Service for Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012

Subject: Christian Science

 Hymn 175 

 Violet Hay

 Lo, He sent His Word and healed them,

   Still that Word of God is here.

 Still its tender healing message

   Speaks to every listening ear.

 Truth divine, that overcometh

   All the ills that seem to be,

 In our hearts Thy Word abiding,

   We may know Thee and be free.

 Love divine, that faileth never,

   Still Thy presence and Thy power

 Mighty are to save and heal us,

   Guard and guide us every hour.

 Life divine, Thy Word proclaimeth

   All true being one with Thee.

 Sinless, fearless, whole, rejoicing,

   Now and through eternity.

The scriptural selection is from I Corinthians.

I Corinthians 12:1,4‑11,13,28‑31

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.  And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.  Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?  Have all the gifts of healing?  do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Silent prayer, followed by the audible repetition of the Lord’s prayer, with its spiritual interpretation as given in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy

Our Father which art in heaven,

Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious,

Hallowed be Thy name.

Adorable One.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy kingdom is come; Thou art ever-present.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Enable us to know – as in heaven, so on earth

God is omnipotent, supreme.

Give us this day our daily bread;

Give us grace for today; feed the famished affections;

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And Love is reflected in love;

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;

And God leadeth us not into temptation, but delivereth us from sin, disease, and death.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

For God is infinite, all-power, all Life, Truth, Love, over all, and All.

 Hymn 221 

 Margaret Glenn Matters

 O Jesus, our dear Master,

   Thy works, now understood,

 Reveal their full effulgence

   Through love and brotherhood.

 Today Christ's precious Science

   Thy healing power makes plain:

 With joy may all obey thee

   And cast out sin and pain.

 The Christ, eternal manhood,

   As God's own Son beloved,

 A tender ever‑presence

   Within each heart is proved.

 O God, our Father‑Mother,

   Thy name we see expressed

 By man, who in Thy Science

   Is perfect, holy, blessed.

 O Science, God‑sent message

   To tired humanity,

 Thou art Love's revelation

   Of Truth that makes us free.

 Thy kingdom, God, within us

   Shows forth Love's sweet control.

 God's idea, man, rejoices;

   He knows the reign of Soul.

Solo: “He Shall Feed His Flock”               

Friends:
The Bible and the Christian Science textbook are our only preachers. We shall now read Scriptural texts, and their correlative passages from our denominational textbook; these comprise our sermon.

The canonical writings, together with the word of our textbook, corroborating and explaining the Bible texts in their spiritual import and application to all ages, past, present, and future, constitute a sermon undivorced from truth, uncontaminated and unfettered by human hypotheses, and divinely authorized.

The lesson-sermon from the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, read by the First and Second Readers.

The content of the Lesson Sermon may be found in the Christian Science Quarterly. You may also read the Lesson-Sermon for this week online by clicking here.

 Hymn 29 

 Florence L. Heywood

 Breaking through the clouds of darkness,

   Black with error, doubt, and fear;

 Lighting up each somber shadow,

   With a radiance soft and clear;

 Filling every heart with gladness,

   That its holy power feels,

 Comes the Christian Science gospel,

   Sin it kills and grief it heals.

 Christlike in its benedictions,

   Godlike in its strength sublime;

 Conquering every subtle error,

   With a meekness all divine,

 It has gone across the ocean,

   It is known in every land,

 And our sisters and our brothers

   Are united in one band.

"The Scientific Statement of Being" (S&H p. 468} and the correlative scripture according to I John 3:1-3.

There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore man is not material; he is spiritual.

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p.468

1John.3

[1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

[3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Benediction

Malachi 4:2 unto (to ;)

unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;