Your talk was outstanding! Because it was so participatory, everyone was very engaged. I loved that it spoke to everyone, from longtime Christian Scientists to those who had never entered a CS church. Identifying other names for God, a discussion of how to pray, thoughts on sin and baptism, elements in a healing, what happens if a person is not healed are all topics that many Christian Scientists, including myself, often have a difficult time responding to. One of the most difficult concepts for me personally has always been "sin". I play the piano, so your reference to Gen. 1 as the original score, and defining "sin" as making a mistake comparable to playing the "wrong note in music" really helped. The fact that sin doesn't come from anywhere but just needs to be corrected like a wrong note is so meaningful.
You really raised the bar on the Lecture Preparatory meeting. I must admit I have often been guilty of thinking about who has a problem that needs healing when thinking about who to invite. Going forward my invitation will be: you will enjoy this talk because you are spiritually-minded, you enjoy intellectual discussions and you might enjoy knowing why I have been a Christian Scientist all my life.
So, many thanks again for your excellent preparatory meeting, your beautifully presented talk and very clear and engaging message.
My best, Carol
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Healing Results from Valley Park MO lectures
Fruitage from Two Lectures by Elise Moore
First Church of Christ, Scientist
Valley Park, MO
March, 2010
On Saturday, March 13, Elise gave her lecture on “The Possibilities of Prayer” at a nearby branch of our county library. On Sunday, March 14, she gave the one called “Texting God: Effective Short Prayers” at our church. She also held a workshop on supporting spiritual healing for our members on Friday, March 12. The ideas shared on these occasions continue to bless and heal. This is just a summary of what’s been reported so far.
Two healings related to the lectures occurred even before they even took place. About two weeks before the lectures, a member inadvertently picked up a metal pan she’d just removed from the oven. At first the pain evoked a startled “Oh!” But almost immediately after, she found herself voicing a very firm “NO.” No because she was spiritual through and through and could never be touched by anything that could harm her true substance. For a few moments, she held to this and other thoughts of her true being, loving the thoughts she was entertaining as the consciousness that heals. Then she continued preparing dinner. She didn’t think about the “burn” again until later when, preparing for bed, she couldn’t tell which hand had been involved. She realized that “NO” must be one of those effective short prayers we’d be hearing about. And so it was.
The member who was to introduce Elise at the Sunday lecture wrote: “About a day or so after I agreed to do one of the introductions, I noticed that my throat was beginning to constrict so that increasingly I was barely able to speak above a whisper. I recognized right away that this wasn’t a more general claim of cold or contagion, but a specific argument against my ability to do my part in this lecture. Recognizing the error for what this was, there wasn’t any sense of panic or thought of withdrawing from the task at hand, but patient knowing that all would be well and that nothing could interfere with the blessings to be realized. By Friday, the symptoms had begun to clear. By Sunday there wasn’t a vestige of the claim or any fear of being able to speak normally.”
After the Friday workshop, during which we were listing God-qualities and identifying ourselves and others with them, a member returned home to find her family room floor covered with her husband’s belongings. She realized that she didn’t have to approach this in a judgmental or frustrated way—that she could identify her husband with those God-qualities whatever the outward appearance might be. This has since proved helpful both in discussing issues with her husband and, more importantly, in maintaining her inner peace.
The lectures themselves were seen as a great blessing both by those who already identify themselves as Christian Scientists and by others. Both venues were filled with eager listeners. A member who brought her next door neighbor said that her neighbor is now looking forward to visiting our Reading Room. Another member invited a Mormon friend who commented, “I really enjoyed Elise’s talk on the power of prayer. All of the events for your faith that I have attended have had top notch public speakers—very gifted!” A third member had invited a Jewish friend who loved the Saturday talk and said it had given her a lot to think about and put into practice. This member also attended the Sunday lecture with a Catholic friend who asked her and another member some deep, searching questions on how to view disasters and pray effectively for their victims, and she expressed interest in delving into the copy of Science and Health that she gotten at a lecture some years ago. A woman who was raised Catholic but has been attending a Christian Science church for about a year came all the way from Illinois to hear the Saturday lecture and loved it. A Christian Scientist who brought a friend wrote, “Both my friend and I took away some wonderful reminders of how simple effective prayer really is. And she was happy to see that many of her prayers already fell into the three helpful categories you described.” One of our Sunday school teachers reported that the children really liked hearing about the “machete” and “helicopter” methods of prayer.
