U2charist

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A U2Charist is a communion service, or Eucharist, accompanied by U2 songs in lieu of traditional hymns and sometimes as part of the service music (e.g., the Gloria, the Sanctus).

The idea was first developed and implemented by Sarah Dylan Breuer, who had contributed to the book Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalog, and was interested in exploring how the spiritual energy and enthusiasm of a U2 concert could be experienced in Christian worship. Breuer developed the concept for the service in 2003, and held the first U2charist with the Without Walls ministry network in Baltimore in April of 2004^[1]. The Reverend Paige Blair, who was also interested in incorporating U2's music in worship, raising awareness of the Millennium Development Goals, and raising money for specific charities working in Africa, developed her own U2charist liturgy after reading Breuer's, and held her first U2Charist in July of 2005 in York Harbor, Maine. Since then, U2charists have been held internationally, and have received a great deal of media attention.

1 Format
2 Criticism
3 See Also
4 External Links
5 References

[edit] Format

While individual parishes may create unique forms of the U2charist, a sample adaptation looks like this.

A Holy Eucharist for Ordinary Time - U2charist

Preludes Alleluiah, Pride (In the Name of Love) and Where the Streets Have no Name
Opening Hymn Mysterious Ways
Opening Acclamation
Collect for Purity
Song of Praise Elevation
Collect of the Day
Readings
Sermon
Sermon Response One
Creed
Prayers of the People addressing the MDG’s in particular
Collect after the prayers 40
Confession and Absolution
Celebration of Absolution When Love Comes to Town
The Peace
Offertory Love and Peace or Else
The Great Thanksgiving
Communion Hymns Yahweh, Miracle Drug (
Prayer after receiving
Benediction
Closing hymn Beautiful Day
Dismissal
Postlude Peace On Earth/Walk On from America: Tribute to Heroes (sends the congregation out on Alleluias)

[edit] Criticism

Some have suggested that the use of U2's music is inappropriate for a Eucharist service, pointing to both the unconvential mixture of the secular and the holy. Incidents of dissent have included the burning of an episcopal flag outside an Episcopal convention in Columbus, Ohio after a celebration of the U2charist there.