Groundbreaking 'U2Charist' On Worldwide Stage

|PIC1|The groundbreaking 'U2Charist' is going to be featured on the worldwide stage - again.

The popular Irish group's song "If God Will Send His Angels" has been turned into a hymn around the world since Episcopal priest Rev Paige Blair of St. George's Episcopal Church in York Harbor began using the music in her liturgical services last July.

She never thought it would garner worldwide attention.

This week, a reporter from the BBC is in town to tape the U2charist scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday at St. George's and featuring the "music of the spiritually rich and social justice-oriented rock group U2."

That service then will be part of a show that also will include a taping of a U2 service at a cathedral in Lincolnshire, England.

The final show will include interviews with congregants from York, as well as from England.

"It's really kind of wild," Blair said. "It's amazing what the Internet has done and how it has allowed me to work as a consultant to churches all over the world."

Although many churches have used U2 songs in their services, Blair was the first to connect the music and a liturgy showcasing global poverty, AIDS and the Millennium Development Goals.

Those goals, which include cutting extreme global poverty in half by 2015, were adopted by the leaders from 189 nations, including the United States.

Since then, hundreds of churches from Hong Kong to Kansas have hosted the U2charists in 15 states and seven countries.

In the service developed by Blair, "anywhere you would have music, it's from U2," she said.

The lyrics are displayed as part of a PowerPoint presentation on a screen by the altar.

Blair said U2's music, which has long been recognised for its Christian themes, as well as Bono's worldwide campaigns to eradicate extreme poverty and AIDS, lends itself to religious services.

"They always have been open about their spirituality," Blair said. "Many of the lyrics come straight from the Scripture."

In other news, Bono was recently awarded an honorary knighthood by the Queen for raising awareness of AIDS and poverty issues in Africa.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has commented: "Without your personal contribution, we could not have achieved the results we did. So thank you and I look forward to continuing to work together to maintain momentum on Africa, and ensure leaders around the world meet the promises they have made."