Two people filled out visitor cards, requesting further information. One of them was at the library and noticed our sign. She decided to attend the lecture and liked it so well that she came to the one at our church the following day as well. After that lecture she was thrilled to receive her first copy of Science and Health. She has been unemployed, and both lectures included prayer-based resolutions of that problem.
The other enjoyed the Saturday lecture so much that he attended our church with his wife the next day especially to make a donation to our lecture fund. When a lecture committee member emailed him, giving her phone number in case he wanted to ask questions, he called her and asked deep and intelligent questions for over an hour. He had clearly been studying Science and Health with the purpose of being better able to pray for himself and others.
People who weren’t even at the lectures are also being blessed through conversations with those who were. As one of our members commented, “I’ve already shared ideas with two people and will continue to do so. It is such a natural step when you are full of inspiration.” Another member passed along the idea of identifying with God-qualities to her daughter, who’s a member of an evangelical Christian church, and she loved it.
A woman who was at the “Texting God” lecture has a friend who’d been experiencing chronic back pain. Though she was uncertain whether he even believed in God, she spoke to him about the importance of recognizing that God was good and that good was going on in his life. He replied that there was so much bad going on, and she urged him to respond to it with forgiveness. He later told her he’d written an email to someone who was causing him a lot of problems, forgiving the individual and acknowledging their good qualities. By that evening, he realized the back pain was gone. He asked his friend if there was a connection between forgiving and recognizing the good qualities and the improvement in his back. She assured him that there was—that this was evidence that God’s law of good was operating in his life.
One member had shared invitations with several of her friends from the Christian neighborhood group she’s in. Though they couldn’t attend, they were very interested in the message about prayer. She’ll be sharing her notes with nine of them at their April meeting. She sums up so beautifully the long term effect of these lectures when she states, “This is like throwing a pebble into a lake and then watching the concentric circles continue to move out to multiple shores. Let’s start a “Love chain reaction” and watch it grow and bless our community.”
As we do so, there will be still more fruitage to report.
First Church of Christ, Scientist
Valley Park, MO
March, 2010
On Saturday, March 13, Elise gave her lecture on “The Possibilities of Prayer” at a nearby branch of our county library. On Sunday, March 14, she gave the one called “Texting God: Effective Short Prayers” at our church. She also held a workshop on supporting spiritual healing for our members on Friday, March 12. The ideas shared on these occasions continue to bless and heal. This is just a summary of what’s been reported so far.
Two healings related to the lectures occurred even before they even took place. About two weeks before the lectures, a member inadvertently picked up a metal pan she’d just removed from the oven. At first the pain evoked a startled “Oh!” But almost immediately after, she found herself voicing a very firm “NO.” No because she was spiritual through and through and could never be touched by anything that could harm her true substance. For a few moments, she held to this and other thoughts of her true being, loving the thoughts she was entertaining as the consciousness that heals. Then she continued preparing dinner. She didn’t think about the “burn” again until later when, preparing for bed, she couldn’t tell which hand had been involved. She realized that “NO” must be one of those effective short prayers we’d be hearing about. And so it was.
The member who was to introduce Elise at the Sunday lecture wrote: “About a day or so after I agreed to do one of the introductions, I noticed that my throat was beginning to constrict so that increasingly I was barely able to speak above a whisper. I recognized right away that this wasn’t a more general claim of cold or contagion, but a specific argument against my ability to do my part in this lecture. Recognizing the error for what this was, there wasn’t any sense of panic or thought of withdrawing from the task at hand, but patient knowing that all would be well and that nothing could interfere with the blessings to be realized. By Friday, the symptoms had begun to clear. By Sunday there wasn’t a vestige of the claim or any fear of being able to speak normally.”
After the Friday workshop, during which we were listing God-qualities and identifying ourselves and others with them, a member returned home to find her family room floor covered with her husband’s belongings. She realized that she didn’t have to approach this in a judgmental or frustrated way—that she could identify her husband with those God-qualities whatever the outward appearance might be. This has since proved helpful both in discussing issues with her husband and, more importantly, in maintaining her inner peace.
