METAPHYSICAL MEETING, July 18, 2011
Contents
| - Topic | |
| - Call to the meeting | |
| - Readings | |
| - Member contribution A | |
| - Member contribution B | |
| - Member contribution C | |
| - Member contribution D |
Topic
Rebirth as applied to our church
Call to the meeting
We have joined together each month to spiritualize our thought and lift up our concept of church. Now perhaps it is time to take stock — count our blessings and focus on ideas and concrete fruitage that show our growth as a church. Our topic for the Monday, July 18, 2011, metaphysical meeting is Spiritual Rebirth as applied to our Church.
The word birth includes concepts of newness, freshness, eagerness to learn, alertness and open to new ideas. It is interesting to note that definitions of rebirth and reborn often include a spiritual component: “spiritually revived or regenerated”, “to reform spiritually or morally”, “spiritually or morally revitalized”. (American Heritage Dictionary)
With this is mind, here are three possible questions for our meeting. Your preparation, however, does not need to be confined or limited to these specific questions.
1. What have we learned about ourselves and our church during this study period that is regenerating or reviving our concept of church?
2. Have we overcome or risen above any form of apathy regarding ourselves or our view of the church?
3. What “signs of the times” or concrete examples show that our prayers are bearing fruit?
A member shared an interpretation of the 23rd Psalm at the February 2010 meeting that is nicely applicable to this topic:
The Lord is the shepherd of the church, He provides its every need.
The green pastures and still waters show it beautifully and bountifully located and cared for.
The restoration of its soul gives the inspiration and direction to us to carry this to fruition.
The paths of righteousness — prayer-directed action — lead directly to this goal.
The valley of the shadow of death — all setbacks and negative reaction — cause the church no fear because God is bringing us through the valley supported by His rod and staff, which insure a good demonstration and limitless love, purifying and focusing our goal, sustaining us in transition and unfolding each detail.
Love prepares the table, church, where it needs to be, blesses it with consecration, and as the cup runneth over, we have abundant completion.
And the church continues to be followed by goodness and mercy, which protect and bless endlessly in the presence of divine Love.
Readings
Mis. 16: 16 - 26 (from the article “New Birth”)
Mis. 17: 18 - 21
Mis. 18: 10 - 21
S&H 201: 7-19
Member contribution A
Perhaps we’ve all had the experience of drawing a breath and blowing into dying embers in order to reignite a fire. In Isaiah we read of the promised Messiah: “the smoking flax shall he not quench.” It is the glowing love for the Truth and Truth’s idea that overarches the frowning and grumbling and unyielding of mortal mind. It is the persistent, silent prayer and enterprise that rises each morning with new hope and a fresh outlook for the day.
Yoshiaki Kanno’s home burned down after the Japan earthquake and the machinery in his tofu factory had been damaged by sea water. Expected aid from the government had been snagged in political quagmire. So, with encouragement from his sister, a redeemed insurance claim, the acquisition of a loan, and deep digging into a savings account, he has purchased equipment from other closed factories and soon will be reopening his business. What enabled him to accomplish this in the face of such devastation? He says, “If you believe strongly enough, you can do it.” We may also observe, that the women’s soccer team from Japan also believed strongly enough in their victory in the Women’s World Cup.
Christian Science teaches us that we are not bound by history, nor are we dependent upon any material conditions to accomplish good. We can begin anew each moment, working from the bedrock of divine authority, the inexhaustible substance of divine attributes, the continuous grace of angelic ideas. Working from this absolute basis, inspired and empowered by the sincere love for God and man, never looking back to personal sense for approval, we can increasingly live a life of praise, irrespective of circumstance. We can dispense with the temptation to judge ourselves based upon a human perception of church progress. We are not building upon human achievement. We are acting from the Mind of Christ and drawing upon fresh spiritual resources each day to witness the ongoing leavening of human thought.
