First Church of Christ, Scientist, Newport Beach

* Address: 3303 Via Lido, Newport Beach (at the entrance to Lido

Island)

* Telephone: (949) 673-1340

* Denomination: Christian Science

* Year church established: 1925

* Service times: Sunday services are at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday

school for students, ages 3 to 20, meets at 10 a.m. Testimony

meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. All services are open to

the public.

* Readers: Glen Jansma and Dian Hughes

* Makeup of congregation: The congregation includes people of all

ages: families with young children, teenagers, adults and seniors. A

number of member families include three generations.

* Child care: Available at all services for those too young to

attend either Sunday school or the church service. On Tuesday

mornings from 10:30 a.m. to noon, child care is available for mothers

who want to use the church’s reading room.

* Type of worship: The Bible and the Christian Science textbook

are regarded as the only preachers for a Christian Science church

service. The sermon is comprised of scriptural texts and correlative

passages from “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” by Mary

Baker Eddy. The church’s two readers, elected by the membership to

serve three-year terms, read these books at the Sunday services.

Services include an organ prelude, a vocal solo, an organ offertory

and a postlude. The congregation sings three hymns. The Sunday

morning and evening services are alike. Wednesday evening testimony

meetings begin with short readings from the Bible and the “Science

and Health.” The readings have a practical application to the needs

of the community and the world. Individual testimonies of gratitude

for healings experienced through the study of Christian Science or

remarks on how Christian Science helps in daily life follow the

readings. Organ music and hymns are also part of these evening

meetings.

* Dress: Casual to business.

* Mission statement: The church was designed to “commemorate the

word and works of our Master (Christ Jesus), which should reinstate

primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing,” as stated by

Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science.

* Upcoming sermon: The lesson for this week is the “Doctrine of

Atonement.” The text for that lesson is from James 4:8, “Draw nigh to

God, and he will draw nigh to you.”

* Outreach programs: The church maintains the Christian Science

Reading Room next door. It is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4

p.m., Monday through Saturday. “The Christian Science Monitor” and

religious magazines may be read, borrowed or purchased at the reading

room. Audiotapes and CDs on healing, parenting, purpose, employment,

ageless being and other topics are available along with books and

magazines for children and teens. Christian Science practitioners,

who pray for those who call upon them for healing, are among the

church’s members. They are listed in the Christian Science Journal.

Chaplains provide church services for local correctional facilities

and at Fairview Developmental Center. The congregation gives to needy

families in the area through contributions to FISH-Harbor Area.

* Interesting notes: Lectures on the healing power of Christian

Science are offered during the year. “A Spiritual Approach to Health

and Healing” by Evan Mehlenbacker, a member of the Christian Science

Board of Lectureship, will be presented at the Lido Theater, 3459 Via

Lido, Newport Beach, on Oct. 26 at 10:30 a.m. Child care will be

provided. For more information, call (949) 673-1340.

-- Michele Marr