Question: Who are you, exactly?
Answer: A more thorough answer to this question appears on the “About Us” page. But very briefly here, we can make some straightforward points:
- We are a group of Christian Scientists who love everything about Christian Science and who want to “enlarge the tent” for those in the Chicago metropolitan area wanting to experience Christian Science worship, education, and healing support in non-traditional ways.
- Some of the characteristics we bring to this idea include a conviction that Christian Science is relevant today and is a vital gift to the world we live in; that some of our long-held traditions have closed our eyes to the great possibilities of living Christian Science in a new way; and that Christian Science is a blessing to everyone, and that our focus on fellowship should express that conviction.
- The individuals serving as a Steering Committee are Shirley Paulson, Rindy Powell, and Sandi Justad. A Launch Team that prepares the Gatherings consists of Rindy, Sandi, Bonniesue Wadleigh, and Linda Kopec. We are working to give voice to anyone who wishes to contribute by holding Leadership Team meetings once a month. As other small groups get organized, they will be announced as well.
Question: Do I have to be a Christian Scientist to take part?
Answer: We are thrilled to have everyone take part in our group who wish to explore their own spiritual understanding with relation to every area of life! Whether you’re a life-long Christian Scientist or just a curious observer, you’re warmly welcome to participate. In fact, everyone is welcome just as you are.
Question: Do you actually have meetings and worship services?
Answer: At this time we are providing informal bi-monthly Gatherings. Gatherings are less structured and are related to the topic of the weekly Christian Science Bible Lesson. They are fluid in their content, but they always include interactive discussion. The rest of the format changes with each Gathering and can include congregational singing, prayer, and a portion of the Bible Lesson.
Question: What other activities are you sponsoring?
Answer: We are listening to the needs of the community and making an effort to respond to the greatest interest among participants. We have had a number of discussions for the purpose of learning from the community. We have met with young adults, disenfranchised Christian Scientists, those interested in deeper connections between the African-American and white communities, and those wanting more candid discussion on the topic of medicine. We have begun some involvement with interfaith activities, and we look forward to more. The book club is meeting on a monthly basis and welcomes new-comers at every meeting.
Question: How can I join?
Answer: We are not set up for membership yet, so anyone can get involved in CSF-MC simply by coming to our meetings. Dates for our activities are posted on the Calendar of the blog. Anyone who wants to participate in the planning and organization of this group is encouraged to attend the Leadership Team meetings. Severing any present affiliation with a branch church in order to participate in CSF-MC is not necessary.
Question: Are you connected with The Mother Church in Boston, and do you follow the same tenets as The Mother Church?
Answer: Although we are not formally connected with The Mother Church, once we get organized and meet the requirements, we may consider applying for listing in the Christian Science Journal as a Society. We are loyal supporters of The Mother Church and the Church Manual, and we embrace the same tenets as The Mother Church. In order to encourage greater use of all The Mother Church resources, our Website (when it is up and running) will link to christianscience.com, spirituality.com, TMCYouth.com, and other Mother Church sites.
Question: How are you different from the Christian Science church in my town?
Answer: We’re the same in our love for and desire to support the Christian Science movement. Our difference may be noticed in our intentional effort to break away from some cultural practices that might restrict our welcoming a new generation. We are striving to listen carefully to those who are uncomfortable with restricting cultural habits. As we do so, we are welcoming and nurturing the gifts and callings of those who want to share.
Question: Do I have to leave my church to be part of what you’re doing?
Answer: You don’t. There are several options available to those whose hearts are touched by looking at Christian Science worship in a fresh way. You can cherish these ideas in your hearts. You can take whatever seems helpful back to your own churches. You can help the Christian Science Fellowship-Metro Chicago in times and ways that are appropriate for you, while remaining a member of your own church. Or if you feel impelled to give your full support when we are ready to become a Society, then you would disengage from your current branch church membership.
Question: Are you trying to lure away members from their own branch churches?
Answer: No. We are very conscious of striving to “enlarge the tent.” That is, we want to provide a welcome especially to those who are not currently involved in any other church community. But those who are happy with their own churches are also welcome to participate without abandoning their churches. They frequently tell us how they enjoy bringing back some of the ideas and experiences to share in their own church families. Our desire is to support progress for every Christian Science church and to provide a home for those who are not settled in one.
