Third Church of Christ, Scientist
Farragut Square
FIRST READER
J. Darrow Kirkpatrick
SUNDAY ATTENDANCE
37
SERVICE LENGTH
61 minutes
SAMPLE WORSHIPpER DRESS
a bright-green,
untucked polo shirt with khaki Dockers
BUILDING ERECTED
1973
CHURCH ARCHITECT
I.M. Pei
CRYING TODDLERS
0
CONGREGATIONAL
FERVOR
Churchgoers sit in silence while the First and Second Readers—congregants elected to read the scripture; there is no pastor—progress through chapters of the Bible and Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy. Kirkpatrick calls this “scrubbing the window clean to let the light shine in.” What may look like a vacant stare to the casual observer is actually a “spiritualizing of thoughts,” he says, that inspires healing, be it “physical, mental, relationship issues, or employment issues.”
FOOD FOR THE SOUL
The lesson of the week always coincides with a themes, such as “man,” “Christ Jesus,” or “matter.” The lesson for this week was “soul”: “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.” The lesson is bookended by organ-accompanied numbers from The Christian Science Hymnal.
FOOD FOR THE BODY
No refreshments were served following the service.
OVERALL WORSHIP POWER RATING
Forget those strange things you may have heard about Christian Science: “We’re not forbidden to go to doctors or take medication. That’s a misconception,” Kirkpatrick says. “The earnest Christian Scientist has found that religion solves his or her healing needs.” Christian Science services are text-heavy, focusing on scripture and Eddy’s interpretation of scripture.