What Works?

Many of our readers have responded to our invitation at the end of this column every month to tell us: "What works in your church?" We've gathered some recent responses, as well as excerpts from Web postings at TMC Youth and e-mails/letters to The Mother Church to share with you. OUR Branch Church Found that too much business meant too little time to spend on the "good of the church" at the end of each meeting. So we reversed the agenda, and now "For the Good of the Church" comes first! Wonderful sharing and discussions are the result, sometimes constituting the whole meeting!

We've found ways to move routine off the agenda (mostly by e-mailing them to members) so we can focus on our current theme of "inward nurture, outward embrace," accomplishing needed business harmoniously, including recent expansion of our Sunday School building and replacement of both our organ and HVAC systems. — E-mail to the Journal from Linda Bargmann, Creve Coeur, Missouri Thought YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR about our church meeting last night. I was substitute Reader and decided to do readings on the topic of "Freedom" to honor our country's Independence Day. We started the meeting with singing three verses of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" followed by readings from the Bible and Science and Health. We then sang Hymn No. 136, "I love thy way of freedom, Lord," and finished with "God Bless America" by lrving Berlin.

We used PowerPoint to project pictures on the wall as background for the order of service, the welcome, and so forth—beautiful pictures of the flag and bursting fireworks. (We use PowerPoint at all our services with seasonal pictures, flowers, etc.) The testimonies were overflowing and wonderful. People told of great healings, gratitude, thankfulness for our country, the Comforter, Mrs. Eddy, Christ Jesus, and Paul.

We are not a big church (Auburn, California), but we had a good crowd. And we were certainly heard in the community last night. The singing was exuberant. Our church is located in a historic part of downtown in a mall facing the main street. I was so happy to have been a small part of it. — E-mail to the Clerk of The Mother Church from Zoe Fischer

WE MAY BE SMALL, but we are alive and vibrant. That wasn't always the case. Some years back we were comfortable, content, and not eager to move from our comfort level. Our church is small and like a family, but we realized at one of our annual membership meetings that we needed to embrace a more expansive thought of Church. We discussed ways we could enrich not only our church, but each member and guest.

In the past two years, we have implemented several changes that have blessed our church immensely. Our metaphysical chairman began sending out via e-mail a topic of the month to work on and think about. Now, at the end of the month, we are reminded to share our inspiration on the topic, again via e-mail. Our chairman complies the messages, thoughts, and healings, and sends out the metaphysical ideas of the month. At the end of the year, she makes a book for each member with the year's monthly inspirations included. We are well aware of the increase in "guests" attending our services, which we attribute to our church-in-action metaphysics. Some of the monthly topics include "Hid with Christ," "Hearts full of love," "Always fresh," "Family gatherings." An unexpected side benefit is seeing how each church member views the topic differently.

We have also gone to "church in the round" for our Wednesday evening meetings. We hold these meetings in our Sunday School room, with chairs placed in a semicircle. We don't stand for testimonies, but speak more informally from our chairs. The less formal environment is cozy, comfortable, and conducive to sharing more freely. We now have individuals sharing thoughts and healings who have never stood up or spoken in the church auditorium. Guests seem to like the intimate, friendly setting. Almost every chair is filled—even in the middle of our Midwestern winters!

The third Sunday of every month is now for "Reading Room chats." One hour after our Sunday service, we meet in the Reading Room (or Sunday School if we need more room) to discuss items of church interest. No politics of any kind, church or otherwise, are allowed. We've discussed the Church Manual, learned how to use the computer in the Reading Room, listened to Bible scholars, followed the journey of Paul, discussed Bible passages, even learned the history of our Scandinavian church design. And members may request a topic of interest. We have broadened our thought. We have embraced our church. We are practicing Christian Science! — E-mail to the Journal from Ann Blamey, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

WE HAD A VERY SLIGHT CHANGE IN OUR SOLO that was interesting in our church today. Our soloist had chosen a setting of a solo that was basically the parable of the seeds [see Matt. 13:24-30], which was in our Bible Lesson. The solo started out with a musical interlude and a few lines with the words something like, "And Jesus taught his disciples with this parable." The soloist didn't like the music that went with that phrase, so she just spoke those first few words, and then began singing the rest of the solo. It was a little something different, but I guess those new things make our ears perk up! — Annette D—posted on discussion boards at TMCYouth.com

THANKS [TO A PREVIOUS POST] FOR SHARING your experience with a First Reader who can make a congregation laugh! Although it seems like a rarity, I've seen several readers who are comfortable including humor, ad-libbing, and interacting with the congregation. I think the Readers sometimes get flak for it, so I appreciate their bravery!

