Announcements

This year's Annual Meeting is expanding to address the mission and purpose of the Church of Christ, Scientist, as highlighted in the March issue of The Christian Science Journal . A natural part of that mission is the continuing exploration of the pastor's role in Christian Science Reading Rooms and in the community In preparation, each of us is invited to think and pray about Mary Baker Eddy's foundational statements of mission and purpose for this Church, together with the following questions: • How can our church and Reading Room more fully embrace and fulfill the mission and purpose of the Church of Christ, Scientist? (See Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs.

Meetings concerning public awareness of Mary Baker Eddy's book Science and Health provided the impetus for our branch church to initiate a literature distribution project at Islip/MacArthur Airport, a busy area serving central and eastern Long Island, New York. The project is being supported by most of the branch churches in the vicinity.

• How has our concept of the role of the pastor (the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy) in the Christian Science Reading Room grown in the last year? • What fresh insight have we gained from the specific Reading Room By-Laws in the Manual of The Mother Church? • In what tangible ways have we seen the pastor ministering to our community? • How have we seen Reading Rooms as a primary avenue for sharing Science and Health? • What evidence of healing have we seen in the community this past year? • Do people in the community know more about the Reading Room and what it has to offer than they did last year? These are just some of the questions we could ask ourselves as we prepare for Annual Meeting 1996. The meeting will continue the focus on the pastor's role in Reading Rooms and their connection within our communities.

This letter writer from Virginia began by telling how during the past year she has been able to share Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy with many people, including a florist dealing with bereavement, a man whose wife had left him, a minister who had been diagnosed with a serious disease. She then related in detail this account of one man 's receptivity to her gift of the book: During the past year I have so enjoyed looking for and taking opportunities to give away copies of Science and Health.

Employment at The Mother Church in Boston is a unique experience. The work done here directly contributes to the uplifting of humanity through Christian Science.

Building on the foundation of last year's Annual Meeting, this year's meeting will continue to focus on the Christian Science pastor and its role in Christian Science Reading Rooms and in communities. Annual Meeting will begin at 1:30 p.

Browse through questions and answers about Christian Science, through information about Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures and its author, Mary Baker Eddy; learn about The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and visit the church headquarters. The address is: http://www.

Ways in which you can give Members and friends often ask how they can contribute to the needs of The Mother Church —in addition to the annual per capita tax and ongoing donations —both now and in the future. The Gift Services staff of the Treasurer's Office can help you learn more about different types of gift arrangements including Life Income Gifts, current gifts of appreciated assets (such as securities or real estate), or gifts created through your will.

Readers of the Journal for March will gain a new perspective on the worldwide healing ministry of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston. This issue will show how the Church's activities today are leading the way into the twenty-first century for spiritual thinkers, fulfilling the Church's original mission— "To organize a church designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing" (Mary Baker Eddy, Manual of The Mother Church , p.

Think for a moment about who in your community is looking for help. Perhaps it's a single parent who wants to nurture spiritual values in a teenager.