By Beth Bealle 

Bishop Michael Curry celebrated North Carolina's first U2charist at St. Timothy's in Winston-Salem on October 20, 2007. The service was sponsored by the Winston-Salem area Episcopal Churches, and included participants from St. Anne's, St. Clement's, St. Paul's, St. Stephen's, and St. Timothy's.

The U2charist is an Episcopal Eucharist with a funky twist - it features the music of the Irish rock bank U2, led by global ambassador, Bono, and a call to rally around the Millennium Development Goals. U2charists have been held across the country, gaining popularity since the U2charist at General Convention in 2006, where Bishop Curry also presided.

During the service the congregation of over 300 danced and sang along to such U2 songs as "Mysterious Ways," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and "One." Song lyrics and MDG-related images were projected onto a large screen at the front of the church. Service organizers Beth Bealle, Stacey Holley and David Rose hoped to provide a unique and meaningful worship experience while raising awareness about the Millennium Development Goals.

(Click on any image to see a slideshow of the U2charist...)

In his sermon, Bishop Curry said that the Millennium Development Goals represent God's vision, adding "Worship that leads to witness reflects a partnership with God that can change the world. That's why we're here tonight, to combine worship with witness."

The offering collected at the service - $1,534.00 - was donated entirely to The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Malaria, and Tuberculosis. The Global Fund is designed to dramatically increase resources to fight three of the world's most devastating diseases and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need.

Can I get a witness? Rock on!

(Photos courtesy of Kathleen Farmer, St. Timothy's, and Bruce Chapman of the Winston-Salem Journal)