Branch Church News
FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, the Jointly Maintained Christian Science Reading Room in the heart of downtown San Diego, California, has operated in the black. The term operating in the black is used loosely (not based on a classic profit model).
IT'S TWO O'CLOCK on a Sunday afternoon. A teenager in western Massachusetts hashes out the weekly Bible Lesson with her Sunday School teacher in Zimbabwe.
The "Church Unconfined" thread on the discussion boards at tmcyouth. com is a great place to explore ideas, to ask questions, and to share insights about church.
"CONGRATULATIONS, you've been appointed by the Board to teach the college-age class," the Sunday School superintendent cheerfully announced. Great.
ANYONE WHO'S HEARD Ethel Baker and Linda Conner speak knows their reputation for straight talk, served up with a dose of good humor. And the two women gave a candid assessment of the state of Christian Science Reading Rooms at a talk to Mother Church employees in April.
"This age is reaching out towards the perfect Principle of things; .
Leide Lessa, managing editor of The Herald of Christian Science, along with John Sparkman, business development director of The Christian Science Publishing Society, and Kari Mashos, a Christian Science practitioner and teacher, traveled recently to Italy and Greece to meet with Christian Scientists. Leide gives highlights of their travels and the insights she gained from meeting fellow church members from these two cradles of civilization.
In early February 2009, the Christian Science Board of Directors visited Christian Science branch Churches and Societies in Poland and India. Dilshad Khambatta Eames, Board communications coordinator, originally from pune, India, accompanied them, along with Nancy Price, travel manager for the Board of Directors.
In our March issue, Ariana Herlinger reported on the history and vibrant present of Christian Science in the Democratic Republic of Congo. For this month's issue she crosses the Congo River into the neighboring Republic of Congo and relays more stories of resilience, courage, and church growth.
The members of this lively healing church on Main Street in the historic mining and ski town of Park City, Utah, know that what they have is special, yet normal. Visitors to the area tell them that they feel the warmth and embrace of divine Love, whether they've stopped by the church's Reading Room or attended a service.