On a Sunday last summer, I began conducting the church service for the Christian Science society where I was serving at that time as First Reader. This position involves extensive reading aloud throughout the hour-long service, beginning with the first hymn. As I was reading a verse of the opening hymn to the congregation, however, I started to have trouble forming the letters on the page into words and understanding how to articulate those words.
I was able to get through the first hymn, but the following reading that was required—a selection from the Bible—grew increasingly inarticulate. And even with helpful hints from the Second Reader standing next to me, I wasn’t able to read the next item, which is the spiritual interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer given on pages 16 and 17 of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.
Seeing my challenge, a member of the congregation offered to take over the position of First Reader, and I then sat with my husband and the rest of the congregation to listen to the remainder of the service. Through my foggy thinking, I determined to focus as best I could on each of the upcoming elements of it.
