 Posted Tuesday, February 05, 2008 3:46 PM
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I am new to the forums, and have really been interested to read the posts of my peers, the lapsed.
I was born and raised in CS, and although I left in my twenties, somewhat bitter (for reasons that do not relate to this topic), now that I am in my thirties, I kind of miss it, and find myself often thinking of CS doctrine when I am upset or ill. I don't think I will ever fully accept it the way I was raised or be a "fanatic" again, but I do find parts of it to be comforting sometimes.
I have considered re-joining the church, BUT... I am really saddened that the church does not participate in any charity causes and find it really sad. I work for a non-profit charity and we coordinate all sorts of religious groups to donate money or lend a hand for causes in our community (like book and coat drives) or around the world (like Darfur). Charity is a huge art of my life and I want a religion that participates in the healing of the world by meeting the physical needs of people who are suffering.
An example: my dad's CS church is located in a suburb, on the same street as a Catholic, Unitarian and Episcopal church. A few years ago all the churches got together to have an event, raising money for something (I forget the specifics) in the town. They invited the CS branch to be involved, but they had to decline. My dad and a bunch of others participated "as individuals" but not as a church...
I would love to find a place to go on Sundays where I can find a community of people who do good in the world, but also has some of the same doctrine as CS. I heard the Congregational Church (MBE's church before discovering CS) might be my best match, but I would love to hear from ex-CSers, their opinion.
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Posted Tuesday, February 05, 2008 7:05 PM
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| Green Pastures, Welcome to the forums! Regarding your question about churches similar to CS -- I think the answer depends on which aspects of CS you would like to see in a church. A number of the charismatic and Word Faith-oriented churches tend emphasize healing but hold some doctrinal beliefs that you may not hold (for example, the deity of Jesus). I suspect that Unity and Religious Science churches would feel similar to CS in many ways since they came out of CS, but they also differ from CS on some key doctrines. You will find charity work going on in many different Christian churches. Some of it is pretty obvious (food kitchens, clothing drives, etc.) while a lot of it isn't obvious unless you're intimately involved with the church. For example, my church (which happens to be Baptist) sponsors medical missionaries in Africa, some of our members are helping to refurbish homes for a local homeless shelter that helps people with housing while they reintegrate into society, and we have a fund to help people who quietly come to the church asking for help (for valid reasons). People outside our church probably aren't aware of these and other charity activities going on in our church. My point is that, as you look around for a church, you might find some very charity-oriented churches that don't look that way to the casual observer. So I recommend asking lots of questions.
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Posted Wednesday, February 06, 2008 9:42 AM
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Green Pastures,
Welcome to the forums.
One of the final motivating factors that led to my decision to withdraw my TMC membership was the lack of activity of CSists relative to a natural disaster. At a time when other churches were committing considerable resources to a cleanup effort of an area, the CSists with whom I was associated were not even interested in finding out the needs of CSists in that area. After some cajoling, they did agree to allow me and one other person go to the area to investigate how we might aid the relief effort.
When we finally did get a team in to help with the local CS church, the effort was treated more like a party than a relief effort. The CS denial of need was over the top.
I tried Unity and several other churches trying to find what I was familiar with before I realized that the familiar sort of CS fellowship and worship was part of the problem. I did much better once I was willing to break out of my traditional comfort zone.
Do Go Be Man
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Posted Wednesday, February 06, 2008 9:58 AM
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| Thanks for the responses. I have been "church-shopping" over the last few years-- looking for the balance of theology I am comfortable with and a group of people who are actively socially conscience. Haven't found it, yet, but hopefully it's out there somewhere!
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Posted Tuesday, February 19, 2008 11:35 AM
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| I suggest you do your own reading and stay very involved with what you know is right and how you genuinely believe, you will be led where you need to be, just listen.
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Posted Sunday, April 06, 2008 6:59 PM
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| I have been a Mother Church and Branch Church member for many years. Charity takes many forms. The Mother Church often donates to disaster relief. Branch churches are individual in how they respond to community needs. I know of at least one branch church that dedicates 10% of the donations it receives to community charities. Another branch church participates in community meals for the needy.
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Posted Monday, April 07, 2008 8:53 AM
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Anonymous April 6, 2008 @ 9:59:45 PM,
I have been a Mother Church and Branch Church member for many years. Charity takes many forms. The Mother Church often donates to disaster relief.
I'm sure there have been occasions when TMC responded to disaster relief. I question their scope and frequency relative to other churches. I never saw evidence of it in my 30+ years in CS and certainly not when I was directly involved with disaster relief as a CSist.
I was the de facto lead for the CS response to one of the largest natural disasters to ever hit the US. I was requested to provide photographs regarding our efforts to assist the CS church in the hardest hit area. That church was across the road from one of the iconic areas often seen on national news and in many photos. I provided shots that showed that perspective as well as the contrast between the effects of the disaster on the old and newer church structures. The shot used by TMC was a shot cropped tight showing the relative lack of damage to the newer building (a beauty shot of the church sign and Reading Room). They also encouraged a substitute Reader team to come down for the first service after we restored basic operations (water and power from generators). They showed up in suits and ties while the relief team sat through the service in our muddy coveralls. It was quite a surreal experience.
Hope that TMC and the Branch Churches have in fact improved their responses to human community needs. Perhaps what I experienced served up some lessons.
Do Go Be Man
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Posted Monday, April 07, 2008 9:04 AM
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| In my experience growing up in a CS home, I often asked about why we didn't do more community relief projects. I was taught that we did....it was our job to pray and know the truth. As Christian Scientists, we were not to get into the "world dream".
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