Taizé

What is Taizé?
The Taizé community was established in France in 1940 as a community of worship and ecumenical witness for peace. Brother Roger, the founder of Taizé, envisioned a community gathering Christians across boundaries that traditionally divide?nationality, language, denomination, economic status. The members of the Taizé community live simply and support themselves through shared work.

Three times a day at Taizé, all work ceases, and the community gathers for prayer. They sing simple chants over and over, usually in Latin, to create a common language. They hear scripture lessons read in many languages. They light candles and burn incense to gather all the senses as an offering. They focus their attention on a central cross. And they pray?with words and with silence.

What is the service like at Trinity?
Taizé services at Trinity reflect this tradition, now spread throughout the world by guests who have journeyed to Taizé and carried the vision of shared life and worship to their homes. We gather in silence, sing simple chants, hear scripture lessons, and pause for silence in a room filled with candlelight and incense. The simplicity of the setting and music invite us to "be" with God and each other in a way that is all too rare in our complicated world.
 
Anyone may attend
Taizé services appeal to a broad spectrum of people and ages, and we hope this invitation will bring together participants from many Christian disciplines for a shared worship experience. Brother Roger wrote:  "In a technological society, there is a  clear separation between prayer and  work. When inner life and human solidarity appear to be in competition  with one another, as if people had to  choose between them, that opposition  tears apart the very depth of the soul." The mission of the Church is "to restore all people to unity with God and each other inChrist." (Book of Common Prayer, p. 855) Taizé music and prayers foster the work of reconciliation and unity.
 
Local opportunities
Taizé prayer is offered in Indianapolis, Sundays at 5 pm by the following four congregations:

• 1st Sundays
  No service
• 2nd Sundays
  5 pm
  Trinity Episcopal Church
  3243 N. Meridian Street
• 3rd Sundays
  5 pm
  St. Luke's United Methodist Church
  100 W. 86th Street
• 4th Sundays
  5 pm
  North United Methodist Church
  3808 N. Meridian Street