How much do we love our church? How much healing is in our concept of it? Are we lifting our gaze beyond the externals— beyond the traditional steepled building, the impressive monument to religion that is pointed out to the city's visitor, beyond even the simple, small room that holds a few earnest worshipers?
Are any of these truly "Church"? Natural and popular expressions, yes, but only symbols, nevertheless. Is there even one word describing any of these outward symbols in the definition of "Church" in the Christian Science textbook? Mrs. Eddy clearly sets forth the absolute, spiritual idea which is Church, and the activity that identifies it: "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle.
"The Church is that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick."Science and Health, p. 583;
Church is an integral and important part of the experience of anyone who turns wholeheartedly to Christian Science, and church being a part of one's experience, everything about it must be translated out of the material into Mind. Just as we spiritualize our concept of anything that appears in our experience in order to heal and uplift, so spiritualizing our concept of church brings healing and enlivening.
As we become better church healers, better translators of objects into ideas, healing our vision of church of criticism, discouragement, apathy, rigidity, and self-righteousness, the collective demonstration of Truth by our memberships will be a beacon light in our communities and draw mankind to our churches as they were drawn to Christ Jesus. And for the right reason—healing. If our church is not attracting through healing, let us look to our individual consciousness of what church is, our individual responsibility and privilege. It is helpful to square our responsibility with answers to these questions: Am I in my daily living affording proof of the utility of Principle, Truth, Love? Am I doing my part in elevating the race? Am I consistent in rousing my dormant understanding from material beliefs to seeing more clearly the spiritual ideas and demonstrating divine Science? Am I healing the sick?
To the extent that we can answer yes to these queries, we are expressing in our lives the "church" in action, a healing church.
There claim to be many counterattractions to church attendance and church service. It is interesting to note that in physics attraction means not only drawing together but resistance to separation. In metaphysics, too, as we demonstrate the true attraction of spiritual ideas, we simultaneously diminish the belief in separation—separation of God from His creation. In its essence, true attraction is at-one-ment with God; it is man forever enfolded in God's love for and knowledge of him.
Because man is never separated from God, he is never separated from good, and as the law of God, good, becomes operative in one's consciousness, it unveils and heals the claims of resistance to attending church, to serving, to truly loving church. Mrs. Eddy writes, "There is but one real attraction, that of Spirit,"ibid., p. 102; and a prayerful desire to let only Spirit and things spiritual be uppermost in our church activities is supported and strengthened by that prayer.
The primary function of the Church of Christ, Scientist, is healing. It is not ushering, Christian Science literature distribution, welcoming, lecture arranging, board work, or even providing music and conducting services as such, essential as these are. If healing is cherished as the church's primary function, all of these procedures, these outward expressions, will be harmonized and productive of good.
There is healing in welcoming the stranger, when we perceive that our Father knows no stranger, hence we can see only a child of God to be received gladly. In truth he is always home, in heaven, and Christian Science waits to acquaint him with this fact.
There is healing in the distribution of Christian Science periodicals when it is seen that they represent the Word of God and that the Word is quick and powerful to heal mankind today, just as it was when so described in the Bible: "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."Heb. 4:12;
There is healing in the unselfishness of a gift to the community—a lecture on Christian Science. In sharing the bountiful revelation of divine Science, both the giver and the recipient are blessed.
When church members act as First and Second Readers at the church services, their reading has spiritual impetus in proportion as all criticism and egotism are put down and the truths from our impersonal pastor, the Bible and Science and Health, are allowed to flow forth unobstructed by personal sense. Music at the church services, heard as the evidence of Soul's harmony, can only inspire and bless.
Opportunities for healing appear in the gentle correction of the new student's misconceptions and in the rededication of the experienced church worker, as each is led to unite with and serve the Cause of Christian Science, giving honest heed to Mrs. Eddy's admonition: "God requires our whole heart, and He supplies within the wide channels of The Mother Church dutiful and sufficient occupation for all its members."Manual of The Mother Church, Art. VIII, Sect. 15.
More gratitude cannot fail to bring more healing, and members who have joined church to show their gratitude in serving God and helping the race are the ones who experience the greatest healing and who in turn are the best healers.
As the truths of Church are exemplified in our church activity, we will see an enlarged and active membership and more vital and lasting demonstrations of healing by our church members—an ever increasing fruition.
Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed
and in truth. ... And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him,
because we keep his commandments, and do those things that
are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment,
That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ,
and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
I John 3:18–23
