Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church will host a special Saturday Eucharist on September 20, called a “U2Charist” because it combines music from the library of humanitarian band U2, with worship and Holy Communion. It will be held at 7:00 PM, at the church located at 13601 Saratoga Avenue, in Saratoga. The non-denominational service, will also feature inspirational speaker, Peter Kithene, who was recently named a ‘CNN Hero’ for his work building a medical clinic to serve impoverished families in Kenya. It is an effort of the 18 Episcopal member churches of the Santa Clara Valley Deanery, to bring wider attention to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight health and welfare goals supported by nearly all of the 192 United Nation countries, including the United States, dozens of non-governmental organizations, and several Christian denominations.

The U2Charist has recently received international media attention for its innovative use of U2’s Biblically rich lyrics and social justice message, for its ability to bring together people of many different generations in a context of worship, and as a tool for raising awareness and empowering communities to respond to the MDGs.

Speaker Peter Kithene was orphaned as a child, and against all odds, received an education in Kenya with his grandmother’s help, and was later accepted at the University of Washington. He never forgot the needs of those from where he came and founded the Mama Maria Kenya medical clinic. In December 2007, Kithene was honored for his work, on CNN Heroes, An All-Star Tribute, as a “medical marvel.”

“I’m honored to help bring attention to the needs of all the world’s people – promoting access to healthcare care, inspiring the young ones to stay in school, reducing poverty and child mortality, promoting clean air and water, stopping HIV’s spread, and bringing equality to the poorest of the poor and the afflicted”, said Peter Kithene. “With U2’s music as a backdrop at this interdenominational gathering, any member of the community whose heart is touched by the call to help, can unite with others for this noble cause.”

Accordingly, the offering at the event will benefit Kithene’s project Mama Maria Kenya, and Episcopal Relief & Development, which through its work is also in engaged in realizing the goals.

An early supporter of the U2Charist, the Rev. Dr. Paige Blair, a coordinator with Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation, stated “We as people of faith are called by our Creator to embrace this call to do what we can to make poverty history.” Read more about the U.N. efforts and others ways you can help at http://www.endpoverty2015.org/about.

This U2Charist at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Saratoga, will be a great opportunity for anyone in the Santa Clara Valley and beyond, to voice their support of global reconciliation and the Millennium Development Goals, in unity with other like-minded individuals in the community. Everyone is welcome.

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Media Contact:
Karin Taylor
(408) 979-0891
karin.taylor@sbcglobal.net
The press is encouraged to attend, or cover the news in advance of this event. Speakers can be arranged for public affairs shows.