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Church Alive

CHURCH. The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle.
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.
– Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures

Are you ‘comfortable’ in church?

From the January 2012 issue of The Christian Science Journal


© Design Pics/Michael Interisano/Valueline/Thinkstock

After viewing some recent mattress commercials on TV, I’ve come to the conclusion that many people today not only expect a new mattress to cure their back problems—but they also blame their old mattress for causing whatever physical problems they have. They spend a great deal of time searching out a new mattress that will give them a peaceful night’s sleep. Or searching out methods to improve their existing mattress with ergonomic pillows or pads, hoping for more comfort. This got me to thinking about how we look at our branch church experience.

It seems that when some members have a disagreement regarding church or a relationship problem with a church member or members—like those in search of the perfect mattress—they want to change church. This could take the form of wanting to leave the branch church and find another church more suited to their needs. Or to persist in looking for numerous ways to change the branch church, hoping for more “comfort.” This may even go as far as viewing other church members as causing the discomfort (not unlike the person with the back problem holding the people that made their mattress at the factory responsible for their condition).

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