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Frankenmuth United Methodist Church says Sunday is "A Beautiful Day" for a U2charist
By Eric Joyce | The Saginaw News
FRANKENMUTH — Bread, the Bible and Bono?
Frankenmuth United Methodist Church will showcase the spirit of Irish rock band U2 this weekend with its U2charist, a play on the band's name and the word Eucharist, a communion service including traditional hymns and liturgy.
The church, 346 E. Vates in Frankenmuth, will feature the music of U2 in lieu of traditional hymns and relate them to Scripture during the service at 5 p.m. Sunday, the Rev. David Eardly said.
"They deal with a lot of spiritual themes in their music," Eardly said. "It such a big part of their upbringing in Dublin and Ireland that it continues in their music."
A seven-member praise band from Big Beaver United Methodist Church in Troy will perform seven U2 songs, including "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "A Beautiful Day," said Jack Mannschreck, pastor of the church and a tenor in the praise band.
"The music is pretty true to U2, not that we sound like them, but people will definitely recognize it as U2 music," Mannschreck said.
"The music really helps to provide context in the service itself," he said. "It really reflects not only on the Scripture, but on the sacrament as well."
Mannschreck said he will lead the service by connecting each song to Scripture. The song "40" is easy to connect because it is based on Psalm 40 in the Bible, he said.
"This music is so doggone hard to learn that we love to share it whenever we can," he said.
Eardly said U2 waives copyright restrictions on all its music for organizations that collect a freewill offering supporting one of the United Nation's eight Millennium Development Goals. Frankenmuth United Methodist members elected to support Nothing but Nets, a campaign designed to provide bed nets to protect against mosquitoes and prevent the spread of malaria in children and adults in Africa.
The U2charist is free and open to the public. Church members and those willing will take communion at the end of the service. For information, call the church at (989) 652-6858.