"What is the history of Christian Science in my community? How do branch Churches of Christ, Scientist, get started?" To inspire those who wish to start or revitalize a branch, we're happy to share occasional accounts of this important activity. As the following excerpt illustrates, it's healing that attracts and holds Truth-seekers.
One of the seeds in the building of the Venice, Florida, branch Church of Christ, Scientist, was sown as far back as the early 1900s when my mother-in-law was healed in Chicago through Christian Science. In her testimony in the Christian Science Sentinel she said, ". . . the real joy gained from Christian Science is not from the physical healing, but in the endeavor to live closer to God" (February 26, 1916). Christian Science had become this young woman's first love.
Years later, in 1932, when she was raising a family, the family moved to Venice. Here, they were in the midst of many who had never heard of Christian Science. Unabashedly, my mother-in-law would bring up the subject of Christian Science to strangers, recommending they read Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, the Christian Science textbook. The whole family lived what they understood of Christian Science. Also, my father-in-law gave a subscription to The Christian Science Monitor to the high school, and Science and Health was placed in the beginnings of a public library. Opportunity to help and heal led to my mother-in-law's becoming a public practitioner of Christian Science. Healing, the spiritual groundwork for church-building in a community, had begun.
