First Church of Christ, Scientist, Auburn, California

Sunday School Students conduct a church workshop - February 22, 2009

Subject:  HOW CAN WE BE BETTER HEALERS?

Members and attendees sat in three groups in our Sunday School room.   The workshop was held on Sunday a half hour after the church service.

It began by the students asking the entire group What is healing? and How would you define it?   Ideas were written on a flip chart and posted. 

The students then rotated between the three adult groups asking the same specific question(s) of each group and noting down major discussion points.  Each session lasted about 15-20 minutes.

 

Summer and Laine, our elementary school class, asked two related questions.  Here are some highlights of their discussions.

What is Love? and How does Love help healing?

  • Love is a feeling that you get knowing God; God is Love
  • Love is the acceptance of good
  • Love is the essential quality of spirituality
  • Love is the umbrella, with the spokes being God’s other synonyms
  • Love is turning the other cheek; impersonalizing evil and hate
  • Wanting the best for everyone; cared and caring
  • The Golden Rule – Love reflecting love
  • Hugs; Love is like a warm blanket. Comforting
  • The act of being inseparable from God
  • You couldn’t be healed without Love
  • With Love in thought you’re more responsive to healing ideas
  • Love is God manifested in us through healing
  • Love blesses the whole neighborhood with each healing
  • Love makes a problem disappear because Love is all and everywhere—like God
  • We have eternity to understand infinity

Denali, our junior high student, asked, What is faith’s role in healing?

Here are some ideas he noted from the three groups:

  • You need faith for healing
  • Faith builds the foundation for understanding
  • Faith and understanding are ‘hand and glove’
  • Blind faith cannot grow into understanding; a placebo effect results from blind faith
  • Our first healings often come through faith alone, then understanding starts to grow
  • Faith is the opposite of fear; faith is a confidence beyond one’s own knowledge
  • Christian Science is not blind faith, it is a trustworthy confidence in God
  • Faith sometimes precedes ‘knowing’, and that’s okay

 

 

Emily and Genevieve, from our high school class, kept the group thinking by asking:

What would prevent us from being better healers and what do we call this resistance?

  • FEAR – an acronym for false evidence appearing real; in CS it’s named ‘animal magnetism’
  • Mortal egotism or thinking of ourselves as the ‘healer’ instead of God; this limits ability
  • Self doubt or fear of failure; reverse this--open thought to God’s assurances via CS study & prayer
  • “I don’t know enough to heal” ….then practice, practice, practice. (It’s called CS Practice!)  How does any one get good at science, or music, or art?  Practice it!
  • Only applying pray-based solutions during the ‘tough times’ or for physical healing limits our faith and doesn’t open thought to God’s omnipresence.  Acknowledge God on the good days too.
  • Accepting ‘world thought’ tempts us to look for a quick fix via medicines or drugs.  But do we want relief or healing?  The premise of CS healing is the unreality of disease; healing from this basis prevents a return of it.
  • Believing the problem or pain is ‘ours’.  Prayer separates the problem from us and shows our perfect relation to God.

What does Church have to do with healing?

  • Church is here in support of us, our family and our community—all are blessed by Church
  • Who doesn’t come to church with a desire to be helped or healed in some way?  It’s a healing place because of the atmosphere of thought found there.
  • Church doesn’t need a fancy building but should provide an atmosphere of comfort, love, peace, as well as energy and enthusiasm for Christian Science---this is conducive to healing.
  • A visible Church is proof of our ‘utility’ (ref. to “Church” in the Glossary Science & Health)
  • The Mother Church and its branches have Manual-based organizational components which support healing, such as our services, means for sharing testimonies of healing,  Sunday School, our magazines, church web sites, access to CS practitioners, etc.
  • Interaction with others at church keeps you on track and supports your own healing efforts
  • Church shouldn’t be a habit or ritual, but a cooperative expression of our love for God and each other.  Habits or ritualistic formulas don’t heal
  • Church services where healing happens is the result of members bringing an expectation of healing.  Come prepared for healing
  • Church is the open door to our community—a door that swings both ways—and a place to share the healing Christ with all.
  • Where else in the community can anyone go and find what Church provides! 

To close the workshop, the students presented a brief summary of ideas shared by the three adult groups.   It was a great opportunity for members and the Sunday School to work together in support Christian Science healing.  Everyone went away with a deeper consideration of what’s needed to be better spiritual healers and metaphysicians!


Sunday school teachers