The Ministry
Who belongs to this Illinois “State Committee”? We all do
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Includes every Illinois Christian Science church — and thus every church member can be part of this ministry
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Active participation is wholly voluntary
What does this Committee Ministry do? Shares Christian Science with the institutionalized.
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Provides Christian Science literature and Science and Health to every prison library, and receptive chaplains and inmates
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Individual church members can share within specific institutions
How can interested church members serve in this ministry? In many ways!
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Pray to support seekers in finding and reading our periodicals and textbooks
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Identify institutions nearby where members could serve
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Correspond with interested inmates, in letters and texts, answering their questions, encouraging their study and prayer
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Ensure seekers have our Pastor books* and authorized literature; send gently used literature to a chaplain, librarian, or inmate
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Conduct Sunday services inside the institutions, usually on Saturdays
What does the Executive Board do? Supports the churches!
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Prepares the annual budget, keeps the books, and reimburses on-the-ground expenses
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Handles inquiries and correspondence; shares member comments back to the churches
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Assist churches in establishing contacts in institutions they choose, e.g., jails, prisons, mental health and convalescent centers
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* Pastor books: I, Mary Baker Eddy, ordain the BIBLE, and SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES, Pastor over The Mother Church, — The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass.”…”the Life these give, the Truth they illustrate, the Love they demonstrate, is the great Shephers that feedeth my flock, and leadeth them ‘beside the still waters.” (Manual of The Mother Church p 58:2-8; Miscellaneous Writings 322:12-15)