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In the Episcopalian worship service, music has always been a large component. Les Parsons, a Lay Minister for St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Idaho Falls, said that the Eucharist combines hymns and scripture to aid worship before the partaking of Communion. However, a new sound is raising worshippers from the pews of Episcopal parishes. And it comes from the rattle and hum of four Irish rockers, leather pants and all.

Across the nation more than 150 churches have inducted the lyrics of rock band U2 into their worship services. Aptly named a “U2 Eucharist” or “U2-charist” the service is quickly gaining popularity with Episcopalian members, especially teenagers.

The Rev. Bruce Henne, Priest at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in Idaho Falls, said that his parish is planning its own U2 Eucharist in the spring for the Easter season.

“For a lot of people the traditional worship services don’t quite speak to them. We hope to engage young people,” Henne said. “If we said U2 they might think ‘Oh, I know them, I know who they are,’ and they might not think it would be as churchy.”

Parsons came to Henne with the idea after he attended a meeting in Tennessee with a U2 Eucharist, telling Henne that this is something the church should consider seriously. The rest is a blend of religion and rock ‘n’ roll.

While the parish in Idaho Falls is planning for the U2 Eucharist to take place April 27 2007, no one is quite sure of the origin of the rock-themed worship service.

“The motivation came from somebody who liked [Bono’s] music and thought it would be appropriate for a worship service,” Henne said. “Somebody somewhere put this together, asked Bono [the group’s lead singer], and he said, ‘Yes you can.’”

Although the service planned in April will be open to all denominations, the Episcopalian Church is the only church so far to be granted right to use the music,

“U2 will allow us to use [their] music as long as we get permission from the publisher,” Parsons said.

Henne compares this modern-day revolution of worship with a revolution of old.

In the 16th century religious literature was written in Latin. Thomas Cranmer wanted to put the worship service in the language of the people. In 1549 he wrote “The Book of Common Prayer” in English, knowing it would reach more people.

“That’s a good tie-in with U2, because U2 speaks to a contemporary audience,” Henne said.