MENTION CHURCH and people often think of white steeples reaching towards blue skies. Or gothic cathedrals in Europe. Or little country churches dotting the landscape.
But Church is so much more than a building—or a community of worshippers. Healing Church is all around us. Yes, Church definitely has an institutional side. But more importantly, Church is a concept, an idea. And really it's a divine idea as expressed in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, where she described Church as "The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle" (p.583).
So Church is much more than a group of people gathering for worship services. Certainly church attendance can be a core experience for prayer and worship. But the real meaning of Church extends far beyond the walls of a building. Continuing the above definition of Church in Science and Health, Mary Baker Eddy wrote, "The Church is that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick."
