Articles

Today there are over 180 students' associations with active teachers of Christian Science, and yet even more associations (about 220) continue to meet yearly although their teachers have passed on. What does it take to be a vital, active association when the teacher is no longer present to teach and guide students? How can an association without its teacher continue to promote the students' spiritual growth? Can associations change aspects of their yearly gatherings? (In our October 2009 issue, the officers of the Board of Education, along with Allison "Skip" Phinney, discussed Christian Science students' associations: Why did Mary Baker Eddy establish them, and what's their educational and healing mission in the Christian Science movement's second century?) J.

MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY have lived on a homestead settled over 250 years ago when America was still a British colony. Evidence of their pioneering efforts is all around—massive stone walls, cleared fields, and granite steps and posts cut from the hill above.

While surfing the Internet, I ran across a fairly recent critique of Christian Science and Mary Baker Eddy written by an evangelical Christian. He said Mrs.

WHEN I WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD, I decided to apply for church membership. I was so excited about doing something important! After I was accepted as a member, the people in charge (I learned later they were called "the board"), asked me what I would like to do for the church.

IT WAS early spring, but the landscape was still frozen beneath a thick blanket of snow as our bus slowly navigated the many potholes waiting in ambush under slushy puddles on the road ahead. It was difficult to think, much less read, because of the lurching, bumping, and vibrating motion as we inched our way along the winter-ravaged highway.

WE HAVE A NEW NAME! After nearly 100 years of being First Church of Christ, Scientist, we're now the Christian Science Society of Waukesha, Wisconsin. We love that the Church Manual identifies both churches and societies as branches of The Mother Church.

"This was the most important meeting for me in 85 years. " "I've been a Mother Church member for 40 years and I've never been treated with such respect and been taken as a mature Christian Scientist that can be trusted.

THE TEARS WELLED UP IN MY EYES as I slowly pulled my car to the side of the road. I was lost in an unfamiliar city and frustrated over navigating professional responsibilities that were foreign to my convictions.

MY INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN SCIENCE came about this way: My husband and I had both gone to a Sunday School as children, and had been churchgoers as teenagers, but as soon as we became adults we stopped attending church. We preferred to sleep in and then have brunch late Sunday mornings.

In these pages we've gathered several shorter items — articles of less than a page in length and excerpts from longer manuscripts that offer useful, inspiring insights. We hope you enjoy this kind of short-form nourishment in each issue.