By Gillian Vine
Love came to town at the beginning of October when Christchurch hosted the South Island’s first U2charist. More than 300 people turned up to Hornby Presbyterian on a windy evening to hear U2’s music integrated into a framework that followed the outlines of a Christian service of worship, with the celebration of communion at its core.
Knox Presbyterian minister Geo. King devised the event and said afterwards, "the response was wonderful. It went really well and was well worthwhile". It was his idea to have a presbytery-wide celebration. Keen to do something positive to celebrate unity within diversity, but "not fudging our differences", he looked at an American Episcopalian service created by Sarah Dylan Breuer and first presented in Baltimore in 2004.
"The U2charist movement unashamedly seeks to integrate U2’s music within a framework that follows the outlines of a Christian service of worship, with the celebration of communion at its core," Geo. says. "In the course of a simplified communion service, bread and wine are offered to all present, in the hope that sharing in this symbolic meal and reflecting on the experience of worship that surrounds it will encourage those present to consider and give to others who lack the necessities of life."
Since 2004, U2charist has taken off, at first throughout North America – initially within Episcopalian churches – and is now being celebrated around the globe. Like U2’s music, the appeal of U2charist is mainly to the under-40s, both church members and the unchurched, but Geoff. said before the Christchurch event he was surprised and thrilled by the level of interest from older people.
"It’s not just a younger generation thing," he says. "It has brought a wide cross-section of people together."
U2, formed in Dublin in 1976, is one of the world’s most successful bands, having sold more than 170 million records and won 22 Grammy awards.
But U2 is not just about fame or making money: the band is active in human rights and strong exponents of social justice.
"They’ve always had a strong social justice element and a spiritual [aspect] to their music," Geoff. says.
He pointed to a line lead singer Bono sings in Acrobat on the 1991 album Achtung Baby – "I’d drink bread and wine if there was a church I could receive in"– as something to which he wanted Christchurch Presbytery to respond, so that people could see one what the Church had to offer.
October’s service was the first U2charist in the South Island and consideration is being given to running it on an annual basis.
"You could call this a pilot scheme," Geoff. says.
He believes it could be used effectively in other regions. "It’s potentially exportable to other parts of the Church."
He and the others involved in the Christchurch event were now looking at the option of a U2charist roadshow but that is "dependant on resources".
Bono and the rest of U2 didn’t appear in person at Hornby but they made a generous gift: no copyright fees are payable on U2 music played at events like this as long as any money raised is not retained by the church but given to approved aid agencies to help reduce poverty.
All proceeds of the offering from the Hornby event are being given to Christian World Service to contribute to making poverty history by promoting more and better aid.
"The offering for the event was $770.20 so with KOHYA (Government subsidy) added it is a grand effort of $3851 heading to partners overseas," Geoff. says.