In 2001, the members of our church, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Cleveland, voted to sell our large edifice built in 1930–31. After extensive research, it had become apparent that the cost of work required to maintain the building in proper repair was well beyond what our membership could sustain. The building was subsequently sold to an industrial design firm.
Concurrent to our search to find a new location more appropriate to our needs was ongoing metaphysical work by the membership to gain a clear understanding that church is not defined by a building, but by spiritual qualities. The membership compiled a list of qualities we all wanted to see in our new church home. This list continues to be a guideline in our ongoing demonstration of church.
While we searched for a new location, the members of the nearby Christian Science Society, Cleveland Heights, graciously offered to share the use of their edifice. They held their Sunday service at 11 a.m. and we held ours at 9 a.m. Since they were not holding Wednesday testimony meetings at that time, they attended ours. This lovely arrangement continued until the two congregations decided to merge in 2004, retaining the name of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Cleveland.
Mary Baker Eddy’s statement that “in the scientific relation of God to man, we find that whatever blesses one blesses all, as Jesus showed with the loaves and the fishes,—Spirit, not matter, being the source of supply” ( Science and Health, p. 206) was vividly demonstrated in the merger. The need of First Church for a new location and building was met by the society, while the need of the society for the means to continue to hold services and extensively renovate their building was met by First Church.
About three years ago, we found a new location for the Reading Room in a commercial area within a mile of the church. The Reading Room had been in the church edifice for a number of years.
The merged congregations have blended into one harmonious whole with mutual love, respect, and consideration expressed by all. One of our hymns sums up the sentiment we all feel:
One holy church of God appears
.......
Unchanged by changing place.
(Samuel Longfellow, Christian Science Hymnal, No. 261)
As a note of interest, after the firm that had bought our former edifice completed their extensive remodeling to adapt it to their needs, they invited our congregation to view it prior to opening to the public. The partners of the firm told us how much they appreciated the beauty of the architecture of the building and had made every effort to preserve as much of the original décor as possible. They had even computerized the organ to play many different pieces of music. One of the partners said, “You know this has been a win-win situation for both of us. We have a new home for our office that beautifully meets our needs and we understand that you are now in a new location that is just right for you.”
In 1904, Mrs. Eddy wrote the following in a letter to First Church, Cleveland, on the occasion of the dedication of its first edifice. This dear message from our Leader continues to inspire the members of our church today: “The praise-worthy success of this church, and its united efforts to build an edifice in which to worship the infinite, sprang from the temples erected first in the hearts of its members—the unselfed love that builds without hands, eternal in the heaven of Spirit. God grant that this unity remain, and that you continue to build, rebuild, adorn, and fill these spiritual temples with grace, Truth, Life, and Love” (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 195).
