U2 church service 'reaches out'

Several of U2's songs have a Christian message

A church in Dublin's city centre has conducted a service based on the music of Irish rock group U2.

Around 150 people attended the Anglican St George and St Thomas's Church, to sing hits like I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and One.

"We're reaching out to the youth," said organiser Greg Fromholz. "There's a deep Christian message in U2's music."

The so-called U2charist, named after the band and the Eucharist - or Holy Communion - originated in the US.

Featuring the band's music instead of hymns, it was created by Sarah Dylan Breuer in for a service in Baltimore in April 2004.

It has since spread around the world, with services held in Australia, New Zealand and Britain.

The U2charist often features a political message centred around Bono's campaign to eradicate extreme poverty and Aids.

'Soundtrack to searching'

Around 150 people turned up to hear the word according to Bono

Dublin's Sunday service lasted an hour and a half, with the church kitted out with concert-style lighting, video screens and dry ice.

But US-born Mr Fromholz insisted the Irish version wasn't as "fanatical" as similar services on the other side of the Atlantic.

"I think at times they have pushed it a bit too far, using images of the band," he said.

"We're not doing that at all, we're just using the songs as a soundtrack to searching."

U2's music has often had a spiritual message. The song Until The End Of The World from the band's Achtung Baby album, for example, describes a conversation between Jesus Christ and Judas Iscariot.

Fromholz said U2 were an obvious choice to help draw young followers back to Ireland's church congregations.

"They are always searching, always on the look out, always looking for something beyond themselves," he said.

"I think all of us are looking for that intimacy. They are writing songs that accentuate that and they're very easy to sing along to."