Living Stone Christian Reformed Church of Rochester, Minn., will spend Good Friday with People of Hope Lutheran Church, presenting the Easter story using the gospel of Mark and the music of Irish rock group U2. This is the second year for the event.
Last year 60 people attended the initial Good Friday gathering, and this year Living Stone’s pastor, Rev. Kyle Haack, hopes the worship service will attract at least 200 people.
“We hope to tell the passion story in a way they can understand it—especially those outside the church,” Haack said.
A narrator reads the passage about Jesus hosting the last supper, then a live band plays the U2 song “With or Without You.” After the reading of the resurrection story, the band plays “Where the Streets Have No Name,” and the congregation concludes the service singing “Sunday, Bloody Sunday” and “Pride.”
“It’s an interesting event,” Haack said. “It’s really a marriage of the gospel of Mark and U2 music and different churches and different dominations.”
Haack said he developed the U2 idea when he was at Calvin Theological Seminary. “I’m a big U2 fan,” he said. “I’ve seen them in concert. I consider it one of the most religious experiences I’ve ever had.”
About the Author
Paul Delger is a long time professional writer and inspirational speaker to young people and lives in Kanawha, Iowa.
