Church Alive July 16, 2012 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.

Finding joy in serving church

Connie Byrd

You can read the full version of this blog by visiting christianscience.com/church-alive.

Every year, our Christian Science branch church elects Readers from the membership. A number of years ago, I was elected to serve as Second Reader. When I attended the election meeting that year, I had no intention of accepting a position. I was so busy managing a home, a profession, and raising my children that it seemed impossible to add another thing to my life. However, when I was nominated to serve as Second Reader, I felt compelled to accept.

At first, I struggled to make time to mark my books, read the Christian Science Bible Lesson, and practice reading the Bible aloud in a way that would convey its true spiritual meaning. There were so many things happening that seemed to make it almost impossible to continue as a Reader, including the birth of my third child. Yet the more I studied and prayed, the less taxing or difficult these other events in my life became. In the Bible we read, “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee” (Deuteronomy 16:17). As I learned to turn to God first and let His hand guide me, time ceased to be an issue. That three-year experience launched me into many new directions. In the years that followed, I became a better parent, a more patient person, and was able to reevaluate many areas of my life and make adjustments that eventually led to financial stability, improved health, and stronger personal relationships.

This past year, I was elected to serve as First Reader in my branch church. Again, it seemed like a difficult time for me to take on such a big commitment. I’d recently launched a new career, and it seemed like I had little or no control over my schedule. My two biggest concerns were being able to prepare without fatigue in light of my other commitments and being able to leave my office early enough on Wednesday afternoons to prepare for the midweek service. Leaning on my past experience and what I have learned through the study of Christian Science, I accepted the assignment with a heart full of love for our congregation and an expectancy of good. After being selected to serve, I decided to spend time praying daily for God’s guidance as to how I should reorder my responsibilities.

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Professor receives grant for gratitude research