GadgetVicar

A Guest Blogger - Johnny McClue - Taking Worship To A Whole New Level.... Or Maybe Not...!

Following the post on the U2charist, Johnny McClue emailed me with a draft entry he never posted on his own blog back in November. With his permission, it's published here as a further reflection on the subject.

....Have you heard about the U2charist? It's an Episcopal Eucharist service that features the music of the rock band U2 and a message about God's call to rally around the Millenium Development Goals. The first U2charist service took place in the USA at the end of July last year. The U2charist is being seen as a great opportunity to reach out to congregations and the larger community, especially young people!!!

The liturgy is apparently pretty traditional and has all the usual required elements; A Gospel reading, prayers, communion from an authorised prayer book. The real difference is the music. It's rock. And that's how it's being plugged.

U2 have always been a Christian band, but avoided signing with a christian label because they didn't want to 'preach to the choir'.....! Hmmmmm....! "You" in their songs is often a reference to God. Sometimes it is God addressing us. There was an online attempt recently to come up with one song by U2 that wasn't referring to things spiritual. No one was able to find one... The image of God as lover, luring us closer, or our desire and hunger for God are regular themes. So are themes of social justice and doing our part to bring about the power of God.

This is all great, but churches need to be careful when stepping into this territory. One Episcopal church in the USA that holds regular U2charist services has written on their website referring to the service - "The service, the music and MESSAGE OF U2 about global reconciliation, justice for the poor and oppressed, and the importance of caring for your neighbour." Hold on a minute, It was Jesus Christ that gave us that message over 2000 years ago. I feel that it should have perhaps been worded this way, "The service and music of U2, delivering the message of Jesus Christ about global reconciliation, justice for the poor and oppressed, and the importance of caring for your neighbour...."

I don't want to take anything away from U2, they are a great band. However, They are a part of the body of Christ. They are serving the Lord. If the U2charist is meant to be a great outreach tool in communities, then the church moving in that needs to be very clear when delivering the truth about where the good news originates from.

There are thousands of non-Christians who worship U2.  The band are seen as idols. This concerns me (2 Kings 17:12). My HUGE question is, why are they not openly saying, "Don't worship us, enjoy our music. Worship the Lord who has blessed us with the gifts required to produce this great music. He has many gifts to give to each and every one of you. Ask him into your heart."

Perhaps they are saying this and thousands of people are being saved at their concerts all the time. I just don't know! But if not, then maybe they should start and then we'll see the thousands of non-Christians who worship and idolise them flooding into churches all over the world, receiving the truth and being a part of U2charist service to worship the Lord.

COMMERCIALISM vs RELIGION...!

U2charist

I am a long-standing U2 fan. I first saw them at Tiffany's Ballroom (now The Garage), Glasgow on October 4th, 1981. I've been to see them on every UK tour since then, and in some shape or form, I own every album they have produced. I also happen to be an Anglican priest who presides at the Eucharist almost every week. I even joined a home group last week where we sang U2's '40' at the end of the meeting.

Now, the U2charist is being imported from the USA. It will take place at St Swithin's, Lincoln in May. It even made the BBC breakfast news this morning, with a curmudgeonly commentator and a bubbly/trendy vicar (in jeans - how very dare she!) debating the use of such music to get 'bums on seats'.

The U2charist focusses on the Millennium Development Goals (which the Episcopal Church USA has endorsed and embraced as being at the heart of their purpose), and seeks to promote them, which is a worthy enough goal. Scroll down here for a look at a form of this service.

You might think that I'd be in ecstasy about all this, but I've got a couple of questions nagging away at me.

Why a eucharist (other than for the obvious reason of giving a pun)? It seems odd to use a medium which traditionally requires participants to be believers. In the Episcopal Church USA, there are moves towards open communion, which allows for anyone to partake. Here however, communion remains for the most part something that is limited to those who are Christ-followers. In a conversation with a colleague yesterday, we discussed having communion at weddings and funerals and how this could cause division rather than unity as many people get concerned about whether they want to, or indeed should, participate.

