Article July 11, 2005 Issue

COMING HOME

By Gail Winter

I walked into a Christian Science church for the first time last year at Easter, to hear my daughter sing the solo there. I was feeling emotionally fragile because of yet another health crisis. While there, I ran into a woman I had known years ago, when our daughters were in Girl Scouts. She handed me the Christian Science Quarterly, which contained the Bible Lesson for the week, titled "Are Sin, Disease, and Death Real?" I just smiled hazily and went to take a seat. All I knew was that disease was all too real to me!

The service began, and so did my judgments. We sang a hymn that seemed old-fashioned. Where were the choir and band? I wondered. And where was the minister? They had to have a minister. Instead, there were two Readers. Then the readings from the Bible and a book I wasn't familiar with called Science and Health began. I had heard of Mary Baker Eddy, but knew nothing of her teachings. I understood very little of what was read that Sunday. And it was all I could do to stay in my seat. I'm quite sure that if my daughter hadn't been singing, I would have gotten up and left. Afterward, as I was getting into the car with my daughter, I told her that even though I knew she was singing the following week, I didn't think I would attend another one of the services.

A few days later, I was driving by the church with a friend. "Aren't these the folks who don't usually go to doctors; who rely on God for healing?" she asked. Immediately my interest was piqued. I remembered the Reader mentioning a Wednesday night testimony meeting. I decided to go. And to my surprise, I was very moved by the testimonies that were given.