U2charist: Saturday, Oct. 28, 8pm

Peacemeal will be presenting a U2charist at Test Pattern, 334 Adams Ave, Scranton, on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 8pm. A U2charist is a worship service combining the traditional elements of word and sacrament with the music of U2. We hope to create an ancient-future worship experience that brings the best of the past into creative fusion with contemporary culture. Our goal is not just to tap into the spirituality of U2's music, but to raise awareness about the One campaign and the Millenium Development Goals. All offerings received at the service will be directed toward the Millenium Development Goals through the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem.

| U2charist, test pattern, One, U2 |

Jesus Camp

I remember seeing something about Jesus Camp on Good Morning America some time ago. And recently my friend Sarah blogged about her experience seeing the film with friends. This compelled me to check out the trailer. It's subject? From the film's website:

A growing number of Evangelical Christians believe there is a revival underway in America that requires Christian youth to assume leadership roles in advocating the causes of their religious movement.

Jesus Camp follows a group of young children to Pastor Becky Fischer's "Kids on Fire Summer Camp," where kids are taught to be dedicated Christian soldiers in God's army and are schooled in how to take back America for Christ. The film is a first-ever look into an intense training ground that recruits born-again Christian children to become an active part of America's political future.

It scares me.

Some quotes from the trailer:

"There are two kinds of people in the world: people who love Jesus, and people who don't."

"I've got Jesus, yes I do. I've got Jesus, how 'bout you?" - pep rally-style, back and forth cheer

"I really feel that we're a key generation to Jesus coming back." - spoken by an ?8? year old

"At 5 I got saved because I just wanted more of life." - the same ?8? year old

"You go into Palestine and they're taking their kids to camp like we take our kids to Bible camps and they're putting hand grenades in their hands."

"We're being trained to be God's army."

"Raise up righteous judges." - Adult on stage
"Righteous judges, righteous judges." -Crowd of kids below him, arms up, chanting

"There's a new church like this every 2 days in America."

"End of the wooooorld...end of the woooooorld."

"This means war! This means war! Are you a part of it or not?"

According to the film's website and my own search at the 4 area theaters, Jesus Camp is not currently showing and won't be in the area any time soon.

I'd like to keep my eye on this and watch it on DVD with some people when it becomes available. Who's in?

| jesus camp, evangelical, fundamentalist, church and state |

into the caverns of tomorrow . . .

I'm listening to the Bright Eyes CD, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning while trying to get an article written (it's late, I'm tired, and even moderately interesting things seem profound!). But this quote from "At the Bottom of Everything" actually is profound (or at least inspiring):

"into the caverns of tomorrow
with just our flashlights and our love,
we must plunge, we must plunge, we must plunge"

Well, that's it, isn't it? That's what it's like to be the church leaning into the future. What a great song. What a hopeful plunge!

| bright eyes, i'm wide awake, it's morning, at the bottom of everything |