Thank YOU for a great experience!
I wasn't at church Sunday (I was feeding a group of women at our Lodge who call themselves: "Sweet Hearts for Jesus", and I bet you've met them all, in the form of other women), so can't tell you about visitors at church yet.
Tonight we got together at 6:30, as advertised at the lecture, for a discussion group on the lecture. Just members (6) showed up, but we had a pleasant time revisiting various points of your talk.
After reading one of your articles last week, I incorporated the story you mentioned about Jeremiah and Ebedmelech into my readings on "God is ever-present" tonight. Well, I started at Jer 38:1 on those names (all of which I'd looked up the pronunciations for and practiced), and was ok until I got to Malchiah, when something happened, and I totally lost myself in giggles. I couldn't stop. I had to leave the podium to go get Kleenex because I was laughing so hard. By that time, of course, everyone else was, too, and we had a jolly time trying to get
me settled back down. Just wanted to let you know you're responsible
for my bad behavior... :) kidding. They were interested in the story bec. hadn't heard it before somehow. Although I've read the Bible through, I didn't remember it either. Great story, thanks.
We all got a lot out of our time with you and "before you", doing preparations based on your abundance of materials. Thank you for all the good work you're doing, and for your dedication to your goals.
-Joan
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Healing from Berwyn PA lecture
Thank you for lifting my thought and my daughters's in March 2008 when you lectured at Berwyn Church in Pa.
My daughter has been practicing "Spiritual Principles" using NA Fellowship and her spiritual nature since June 2008. She spent about 4 months in an addiction treatment center wherre she let go of the drugs that the medical world had given her. She returned home in December and has been making steady progress ever since.
She is working at a treatment center and attending college in our town. Our relationship has been completely healed. I am very grateful for your work and Christian Science which sustained me through many dark days.
In gratitude,
-identity protected
My daughter has been practicing "Spiritual Principles" using NA Fellowship and her spiritual nature since June 2008. She spent about 4 months in an addiction treatment center wherre she let go of the drugs that the medical world had given her. She returned home in December and has been making steady progress ever since.
She is working at a treatment center and attending college in our town. Our relationship has been completely healed. I am very grateful for your work and Christian Science which sustained me through many dark days.
In gratitude,
-identity protected
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Renton sharing
Thank you so much, Elise, for a wonderful lecture event. I’ve shared the machete and helicopter approach to prayer with an individual at work and will continue to do so. We’ll keep the momentum!
- Marsha
- Marsha
Friday, October 16, 2009
My thoughts about Reading Room
It was great to be in a meeting with everyone. Seems like forever since I’ve seen everybody, probably has been.
Since I’m not going to be present in the meetings I just wanted to share some things I’ve been thinking about.
I really appreciated Sharon’s insight and inspiration regarding a downtown presence for Christian Science. Also Joan’s observations about the leavening and ministering activity of the window displays. Although I mentioned the option of moving the RR into the church, interestingly it would personally be a challenge for me as it would make it very difficult to hold my class and Association on the church campus with a public RR activity taking place. But whether I personally would want such a change isn’t relevant to what is the right and highest idea, and so I think every option should be honestly considered.
TMC is making a huge effort to balance their budget and have only those publishing activities which are profitable. Where ministering fits in this model hasn’t been determined, but it’s interesting to consider profitability as one possible criteria for decision-making.
As one who had a highly visible office for decades and then moved into an “invisible” office at home, I’ve noticed that there are ways to bring Christian Science to the public, display and sell books without paying rent. It does involve commitment of thought, energy and desire as well as a willingness to be personally visible in the public. However, these are all qualities of the wonderful Reading Room staff.
I’d vote with Ceacy to distribute literature through the free box on the outside of the Reading Room. Although some might see that as counter to promoting sales, it actively speaks to the human heart and makes the RR 24/7. Distributing literature this way could be seen as a core element of the purpose of Reading Room to exhibit literature. It’s exhibiting and allowing people to take the exhibit with them.
Of course I’m all for messages on a techie screen. I’ve noticed that the scrolling ones move too slowly to read more than a few words as one drives or walks by. But the scroll does attract attention even from a car, so if the message is short it works. I love the idea of inviting the community to the RR to share their healings.
