Question: What am I to do if the only branch church in my city is run by people who don’t really represent Christian Science. They call themselves Christian Scientists, but don’t follow the rules in the Church Manual. This doesn’t motivate me to explore church membership. In fact I’d rather stay at home Sunday morning. I don’t know what being part of a real Christian Science church community would feel like.

RESPONSE 1: MARTHA MOFFETT

If a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, were nothing more than a collection of personalities, then whether or not that church rises to its healing, cutting-edge, life-giving potential (which the Manual of The Mother Church envisions and provides for) would depend on the collective thought of the members. But the amazing thing about the Church of Christ, Scientist, which Mary Baker Eddy founded, is that it has a spiritual foundation and superstructure (meaning it is God-inspired). In that sense it is not like any other church in the world. In a certain sense, then, it’s not dependent on the personalities of its members. Indeed, instead of the members changing the church, the church changes the members.

Unity in church work is not trying to get others to have the same human opinion that we do. Instead, achieving unity involves welcoming in a divine influx of light.
— Martha Moffett

Isn’t this, after all, what church is all about? Church actually uplifts, redeems, and restores the members; lifting up their sights, purifying and elevating their concepts, spiritualizing their thinking—bringing them into alignment with a true appreciation of the power and strength and deeply relevant forward-thinking provisions of the Manual.

This being the case, then, we can prove it, both individually and collectively. And isn’t this the demand being placed on us? In a practical sense what this means is that it just takes one clear thought to welcome in the healing, transforming presence of the Christ. Jesus said: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). Even one person realizing the presence and uplifting power of the Christ, which is always present in church work, can have a profound effect.

Mary Baker Eddy put it this way: “I once thought that in unity was human strength; but have grown to know that human strength is weakness,—that unity is divine might, giving to human power, peace” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 138).

Unity in church work is not trying to get others to have the same human opinion that we do. Instead, achieving unity involves welcoming in a divine influx of light. It’s really about opening thought to letting God lift all of us up to His level. In a certain sense, we’re letting God be God. If there really is only one Mind—and there is—then a realization of this fact has profound and healing consequences for our church. And this really is what church work demands.

Part of this demonstration is seeing that there is no other influence at work in our church or our members that can divide, put to sleep, confuse, or cause members to err in judgment. Wouldn’t this have to be the case if there is only one Spirit, only one power?

Another part is growing in grace—forgiveness, love, meekness, forbearance, patience. Jesus describes the “good ground” in his parable about the sower and the seed, as those who “in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15).

RESPONSE 2: ROBERT ENNEMOSER

Whenever we’re thinking about church, we need to focus on what it really is about—healing, serving, and contributing. It‘s about giving, giving, giving! And it’s about receiving by doing only that. When we have that focus, we don’t have time to give attention to the shortcomings of our neighbors.

In church, I am so fully occupied with praying for the whole congregation with the ideas presented by the readings that I cannot even be tempted to judge how good or how bad anyone is. Every single spiritual idea presented at these services is a sparkling diamond that I care about deeply. I let the light of each idea be reflected in my mind with understanding. So I am in church to be a healer in a congregation of healers! Church is an extremely important power for and in the world. Church lets the light of the highest ideas and ideals that can be communicated to the world shine. Christ Jesus’ advice is very helpful for one who may be tempted to be distracted from that holy work and commitment: “What is that to thee? follow thou me” (John 21:22).

My prayer in church services fully accepts that divine Mind alone is inspiring those in the congregation. Each one is striving to follow the Christ and so is able to express more and more the qualities of the Christ. We’re happy to join our fellow members in prayer and thus build in our hearts true church, the structure in which healing takes place.

There might be shortcomings in the understanding or application of Christian Science by fellow members, as there may be with ourselves, so we need to help each other out, right in church.
 — Robert Ennemoser

There might be shortcomings in the understanding or application of Christian Science by fellow members, as there may be with ourselves, so we need to help each other out, right in church. We know that every single one is on the highway of holiness and the individual demonstration of divine reality. Everyone is responsible for oneself, and we are here as sisters and brothers to support one another. We support by our prayers, but never confront, judge, or criticize one another.

If there is any substantial wrongdoing in the behavior of a member, we have church rules and bylaws that protect church and members against manipulation or aggression. We can devotedly contribute prayerfully to the democratic process of ruling out influences like self-will. We can pray and work for purity, dignity, and peace in our churches. This work is extremely important, and it takes the ability and the skills of true healers to purify church so that it is able to fulfill what it is here for—to inspire, support, guide, and heal each individual and all mankind.