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| First Church of Christ, Scientist, Auckland |
Kathy and I attended the testimony meeting at the Auckland branch church last Wednesday. As I sat in my chair I did a double take when I saw an Application for Membership in the hymnal rack in front of me. I grabbed the brochure and discovered it was the real thing, a full blown, yet very simple and easy to follow application for membership in that branch church.
It was so “out there” in the public and ready to be received by anyone interested! It was not hidden in the clerk’s office, deep in a file cabinet somewhere hard to find or access.
The first feeling that came to me was, “Wow, this is a branch filled with members who trust the one Mind to build their membership. They are free of the disparaging and judgmental worries and fears many branches have harbored over the years about bringing in new members.”
The application was so beautiful, so true to the spirit of Christian Science.
It listed the Tenets. It asked three simple questions:
~Do you love Christian Science, study the Bible and Science and Health?
~Do you seek to be Christlike in your thoughts and actions and can follow and adhere to the Tenets and by-laws of this branch?
~Do you no longer hold a membership with another church, other than The Mother Church?
The form asks for one approver. There is a bit more but mostly data collecting.
Now isn’t that beautiful! So refreshing. It didn’t have a long list of analytical questions, qualifications and requirements to meet that push genuinely worthy potential members away, make them uncomfortable.
It allows everyone to work out their salvation with God yet be part of the wonderful organization church is meant to be. It does not require a person to be perfect before they can become a member.
Jews love Christian Science, too
Last Thursday had a terrific experience in the Auckland downtown Reading Room.
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| Auckland Reading Room |
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Two of the newcomers were Jews from Israel. They loved what they heard. In fact, were very excited by the ideas and encouraged me to visit Israel and speak there. One of the women said there would be a ready audience there for this type of message, pointing out that much of the population in the country is secular. She was also a neuro-scientist, and we found common ground to share ideas on.
I cherished talking with another woman from Croatia who was raised in the Catholic faith, but left it in later years. She told me that the talk had given her total opposite views of God than she had ever known. She had been taught that you have to go through the church to get to God. She drew a diagram in the air with her fingers showing how the church hierarchy stood in between God and the people. But she heard me say that God and man are one, as close as water is to wet. That was a shocker to her, but an idea she loved and wanted to think more about.
A Muslim in attendance was totally taken with the ideas and asked around for transportation to get to the second lecture that evening. And he came that night too, thanks to the help of a responsive member.
The room was bursting with joy, happy faces and renewed enthusiasm by the time we finished. Truly a productive event.
Thank you very much for sharing that beautiful, simple membership application. Thanks, too, for illustrating how receptive people of all different religions are to the truth of Christian Science.
Wonderful in every way.
I will be sharing your message with many.
Blessings to Auckland and to Evan.
What a wonderful concept! Imagine CS churches with easily accessible membership applications. Very refreshing.
Both very uplifting!
Evan – fantastic!
I just caught up on all your past posts on Australia and New Zealand, and loved every word and photo! Thanks for including us on your amazing, inspiring journey.
I just LOVE the idea of Applications for Membership in the pew racks!!! Thanks so much for sharing this and I will share it with my branch church.
Hi Evan. Wonderfull on how simple you make the Truth.
This was so refreshing to hear about. I have to say, I was a little put off by our local society’s membership process and finally gave up and decided that my Membership to the Mother Church is enough.
There used to be a Christian Science Society in Israel/Palestine. I visited a CS family in Bethlehem. The family owned a shoe shop. The daughter was secretary to the Mayor.They were Palestinians, and had local Palestinians carve the Cross and Crown in mother of pearl for sale in the US.to Christian Scientists. Eventually the political situation split the Societyt. After I returned to CA, on Christmas Eve I saw on the TV news a room, the living room I had been in, showing “how a Christian family celebrates Christmas in Bethlehem”. The family were putting on their coats. Next scene they were singing Christian carols in Bethlehem Square. What a Joy to see them, from around the world.
The application for The Mother Church is just as simple and the one Mrs. Eddy left for us to use to become a member there. It’s found in the Church Manual and can guide us in our branches too! Bravo, Brava to this branch for following in the spirit more than the letter of applying for church membership.
Thanks Evan
You’ve said it all. You’ve expressed what’s been on my mind. I’ve been a member of the Mother Church,over ten years, prior to Class Instruction. By the same token, I’ve found hurdles with branch church membership. I’m not giving up. Currently attending a Church in Manhattan.