Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 12:12am
Peace and healing in the Reading Room
How many of you know what a Christian Science Reading Room is? No doubt you've seen one in a shopping mall, college town, downtown, outdoor market, or riverfront. The one I serve in is nestled between a swanky supper club, a hip seafood eatery and a trendy clothing boutique. It's frequented by college students, tourists, attorneys, county commissioners and policy makers, local pastors, imams, day laborers, high school students, seniors, artists and others.
Visitors will tell you they drop by the Reading Room for various reasons. Some are simply curious, like the woman who told me she had passed by our Reading Room twice a day, to and from work, for a year. She'd always stop by and read the inspirational posters and window displays. Finally she decided it was time to come in and see what was happening inside.
Others come in search of healing, like the couple who dropped by after eating lunch at the hip seafood eatery next door. They thought the reading room might have some information on healing a particular physical disorder. This couple had been doing a lot of research on alternative therapies but was intrigued by the idea of Christian healing. They sat and read from the book, "Healing Spiritually", which is filled with testimonies from individuals who applied the principles taught in the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and found healing. That couple left inspired.
Still some, like the attorney who frequents our Reading Room come in search of a spiritual perspective that can be applied to their work. Whenever this particular attorney is working on a case she drops in to do research and study. She feels gaining a spiritual perspective of her clients and whatever the case she's trying helps her to realize the omnipresence of God and the assurance of justice for all those involved.
Christian Science Reading Rooms are spiritual discovery centers for the community. Each one is unique in how it meets the specific needs of its community. However, in all Reading Rooms you'll find a wide variety of Christian Science books and publications that explore the nature of God, his kingdom and our spiritual heritage. Bibles and Bible reference materials like "The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, Harper's Bible Commentary" and "The Reforming Power of the Scriptures" can be found in Reading Rooms. And there are great children's books with titles like: "Travis Talks with God," "What Prayer Does", and "Jesus' Little Parables of the Kingdom".
Most Reading Rooms have computers where you can research articles published as far back as 1883 offering a spiritual perspective on topics like: supply, health, security, prayer and healing. Usually you'll find a free lending library where you can borrow books, CDs and cassettes. Our Reading Room has a quiet area for independent study and silent prayer.
The thing I like most about Reading Rooms is its healing atmosphere. In fact, that's what inspired me to serve. A few years ago I dropped by our downtown Reading Room to pass some time before an afternoon appointment. I sat at a desk and read the "Christian Science Weekly Bible Lesson" which is made up of citations from the Bible and "Science and Health" addressing various subjects like "Love," "Man," "God the only cause and creator," and "Christ Jesus."
I don't remember what the subject of the lesson was but while I was reading a young woman came in. She began peppering the librarian on duty with questions. Initially, her questions were harmless: Where can I find a specific text or how do I research items on the computer? Then they turned critical and became personal attacks.
The librarian serving that afternoon happened to be an elderly person and I was appalled by this young woman's lack of respect. Something kept telling me to sit back down when I rose with the intention of putting a stop to all this. So I sat down and prayed.
As I prayed with the spiritual ideas I was reading in that weekly bible lesson, ideas like God is in the very midst of us and that he comforts, guards and guides each of his dearly loved children, it occurred to me that the librarian was praying too.
At no point did she raise her voice or sound defensive. She responded with such grace, you would have thought she was talking with her own grandchild. I knew that young woman felt her love because she stopped her verbal assault and read quietly for 30 minutes or so. Then she got up and apologized to the librarian and said: "The reason why I come here is for the peace." The librarian responded, "I know." Then the young woman asked her first real question: "Why does it seem that people always want to disturb your peace?"
I remember sitting there awed by the love felt in that room and listened as the librarian and this young woman talked about God's love and how no one can disturb our relationship with him, which is the source of peace and what this librarian had been demonstrating all along.
When I left that afternoon for my appointment I made a mental note to myself: "I want to serve in the Reading Room." I can't think of anything more inspiring than engaging with other spiritual seekers. And Christian Science Reading Rooms are wonderful places to do just that and so much more.
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Kwadjo Boaiteyis a lifelong Christian Scientist devoted to uplifting public thought and serves as the Christian Science Committee on Publication for Georgia. He lives in Stone Mountain Georgia with his wife, the lovely Karama. You can send him an email at {email kwadjosun@gmail.com}kwadjosun@gmail.com{/email}. © copyright 2006 by Kwadjo Boaitey
— — —
ReligionAndSpirituality.com is a big tent for all expressions
of faith and spirituality, neither excluding nor favoring any.
