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The Daily OrangeA twist on faith
Religious groups use music, sporting events to catch student interest
By Tory Marlin
Posted: 2/25/08, 12:30 AM EST Section: News
Marissa Baum sang at the top of her lungs to U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name." When she messed up the words, she just laughed and continued singing, despite the fact that she was standing in the Noble Room of Hendricks Chapel with 13 other people. Baum, a peer minister with the Episcopal Campus Ministry, wasn't worried about lyrics.
She was participating in a church service.
On Sunday, Feb. 17, The Episcopal Campus Ministry at Syracuse University hosted its first "U2charist," a service of the Holy Eucharist or Communion, with a little bit of a twist. Attendees worshipped to the beat of U2's music, which has become more overtly spiritual in recent years, said Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, the Episcopal chaplain.
"It was more about getting into the song and into the spirit than it was about doing it 'right,'" said Baum, a sophomore art history major.
The service "takes the Eucharist, which is a service of thanksgiving, and turns it into what it's supposed to be, which is a party," said Baskerville-Burrows.
Like the Episcopal Campus Ministry, other religious organizations on and off campus are working to gain the attention and interest of college students.
In 2004, eight out of every 10 college students polled had attended religious services within the past year, according to a study conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at University of California at Los Angeles.
Religious groups are working to keep those students attending religious services involved and interested by offering exciting events like the U2charist. Episcopalians all over the country have worshipped with U2's lyrics on a projector screen in front of them since the U2charist was started in 2005 at St. George's Episcopal Church in York Harbor, Maine.
The U2charist at SU collected $40, which will be donated to Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation, an organization designed to help end poverty.
Baskerville-Burrows said the service applies to students, because they may already be familiar with the music.
She was participating in a church service.
On Sunday, Feb. 17, The Episcopal Campus Ministry at Syracuse University hosted its first "U2charist," a service of the Holy Eucharist or Communion, with a little bit of a twist. Attendees worshipped to the beat of U2's music, which has become more overtly spiritual in recent years, said Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, the Episcopal chaplain.
"It was more about getting into the song and into the spirit than it was about doing it 'right,'" said Baum, a sophomore art history major.
The service "takes the Eucharist, which is a service of thanksgiving, and turns it into what it's supposed to be, which is a party," said Baskerville-Burrows.
Like the Episcopal Campus Ministry, other religious organizations on and off campus are working to gain the attention and interest of college students.
In 2004, eight out of every 10 college students polled had attended religious services within the past year, according to a study conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at University of California at Los Angeles.
Religious groups are working to keep those students attending religious services involved and interested by offering exciting events like the U2charist. Episcopalians all over the country have worshipped with U2's lyrics on a projector screen in front of them since the U2charist was started in 2005 at St. George's Episcopal Church in York Harbor, Maine.
The U2charist at SU collected $40, which will be donated to Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation, an organization designed to help end poverty.
Baskerville-Burrows said the service applies to students, because they may already be familiar with the music.
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