Question: Doesn’t Mary Baker Eddy discourage assembling for discussion?
Answer: This question often arises in conjunction with a reference in her book, Miscellaneous Writings, p. 156. The following is some of what we learned from our discussion on this subject with the research department of The Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity:
This brief comment has often been misunderstood today because the context is missing in the published writings. Mary Baker Eddy wrote it in response to her concerns with the activity of the Christian Science Congress. This is a group that had been meeting to present papers on topics of Christian Science, and it appeared to be offering a speaking platform for very inexperienced Christian Scientists who spoke as if they had authority.
Her concern was not about Christian Scientists assembling themselves, as she had no problem with Christian Science Associations assembling themselves. Nor was the problem about not listening to each other, as she had no problem with the giving of public testimonies. Indeed, the difficulty she was addressing was the appearance of authority vested in inexperienced speakers. In her day, those who read this comment (now in Miscellaneous Writings) would have known exactly what she was talking about. The very next sentence clarifies her concern that indeed, it was experience that was needed (in addition to obedience, another issue).
Question. Does the CSFellowship-Metro Chicago cost me money?
Answer: We are grateful for donations for our expenses, but there are no required payments. Donations are welcome either directly or during our Sunday afternoon Gatherings. Our expenses at this time include payment for our communications, including website development, renting space from the DesPlaines Society, refreshments, producing video materials, and other activities. We are now a tax-exempt organization, so your donations are tax-deductible.
Question: Do you welcome participation beyond Chicago?
Answer: One of our original reasons for getting organized was to provide a platform for listening and learning from the community. Blogging openly about our thoughts even as we’re finding our way, we have intentionally invited comments, participation, and candid critiques. Since the communication is open to anyone who has access to the Internet, our community has always been inclusive of everyone. Find us on Facebook and Twitter as well. Our activities naturally cater to those who are able to attend them, but there is no geographic line of demarcation between participants.
Question: What happens if my “comment” doesn’t appear on the blog?
Answer: We learned that a few comments have slipped into the spam catcher before we know about it. If you should find your comment doesn’t appear within 10 minutes or so, please contact us at: csfellowship.mc@gmail.com
So, this would be a good place for people to ask things like who’s invited to the October 3 Gathering, right? Also, we could ask deeper questions — like why is there an emphasis on fellowship. Right?
Choosing our name
Those of you who attended our first meeting on August 6
remember that we were sharing ideas we had learned from our visit with Next Generation Christian Science Fellowship in St. Louis. There is no official relationship between our Chicago group and theirs, but we do share a common purpose and vision. As some of you commented with your name choices, a common name would be kind for people who know what it is and seek it somewhere else. If other groups around the country
also want to provide a similar church experience, we would all be easily identifiable. The St. Louis NGCSF is comfortable with our use of the same or similar name.
I’ll just put in my two cents, which you can take or leave as you wish. As a former marketing executive, I have to tell you that I think the NGCSF name is too long and complicated. Additionally, I’m looking down the road to when this will be so common and far-reaching that “next generation” will be redundant and outdated.
I would, therefore, suggest something simpler such as, Christian Science Fellowship of Metro-Chicago. For now you could simply advertise it as a “next generation” implementation of church, according to TMC Manual and Mrs. Eddy’s definition of church in S&H. That gives you flexibility to promote it differently in the future as needs and times change.
Thanks for all your enthusiasm and efforts!
Kudos to you for breaking out to explore new ways to practice and interpret Christian Science. I hope to get to meetings when it is convenient, though I am one of those referred to as being pretty far away from most of you.
I’m glad that I came across your group, and hope to be a part of the movement.
