I started Monthly Taize services at my Parish last fall and they have been well received. Is anyone else familiar with Taize? I'm looking for ideas to get creative with.

I've never heard of Taize... what is it?

Hey there!

"Taize" is a wonderful thing: an oecumenical way of praying, which started in Europe, to meet the need of all Christians to pray together would they be Lutherans, Calvinists, Catholics, Pentacostal... and whatever their nationality or language.. (in Europe, we have so many different languages, cultures, and different ways of being Christians, that is was quite a challenge to get everybody together to pray!)

Around the place of "Taizé" in France, and also in many places, Christians gather to pray with simple but beautiful songs, usually small refrains, which are repeted over and over with different voices, different instruments, different languages... And usually, it is in a very "praying" place with candles.. It is beautiful, especially as people really pray deeply at these meetings..

See by yourself http://www.taize.fr/

You can hear and learn the songs (refrains) from the website quite easily:

Among these refrains are some which you might know without knowing they are from Taize: "Ubi Caritas", "The kingdom of God is justice and peace", "Wait for the Lord", ... etc. http://www.taize.fr/en_article10308.html

Each year there is a big meeting for a few days around New Year, in an European city.. this time it will be in Berlin:

http://www.taize.fr/en_article13123.html

Best,

Anne from France