Service for Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011

Subject: Christian Science

 Hymn 170 

 John Greenleaf Whittier – Adapted

 Let every creature hail the morn

 On which the holy child was born

 And know, through God's exceeding grace,

 Release from things of time and place.

 I listen, from no mortal tongue,

 To hear the song the angels sung,

 And wait within myself to know

 The Christmas lilies bud and blow.

 The outward symbols disappear

 From him whose inward sight is clear,

 And small must be the choice of days

 To him who fills them all with praise.

 Keep while ye need it, brothers mine,

 With honest zeal your Christmas sign,

 But judge not him who every morn

 Feels in his heart the Lord Christ born.

The scriptural selection is from II Peter.

II Peter 1:2‑8,10,11,16‑19

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.  For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Silent prayer, followed by the audible repetition of the Lord’s prayer, with its spiritual interpretation as given in the Christian Science textbook.

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 23

 Christmas Morn – Mary Baker Eddy

 Blest Christmas morn, though murky clouds

     Pursue thy way,

 Thy light was born where storm enshrouds

     Nor dawn nor day!

 Dear Christ, forever here and near,

     No cradle song,

 No natal hour and mother's tear,

     To thee belong.

 Thou God‑idea, Life‑encrowned,

     The Bethlehem babe‑‑

 Beloved, replete, by flesh embound‑‑

     Was but thy shade!

 Thou gentle beam of living Love,

     And deathless Life!

 Truth infinite,‑‑so far above

     All mortal strife,

 Or cruel creed, or earth‑born taint:

     Fill us today

 With all thou art‑‑be thou our saint,

     Our stay, alway.

Solo: "Come Unto Him"

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 222

 Phillips Brooks 

 O little town of Bethlehem,

   How still we see thee lie;

 Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

   The silent stars go by;

 Yet in thy dark streets shineth

   The everlasting Light;

 The hopes and fears of all the years

   Are met in thee tonight.

 O morning stars, together

   Proclaim the holy birth,

 And praises sing to God the King,

   And peace to men on earth;

 Where charity stands watching

   And faith holds wide the door,

 The dark night wakes, the glory breaks,

   And Christmas comes once more.

 How silently, how silently,

   The wondrous gift is given;

 So God imparts to human hearts

   The blessings of His heaven.

 No ear may hear his coming,

   But in this world of sin,

 Where meekness will receive him, still

   The dear Christ enters in.

"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

Psalms 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 

Service for Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011

Theme: Tenderness

 Hymn 99 

 Ninety‑First Psalm I – Adapted from Tate and Brady

 He that hath God his guardian made,

 Shall underneath th' Almighty's shade

   Fearless and undisturbed abide;

 Thus to myself of Him I'll say,

 He is my fortress, shield and stay,

   My God; in Him I will confide.

 His tender love and watchful care

 Shall free thee from the fowler's snare,

   From every harm and pestilence.

 He over thee His wings shall spread

 To cover thy unguarded head.

   His truth shall be thy strong defense.

 He gives His angels charge o'er thee,

 No evil therefore shalt thou see;

   Thy refuge shall be God most high;

 Dwelling within His secret place,

 Thou shalt behold His power and grace,

   See His salvation ever nigh.

Readings from the Bible.

Psalms 18:30‑35

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.  For who is God save the Lord?  or who is a rock save our God?  It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.  He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.  He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.  Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

Psalms 25:1‑6,8‑10

Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.  O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.  Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.  Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.  Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.  Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. 

Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.  The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.  All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

Psalms 40:8‑11

I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.  I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest.  I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.  Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

Psalms 69:16

Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

Psalms 103:1‑8,19,22

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.  The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.  He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.  The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 

The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. 

Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

Psalms 119:77,156

Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight. 

Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord: quicken me according to thy judgments.

Isaiah 40:10,11

Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

II Timothy 2:15,19 the,24,25 (to 1st ;)

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

 the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves;

James 3:13‑18

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Readings from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.

2:8

  God is not moved by the breath of praise to do more than He has already done, nor can the infinite do less than bestow all good, since He is unchanging wisdom and Love.  We can do more for ourselves by humble fervent petitions, but the All‑loving does not grant them simply on the ground of lip‑service, for He already knows all. 

3:4‑16

  Who would stand before a blackboard, and pray the principle of mathematics to solve the problem?  The rule is already established, and it is our task to work out the solution.  Shall we ask the divine Principle of all goodness to do His own work?  His work is done, and we have only to avail ourselves of God's rule in order to receive His blessing, which enables us to work out our own salvation. 

  The Divine Being must be reflected by man,‑‑else man is not the image and likeness of the patient, tender, and true, the One "altogether lovely;" but to understand God is the work of eternity, and demands absolute consecration of thought, energy, and desire. 

205:22

  When we realize that there is one Mind, the divine law of loving our neighbor as ourselves is unfolded; whereas a belief in many ruling minds hinders man's normal drift towards the one Mind, one God, and leads human thought into opposite channels where selfishness reigns. 

