Give Me A Break Taizé offers peace in a busy workweek. by MARY ALLISON BEASLEY CATES ost songs that get stuck in my head are annoying. The "Let's Go Krogering" jingle is a perfect example. During one two-week period, that damn thing obstructed every thought I had. But the latest tune to haunt my brain is different. Concise, distinctly repetitive, and in Latin, it is, in short, inspiring. I've even conjured it up on purpose a few times. The song is a chant from the weekly Taizé (pronounced Teh-zay) service held Wednesday evenings at First Congregational Church on South Watkins in Midtown. The service is modeled after a style of worship introduced in 1940 in Taizé, France, as a way of bringing peace and reconciliation amid World War II hostilities. Open from its inception to Protestants as well as Catholics and to those from diverse geographic backgrounds, Taizé continued after the war and became the "parable of communion" and inspiration for peace which its founder, a priest by the name of Father Roger, had dreamed it would. In 1957, the community began to target those under the age of 30 and from across Europe to participate in week-long meetings of prayer and worship. Participants shared experiences with those from other walks of life and left better prepared to faithfully respond to situations they faced at home. These meetings are still held in Taizé, with up to 5,000 youths gathering each week. Participants are free to choose how they want to spend the week: Bible study, meditation, group discussions, cooking, cleaning, maintaining the grounds, choir, and running meetings. Participants are also asked to make small donations to cover the costs of food, accommodations, and general upkeep. Adults over 30 and families with children are welcome too, but all Taizé programs center around private meditation three times a day. For two years now, a regular group has been gathering at First Congregational every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. for a Taizé-style service. The service is open to all ages, and according to Reverend Scott Howell, it attracts First Congregational members as well as members of other area Protestant and Catholic churches. Even those who do not regularly attend church can find weekly renewal in the Taizé service. "The 45 minutes of simple chanting and silence is spiritually grounding," Howell says. "Mid-week it's really nice for people to have time to stop, center, and have some focus." Song itself becomes a form of prayer as leaders and worshipers lift their voices in lyrics as basic as "Holy Spirit come to us" or "Lord have compassion." The reality of those words gradually penetrates the heart and soul. The chants are also translated into as many as seven languages so worshipers feel a connection with those all over the world who are also participating in the same prayer and song. At several points during the service at First Congregational, a leader reads from the Bible, and the congregation responds by singing a simple "Hallelujah." The mid-point of the service is reserved for meditation and prayer and lasts about 15 minutes. Some worshipers use stools for this portion of the service; others remain still and in their pews. The Taizé service specifically addresses our efforts to come into closer contact with God. The simplicity of the chants, the communal prayers, the minutes of quiet meditation remind us that what's important need not be complicated and time-consuming. God is as accessible as stillness, song, and silence. As I carried out the hectic routine of everyday life this week, I encountered a few shining moments of silence at work, in the car, and just before I fell asleep. It was during these times that I remembered the Latin chant: "Da pacem Domine, da pacem O Christe, in diebus nostris." "Give peace in our days, Lord Christ" -- and keep me from that Kroger jingle.