Last evening, I attended a U2Charist at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church right down the road on Leopard. (It is the one close to Home Depot.) In case you haven't heard of a U2Charist it is a becoming sort of a phenomenon within the Anglican (Episcopal) Church. It is a service of Holy Communion that uses music from the band U2 in place of traditional hymns. Different churches around the world have done this is a number of ways. Many have rock bands perform the songs. For those without their own band or the ability to hire one, there is the option of using recorded music. That is the route St. Andrew's went.
I had read about the service before I attended, but I wondered if it would have the same sort of power using recorded music. Somehow it did. They used powerpoint to overlay lyrics on top of music videos for each of the songs. The service, that included some non-musical pieces of prayer, confession, scripture and blessing of the elements featured songs like "Pride in the Name of Love" "Beautiful Day" and "One" The service also included a "sermon" by U2 lead singer Bono on our need to support the movement to eliminate extreme poverty in our world in our lifetime. He asks people during his message to support The ONE Campaign, a movement to add voices to the cry to eliminate poverty.
I really applaud Rev. Jeff Hammond and everyone at St. Andrew's for doing this. It really draws attention to two things. One is our need to be open to new possibilities in worship. I am sure that playing rock music videos in the sanctuary and then service communion makes people nervous, but if that connects people to God, I think that it is a good thing. Second is our need to stop ignoring the inhumanity of global poverty. It is just obscene that it a world where we, as Americans, can have nearly anything we want, some dies every three second simply because they are too poor to live.
One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers
One life
But we're not the same
We get to Carry each other
Carry each other
-U2
peace,
will
A weblog from Pastor Will Rice, associate pastor at Grace United Methodist Church in Corpus Christi, Texas
About Me
About Grace United Methodist Church
Grace United Methodist Church seeks to be a place of grace in Corpus Christi, a place where anyone can experience and live out of the amazing, unconditional love of God that is poured out upon all of God's children. Our church is located at 11222 Leopard Street in Northwest Corpus Christi, Texas
We worship on Sunday mornings at 8:30 (traditional worship) 9:45 (praise service) and 11:00 (traditional worship.) If you have questions, e-mail Pastor Will.
We worship on Sunday mornings at 8:30 (traditional worship) 9:45 (praise service) and 11:00 (traditional worship.) If you have questions, e-mail Pastor Will.
2 comments:
Hello Will,
My name is Andrew Fry, and I live in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
First I want to thank you for making this account of one day in the life of the church. I appreciate being able to receive it and I thank God for the internet.
But also... I want to encourage you.
I am not a scholar by any means, and I know that pastors are better trained in the Word of God. But, I really love the words of the U2 song that you repeated for us. In my heart I feel that St. Paul was pointing to words like those when he wrote to the Phillipians encouraging them to dwell on such things that are good and edifying and supporting one another. Jesus speaks to us so many times about our "one anothers". And, yet simple words are so very hard to practice.
Bono is taking an action that he is equipped to do... St. James wrote about such actions... that they are so very necessary.
Yes... One.
I'm in it with you on that one Will.
Best regards... Andrew
Andrew,
Thanks for the support!
peace,
will
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