231:20‑8

  To hold yourself superior to sin, because God made you superior to it and governs man, is true wisdom.  To fear sin is to misunderstand the power of Love and the divine Science of being in man's relation to God,‑‑to doubt His government and distrust His omnipotent care.  To hold yourself superior to sickness and death is equally wise, and is in accordance with divine Science.  To fear them is impossible, when you fully apprehend God and know that they are no part of His creation. 

  Man, governed by his Maker, having no other Mind,‑‑planted on the Evangelist's statement that "all things were made by Him [the Word of God]; and without Him was not anything made that was made,"‑‑can triumph over sin, sickness, and death. 

  Many theories relative to God and man neither make man harmonious nor God lovable.  The beliefs we commonly entertain about happiness and life afford no scatheless and permanent evidence of either.  Security for the claims of harmonious and eternal being is found only in divine Science. 

272:3‑8

  The spiritual sense of truth must be gained before Truth can be understood.  This sense is assimilated only as we are honest, unselfish, loving, and meek.  In the soil of an "honest and good heart" the seed must be sown; else it beareth not much fruit, for the swinish element in human nature uproots it.

332:4 Father‑Mother

Father‑Mother is the name for Deity, which indicates His tender relationship to His spiritual creation.  As the apostle expressed it in words which he quoted with approbation from a classic poet: "For we are also His offspring."

366:30

  If we would open their prison doors for the sick, we must first learn to bind up the broken‑hearted.  If we would heal by the Spirit, we must not hide the talent of spiritual healing under the napkin of its form, nor bury the ^morale^ of Christian Science in the grave‑clothes of its letter.  The tender word and Christian encouragement of an invalid, pitiful patience with his fears and the removal of them, are better than hecatombs of gushing theories, stereotyped borrowed speeches, and the doling of arguments, which are but so many parodies on legitimate Christian Science, aflame with divine Love. 

485:14‑19

  Emerge gently from matter into Spirit.  Think not to thwart the spiritual ultimate of all things, but come naturally into Spirit through better health and morals and as the result of spiritual growth.  Not death, but the understanding of Life, makes man immortal.

507:3‑6

Spirit duly feeds and clothes every object, as it appears in the line of spiritual creation, thus tenderly expressing the fatherhood and motherhood of God.

513:26‑25

  God creates all forms of reality.  His thoughts are spiritual realities.  So‑called mortal mind‑‑being non‑existent and consequently not within the range of immortal existence‑‑could not by simulating deific power invert the divine creation, and afterwards recreate persons or things upon its own plane, since nothing exists beyond the range of all‑inclusive infinity, in which and of which God is the sole creator.  Mind, joyous in strength, dwells in the realm of Mind.  Mind's infinite ideas run and disport themselves.  In humility they climb the heights of holiness. 

  Moral courage is "the lion of the tribe of Juda," the king of the mental realm.  Free and fearless it roams in the forest.  Undisturbed it lies in the open field, or rests in "green pastures, . . . beside the still waters."  In the figurative transmission from the divine thought to the human, diligence, promptness, and perseverance are likened to "the cattle upon a thousand hills."  They carry the baggage of stern resolve, and keep pace with highest purpose.  Tenderness accompanies all the might imparted by Spirit.  The individuality created by God is not carnivorous, as witness the millennial estate pictured by Isaiah:‑‑

    The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,

    And the leopard shall lie down with the kid;

    And the calf and the young lion, and the fatling together;

    And a little child shall lead them. 

587:5

  GOD.  The great I AM; the all‑knowing, all‑seeing, all‑acting, all‑wise, all‑loving, and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence. 

Silent prayer followed by the audible repetition of the Lord’s prayer.

 Hymn 318 

 Based on the Danish of Nikolaj F. S. Grundtvig

 Suffer the children to come to me,

 This was the Master's tender plea;

 Gentle and loving, they are mine,

 Ah, will not ye who see this sign

        Come unto me?

 He who receiveth the Word as they,

 Teachable, ready to choose my way,

 He shall have peace of sin forgiven,

 He shall in this wise enter heaven;

        Come unto me.

 See ye the lilies, how fair they grow,

 Clothed in a glory kings ne'er know;

 They, like the sparrows, praise the Lord,

 Publish my call with clear accord,

        Come unto me.

Sharing of experiences, testimonies and remarks by members of the congregation.

 Hymn 154

 Frances A. Fox 

 In Thee, O Spirit true and tender,

   I find my life as God's own child;

 Within Thy light of glorious splendor

   I lose the earth‑clouds drear and wild.

 Within Thy love is safe abiding

   From every thought that giveth fear;

 Within Thy truth a perfect chiding,

   Should I forget that Thou art near.

 In Thee I have no pain or sorrow,                                                                                        

   No anxious thought, no load of care.

 Thou art the same today, tomorrow;

   Thy love and truth are everywhere.