The spiritual growth that comes naturally as we study, pray, and prepare for a term as Reader in a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, opens our hearts to the love of God. As we respond to this love, we discover we love ourselves, our church, congregation, and world more. This deeper spiritual affection is what being a Reader is all about. It is not something that we personally manufacture. It's not something that we can run out of or turn on only when we are at the podium. Because it is an affection that originates in God, it reaches the receptive heart wherever that heart is.
How important, then, in our preparation for Readership that we live what we are learning in our study! When we do live the precious truths of Christian Science and really make them our own, our reading comes alive and it rings true. Mrs. Eddy writes, "The vital part, the heart and soul of Christian Science, is Love." Science and Health, p. 113 We must live that divine Love if we want to express the letter and spirit of Christian Science in our services. Then our reflection of this Love will shine during the service, melting away fear, pride, or a false sense of personal responsibility.
Mrs. Eddy established the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures as the pastor of her Church. These two books provide all Christian Science churches with an impersonal pastor. It is this pastor that imparts the Word and meets the need of the congregation. The Reader's work is to express the letter and the spirit of our pastor.
There are many ways we can effectively convey what the pastor is saying to the congregation. It is important for us to realize that the Readers set the tone for the services. Their appearance, reading style, and, most important, their quality of thought are crucial to an uplifting, healing service. If we are filled with the love of Christ, which heals, and with a joyous certainty of God's goodness, we cannot look out on the congregation with a somber glare. Trying to express divine Principle without expressing Love would dampen the flame of Christianity, which must burn brightly in our church services.
It may appear that reading style is a very personal thing, but this personal sense—the belief that we are mortals with limited personal minds—is what causes fear, nervousness, and lack of confidence. The less personal sense is involved, the more poised and inspired our reading becomes. We need continually to look to our pastor as the true focus of the service. Aren't the people in the congregation there to hear the Word? To gain some understanding of God? To be healed? They are not there to hear our personal reading style! Of course, people will probably tell us how much they enjoy our reading or how good we look up there on the podium, and that's fine. But the deeper, lasting effect of our reading comes not from personal appearance or style. It comes from our individual understanding and demonstration of Soul, Spirit—from the way we individually embody what we are reading.
Learning to look away from human personality in our reading doesn't mean we become neutral and expressionless. It means that we look to God, Soul, Love, as the source of our expression. Speaking of what happens when we progress in spiritual understanding, Mrs. Eddy writes; "This scientific sense of being, forsaking matter for Spirit, by no means suggests man's absorption into Deity and the loss of his identity, but confers upon man enlarged individuality, a wider sphere of thought and action, a more expansive love, a higher and more permanent peace." Ibid., p. 265 Understanding more of his spiritual identity, the Reader is increasingly freed from traits that would, through emphasis on personality, limit the good work being done.
While we can be inspired to see natural ways to develop better reading ability, it is wise to listen to Paul's warning "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." I Cor. 13:1 Surely we don't want to be sounding brass and tinkling cymbals!
Preparing to read the Sunday Bible Lesson found in the Christian Science Quarterly, selecting passages for Wednesday evening testimony meetings, and choosing hymns for the services are indeed labors of love and listening. It is our growing love for God and His creation, for church, community, and world that inspires our listening. Often the readings may spring from our own need of healing, but whatever the spiritual impulsion, as we follow it, we will discover original and healing approaches to the selection of Wednesday meeting subjects, scriptural readings, and hymns.
Listening involves humility and flexibility. We must allow our pastor to meet the varied needs of the congregation. We should turn to God wholeheartedly and say, "Father, what do You want me to do the readings on?" And we must be prepared to change our Wednesday evening topic if we are led to do so. On more than one occasion when I was reading, I had already prepared the readings for the Wednesday testimony meeting, when a local, national, or international crisis or tragedy occurred, and I felt impelled to change the readings. With the motive to comfort, heal, and guide, I found the new readings always came together quickly and proved to be much appreciated by the congregation.
In addition to prayerful study, diligent prayer prior to the service is of utmost importance. We can pray, knowing that the Truth and Love on which our Church is founded must be evident in our services. The power, inspiration, and light of Truth and the warmth and joy of Love will draw to our doors those genuinely seeking Truth, and they will be warmly welcomed in. We can see that the entire congregation is "Encompassed by His grace,/Enfolded in His love," Christian Science Hymnal, No. 199 to use the words of a hymn.
Because God is the only Mind, it is the divine Mind, not a human, mortal mind, that quietly imparts truth to each listener in a way that each will understand. We can understand that the Christ is always present, casting out distractions, fear, or confusion.
After the service it is important to acknowledge that the power of the Word remains with each individual. We can know that the faithfulness and obedience that brought those attending to the service will continue to bless their lives.
Being a Reader in a branch church is a wonderful privilege, a privilege that needs to be cherished and nurtured. It is also a privilege that requires constant alertness on our part. While a Reader may sometimes feel he or she is a target for efforts to distract the congregation or for attack on Christian Science, Mrs. Eddy writes wisely and assuringly, from her own tested experience: "... a heart loyal to God is patient and strong. Justice waits, and is used to waiting; and right wins the everlasting victory." Miscellaneous Writings, p. 277 Let's remember that error can never find the spiritual idea of God. The Readership can only be a fortress of Truth, not a target that can be hit by error.
The power, inspiration, and light of Truth and
the warmth and joy of Love will draw to our doors
those genuinely seeking Truth.
The Psalmist left a prayer that reminds us for whom we are truly doing this work: "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer." Ps. 19:14 If that's the spiritual impulse that motivates our service as a Reader, then the motive is from God and brings its own rewards and protection. This is indeed holy ground upon which to stand.