The lectures themselves were seen as a great blessing both by those who already identify themselves as Christian Scientists and by others. Both venues were filled with eager listeners. A member who brought her next door neighbor said that her neighbor is now looking forward to visiting our Reading Room. Another member invited a Mormon friend who commented, “I really enjoyed Elise’s talk on the power of prayer. All of the events for your faith that I have attended have had top notch public speakers—very gifted!” A third member had invited a Jewish friend who loved the Saturday talk and said it had given her a lot to think about and put into practice. This member also attended the Sunday lecture with a Catholic friend who asked her and another member some deep, searching questions on how to view disasters and pray effectively for their victims, and she expressed interest in delving into the copy of Science and Health that she gotten at a lecture some years ago. A woman who was raised Catholic but has been attending a Christian Science church for about a year came all the way from Illinois to hear the Saturday lecture and loved it. A Christian Scientist who brought a friend wrote, “Both my friend and I took away some wonderful reminders of how simple effective prayer really is. And she was happy to see that many of her prayers already fell into the three helpful categories you described.” One of our Sunday school teachers reported that the children really liked hearing about the “machete” and “helicopter” methods of prayer.
Two people filled out visitor cards, requesting further information. One of them was at the library and noticed our sign. She decided to attend the lecture and liked it so well that she came to the one at our church the following day as well. After that lecture she was thrilled to receive her first copy of Science and Health. She has been unemployed, and both lectures included prayer-based resolutions of that problem.
The other enjoyed the Saturday lecture so much that he attended our church with his wife the next day especially to make a donation to our lecture fund. When a lecture committee member emailed him, giving her phone number in case he wanted to ask questions, he called her and asked deep and intelligent questions for over an hour. He had clearly been studying Science and Health with the purpose of being better able to pray for himself and others.
People who weren’t even at the lectures are also being blessed through conversations with those who were. As one of our members commented, “I’ve already shared ideas with two people and will continue to do so. It is such a natural step when you are full of inspiration.” Another member passed along the idea of identifying with God-qualities to her daughter, who’s a member of an evangelical Christian church, and she loved it.
A woman who was at the “Texting God” lecture has a friend who’d been experiencing chronic back pain. Though she was uncertain whether he even believed in God, she spoke to him about the importance of recognizing that God was good and that good was going on in his life. He replied that there was so much bad going on, and she urged him to respond to it with forgiveness. He later told her he’d written an email to someone who was causing him a lot of problems, forgiving the individual and acknowledging their good qualities. By that evening, he realized the back pain was gone. He asked his friend if there was a connection between forgiving and recognizing the good qualities and the improvement in his back. She assured him that there was—that this was evidence that God’s law of good was operating in his life.
One member had shared invitations with several of her friends from the Christian neighborhood group she’s in. Though they couldn’t attend, they were very interested in the message about prayer. She’ll be sharing her notes with nine of them at their April meeting. She sums up so beautifully the long term effect of these lectures when she states, “This is like throwing a pebble into a lake and then watching the concentric circles continue to move out to multiple shores. Let’s start a “Love chain reaction” and watch it grow and bless our community.”
As we do so, there will be still more fruitage to report.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Healings happen in Puerto Rico talk
There has been much healing before, during, and after the lectures, and we are rejoicing and so grateful to see these blessings of the Science of the Christ for ourselves and our neighbors. Thank you so much, Elise, for your lectures and prayers.
A woman who was given a flyer for the lecture as she was reading the announcement for the lecture on an A-frame sign in front of the Church came to the lecture and the next Wednesday evening came to the testimony meeting to express her gratitude for the lecture and for the Science and Health which she was reading. She said that from the minute she was given the invitation she felt as if she had been plugged into a spiritual power source.
Another woman came to the Reading Room for the first time a week or two before the lecture. She was healed of chronic pain in her knee on that first visit. She began reading Science and Health, came to the lecture, and later testified at a Wednesday testimony meeting, not only about the healing of her knee (which she illustrated by walking to the front of the Church), but also about finding a place to live and a job by applying the ideas from the lecture.
A church member found out the day of the lecture that one of her sons had been in a car accident, but had not been harmed. She prayed to know that she could go to the lecture without fear for him of any later effects from the accident, and was able to be at the lecture free of concern. She later found out that her other son had someone on a bicycle run into his car, but neither the person on the bicycle or her son was injured. She was so grateful for these evidences of God’s omnipresent care.
