wfn.org | Christian Science Annual Meeting

[George Conklin <gconklin@igc.apc.org>]

Christian Science Committee on Publications
Contact: Michael Born
         Boston (617) 450-3321
         bornm@compub.org

June 4, 1997
	
Responding to the demand for spirituality and healingtheme of Christian
Science Annual Meeting of church members.

Responding to today's burgeoning demand for spirituality and healing was the
primary focus of the 1997 Annual Meeting of the members of The First Church
of Christ, Scientist (The Mother Church) held Monday, June 2.  About 3,000
Christian Scientists from throughout the world gathered at church
headquarters for reports from the Christian Science Board of Directors,
officers, and committees. The meeting was the 102nd since the church's
establishment by Mary Baker Eddy in 1879.

"There are signs that this age is reaching out for spirituality," said
incoming Church President, J. Thomas Black of Birmingham, Michigan, "We want
to know we're loved by God."

Black pointed out that this reach toward spirituality is changing how people
are thinking about theology and science and is profoundly affecting
conventional medicine.  Several of the reports referred to the steady stream
of evidence that both physical and psychological conditions are being healed
through prayer.

Speakers today stressed the importance of making Mary Baker Eddy's
pioneering work on spiritual healing, Science and Health with Key to the
Scriptures, more available to those in need of healing and in search of
spiritual answers.  Over 9 million copies of the book have been sold
worldwide, since it was first published in 1875.

Olga M. Chaffee, Clerk of The Mother Church, spoke about how those who have
already been healed and spiritually nurtured by reading this book, are eager
to make it available to others.

Today, she reported, members of The Mother Church are sharing the gospel of
healing all over the world. This includes this year's new members from
Cameroon, Saudi Arabia, Congo, Ukraine, Kenya, the United States, Europe, El
Salvador, Haiti, Namibia, and other locations.  "We're hearing wonderful
reports of how Science and Health has transformed lives and set hearts afire
to share this universal Truth. . . ."

Victor Westberg, in giving the report of the Committee on Publication, told
of the continuing cooperation between religion and medicine in exploring the
beneficial role of prayer in healing physical conditions.  This was evident
at major conferences on Spirituality and Healing in Medicine recently held
in Boston and Los Angeles, organized by the Harvard Medical School.  A
representative from the Christian Science Church accepted an invitation to
serve as one of the faculty members at these well-attended gatherings.

News coverage of the Harvard conferences, said Mr. Westberg, has reached
almost 150 million people so far.  And because of the growing interest in
spirituality and healing worldwide, media from countries overseas are now
covering North Americas dialog on the topic.

The Committee also staffed booths at the Fall and Spring conventions of the
American Academy of Pediatrics showing how the Christian Science Church can
unite with medical professionals to promote the care and health of children.

"In an age reaching out," reported John L. Selover, Treasurer of The Mother
Church, "this cannot be a static church with a static membership."  Toward
this end, he reported on the establishment of a Restoration and Renewal
Programa $55 million, five-year fund-raising effort to upgrade the physical
facilities at the Christian Science Church Center.  He expressed gratitude
that thus far commitments for $11 million have been received.  In addition
to code and legal requirements that must be met, he reported that extensive
improvements are long overdue in electrical and ventilating systems, and in
the structural integrity of all the buildings. Mr. Selover also reported the
amount of funds on hand, indebtedness, and current expenditures of the
church.  He indicated that during the past year, the Church operated with a
surplus of $2.8 million and that the total funds on hand on April 30, 1997
had increased by $23 million to $251 million.

There were also six reports given by church members from throughout the
world, presented in person at the Boston Annual Meeting.   These included:

A woman from India whose branch church sponsored two lectures on Christian
Science spiritual healing practices at two of the largest Bombay  hospitals.
One, held at Bombay University Teaching Hospital, was attended by over 100
medical professionals; and the second was presented at a children's hospital
before nearly 250 medical professionals.  The lecturer was a respected
former pediatrician who spoke of healing difficult children's cases through
prayer.

A former mental health professional from Connecticut, after reading Science
and Health. was quickly healed of a condition requiring daily medication.
While she has since left the mental health field to enter the full-time
practice of Christian Science healing, she reported to the Boston audience
that a new appreciation for and interest in the spiritual dimension is
emerging in the practice of psychotherapy.  "The taboo against considering
the role of spirituality as part of treatment is beginning to fade," she
said.  "At one time, talk on this subject would be reason to label a person
as being in denial or delusional. . . .  Clearly there has been progress."

The Christian Science Board of Directors announced the receipt last week of
a special award from the Layman's National Bible Association for the
Church's promotion of the Bible.  The Association is a nonsectarian
corporation that was founded in 1940 for the purpose of conducting a
campaign of public education in Bible reading and Bible study. The Citation
of Appreciation spoke of the Church's "consistent and faithful support of
National Bible Week in Branch Churches."

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