Personally, I don't think an "impersonal pastor" at a Church of Christ, Scientist, means we have to have an "impersonal Reader." I've seen Readers who greet people before and after the church service, who announce the topic of their Wednesday evening readings, who sit closer to the congregation, who look to the congregation to help them with the announcements, who open the service with a little "preview" of what's ahead, who refer to the soloist, organist, fellow reader, and members of the congregation by name, and who sometimes use hymns other than those in the Christian Science Hymnal.

Not everyone is comfortable with deviating from the traditional church service, so I've seen Readers who make compromises—like posting the subject of the readings on the church lobby bulletin board instead of announcing them during the service. And readers who want to make changes are usually more successful when they consult with the church membership about it first.

I'm not aware of a rule that church services have to be conducted the same way each week. You can have a traditional church service one week, and then do something different or less formal the next week. For example, here's something our branch church has been doing for a couple of years now: We have a Wednesday evening "family night" four or five times a year during school vacation weeks. We have dinner together at a local restaurant before the church service, and then the kids are encouraged to participate at the church service—ushering, giving testimonies, etc. Just recently, we tried a new twist: the First Reader prepared a handout for the kids to use during the family night readings that had fill-in-the-blank questions about the readings. This helped the kids listen to the readings and stay engaged! — georgeburton—posted on discussion boards at TMCYouth.com

JUST RECENTLY I WENT TO A SUNDAY SERVICE in a small, cozy church that was full on that Sunday. They had part of the music coming from a CD. We arrived at the "Amen" and somebody just started the CD as usual. Well, never ever underestimate any part of the service!! Pizzicato violin tones filled the room and then a boy's quiet voice began to sing: "Vois sur ton chemin . . ." the first words of a song from the French movie Les Choristes (The chorus Singers). The song is about not passing those children in need on our way, but giving them a hand gently and lovingly to allow brighter tomorrows to come into all our lives. It was such a breathtaking two-minute example of feeling "the power of the Word" [Mary Baker Eddy, Poems, p. 75]!

Mrs. Eddy often did the unexpected and thus brought good into the lives of many. It was the totally unexpected that touched the hearts of that Sunday's congregation so deeply. And it fit perfectly to that day's Lesson Sermon. To me, it was a big reminder of how the thoughtful and loving preparation of any part of the service—and the willingness to think in channels that might seem beyond the "normal"—can make all the difference. I am absolutely sure no one will ever forget that service!

It always pays off to keep thought open to do the unexpected—even if it is quite a bit beyond the mainstream. If it is done with inspiration and love, people will always feel that! And that's what makes all the difference. — Baerlin—posted on discussion boards at TMCYouth.com

BEFORE WE WENT TO THE TMC YOUTH Sunday School workshop in NYC my wife and I asked our church's Sunday School teachers the main concerns and thoughts of their students. Two things kept coming up. The first was concern the students had about the slow speed of their healings and the second was that they are not sure they will be attending a Christian Science church after Sunday School graduation, because it is "boring." The first is easy to take care of. Students can increase their understanding in many ways through more study and even taking Primary class instruction. The second is not as easy.

The Reverend Irving Tomlinson asked about 125 years ago, "Who would want to go to hear a man and a woman read"? My wife and I are Readers, and we try to make sure we fully understand the Lesson—the notes and commentary on www.myBibleLesson.com are a big help. We practice reading the Lesson out loud often and make every effort to read with great expression and make the church service very interesting for the congregation.

