Articles

Years ago, when my husband and I, and our two daughters, lived on an isolated ranch in northeastern Oregon, The Mother Church seemed far away. Although I loved Christian Science, it was often difficult (and sometimes impossible, with storms or below-zero weather) to leave our mountain valley and get down the mountain to the local branch church.

Since I was raised in Christian Science and in the Sunday School, it felt natural to apply for Mother Church membership, which I did a year after I graduated from Sunday School at age 20. By then I had started living this religion and had prayed about issues regarding schoolwork, finding employment, and resolving relationship problems.

While in my teens, after going through a very challenging time in my life, I took up the study of Christian Science. I attended a branch church, read the Christian Science Bible Lesson and the periodicals, and spent a lot of time in prayer.

I was raised in Christian Science and was connected to church from the start, being cared for in our branch church’s nursery on Sundays and Wednesdays. I joined The Mother Church when I was 12 because I had seen my two older sisters do it and it seemed like the cool thing to do.

Numbering the People. Christian Scientists shall not report for publication the number of the members of The Mother Church, nor that of the branch churches.

Every lecture year I do several lectures at prisons and halfway houses. All of them have been rewarding experiences, not only for me, but for those in the audience who perhaps have never heard about Christian Science—its simplicity and practicality.

After years of searching for a relationship with God, this writer finds Christian Science, and peace of mind.

Unsatisfied with debating social and economic issues, and reacting to rancor and partisanship, the author finds peace by engaging in a prayerful response to the day’s headlines.

A Sunday School class prompts this writer to ponder any misconceptions he may have carried around about the nature of prayer—and to correct them and uplift his thinking.

Juggling three part-time jobs, a teacher finds freedom in a spiritual view of herself.