Our membership has proven itself to be resilient, not merely due to human endeavor, but by an increasing confidence in the assured rightness of our cause, which is to do as much Christly good as possible for each other, our families, and the wider community. We’ve recognized and called upon strengths in each other as so much praise for God. We have severely curbed the tendency to place blame upon persons for any ill-conceived misfortune. When Jesus was asked of his disciples concerning the blind man, “Who did sin, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” he replied, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”
We have begun to understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus and this has helped to awaken us out of apathy and breathe new life into our Christianity. We find ourselves running less and less for the exits and more and more committed to helping and healing. When we encounter minor setbacks from time to time, we see them as less defining of what we are as unrelenting rays of light. Each of us is a “concrete example” of the willingness to learn, the capacity to strive, the love of Truth, the caring for each other and humanity, the ceaseless joy in experiencing Soul, and the conviction of what we have proven. We can be so grateful.
Member contribution B
I wanted to share the spiritual qualities I had been praying with in regard to rebirth: spiritual listening, joy, love, purity, harmony, and unfoldment.
Mis. 183: 10-19
“Man is free born: he is neither the slave of sense, nor a silly ambler to the so-called pleasures and pains of self-conscious matter. Man is God’s image an dlikeness; whatever is possible to God, is posisble to man as God’s reflection. Through the transparency of Science we learn this, and receive it: learn that man can fulfil the Scriptures in every instance; that if he opens his mouth it shall be filled — not my reason of the schools, or learning, but by the natural ability, that reflection already has bestowed on him, to give utterance to Truth.”
Mis. 250: 20-29
“Love cannot be a mere abstraction, or goodness without activity and power. As a human quality, the glorious significance of affection is more than words: it is the tender, unselfish deed done in secret; the silent, ceaseless prayer; the self-forgetful heart that overflows; the veiled form stealing on an errand of mercy, out of a side door; the little feet tripping along the sidewalk; the gentle hand opening the door that turns toward want and woe, sickness and sorrow, and thus lighting the dark places of earth.”
Hymn 30:4
Through God, who gave that word of might
Which swelled creation's lay:
“Let there be light, and there was light.”
What chased the clouds away?
’Twas Love whose finger traced aloud
A bow of promise on the cloud.
Member contribution C
1) What have we learned about ourselves and our church during this study period that is regenerating or reviving our concept of church?
Rebirth is a word that spells newness. On a human plane, it implies rejuvenation or renewal on the basis that we have lapsed from the pinnacle of performance and need to climb back up to the heights of readiness and accomplishment that characterize excellence. That’s a highly human viewpoint, albeit understandable. However, it’s not the way we approach demonstration in Science, and it points directly at what we’ve learned during these past months. In particular, I’ve become increasingly conscious of the concept of church as God’s business already established.
The good that is God is never absent, never obscured, never worn out, never in decline, never restricted, never decreasing in quantity, never obsolete, never out of fashion, never awkward, never unexpressed. Therefore, the good that is God is always present, always visible (it’s all we can truly see as expressions of Spirit,) always fresh, always prospering, always unlimited, always evolving in the infinitude of Principle, always new, always in vogue, always balanced and poised, and always expressed.
These qualities apply directly to church, and we have learned to be appreciative of their constant presence. In realizing this, I am reminded of Mrs. Eddy’s statement in her Miscellaneous Writings, page 277, “No evidence before the material senses can close my eyes to the scientific proof that God, good, is supreme.” That approach is our modus operandi, the essence of our progress.
2) Have we overcome or risen above any form of apathy regarding ourselves or our view of the church?
I’m not sure from where this question arises, but if it’s come up, then it needs to be answered and resolved. Apathy indicates a state of non-caring, an abrogation of assigned responsibility. Well, church is God’s business, God’s responsibility. But does that mean I can sit back and let God do the work? Actually, yes! But that doesn’t mean leaving the battle lines. It entails rejection of the falsity that is a material, limited, isolated, weak mentality. It entails realization that Mind is always in control of its ideas, its movements, and developments. Furthermore, man, represented by our members, is the spiritual outcome of Mind’s divine activity, ever active and resourceful. Every one of us is a spiritual idea with a perfect, good, spiritual outlook and motivation that reflects the divine.