Perhaps the vision of RR as public bookstore can be uplifted to RR as demonstrating the value of the books and literature for sale there. That would make a reason for a location.
I’m wondering if the RR could be a “healing centre”? “For where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matt 18:20 I’ve often wondered if today’s RR might have changed from a place to simply obtain information, which one now can get from church websites, to a place where one can come for genuine Christian healing when one is worried, burdened, sick. Other churches have Christian counseling centres. Couldn’t the RR be our Christian healing centre?
As church open during the week, perhaps RR embodies the newness of spiritual healing. A Christian Science friend went to a healing centre in Boston [not a RR] where Christians gathered and actively prayed for those present. She was going on a fact finding mission, but actually found herself healed of a chronic illness while there. It was a truly healing atmosphere which the Christian staff established through silent and audible prayer and Scripture reading.
What if our RR advertised that this was a place to come, be prayed for/with, be healed and find healing for others? This thought might also increase attendance at our services if some members were actively interested in praying with visitors before, during and after the services in ways that they could relate to and recognize as healing prayer. What an interesting concept of ushering, to offer to pray with people, affirming the spiritual truth and denying whatever is unlike God’s creation. Anyway, back to RR, then inviting the public to come share their healings fits with coming to be healed.
It doesn’t make a RR a practitioner’s office, but the centre for the impersonal Christ whose action always heals and saves. Those who want or need more individual attention could then be encouraged to call local practitioners, in and out of the Journal. While such a concept means more staff working together at the same time rather than less, focusing on the healing purpose and activity of the RR might motivate members to unite/work together for that purpose. When the question is asked, What is a Christian Science Reading Room, what if the answer becomes, A place to be healed, comforted and saved, and to share how God has healed, comforted and saved you.
Whatever the committee decides, I’ll be all for it.
Since I’m not going to be present in the meetings I just wanted to share some things I’ve been thinking about.
I really appreciated Sharon’s insight and inspiration regarding a downtown presence for Christian Science. Also Joan’s observations about the leavening and ministering activity of the window displays. Although I mentioned the option of moving the RR into the church, interestingly it would personally be a challenge for me as it would make it very difficult to hold my class and Association on the church campus with a public RR activity taking place. But whether I personally would want such a change isn’t relevant to what is the right and highest idea, and so I think every option should be honestly considered.
TMC is making a huge effort to balance their budget and have only those publishing activities which are profitable. Where ministering fits in this model hasn’t been determined, but it’s interesting to consider profitability as one possible criteria for decision-making.
As one who had a highly visible office for decades and then moved into an “invisible” office at home, I’ve noticed that there are ways to bring Christian Science to the public, display and sell books without paying rent. It does involve commitment of thought, energy and desire as well as a willingness to be personally visible in the public. However, these are all qualities of the wonderful Reading Room staff.
I’d vote with Ceacy to distribute literature through the free box on the outside of the Reading Room. Although some might see that as counter to promoting sales, it actively speaks to the human heart and makes the RR 24/7. Distributing literature this way could be seen as a core element of the purpose of Reading Room to exhibit literature. It’s exhibiting and allowing people to take the exhibit with them.
Of course I’m all for messages on a techie screen. I’ve noticed that the scrolling ones move too slowly to read more than a few words as one drives or walks by. But the scroll does attract attention even from a car, so if the message is short it works. I love the idea of inviting the community to the RR to share their healings.
Perhaps the vision of RR as public bookstore can be uplifted to RR as demonstrating the value of the books and literature for sale there. That would make a reason for a location.
I’m wondering if the RR could be a “healing centre”? “For where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matt 18:20 I’ve often wondered if today’s RR might have changed from a place to simply obtain information, which one now can get from church websites, to a place where one can come for genuine Christian healing when one is worried, burdened, sick. Other churches have Christian counseling centres. Couldn’t the RR be our Christian healing centre?
As church open during the week, perhaps RR embodies the newness of spiritual healing. A Christian Science friend went to a healing centre in Boston [not a RR] where Christians gathered and actively prayed for those present. She was going on a fact finding mission, but actually found herself healed of a chronic illness while there. It was a truly healing atmosphere which the Christian staff established through silent and audible prayer and Scripture reading.
