Caldicot Methodist Church replace hymns with U2 songs (From Free Press Series)

Caldicot Methodist Church replace hymns with U2 songs

3:10pm Friday 19th October 2012 in News By Hayley Mills

INSTEAD of “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” one Caldicot church will switch to “In the name of love” as it uses the music of U2 in a service.

Caldicot Methodist Church said they recognise that many people no longer relate to traditional forms of church service, but are still wondering about the meaning of life and how they fit in. They have decided to take a radical approach to reconnect with people with a one-off experiment.

Through their Ruach Band, they are replacing traditional hymns with U2 rock music, all set within a spiritual context and ending with the offer of communion. This is both a worship service and a celebration of U2’s music.

The use of U2 music in this way is not new – the first ‘U2Charist’ service took place in Baltimore, United States, in 2004.

The band are well known for including Christian and spiritual imagery in their lyrics, and together with their support for the eradication of extreme poverty gave way to the birth of the U2Charist worship service.

Minister of Caldicot Methodist Church, The Rev Preben Andersen, 61, explained that the preacher of the church, Paul Burke, researched what had happened in the USA and thought it was something the church band was capable of doing.

He said: “I think we are the first church in the local area to do it, but we might even be the first in Wales.

“I hadn’t heard of U2 but I went and listened to the band’s rehearsal and was quite taken by the lyrics.”

A collection will be held during the service at the church for The Triangle Project, which helps with the building of a school for 650 pupils in Eastern Kenya and funding for teachers.

The service will feature more than a dozen songs by U2. Rev Anderson added: “It’s very exciting and we are hoping for a lot of younger people to join us.”

Everyone is welcome to the U2Charist at the church tonight at 7.30pm.