eU2charist

This announcement is from St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Jesup, Georgia:

It is in the spirit of this diversity that I am pleased to announce a very special evening in the life of St. Paul’s. On Friday, June 2nd at 7PM, we will be offering a service which is known as the U2 Eucharist. Basically, it is a service which uses the communion liturgy from “Enriching Our Worship” along with “hymns” of recorded songs from the fabulous and timeless rock band U2. The congregation is invited to sing along – the words are printed in the bulletin – as loudly and enthusiastically as we can. Because Bono, U2's lead singer, has probably the strongest voice and the greatest tonal range of any singer alive, we can all relax knowing that our voices will be beautifully and powerfully led!

Please spread the word about this unique evening. The excitement and buzz is already spreading through Jesup and the entire Diocese so let’s make sure that everyone who would enjoy this worship experience is invited and welcomed..

One last thing. I heard someone here at St. Paul’s said, “If we can do U2, when are we doing a Merle Haggard service?” All I can say to that is that I’m already on it – although I think Johnny Cash might work better...

This U2-inspired communion service is very much of the moment. Haven't heard of it yet? There are typical news articles on an Episcopal church's u2charist here: Church holds U2 Eucharist and here: ‘U2charist’ gains worldwide fame .

Over at Sarah Laughed, Dylan who "was among the organizers of a eU2charist in April of 2004, and was a contributor to Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalog", writes a thoughtful post U2 and Liturgy. She writes

Sometimes people experience shows where something goes "wrong" as the best shows of all because of the ways in which one person's weakness brings out another's strength. The Edge sings lead vocals for a verse or a song when Bono's voice is gone. The rhythm section keeps the song going when a key guitar string breaks. The crowd's energy carries Bono along when his father has died and Bono's grief is fresh and raw, and strength is surprisingly made perfect in weakness.

While Dylan is particularly good in the way she writes about U2 and liturgy, this sort of thinking is common around the web, particularly among those in what are sometimes called the emergent church. Here's another example: 7 things I learnt from Bono about worship leading.

If you want to experience this form of communion for yourself, the service in Jesup is a pleasant evening drive away. The Rev. Chris Schuller and the congregation at St. Paul's will enjoy worshipping with you.

As for me, I listen to U2 with some regularity and certainly I get what those who put on a eU2charist are talking about when they connect to the spirituality in the band's music and the liturgical nature of their concerts. Yet, I am not jumping on the bandwagon to create a similar worship service at King of Peace. Done well, I imagine it could be quite moving. Done poorly, it would be an embarassing dip into the Spirit of the Age, which we would all laugh about in later years. What do you think?

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor + King of Peace Episcopal Church