Tom Shepherd
Chicago/South Side
Highland, Ind. Society
At the last meeting in the Cesca home, we talked about a mission statement
> for the Fellowship. I have been thinking about that since then. I am
> not sure I hit it on the head yet but I cannot get my mind off what is
> our purpose in life. It keeps coming back to me as “Knowing God.” If
> we know God everything seems to fall in place — we will have a more
> fearless and meaningful life. We will glorify God with substance and
> understanding. If this is a true purpose for all of us then the
> mission of the Fellowship is to help us get there – to help us along
> the way. We should be scrupulously focused on that mission so that
> after every meeting we leave a little closer to knowing God. “Coming
> out of the river a little better” as Craig sang last week. Craig gave
> us a perfect example of raising the bar by raising all of us up to
> reflect on that very reason for being. Everything we do on Sunday should have that as its aim.
> Every electronic message we send should have that as its aim. Every
> conversation we have should have that as its aim. So our mission is
> to help our membership to know God.
Hello to friends: Wowie-this is great news…Sorry to be away from Chicagoland at this time, but you know I support this activity 100%…Its really great…I wish to stay up to date with you and your activites. Love!
Can feel this breath of fresh air 2300 miles away. Will be watching and will send $. I encourage others to donte, as well, as an indication to the Gathering folks that they are on to something — chiseling away the encumbrances of “cultural CS” which hobble our congregations.
I love the suggestion of simplifying the name to Christian Science Fellowship and then identifying the location. I am starting up my own group and modeling it after St. Louis & Chicago myself – it came so clearly to me that the name should be “Northern Virginia Christian Science Fellowship.” (Abbr: NoVA CSF)
I love, also, the idea that this is Next Generation Church as defined by Mary Baker Eddy. That is so lovely and feels so beautiful and full of blessings!!
WOW! Glad I read this page. Once you become a Society, yes you do have to leave your current membership church. Unless of course, you are going to totally ignore the Manual of The Mother Church.
I’m not real sure, but I believe you are collecting donations illegally since you do not have a legal entity to claim those funds, but while you are ignorning the Church law, why not the laws of the land.
If you believe that Mrs. Eddy set up this format for her Church — it is her Church? — because she was living in the age we call Victorian, then it is understandable that you would want to change it.
This group really isn’t about loving your neighbor — those horrible members you have left behind, it is about having Christian Science without working for it. You complain about them being unloving, but have you loved them. I want spiritual thinking and giving at my church, not a college dorm and cookies where people sit around talking about what they should be doing.
Let me ask you where were you when I was walking the streets and not getting meals? Where was the compassion when I walked into the Reading Room with a backpack and was watched like a hawk as if I were a thief?
To repond to Gemariah’s post above: “I’m not real sure, but I believe you are collecting donations illegally since you do not have a legal entity to claim those funds…”
According to the IRS tax guide for Churches and Religious Organizations, churches that meet the requirements of IRC section 501(c)(3) are automatically considered tax exempt and are not required to apply for and obtain recognition of tax-exempt status from the IRS.
Churches and religious organizations may be legally organized in a variety of ways under state law, such as unincorporated associations, nonprofit corporations, corporations sole, and charitable trusts. Many churches are not incorporated, but it is an easy process for those who wish to be.
I’m an accountant who has worked with for profit and non-profit entities for about 30 years, and from what I know about this fellowship, they have a legitimate legal entity and are not doing anything “illegal.”
Gemariah, you’re right that those who have felt judgmental and perhaps acted with more self-righteousness than humility need to be loved, just as much as those who have felt victimized by such unkindness. I know that’s true, because I walk in the shoes of one who has repented of such coldness. I have had to ask God for forgiveness (i.e. love!) when I’ve come to realize how I have probably pushed or hurt others with harshness. Even though I have repented of these mistakes, and will certainly continue to do so, I am encouraged to keep trying because God doesn’t just leave me condemned. Instead, I get a larger, more generous feeling of loving others when I see how God has patiently loved me. That’s the only way I could imagine learning to forgive others when I don’t get what they’re doing, or even when it feels like they’re hurting me.
And most of all, I want to be awake to both silent and noisy calls for help. I’m sorry about your having walked the streets without meals, as I’m sorry for everyone walking the streets without meals today. Sometimes they seem invisible, when we’re so busy trying to make the world right. But I pray each day that God opens my eyes to the places where Love is most needed, because I want to act on it. And I pray today that Love is binding up your own broken heart concerning the pain that you have described.