You may have seen a Christian Science Reading Room and wondered “What is a Christian Science Reading Room and what goes on in there?” There is one in downtown Naperville; as a matter of fact, there are approximately 1,500 Christian Science Reading Rooms, not only all over the United States, but in nearly 80 other countries!
A Christian Science Reading Room is part bookstore and part library. Its purpose is to make available to the public resources that nurture spiritual discovery and healing.
When you first go in, you will probably see a selection of Bibles and Bible resource books, as well as the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, available for purchase. A librarian will be there to greet you, answer any questions you may have, or just invite you to browse. You will also find the Pulitzer-prize-winning newspaper, The Christian Science Monitor; as well as other books and magazines.
One of the most unique parts of a Reading Room is the quiet study room where anyone can pray, read the weekly Christian Science Bible Lesson, search back issues of Christian Science magazines (in print or online), or just think quietly. These public places are a resource for anyone on a quest for spiritual understanding and are open to people of all faiths, backgrounds, and ways of life.
Each Reading Room is dedicated to helping visitors discover the peace, comfort, and spiritual solutions available to all from God.
There was a time when I worked at a florist shop when I needed to feel the quiet and peace of a Reading Room. I had been working all day and was suffering from a terrible headache. It was getting worse. I thought maybe I should just go home, but I was needed because of a shortage of employees working that day. I went to the Reading Room during my break, sat in a chair and just prayed, acknowledging the ever-presence of God’s healing love.
In a short time I felt at peace, and by the time my break was over, I was well. I went back to the shop and worked until closing.
Next time you pass a Christian Science Reading Room, I hope you will feel free to go in, look around, make a purchase, read, or sit and pray in an atmosphere of peace and healing.
