Church Alive January 17, 2011 Issue

The following was written in support of Church Alive, a focus of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, that explores the meaning and possibilities of awakening to the spiritual basis and impact of Church.

Love + Gratitude = Abundance

By Glory Holzworth

In early December of 2004, our church held an emergency business meeting. We needed to bring in $16,000 before the end of the year to meet our budget. We shared ideas we’d been praying with and discussed ways to cut costs.

Suddenly, a member stood up and began to give all the reasons she loved our church, recounting the many touching ways members had helped her family over the years both in and out of church. She talked about how much the church services had supported her, especially the Wednesday testimony meetings when she would come burdened with cares and then hear something in the readings or testimonies that greatly encouraged her. She said those services were like an anchor to her soul, regrounding her in the things of the Spirit, comforting her, and bringing her peace and healing. She just couldn’t imagine life without church.

Then she told us what a loving and generous people we were. She knew this firsthand. She had often been the one over the years who volunteered to collect money (outside of church) from members who wanted to purchase a group gift when someone was throwing a wedding or a baby shower at their home for another member. It just amazed her to see how generous a people we were. In a short time, she’d collect hundreds of dollars, each member so happy and eager to contribute—stuffing money into her hands, her purse, her pockets.