Article May 24, 1930 Issue

Notices

with contributions from The Christian Science Board of Directors

It is frequently asked whether a Reader might preside at a church meeting, or whether he might act as chairman of the directors or trustees of a branch church. Article III, Section 8, of the Church Manual is involved, for it provides, "A Reader shall not be President of a Church." It is the intention of this By-Law that Reader who presides at church services should not also preside at business meetings, where the decisions of the church are made and elections are voted. Whether the presiding officer at church meetings is called president or chairman, it would seem that the Reader should not hold the office.

As to whether a substitute Reader should act as president or chairman of the church, is not so clear. The By-Law does not include substitute Readers in its terms; and yet, while a substitute is serving as Reader he is to all intents and purposes Reader, and it might be expedient for him not to preside at the church business meetings. It might also be said that it is not essential for a church to provide a substitute Reader except as the necessity arises.

The chairmanship of the board of trustees or executive board is a different office, and is sometimes held by the Reader if elected to that position. In some churches Readers hold other offices. This is usually in the smaller organizations. In other churches it is sometimes thought well to relieve the Readers of other offices and duties than those pertaining to their positions and the conduct of the services. It is thought that Readers should be free to develop to the fullest the spiritual message of the Lesson-Sermons, lessons upon which Mrs. Eddy has said "the prosperity of Christian Science largely depends" (Manual, Art. III, Sect. 1).

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Notices

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access