Article May 31, 1947 Issue

Church Work: An Opportunity for Growth

MILDRED ELIZABETH BENNETT

What a glorious opportunity for spiritual growth working in the church organization affords! Church work well done brings growth in wisdom, experience, and understanding, because it strengthens the member's faith and trust in the spiritual realities of being and compels him to put the teachings of Christian Science into daily practice, whether he is filling a church office or serving on some committee.

We do not advance in mathematics by working out only the problems that are easy for us to solve. But we cannot help advancing if we master the more difficult ones. The members' consecrated work enables the church to exemplify that portion of the definition of "Church" in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy which reads (p. 583), "The Church is that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick."

There are several phases of mortal mind that would rob us of this opportunity for spiritual growth. One of these is the belief that another is more capable of doing the work than we are, or that we have never done that kind of work and do not know how to do it. Perhaps there is a lack of higher education. But, through our understanding and practice of Christian Science, God's intelligence may be reflected by each one of us. This intelligence is sufficient for all and is equal to every occasion. Moses did not feel capable of leading the children of Israel, but he succeeded when he accepted God's guidance and help.

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