What if our RR advertised that this was a place to come, be prayed for/with, be healed and find healing for others? This thought might also increase attendance at our services if some members were actively interested in praying with visitors before, during and after the services in ways that they could relate to and recognize as healing prayer. What an interesting concept of ushering, to offer to pray with people, affirming the spiritual truth and denying whatever is unlike God’s creation. Anyway, back to RR, then inviting the public to come share their healings fits with coming to be healed.
It doesn’t make a RR a practitioner’s office, but the centre for the impersonal Christ whose action always heals and saves. Those who want or need more individual attention could then be encouraged to call local practitioners, in and out of the Journal. While such a concept means more staff working together at the same time rather than less, focusing on the healing purpose and activity of the RR might motivate members to unite/work together for that purpose. When the question is asked, What is a Christian Science Reading Room, what if the answer becomes, A place to be healed, comforted and saved, and to share how God has healed, comforted and saved you.
Whatever the committee decides, I’ll be all for it.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Decatur GA lecture
Fruitage – Decatur GA
October 4, 2009
Church edifice
God is Speaking to You
Well over 100 people filled the church including numerous invitees and visitors. There were about 6 young people in the audience. Several African American visitors came, one with a little girl. One visitor was a woman in charge of something regarding the Catholic diocese. She took a lot of notes as we talked about how to pray. There were a couple visitors who would be similar to the homeless population, although not necessarily homeless who spoke with me and several members afterward.
A grown daughter came to her first lecture at her mother’s invitation. She loved the lecture and told her mother afterward that she was so glad she’d come. She understood what her mother had been trying to tell her about Christian Science.
A retired Baptist minister told me how much he’d enjoyed the lecture and that he’d heard every word even though he’d been having a problem hearing for awhile. He was grateful that he could hear every word of the lecture.
Several people came to tell me how God had spoken to them and the healings they’d had. One woman shared a healing of blindness which she’d had with a local Christian Science practitioner. She’d been legally blind for 15 years and was healed in Christian Science. She loved the lecture and commented on the Christly atmosphere.
Several people brought spouses or friends. One woman said everyone she’d invited came to the lecture and enjoyed it. Another woman said she’d invited a Jewish friend who even took down the New Testament references. Another visitor said she realized that she needed to tune out the static more, that was what was hindering her prayers. Several Christian Scientists mentioned that they got a lot out of the lecture yet it was stated in terms that someone not familiar with Christian Science could understand.
There was a very special holy atmosphere in this lecture which was felt by everyone including me.
October 4, 2009
Church edifice
God is Speaking to You
Well over 100 people filled the church including numerous invitees and visitors. There were about 6 young people in the audience. Several African American visitors came, one with a little girl. One visitor was a woman in charge of something regarding the Catholic diocese. She took a lot of notes as we talked about how to pray. There were a couple visitors who would be similar to the homeless population, although not necessarily homeless who spoke with me and several members afterward.
A grown daughter came to her first lecture at her mother’s invitation. She loved the lecture and told her mother afterward that she was so glad she’d come. She understood what her mother had been trying to tell her about Christian Science.
A retired Baptist minister told me how much he’d enjoyed the lecture and that he’d heard every word even though he’d been having a problem hearing for awhile. He was grateful that he could hear every word of the lecture.
Several people came to tell me how God had spoken to them and the healings they’d had. One woman shared a healing of blindness which she’d had with a local Christian Science practitioner. She’d been legally blind for 15 years and was healed in Christian Science. She loved the lecture and commented on the Christly atmosphere.
Several people brought spouses or friends. One woman said everyone she’d invited came to the lecture and enjoyed it. Another woman said she’d invited a Jewish friend who even took down the New Testament references. Another visitor said she realized that she needed to tune out the static more, that was what was hindering her prayers. Several Christian Scientists mentioned that they got a lot out of the lecture yet it was stated in terms that someone not familiar with Christian Science could understand.
There was a very special holy atmosphere in this lecture which was felt by everyone including me.
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