We also try to vary the announcements as they are doing at The Mother Church, to have interesting solos, and change the usual routine of the services. For example, after reading "the scientific statement of being," the Second Reader will read the correlative passage from First John, and then the First Reader reads the benediction. At times the First Reader introduces "the scientific statement of being" by saying before she reads it: "Mary Baker Eddy asked, 'What is the scientific statement of being?' " At times we have the Second Reader introduce some of the hymns or read the announcements. Just small things to break away from the usual routine.

Since there is no Church Manual requirement to use only the Christian Science Hymnal, some churches do hand out hymn sheets on some occasions. We must make our services interesting and inviting for our Sunday School graduates. We don't want to lose them! — peartruck—posted on discussion boards at TMCYouth.com

WHAT WORKS? Our Christian Science Society has an unwritten, but strictly enforced, bylaw: No criticizing. Each individual who joins agrees not to indulge in criticism of other members or of the church—including our Society and The Mother Church. This seems like a simple enough requirement, following Jesus' admonition to "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matt. 7:1).

Sometimes apparently small decisions can have significant outcomes. I feel that our following through on this member requirement has been a significant factor in attracting people to our church services as well as supporting members' spiritual growth. When you don't give criticism a place in thought, something has to fill the space it once occupied. That "something" is likely to be appreciation and praise. And this uplifted thinking is felt in the atmosphere of services and meetings.

For instance, one member—new to Christian Science—said that from the first time she visited, she wanted to keep attending because she felt such love. A visitor commented on the joy she felt when she attended. Because of this atmosphere of joy and mutual appreciation, I (and probably many other members) participate more out of desire than duty—something that hasn't always been true in my church experiences.

Freed from any condemnation or dissension, our members have been able to devote their energies to individual spiritual growth and community outreach. With unity of Spirit, our outreach is growing. In the four years our Society has existed, members have sold or given away hundreds of copies of Science and Health through participating in or contributing to numerous community activities. We also sponsor broadcasts of the Bible Lesson biweekly on local public access TV.

That doesn't mean we don't have any challenges. We do. But with no opportunity to voice criticism or condemnation, prayer is our only recourse. And it's the best one. We don't need to fret or argue over church decisions when it becomes clear that because God is in control, right decisions will flourish and bless. Mistaken ones will fade away.

The first tenet of Christian Science is, "As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life" (Science and Health, p. 497). I have thought about the fact that we are adherents of Truth (God), not of particular opinions or viewpoints. As I've tried to apply this to conversations and actions, judgmental thinking has lessened. Encouraging changes have taken place. For example, when the Board of Directors of The Mother Church makes a decision—such as including a variety of Bible translations in the Golden Text and Responsive Reading of Bible Lessons—I no longer feel a need to align myself with an opinion, pro or con.

I've also felt a more consistent sense of happiness and a greater appreciation for friends. A longestranged relative has returned to the family and become interested in Christian Science. My former husband and I have developed a very warm friendship. A couple of people in difficult situations have asked me to pray for them. And I've found it far easier to answer questions about Christian Science from people unfamiliar with it.

I love the Bible account of Jesus the adulterous woman. In this story (see John 8:3-11), the scribes and Pharisees confront him with a woman accused of adultery, and ask him if she should be stoned, in accordance with Mosaic law. After pausing thoughtfully (prayerfully?), he answers, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. . . . And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one." When Jesus is left alone with the woman, he does not condemn her, but tells her to "Go, and sin no more." The scribes and Pharisees were trying to force Jesus into choosing between two opinions: One would pit him against Mosaic law, and the other against the law of Love. But he doesn't fall for the notion that he has to take sides. As a result, he is able to offer a brilliant solution that neither condones sin nor condemns the person struggling with sin.

I'm convinced that as adherents of particular opinions, we won't always accomplish much of anything. But as adherents of Truth, we can find wonderful solutions to even seemingly insurmountable problems, as Jesus did in the story of the adulterous woman. We can help ourselves and others draw closer to God and find greater freedom from illness and sin. This can be done more effectively together, as a church of individuals loving and supporting one another, than alone. And we can give our best energies to church by entertaining only prayerful, loving support for one another, not letting ourselves be diverted from devoting our best energies "to the greatest and holiest of all causes" (Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896, p. 177). — E-mail from Roberta Dever, Tampa, Florida