Isn't this just a gimmick, rather than being authentic worship, flowing from where people are? There are a myriad of worship services up and down the country which are using 'popular' music styles, and stimulating visuals (including one not so far from here). The U2charist somehow smacks of desperation; "The church is in decline; how can we reverse this? I know! Let's use someone else's modern music in a traditional setting in the hope that new folk might come". Scroll down this page, which contains apologia for the U2charist, and you quickly get the feeling that the service's originators are U2 fans who simply want to integrate their favourite music with their beloved liturgy, married to concern for world development issues. There's no harm in any of these things, but, to me, it all feels rather forced or artificial.

I love Anglican tradition and 'popular' music. I long to see churches full of people coming to Jesus Christ. But I suspect that this is a rather lame attempt to be 'popular', with a somewhat dated band that might appeal to people of my age, but not necessarily to a younger generation. I'll be happy to be proved wrong, but I have a feeling that it will not 'take' in the UK, primarily because it lacks authenticity.

Oh dear, I'm sounding like the curmudgeonly presenter on the Beeb this morning. I'd better calm down and listen to  'October'.

What Some Of The Young Women At St Silas' Are Wearing On Their Feet

Shoes and church having been a subject of heated debate on a certain piskie blog, I couldn't help but notice these at St Silas' tonight.....no clergy were involved.

St John's Evangelical Church Weekend Away

"Rumbling Bridge"

After two years of a 'St Silas Weekend Away' hiatus, it was good to be back at Lendrickmuir for someone else's weekend. It consisted of loads of kids running around, people mucking in on the chores, good craic and some wonderfully laid-back worship. Not sure how the preaching on 1 Corinthians 1 went down, but I enjoyed being part of their community.

Some things happen on weekends like this - the potential of community is realised; friendships are begun or deepened; future direction is set; challenge is given and received.

Coincidentally, we have a meeting tomorrow night to consider reinstating a weekend away for 2008. I've been swayed........

Weekend Away

I'm off to Lendrickmuir this evening, as guest speaker for the congregation of St John's Evangelical Church, Linlithgow at their weekend away. 1 Corinthians 1, a few days out of the city and some new friends await.

Health Update

I've been at the gastro-enterology clinic today. The doctor reassured me that my condition is not at all unusual after a serious stomach infection and reckoned that he could either a) see me again in six months, as there has been no serious deterioration in my health or b) do some "investigations", largely involving sending a camera where the sun don't shine. He thought option a) was the best at this stage, and you'll be unsurprised to know that I concurred with his thinking in this matter.

I will remain off dairy products for a while longer, get some more prayer and hopefully things will improve.

Off to Strathblane now for one of the highlights of the month: Holy Communion with some senior church members.

Non-lethal Weapons

The US military has unveiled it's latest weapon: the Silent Guardian System. The BBC has this description:

The beam has a reach of up to 500 metres (550 yards), much further than existing non-lethal weapons like rubber bullets.

It can penetrate clothes, suddenly heating up the skin of anyone in its path to 50C.

But it penetrates the skin only to a tiny depth - enough to cause discomfort but no lasting harm.

A Reuters journalist who volunteered to be shot with the beam described the sensation as similar to a blast from a very hot oven - too painful to bear without diving for cover.

They are also trying to develop polymer black ice "to force slip-ups from enemies".

Could this be the new, gentler face of US military might?

This got me thinking about other non-lethal weapons technology. How about:

The itching powder bomb (the effects are self explanatory).

The Whoopee Cushion landmine, that emits an enormous farting sound when stepped on. Not only would it be humiliating for the unfortunate individual that stepped on it, but his or her colleagues would be incapacitated by laughter.

The CAV or Clown Assault Vehicle, in which a car containing a team of clowns, advances on the enemy tooting large horns and squirting water, while their car falls apart around them. This could be counter-productive, of course, as many people don't actually like clowns, and the enemy might get even more angered by their use.

