Church Alive February 7, 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. 

Progress through Church

Jan True Jacoby

I early learned how important church participation is to individual progress. And, if we want to help our church grow, then we must grow spiritually.

One time when I moved across the country for a job change, I realized it wasn’t so much about the new job as it was about the Christian Science Society in that small community that needed me. And I needed the experiences I had there for my own spiritual development.

I knew that “progress is the law of God, whose law demands of us only what we can certainly fulfil” (Science and Health, p. 233). But although I did all the jobs in this small church with great enthusiasm, I saw no real progress. It became apparent that the members, including me, had a sense of burden in our thought. I realized that prayer was needed, so I started giving the society a daily Christian Science treatment.

I had to prayerfully deal with resistance to progress, because progress appears to bring more work for everyone. 

I began to see that the church wasn’t there just for us, even though that’s how it appeared. I knew that this church had a high and holy purpose to bless and heal. Gratefully I realized that we don’t support church. Church supports us! So there just can’t be any burdened sense about it. The work is of God, so it’s already done.

Church work can’t hinder or be hindered by any other responsibilities. And that includes family and our regular employment. Church work blesses everything! We don’t maintain and sustain Church. God does, because it’s His idea!

I had to prayerfully deal with resistance to progress, because progress appears to bring more work for everyone. I loved remembering that “we are all capable of more than we do” (Science and Health, p. 89). And I was inspired by, “This building begun, will go up, and no one can suffer from it, for no one can resist the power that is behind it; and against this church temple ‘the gates of hell’ cannot prevail” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 141).

Finally, I needed to know that it wasn’t our church we had to struggle to keep going. It’s God’s Church!

Not surprisingly, within a year we gained several new members, the first since I had joined seven years earlier. We sponsored a Christian Science lecture for our community, also a first in many years. And although I no longer live in that area, this “little” church continues to bless that community.

I learned a big lesson—progress isn’t about people and how much human work can be accomplished, but about prayer and thought. This church experience also helped lead me into the full-time practice of Christian Science healing. 

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Time and energy–divinely inspired
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