For many of us, Church is one of the most important parts of our lives. But sometimes we may be asked, "Just how important is church membership?" Or someone may want to know, "Why do I need to become a member of a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, if I study the Bible LessonIn the Christian Science Quarterly. daily? Surely I should not feel bound to go to a building to hear the Bible Lesson read when I have already studied it thoroughly all week." These and similar questions may have come to us from others or when we were new students of Christian Science considering branch church membership. Sometimes even lifelong Scientists have to think about them.
Actually, we all need branch church membership. Since Church is "the structure of Truth and Love,"See The definition of Church in Science and Health, p. 583. as Mrs. Eddy writes, Church structures our lives, it rouses our thinking, it elevates the race. This structuring, rousing, and elevating is not accomplished through haphazard study and inconsistent church attendance. It is gained by diligent study and dedicated love of our church, expressed in consistent attendance and support.
Since I became a member of a branch church, my life has taken on a structure and a purpose it never knew before. Every Sunday service, Wednesday evening testimony meeting, church committee or board meeting has enlightened my path and strengthened my thought in some way, giving me a greater sense of God's closeness, allness, and goodness. A few years ago our family experienced a healing that has been a beacon for me because it shows so clearly how important consistent attendance and support of our branch church are.
