Phone/ Fax: 07 3236 2023 Email: csbris@optusnet.com.au
Reading Room 440 George St, Mon-Fri 9.30-4.30, Sat 9.30-12 Phone: 07 3220 0992
Wynnum: 92 Florence St - Sundays 10am, Sunday School 10am, 1st Wed. 1pm
Reading Room: same address, Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri 10-4 Phone: 07 3393 3245
Gold Coast: First Church, 5 West St, Burleigh Heads Sundays 9.30am, Sunday School 9.30am, Weds. 7.30pm Reading Room same address, Mon-Fri 9.30am-12.30pm Phone: 07 5535 6411 Email: cschurchgoldcoast@tpg.com.au
Nambour: First Church, 68 Blackall Terrace Sundays 10am, Sunday School 10am, 1st & 3rd Weds. 7.30pm, 2nd & 4th Weds. 2.30pm Phone: 07 5441 5517 Reading Room: same address, Tues, Thurs 10am-1pm, Weds 6.30-7.15pm
Redcliffe: First Church, 61 Ernest St, Margate Sundays 10am, Sunday School 10am, Weds. 7pm Phone: 07 3283 1562 Reading Room: same address, after services
Rockhampton: 8 Main St (PO Box 378) Sundays 3pm Phone: 07 4934 2788
Reading Room: same address, before and after services
Stanthorpe: 65 Wallangarra Rd Sundays 9am, Sunday School 9am, 3rd Wed. 7.45pm Phone: 07 4861 1120 Reading Room: same address, 3rd Wed. 1.30-3.30pm
Toowoomba: First Church, 62 Neil St Sundays 10am, Sunday School 10am, Weds. 5.30pm Phone/Fax: 07 4632 6930 Email: toowoomba@spirituality.net.au
Reading Room: same address, Mon 11.30am-2pm, Wed 5-5.30pm, Thurs 1.30-4pm
Brief Description/History
The mission of the Church is to "commemorate the word and works of our Master [Christ Jesus], which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing" (Church Manual, p. 17). The biggest contribution of the Church of Christ, Scientist to the people of Queensland is its dedication to, and growing evidence of, Christian healing, evidence that shows God’s love for everyone.
Like all Christian Science churches, including Queensland, the church is structured as a lay church, with no clergy. Each branch church is democratically governed by its members, with its own by-laws, in accord with worldwide governance from the Manual of the Mother Church by founder Mary Baker Eddy. Only state-wide post is: Richard Phillipps, Christian Science Committee on Publication for Queensland. His job is to work with the media: to be a resource for accurate information on Christian Science; also to work with government to help them understand Christian Science.
The Christian Science church began to welcome the community to its healing message soon after its inception here – the first services began in the years 1898-1900 in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Christian Science is both a religious teaching and a Bible-based system of spiritual healing, discovered by Mary Baker Eddy. www.marybakereddylibrary.org
The worldwide healing mission of The Church of Christ, Scientist, includes Christian Science practitioners (an individual who has completed a course in spiritual healing given by an authorised teacher of Christian Science and who devotes him or her self full time to helping and healing others through prayer), Christian Science nurses, also teachers, lecturers, youth activities, branch churches, societies (small churches) and Reading Rooms. www.christianscience.com
Christian Science Reading Rooms are staffed by local church members. A typical day at any Christian Science Reading Room has people of all faiths coming in and reading the many copies of The Bible and the textbook on Christian Science, Science and Health, for inspiration and healing, and asking questions about Christian Science. It is not unusual for a deep theological dialogue between visitors and the Reading Room attendant to take place there. As well, volunteers have staffed Reading Room stalls at the Brisbane Mind Body and Spirit Festivals and also at the Health, Happiness and Soul Expositions on the Gold Coast in 2008 and 2009. These expos are very successful, with much literature handed out and many people given an idea of how God can heal spiritually.
David Louis, a Jewish rabbi, credits his visit to a Christian Science Reading Room for a quick healing of his father, who had been deemed terminally ill. Hear his four-minute talk at http://tinyurl.com/d7joal
The Committee on Publication is always available to offer an informative talk on Christian Science to any group. In the past such a talk was given at St John's College, University of Queensland during a gathering of religious studies scholars. Generally there are quite a few students each year who are doing assignments on religions. We are happy to welcome them, show them around the church, explain its activities, and invite them to use the Reading Rooms and to come to services.
Difficulties encountered during our interfaith dialogue initiatives/activities.
Living Jesus’ message of loving another as yourself is always helpful and healing during any dialogue.
Some common misconceptions regarding Christian Science can be cleared up. For instance, here are a few facts:
- Christian Science is not Scientology. The two have nothing in common.
- Christian Science is a Christian, Bible-based religion. Its members follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
- There is no church mandate that prohibits medical use by its members; each member makes his or her own decisions regarding the health care for themselves and their families.
Helping factors in facilitating the success of these interfaith dialogue activities
What Christian Scientists can offer are their consecrated prayers for unity under one God and in living the spirit of true Christianity. Mary Baker Eddy in her textbook Science and Health refers to the power of the Bible's First Commandment (Exodus 20: 3), "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," to unite us all:
"One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, 'Love they neighbor as thyself;' annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, - whatever is wrong in social. civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed." (p. 340)
Future plans or proposals for promoting interfaith dialogue
This denomination and its members encourage inter-faith contact among young people. Our Sunday Schools welcome all young people up to the age of 20. Classes are a place where an open honest discussion of Christian Science and its healing method can be explored. Learning about God’s love for all of us is something they can utilise in their school studies, social life, sports and family life. Living Christianity, as the life of Jesus Christ impels us to do, is a vital source of joy and inspiration and it enables them to reach out to help others who are in need of healing.
What needs to be done to enhance the progress of interfaith dialogue in Queensland, in Australia, and/or internationally
The power of prayer is always a sure help to guide all of us in a more practical demonstration of God’s love and wisdom.
Activities
Christian Scientists, like many others, are engaged in all sorts of community projects and humanitarian work - it's an overflow of their conviction of living the Golden Rule, “doing unto others as we would have them do unto us.” Several Christian Science Assistant Committees on Publication attend Multi-Faith Centre activities. Christian Science churches also provide international speakers from The Christian Science Board of Lectureship who are available to give talks and in fact one has done so at the Griffith University Multi-Faith Centre in the past.
Office & mailing address: Christian Science Committee on Publication, 31 Westminster Blvd, Elanora QLD 4221
Contact: Richard Phillipps
Phone: 07 5522 6684 Fax: 07 5522 6684 Email: qld@compub.org