“Love for God and man is the true incentive
in both healing and teaching.
Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way.”
(Science & Health p. 454)

It is this love that brings us together. We know that Christian Science Nurses, Practitioners, and Branch Churches are all vital to the Cause of Christian Science.Their individual roles support each other in the great work of bringing spiritual enlightenment, regeneration and healing to humanity. This year, High Ridge House (HRH) is focusing its prayers and loving outreach on strengthening those who are involved in this united effort.

On July 14th, over forty Journal-listed Christian Science Nurses, Practitioners, Teachers, and Board and staff members of organizations involved with Christian Science nursing in the Tri-State region gathered at HRH for a deep dialogue on the theme, “Nursing Ourselves, Nursing Our Churches.” Also attending, from The Mother Church, was Ariana Herlinger, Manager of Branch Church Activities.

We came together “to strengthen and perpetuate our organizations and institutions; and to find strength in union, — strength to build up, through God’s right hand, that pure and undefiled religion whose Science demonstrates God and the perfectibility of man.” (Mis. 98:17-21)

The four-hour Roundtable included small-group discussions, collective sharing of ideas, and unified silent prayer. The gathering was blessed and energized by the attendees’ sincerity, humility, love and joyous spiritual camaraderie.

Attendees gave wonderful examples of how nursing, nurturing, loving fellow church members and community members brought healing, encouragement, and renewed activity in branch churches.

In breakout sessions, each small group identified specific challenges that hinder the demonstration of spiritual healing and the prosperity of branch churches. We discussed how to handle and overcome these challenges through scientific prayer. The result was an abundance of uplifting, inspiring, practical ideas that were then shared with the entire assembly.

The Roundtable concluded with heartfelt expressions of gratitude, hope, renewed commitment to be “doers of the word,” and a higher vision of what can be accomplished as we lovingly and conscientiously nurse our churches and ourselves.

High Ridge House will continue to embrace this theme throughout the rest of the year. At our Annual Meeting, to be held at High Ridge House on September 16th, Robert Storm, C.S. will provide the keynote address on this theme. We are also planning to hold “Nursing Ourselves, Nursing our Churches” workshops at branch churches in the Tri-State region in the coming months.

“Our watchwords are Truth and Love; and if we abide in these, they will abound in us, and we shall be one in heart, — one in motive, purpose, pursuit. . . . and the sweet sense of journeying on together, doing unto others as ye would they should do unto you, conquers all opposition, surmounts all obstacles, and secures success.” (Mis 135:5-11)

With love and joy,

Marilyn Bradshaw

Marilyn Bradshaw, Vice-President
Board of Trustees

Marivic B. Mabanag

Marivic B. Mabanag
Executive Director

Workshop photo credit: Marivic Mabanag