3) What “signs of the times” or concrete examples show that our prayers are bearing fruit?
The evolving spiritual confidence and assurance manifest in these meetings and in our church affairs generally is evident. However, we don’t rest on accomplishments. Much remains to be done. What is significant is that we have the tools and are using them to forge ever stronger accomplishments in Spirit.
We can move forward in the confidence that divine Mind is always in control, is never absent from duty. This realization is itself the manifestation of good in our church affairs. So-called concrete examples are always nothing but the externalization of divine ideas. Those ideas are firmly established and in place, and that is what we are conscious of, that is our assurance. We already see a confidence in moving forward, and that itself is a manifestation of the divine good that is God, at work in our church adventure.
Member contribution D
1) What have we learned about ourselves and our church during this study period that is regenerating or reviving our concept of church?
In the past couple of months, I’ve learned to really appreciate the contribution that each member of our church is making. I probably mentioned this last month, but I am continuing to gain a deeper appreciation for all the qualities that each of our members reflects. These qualities constitute the oneness of our membership and are forever present. As I pray almost every day on these qualities, I also affirm the presence of the qualities that seem to be lacking, knowing that our church, as an idea of God, cannot lack anything. For me, this is part of the rebirth – the recognition that we have never been through a period of lack.
2) Have we overcome or risen above any form of apathy regarding ourselves or our view of the church?
I have to say that this question was troublesome to me. I don’t think I’m apathetic with regard to church. I'm not apathetic about giving as much effort as is needed to church, while still living a busy, fulfilling life. However, the question deserves more than a “poor me, it’s all on my shoulders” reaction. (Parenthetically, besides apathy, healing a sense of burden about church work is another worthy accomplishment.)
How did I get myself into this situation? Years ago, I used to have what I thought were great ideas about church, but nobody listened. They just wanted to continue on as they had for decades (in this church and other branches). A core of people maintained the status quo and the rest of us didn’t have to do much.
Then, what I might call “the troubles” began. Our membership was falling apart and something had to be done. Attendance dwindled dramatically. I consulted an experienced Christian Scientist, and at the end of my tale of woe, said, “I’m afraid I’m going to be last one out and have to turn off the lights.” He gave me a lot of good things to consider in prayer and at the end of our conversation said emphatically, “YOU WILL NOT TURN OUT THE LIGHTS.” I kind of took that as an order from God and it has been the basis of my prayers about our church. If I’m not going to turn out the lights, I can’t be apathetic or nonparticipating!
What has this led to? Well, I used to limit myself to two church jobs, no more. I simply wouldn’t do more than that. Now, I’m willing to find a way to do whatever is needed, while (hopefully) recognizing the talents of all to contribute to church. Believe it or not, I was pretty “orthodox” in my view of what a church and church service should be. Now, I’ve opened my thought and adopted a “whatever works” attitude as long as it is metaphysically correct and in accordance with the Church Manual, about which I am uncompromising. I’ve truly learned to appreciate and understand the Manual bylaw that talks there being plenty of work within the broad reaches of The Mother Church, and believe it or not, find it very fulfilling. My most enjoyable days are those when I spend most of my time working in my practice and for our church.
This doesn’t mean that it’s right for one member or a small handful to do everything in the church. It’s particularly exacerbated when the membership is small, because then there’s a smaller working core. When Rob Gilbert was the Committee on Publication for Southern California, he said in a talk that church is a laboratory for life. What a better place for all members to gain experience in a loving, learning, healing atmosphere learning so they can meet challenges outside the church. It’s a great place to put into practice Jesus’ two great commandments, and especially to learn to love unconditionally, without accepting as spiritually true the foibles of others.
3) What “signs of the times” or concrete examples show that our prayers are bearing fruit?
The dedication of our members to these metaphysical meetings is evidence of fruitage. They must be meeting a need, causing rebirth, for this kind of interest. The testimony period at our Wednesday meetings tends to generally be lively and filled, regardless of the number of attendees. We’ve even had a few more people than usual at these meetings in the past several weeks. People continue to say that we are a loving, lively bunch. We’re on the right track!