Church Alive July 18, 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.

Protection during a tornado

By Paula Todd

One sunny afternoon when our Christian Science Reading Room wasn’t scheduled to be open, I felt impelled to open it to support a local family, who are members of our church and whose mother had just passed on. This woman had healed others through her practice of Christian Science and had been a dedicated Reading Room librarian for many years. Opening the Reading Room to the public helped me feel like I was honoring my friend’s work.

As I was praying in the Reading Room for myself and my church family to overcome any sense of loss or grief, it was apparent that a storm was gathering outside. Tornado warning sirens were sounding, but the sun was still shining. I continued my work. The sirens also continued. As it darkened outside, I began to expand my prayers to the community. I remember acknowledging that this community could not be oppressed by any sense of death (this woman was a public figure in the community) or inharmony, of loss or of confusion. And that Christian Science was a light, a beacon, a sword of Truth, unassailable by any attack of erroneous theories, “isms,” or practices. Although some fearful thoughts came to me that I should leave and drive home (30 minutes away), the substance of my prayer assured me that I was safe and that it was wise to stay at the Reading Room and continue to pray.

My prayer assured me that I was safe and that it was wise to stay at the Reading Room and continue to pray.