what do I want to think of when I think of Church? It's a simple equation, really: Church = joy.
Seriousness doesn't speak to me—I guess because in my mind, it relates to fear. And that's what I've asked myself a lot with regard to Church: Why on earth do we take Church so seriously? Why do we seem to take these ideas, this Science of Christianity, so seriously? What are we afraid of? Are we afraid if we don't, if we don't guard it and protect it, that we'll lose it? What do we think is going to happen?
Christian Science is a Science, and as with any science, it's important to know what the truth really is, or we can't prove it. But being overly serious about this Science of Love seems counterproductive; it removes the childlikeness that I think both Jesus and Mary Baker Eddy saw as so valuable to our practice.