaels I have witnessed a group of people, who aren’t just a community but are a family who want the best for each other, and who want the best for Bramhall.

Throughout our website you will find more about who we are as a family of God’s children, sharing life together at St. Michaels. Do come and visit, we are excited to get to know you more, and hope that you might want to join us, as we continue to share the adventure of life together.

Vision & Values

Vision 2023

By 2030 we will be a Church where we…

…Proclaim our faith confidently

We want to be a community where all our members are equipped to know the love of Christ and through this knowledge be confident in their identity as children of God. Through confidence, there will grow a greater willingness to share their faith more widely with those in their lives.

…Our membership is more reflective of the wider parish.

The Church of England is committed to the vision of being a Christian Presence in every community – as such St Michaels exists not just for its own members but for that of the wider population. As such we want our membership to be more reflective of the wider population.

…Serve our Community actively

In seeking to serve our community actively we are committing to be present in our wider community, to get involved with what is already happening and in being incarnational in our ministry, better understand and then serve the people God is calling us to.

…Embrace a mixed ecology of worship

We want to be a place where everyone can offer praises to God and encounter the presence of God. A commitment to an ecology of worship is about engaging with a broad range of worship styles ensuring an inclusive approach to the worship of God.

…Use our resources sustainably

We give thanks for the resources we have as a Church and the generosity of previous generations. In seeking to use our resources sustainably we look to reduce our carbon footprint whilst also prioritising the our resources to the sharing the hope we have with others.

Core Values

The church, as a whole, has an incredible potential to make such a positive difference in the life of every individual and in every community. This is possible because within a church community you see at work the true nature of God – love.

At the heart of any church is the people. Although usually when people talk about church they are thinking of the building - church is actually the people and we believe the best way of being church is living life together as community or to use another word; family.
Jesus said: "You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: love each other." (John 15:14-17)
We seek to shape our life as a church based on love for one another and wanting to enable each individual to flourish as a child of God.
We have no rules about who is welcome and who is not. Everyone is welcome at St. Michael’s; young and old, male and female, refugee and landowner, families and individuals, we don’t believe anyone should be judged by what they wear, what they believe and how they love.
The Apostle Paul wrote: "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus". (Galatians 3:26-27)
We want our church to be a safe place for everyone so that anyone can come, be, rest and walk with others on a journey of faith.
At the heart of the Christian faith is the truth that Jesus has called people to follow him and be shaped by his life. This is commonly called discipleship. Through prayer, worship, reading of the bible and sharing life together we seek to encourage one another and build each other up as followers of Jesus.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law". (Galatians 5:22-23)
No one in our community is perfect but we all strive and encourage one another to grow in these qualities of life and shape, for the better, the community of Bramhall.