On Wednesday evenings all across the world Christian Science Churches and Societies hold an hour long testimonial meeting. I attended one in Fresno, CA, last evening that was most inspiring as the topic was on prayer.
I enjoy the topic of prayer as it is freshing and rejuvenating. During a portion of the service the congregation is invited to share personal experiences regarding healing’s they have had through the application of Christian Science.
The testimonies people share are full of morsels of spiritual inspiration that I take with me that inspire me in my prayer activities in my daily practice of Christian Science. Last night a testifier sharede how she had just been reading the Christian Science Sentinel’s most recent issue on “Living Church Every Day.”
She cited the article written by Ethel Baker on p. 22, and how this article inspired her to think about blessings. I went the next morning to the Christian Science Reading Room to purchase a copy of the Sentinel as I did not have mine with me. Here is an exert from the article:
“I recall a time when I had been thinking a great deal about the Bible’s description of man (the true identity of each of us) as made in God’s image, after his likeness (see Genesis 1:26). I pondered this one day during a 15-minute walk to the subway.
On entering the station, I passed a man at the top of the stairs. By the time I reached the bottom, I heard him calling to me, ‘I’m sorry. I’m real sorry.’ When I asked why eh was sorry, he apologized again for something he’d apparently said to me. I hand’t heard it.
As I thought about this later, I came to the conclusion that the Truth-knowing I’d been doing had had a cleansing effect, making this man feel uncomfortable with what ever unkindness he had apparently spoken, and leaving me untouched by and offense --intended or not. In a small way, that little bit of ‘rest[ing] upon … divine Principle’ had saved us both. It was a moment of Church.” p. 23, Christian Science Sentinel January 17&24
Blessing as one definition puts it is, “God's favor and protection.” This clearly was demonstrated in this case and in the many testimonies I heard last evening. For me, a personal blessing was the love and fellowship the congregation gave to me visiting their service.
I left the service a stranger no more with a sense of gratitude and fondness for the wonderful healing work the members of Second Church of Christ Scientist, Fresno, CA, are doing in each of their personal lives, blessing the communities where they live and work.
A Church ALIVE!!!!!!!!!