Non-lethal weapons - any others?

Letter from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to the Prime Minister

From here.

23 January 2007

The following is the text of a letter from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Tony Blair.

Dear Prime Minister,

The Church of England, along with others in the voluntary sector, including other churches and faith communities, have been in discussion with the government for some time over what has become known as the Sexual Orientation Regulations.  Those discussions have been conducted in good faith, in mutual respect and with an appropriate level of confidence on all sides.

Last week that changed.  Speculation about splits within government, fuelled by public comment from government ministers, appears to have created an atmosphere that  threatens to polarise opinions.  This does no justice to any of those whose interests are at stake, not least vulnerable children whose life chances could be adversely, and possibly irrevocably, affected by the overriding of reasoned discussion and proper negotiation in an atmosphere of mistrust and political expediency.

The one thing on which all seem able to agree is that these are serious matters requiring the most careful consideration.  There is a great deal to gain. It is becoming increasingly evident, however, that much could also be lost, as the letter from Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor makes clear.

Many in the voluntary sector are dedicated to public service because of the dictates of their conscience.  In legislating to protect and promote the rights of particular groups the government is faced with the delicate but important challenge of not thereby creating the conditions within which others feel their rights to have been ignored or sacrificed, or in which the dictates of personal conscience are put at risk. 

The rights of conscience cannot be made subject to legislation, however well meaning.

On numerous occasions in the past proper consideration has been given to the requirements of consciences alongside other considerations contributing to the common good, such as social need or human rights - the right, for example, of some doctors not to perform abortions, even though employed by the National Health Service.

It would be deeply regrettable if in seeking, quite properly, better to defend the rights of a particular group not to be discriminated against, a climate were to be  created in which, for example, some feel free to argue that members of the government are not fit to hold public office on the grounds of their faith affiliation.  This is hardly evidence of a balanced and reasonable public debate.

As you approach the final phase of what has, until very recently, been a careful and respectful consideration of the best way in which to introduce and administer new protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in England and Wales, we hope you, and cabinet colleagues, will do justice to the interests of the much wider grouping of interests within the nation that will be affected.  It is vitally important that the interests of vulnerable children are not relegated to suit any political interest. And that conditions are not inadvertently created which make the claims of conscience an obstacle to, rather than the inspiration for, the invaluable public service rendered by parts of the voluntary sector.

Yours faithfully,

Most Rev and Rt Hon Rowan Williams

Archbishop of Canterbury

Most Rev and Rt Hon John Sentamu

Archbishop of York

Homegroup Worship

Enjoyed my visit to one of our homegroups tonight. I'll not be giving a review of each group I go to, but suffice it to say, it was good fun being part of the group for the evening, sharing a little of where we could be headed, and it was made all the more fun when Russell led us in a moving rendition of this traditional song of 'faith':

Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who cares
Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who's there

Feeling unknown
And youre all alone
Flesh and bone
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
I'll make you a believer

Take second best
Put me to the test
Things on your chest
You need to confess
I will deliver
You know I'm a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal Jesus...

Feeling unknown
And youre all alone
Flesh and bone
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
I'll make you a believer

I will deliver

You know I'm a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal Jesus

Reach out and touch faith

                                   (by Depeche Mode)

Other blogs

Other bloggers thoughts, trials and worries:

Kelvin gets very concerned about brown shoes in the sanctuary (I hope the shoe police don't get me!)

Gareth encounters one or two computer problems (been there, done that this week too).

Simon survives a St Silas' deathmarch and discovers a new creature (MR-H roolz!).

Gill ponders the mysteries of blogging (I wonder if so many at St S. blog simply because we are a young-ish and creative bunch?).

Me? I'm way too busy reading everyone else's blogs to put anything interesting on my own.

I'm off to visit the homegroup of Russell and Susie tonight as part of my attempt to visit every group by the summer.