by Kim Canuette
A few weeks ago, everything in and around The Mother Church was abuzz with things to do for Annual Meeting.
Everyone was working late to prepare themselves not only for the physical aspects of the event, but also metaphysically supporting the ideas behind Annual Meeting.
As some of you may have seen in person or online, I was asked to read part of The Sermon on the Mount for the Sunday School Workshop. When I went for rehearsal on Friday, I met the platform usher. I don’t know if some of the other larger churches have platform ushers, but my church at home does not, so I wasn’t familiar with the duties of a platform usher. She introduced herself and explained that her job consists of prayerfully supporting the readers throughout the church service. She also shared with us some of the ideas about church that she was currently thinking about. One was the definition of church as “The structure of Truth….”
That Saturday, it really dawned on me that we should all try to be platform ushers. I feel like a huge part of being a member of the church—or even just considering yourself a Christian Scientist—is metaphysically supporting church and getting to know the truths expressed in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. I decided to try to do a better job of this myself.
That day, I sat in on two Reading Room workshops with DiscoveryBound, an organization for young Christian Scientists. They made me really want to focus some attention on how Reading Rooms can be accessible to and supportive of young people. I wanted to see enthusiasm on the part of the kids right there in the workshop, as well as to increase my own enthusiasm for the mission of the Reading Rooms. I didn’t think it would be all that difficult to devote some thought to the idea that everyone of every age is a healer and an open fount for spreading the Truth. So it really surprised me how hard it was for me to “Stand porter at the door of thought,” as Mrs. Eddy instructed.
I would have a wonderful sense of focus and then suddenly my thoughts would wander…or I would begin to doubt that I could make an impact on my church at home or the Christian Science movement as a whole. I had to work to correct this negative thought over and over again. I reassured myself that there is a place for me and for all young people in Christian Science. And the diligence paid off.
I thought about a phrase from a hymn in the Christian Science Hymnal (p. 253), “My prayer, some daily good to do….” Every prayer makes a difference even if it doesn’t seem to immediately. I’ve seen proof that Christian Scientists throughout the world help the church and each other. In fact, this was very obvious at Annual Meeting.
And later that weekend, when someone asked me for prayerful support, I honestly felt prepared to help. Before meeting the platform usher, I thought I was a strong Christian Scientist—and in many ways I was. However, meeting her made me realize that there is always something out there to pray about and that consistency is really important.
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I’ve never heard of a platform usher before. What a great job to have! I will do this informally from now on. Thanks, Kim, for telling us what you’ve learned.
Have you been able to keep up the more constant prayer? I go in spurts and wish I could be more consistent. Any advice?
The platform usher idea is such a good one because it reminds us that we do need to be praying to support church and the readers. So often i forget about that and just go to services to be inspired. But it really is our duty to be supporting others in our prayers as well, especially in church.
Stacy, the first thing that I want to say is I know your pain sister! In the midst of the daily rush its sometimes hard to find a quiet place to “Be still and know that I am God.” I used to think that I needed to set aside time to pray and make a concentrated effort but now I’ve found that prayer has worked its way into my daily life in a very natural manner. I pray while I walk to work, when I’m bored, as I make dinner and while I lay in bed trying to sleep. A lot of my prayer is simply trying to correct my thought about anything and everything and the rest is gratitude to God.
I’ve found that God gave us the ability to break ourselves down and build ourselves up in equal amounts, and prayer allows us to rationalize that conflict within our souls. I’ve found myself in doubt, but in the end I know that no one manifests this doubt upon me, I create it, out of fear. It is our connection with a community, in whatever form, that helps us to understand our realtionship with the universe. We are able to support each other through a mutual search for truth and meaning, and that is sometimes the nature of religion, supporting each other in a journey toward a common goal, or peace, or happiness.
But perhaps I’m a bit too lost in my own waxing here, just the same, it’s good to see your Summer is turning out rich and meaningful, and I hope the rest of it is equally fulfilling.