All opinions expressed belong to the writer alone, and are
not necessarily shared by ReligionAndSpirituality.com.
Visitors will tell you they drop by the Reading Room for various reasons. Some are simply curious, like the woman who told me she had passed by our Reading Room twice a day, to and from work, for a year. She'd always stop by and read the inspirational posters and window displays. Finally she decided it was time to come in and see what was happening inside.
Others come in search of healing, like the couple who dropped by after eating lunch at the hip seafood eatery next door. They thought the reading room might have some information on healing a particular physical disorder. This couple had been doing a lot of research on alternative therapies but was intrigued by the idea of Christian healing. They sat and read from the book, "Healing Spiritually", which is filled with testimonies from individuals who applied the principles taught in the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and found healing. That couple left inspired.
Still some, like the attorney who frequents our Reading Room come in search of a spiritual perspective that can be applied to their work. Whenever this particular attorney is working on a case she drops in to do research and study. She feels gaining a spiritual perspective of her clients and whatever the case she's trying helps her to realize the omnipresence of God and the assurance of justice for all those involved.
Christian Science Reading Rooms are spiritual discovery centers for the community. Each one is unique in how it meets the specific needs of its community. However, in all Reading Rooms you'll find a wide variety of Christian Science books and publications that explore the nature of God, his kingdom and our spiritual heritage. Bibles and Bible reference materials like "The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, Harper's Bible Commentary" and "The Reforming Power of the Scriptures" can be found in Reading Rooms. And there are great children's books with titles like: "Travis Talks with God," "What Prayer Does", and "Jesus' Little Parables of the Kingdom".
Most Reading Rooms have computers where you can research articles published as far back as 1883 offering a spiritual perspective on topics like: supply, health, security, prayer and healing. Usually you'll find a free lending library where you can borrow books, CDs and cassettes. Our Reading Room has a quiet area for independent study and silent prayer.
The thing I like most about Reading Rooms is its healing atmosphere. In fact, that's what inspired me to serve. A few years ago I dropped by our downtown Reading Room to pass some time before an afternoon appointment. I sat at a desk and read the "Christian Science Weekly Bible Lesson" which is made up of citations from the Bible and "Science and Health" addressing various subjects like "Love," "Man," "God the only cause and creator," and "Christ Jesus."
I don't remember what the subject of the lesson was but while I was reading a young woman came in. She began peppering the librarian on duty with questions. Initially, her questions were harmless: Where can I find a specific text or how do I research items on the computer? Then they turned critical and became personal attacks.
The librarian serving that afternoon happened to be an elderly person and I was appalled by this young woman's lack of respect. Something kept telling me to sit back down when I rose with the intention of putting a stop to all this. So I sat down and prayed.
As I prayed with the spiritual ideas I was reading in that weekly bible lesson, ideas like God is in the very midst of us and that he comforts, guards and guides each of his dearly loved children, it occurred to me that the librarian was praying too.
At no point did she raise her voice or sound defensive. She responded with such grace, you would have thought she was talking with her own grandchild. I knew that young woman felt her love because she stopped her verbal assault and read quietly for 30 minutes or so. Then she got up and apologized to the librarian and said: "The reason why I come here is for the peace." The librarian responded, "I know." Then the young woman asked her first real question: "Why does it seem that people always want to disturb your peace?"
I remember sitting there awed by the love felt in that room and listened as the librarian and this young woman talked about God's love and how no one can disturb our relationship with him, which is the source of peace and what this librarian had been demonstrating all along.
When I left that afternoon for my appointment I made a mental note to myself: "I want to serve in the Reading Room." I can't think of anything more inspiring than engaging with other spiritual seekers. And Christian Science Reading Rooms are wonderful places to do just that and so much more.
— — —
Kwadjo Boaiteyis a lifelong Christian Scientist devoted to uplifting public thought and serves as the Christian Science Committee on Publication for Georgia. He lives in Stone Mountain Georgia with his wife, the lovely Karama. You can send him an email at {email kwadjosun@gmail.com}kwadjosun@gmail.com{/email}. © copyright 2006 by Kwadjo Boaitey
ReligionAndSpirituality.com is a big tent for all expressions
of faith and spirituality, neither excluding nor favoring any.
All opinions expressed belong to the writer alone, and are
not necessarily shared by ReligionAndSpirituality.com.