03/03/2015
It's time for the Christian Science Fellowship-Metro Chicago to look backward and forward. I’m remembering back to that day in August, 2009, when about fifty curious, devoted, loving, enthusiastic Christian Scientists from all over the Chicago area gathered together to think about the meaning and implementation of fellowship within the Christian Science community.
Although it is time to move on without this particular structure, known as the Christian Science Fellowship of Metro-Chicago, we want to express our gratitude to Christ’s awakening and guidance and to thank everyone who participated. We leave this Facebook group intact intentionally for anyone who wishes to browse through our history of ideas and experiences. The original blog is also available, which tells the story in more detail from beginning to end. See whatishappeningchicago.wordpress.com/
We began with a series of gatherings, where we wanted to experience a wide-open form of worship, praying, interacting fellowship, music, and living our love for God and for humanity. Also, our careful listening to those who have felt alienated from the Christian Science community for a variety of reasons led to some soul-searching and sincere efforts to be more open and welcoming.
Rather candidly, we struggled a bit to discern the difference between Christian Science in Mary Baker Eddy’s day and Christian Science in the 21st century. What role does culture or society have in our expressions of an ‘eternal Science?’ What if our own comfortable ways of doing things are the very things that turn others away? What about facing in ourselves self-justification, pride of healing practices, or denominational arrogance?
We have shared our wrestling, learning, and joy along the way. Our happiest take-away: hearing how the experiences touched and awakened those who got involved, and hearing when people took these ideas back to their own branch churches!
We also learned why we are unable to sustain the effort indefinitely. First, we have concluded that the geographic configuration of Chicago is too big and unwieldy for us to ‘gather’ in a practical manner. And secondly, despite the success of the book club that continued on for a couple of more years beyond our other events, we were not able to generate enough support for the rest of the work behind the scenes.
In conclusion, we are satisfied that our ‘mission to nourish Christian Science worship, fellowship, and healing in a warm, bold, new way that supports one another and reaches the world’ continues to inspire us, even as we close this chapter and prepare for some future expression of it. Thank you!
Blogging the beginning of Chicago's Christian Science fellowship
