Christian Science Churches and Community

As he went about preaching, healing, and teaching on the shores of Galilee and along the byways of Capernaum, Jesus recognized the value of his followers coming together in Christian fellowship. He reminds us: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20, 21). And when Christ is in our midst, we can do together what we cannot do alone, including supporting one another in practical ways.

The Mother Church and its worldwide branch churches offer a wide variety of in-person and online avenues for congregational worship and active engagement in Christian community. Such engagement in church is a cherished aspect of the practice of Christian Science for its enriching and healing effect. Attending Sunday services and Wednesday testimony meetings, working in the Reading Room, and serving on committees all lead to individual and community blessings — and to healing.

If you or a loved one have been less active in church or have recently had a change of address or are looking to connect to your next church community, the links and resources in this section may be useful. Connecting or reconnecting with The Mother Church or a local branch church can be life-affirming. In some cases, it’s possible to find others in your area who practice Christian Science but don’t have a church home right now. Informal groups spring up wherever a handful of individuals wish to share Christian Science and support each other.

Lastly, there are Christian Scientists around the US committed to helping others find or create support systems to meet the needs of Christian Scientists. These helpers don’t replace either branch church care committees or Christian Science nursing care but rather work to fill in gaps where they might exist. You can find out more about them on the Communities of Christian Caring resource in this section.

For help thinking through these ideas, please call Caring for Christian Scientists at 800.930.3797.