Article November 8, 1952 Issue

ATTENDING CHURCH

ULLA GERTRUDE SHORT

The phrase "attending church," meaning the presence of an individual in the religious congregation of his choice, is so generally accepted that the student of Christian Science needs to be clear in his understanding as to what it means for him to attend church. Perhaps he comes to Christian Science from a denomination where church attendance has meant his listening to a sermon which he has never heard before, instead of listening, as in a Church of Christ, Scientist, to the reading of a Lesson-Sermon which he has had the opportunity of studying during the preceding week from the Christian Science Quarterly.

The message in the latter case is not new in the sense of his hearing it for the first time. But the inspiration which he has gained from its study and application, with resulting demonstrations, has opened his understanding to new and higher meanings, and since Truth is ever unfolding its divine, infinite nature, yet more inspiration is gained when he hears this reading from the pulpit.

A dictionary includes helpful definitions of the word attend: "to care for," "to be united or consequent to," "to apply the mind," "to be ready for service." When a recipient of the healing and redeeming ministrations of Christian Science through his study of its textbooks, the Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, is awakened to greater blessings awaiting him, he recognizes that church attendance should mean being ready for service. He seeks to become actively identified with the Cause of Christian Science through membership in a branch church and in The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts.

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