Extract from a Christmas letter

Newsletter

Dear fellow Christian Scientists,

Our Leader Mary Baker Eddy wrote, in ‘Extract from a Christmas Letter’:

Beloved Students: — My heart has many rooms: one of these is sacred to the memory of my students. Into this upper chamber, where all things are pure and of good report, — into this sanctuary of love, — I often retreat, sit silently, and ponder.  In this chamber is memory’s wardrobe, where I deposit certain recollections and rare grand collections once in each year. This is my Christmas storehouse. Its goods commemorate, — not so much the Bethlehem babe, as the man of God, the risen Christ, and the adult Jesus. Here I deposit the gifts that my dear students offer at the shrine of Christian Science, and to their lone Leader. …Never did gratitude and love unite more honestly in uttering the word thanks, than ours at this season. But a mother’s love behind words has no language; …but lives steadily on, through time and circumstance, as part and paramount portion of her being. (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 159:10–22; 160:2-7) 

In the spirit of the Christmas season, the Canadian Christian Science Nurses (CCSN) are mindful of the “Christmas storehouse” our Leader speaks of, by the blessings that have unfolded this past year and what they “commemorate.”

In the midst of turbulent times in our world, particularly these past two years, the CCSN activity has not slowed down, demonstrating that the Christ activity is always reflected in human progress. Indeed, “gratitude and love unite…in the word, thanks.” 

Christian Science nurses had the privilege of “Zooming” across Canada these past few weeks visiting every Branch Church and Society in Canada. We discovered a common awareness of the importance of the role of Christian Science at this time, as well as the importance of watching, exposing and countering together the supposed impositions on Christian Science. 

We will be following up with visits to individual Branch Churches upon request in the New Year. Please email ccsninformation@gmail.com to arrange a date.

In January, the CCSN will be sponsoring a talk by Griff Henninger via Zoom, on the history of this Christly activity called “nursing” — from the beginning of the Christian era’s “Christ rooms” to the present day — which we understand as Christian Science nursing. We hope you will make time to join in on two Saturdays in January, the 15th and 29th.  More information to follow.

If you haven’t visited our website recently, please do take a look.  And keep looking.  The site has been re-designed and will be updated regularly: www.csncanada.ca

“The advancing hope of the race, craving health and holiness, halts for a reply; and the reappearing Christ, whose life-giving understanding Christian Science imparts, must answer the constant inquiry: “Art thou he that should come?” (No and Yes, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 46:6–10)

Let us all be ready to answer to our fellow man: YES, the Comforter is here!

A Happy Christmas to all.