Another church member, who had gone to take someone home in the time between the English lecture and the Spanish lecture, backed into a parked car as she was leaving the person’s house. The car belonged to the niece of the person she had taken home, and the niece was in the house. It turned out that there had been a previous dent in the car in the same place, and since the insurance company had already arranged for the repair, there was no need for the church member to do anything. She was able to return to church for the Spanish lecture with much gratitude for God’s care.
continued
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
REPORT ON HEALINGS
Page 2
A member reported that a friend who has a problem that causes her great difficulty in walking, who had come to lectures and some church services in the past, came to this lecture and said she felt the presence of Love more than she had before. She is now earnestly studying Science and Health, and says she now really feels that healing is possible for her.
This same member said her accountant, who had been resistant to reading Science and Health in the past, was now reading it. She had been concerned about losing her job and had also been caring for a bedridden family member who was paralyzed. She is now reading the book and so is her family member. The accountant’s job contract has been extended for nine months, and both she and her family member feel uplifted by what they are reading.
Also, another person this member knows called her for prayer because she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. This person had also been resistant to Christian Science for many years. Both this woman and her husband have been healed by reading Science and Health.
The daughters of another member have been more receptive to using Christian Science and have asked for help in prayer when they have challenges. One of the daughters was healed when injured playing basketball. She came down hard on her ankle and heard a cracking sound. She was in pain, and her father (our church member) was called. While she was taken to a hospital, the father called a church member for prayer, and that church member in turn called several others. When the ankle was examined at the hospital, it was not broken, and the daughter was quickly free of pain.
There has been so much healing going on here. The lectures the preparation, and the prayerful work you have done, Elise, has healed and blessed and continues to heal and bless us and our neighbors. Our attendance at church services and Reading Room continues to grow, as well. We are so grateful for the healing power of the Christ you imparted in your lectures.
With much love and gratitude,
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
A woman who was given a flyer for the lecture as she was reading the announcement for the lecture on an A-frame sign in front of the Church came to the lecture and the next Wednesday evening came to the testimony meeting to express her gratitude for the lecture and for the Science and Health which she was reading. She said that from the minute she was given the invitation she felt as if she had been plugged into a spiritual power source.
Another woman came to the Reading Room for the first time a week or two before the lecture. She was healed of chronic pain in her knee on that first visit. She began reading Science and Health, came to the lecture, and later testified at a Wednesday testimony meeting, not only about the healing of her knee (which she illustrated by walking to the front of the Church), but also about finding a place to live and a job by applying the ideas from the lecture.
A church member found out the day of the lecture that one of her sons had been in a car accident, but had not been harmed. She prayed to know that she could go to the lecture without fear for him of any later effects from the accident, and was able to be at the lecture free of concern. She later found out that her other son had someone on a bicycle run into his car, but neither the person on the bicycle or her son was injured. She was so grateful for these evidences of God’s omnipresent care.
Another church member, who had gone to take someone home in the time between the English lecture and the Spanish lecture, backed into a parked car as she was leaving the person’s house. The car belonged to the niece of the person she had taken home, and the niece was in the house. It turned out that there had been a previous dent in the car in the same place, and since the insurance company had already arranged for the repair, there was no need for the church member to do anything. She was able to return to church for the Spanish lecture with much gratitude for God’s care.
continued
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
REPORT ON HEALINGS
Page 2
A member reported that a friend who has a problem that causes her great difficulty in walking, who had come to lectures and some church services in the past, came to this lecture and said she felt the presence of Love more than she had before. She is now earnestly studying Science and Health, and says she now really feels that healing is possible for her.
This same member said her accountant, who had been resistant to reading Science and Health in the past, was now reading it. She had been concerned about losing her job and had also been caring for a bedridden family member who was paralyzed. She is now reading the book and so is her family member. The accountant’s job contract has been extended for nine months, and both she and her family member feel uplifted by what they are reading.
Also, another person this member knows called her for prayer because she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. This person had also been resistant to Christian Science for many years. Both this woman and her husband have been healed by reading Science and Health.
The daughters of another member have been more receptive to using Christian Science and have asked for help in prayer when they have challenges. One of the daughters was healed when injured playing basketball. She came down hard on her ankle and heard a cracking sound. She was in pain, and her father (our church member) was called. While she was taken to a hospital, the father called a church member for prayer, and that church member in turn called several others. When the ankle was examined at the hospital, it was not broken, and the daughter was quickly free of pain.
There has been so much healing going on here. The lectures the preparation, and the prayerful work you have done, Elise, has healed and blessed and continues to heal and bless us and our neighbors. Our attendance at church services and Reading Room continues to grow, as well. We are so grateful for the healing power of the Christ you imparted in your lectures.
With much love and gratitude,
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
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