Discover your freedom, your worth, and your spiritual strength through prayer.
You’re warmly invited to explore how prayer can have practical and effective results in the lives of ourselves, our community, and our world!
ABOUT
A series of public talks on prayer and healing in Seattle
These talks by Christian Science practitioners will help you explore your connection to a God that is Love — and how that universal Love unites us all, even in the face of the division in the world. We look forward to having you!
- April 20 at 7:00 pm
- Why Everyone Is Needed by James Shepherd, CS
- May 18 at 7:00 pm
- Spiritual Discovery: How You Can Better The World by Tom McElroy, CSB
Past lectures
- March 16 at 7:00 pm
- Be Set Free by Nicole Virgil, CS
LOCATION
Seattle Public Library
Downtown Central Library
First Floor Auditorium
1000 4th Ave, Seattle 98104
The Central library can be reached by most bus lines that travel downtown, and the University Street light rail station is only a few blocks away.
Paid parking is available in an underground parking garage (entrance on Spring Street between 4th and 5th avenues). The rate is $12 for 1-2 hours, and the lot closes at 9:00pm. Learn more about parking here.
The auditorium is on the first floor, off the 4th Avenue entrance.
WHAT IS CHRISTIAN SCIENCE?
Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered and founded Christian Science, learned that God is infinite Love and completely good. A clearer view of this through prayer has power to heal and transform anyone.
About the lectures
These speakers will help you explore your unbreakable connection to God, find freedom from challenges, and discover how the healing Jesus did is possible for you today.
Be Set Free
Thursday, March 16 at 7:00 pm
By Nicole Virgil, CS
Sponsored by First Church of Christ, Scientist, Seattle
We can seem trapped by circumstances — but living a spiritual sense of God-given liberty opens the way to overcome what binds us.
Circumstances often present what appear to be significant obstacles to living freely, something that everyone wants to do. Whatever it is that seems to stand between us and the full range of motion that we would like to have in our lives — it’s not so much the presenting impediment that is the problem — it’s not knowing how or where to access our God-given liberty.
To live a life of liberty, we have to find the nature and substance of liberty, which is spiritual, purposeful, unburdened, and given to all. To do that you have to know where to look, to the source of liberty — God, good itself, all-inclusive.
In this talk, we will examine liberty from a Biblical perspective; and see how real people today find their freedom from all kinds of physical, emotional and circumstantial restrictions that are clearly beyond their control so that they may Be Set Free.
About Nicole
My father was a free-lance church organist, and my parents attended services at almost every different Christian church around New England. Mom was constantly wanting to understand how to practice Christian healing just as Jesus did, and when she started attending Christian Science church services, she found what she was looking for. As a result, I had a wonderful upbringing in Christian Science, which cultivated within me a deep desire for an intimate relationship with God.
Growing up, I studied Christian Science with my mom and music with my dad, and found that both studies were helpful to each other. Christian Science healed performance anxiety, while learning music honed the skills I needed for spiritual practice — skills such as intuition, listening, patience and diligence. I eventually married, started a family with my husband, and entered the public practice of Christian Science so that I can share the deep and precious truths of the Bible’s healing messages for our daily lives.
Nicole is a Christian Science practitioner and member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship.
Why Everyone Is Needed
Thursday, April 20 at 7:00 pm
By James Shepherd, CS
Sponsored by Twelfth Church of Christ, Scientist, Seattle
Our unbreakable connection to God, infinite Love, gives us permanent worth and purpose. It lifts us from dark times to healing and progress.
The talk will focus on universal healing precepts found in the Holy Bible, especially in Christ Jesus’ life and teachings, showing how they are available for anyone to understand and experience through the lens of Christian Science.
Sharing examples of healing from his own life and professional practice of Christian Science, James Shepherd, CS will explain why Christian Science is both Christian and scientific, meaning that people can prove its effectiveness for themselves, as fully described in the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, written by the founder of the Christian Science movement, Mary Baker Eddy.
James will also touch on the life of Mary Baker Eddy, who came to understand, confirm, and teach what she felt was original Christian healing. For over 150 years, people around the world have worked to follow Christ Jesus in this practice of Christianity and continue to do so today, experiencing healings of physical ills and personal difficulties.
About James
I’ve seen the healing effects of God’s love since I was a youngster, romping through the woods around our home with my three brothers. We had our share of scrapes and bruises which were quickly healed through prayer. We didn’t get sick often, but when we did, we relied on Christian Science for quick healings.
In high school our family moved to a ranch where we had cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, chickens, and turkeys. I graduated from college with a Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, but realized that serving as a Christian Science healer was the best way I could serve others. So I left the ranch and took up the full-time work of helping others find healing through prayer. That was 30 years ago, and I still love this work as much as ever.
Over the years, I’ve enjoyed being active in many offices in my local Church of Christ, Scientist, and have worked at summer camps for Christian Scientists and their friends. I’ve also shared the message of Love’s transforming power in prison settings and youth detention centers. My greatest joy will always be to find, and to help others find, a more tangible sense of God’s love for everyone and how that improves every aspect of our lives.
James is a Christian Science practitioner and member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship.
Spiritual Discovery: How You Can Better The World
Thursday, May 18 at 7:00 pm
By Tom McElroy, CSB
Sponsored by Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Seattle
Real change and healing come from new views of people, power, and prayer.
Prayer is about spiritual discovery. It’s about understanding more of what God is and learning to see our lives and the world through the lens of God’s all-good nature. It’s about stripping away surface-level appearances in order to discern what actually IS. Spiritual discovery reveals what is substantial, lasting, and powerful — and this leads to healing.
Jesus modeled a universal way to pray that leads to a greater awareness of the nature of God and of our relation to God. He showed how turning from fear and preconceived notions to a clearer view of the presence of a God that is Love and Life itself can have a tangible, healing effect in our lives. Prayer can have a tangible, healing effect today, too. Problems related to our personal history and health as well as issues that trouble entire communities are rooted in misperceptions based on surface-level reasoning.
Does this sound like blind and dumb faith or positive thinking? It’s not — and centuries of tangible, healing experiences help prove the Science of it. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of this approach to Christianity and healing, shows us how Christian Science makes clear the timeless, universal, and repeatable truths that underpin Jesus’ life and teachings. The universal truths at the heart of Christian healing are true on any scale. Spiritual views can effect progress for communities just as they do for individuals. We can help the world by discovering what’s true!
About Tom
As a Christian Science practitioner, I pray with people from many different walks of life in order to help them find spiritually-based solutions to issues ranging from health problems to financial and relationship difficulties.
I’ve always loved meeting new people and learning fresh and inspiring ideas. Through my study of Christian Science, I’ve found that a better understanding of God helps me connect with all kinds of people and to appreciate and enjoy the many diverse expressions of divine Life and Love which fill the globe.
It was my interest in different cultures, people, and ideas that led me to study philosophy at university. During my university years, I was also able to participate in a few study-abroad programs which took me to France, Belize, Vietnam, China, and Tibet. I’ve now been to every continent but Antarctica. During these travels I experienced many proofs of God’s ever-present care for His global family. I now devote myself to the full-time public healing ministry of Christian Science. While serving on the Board of Lectureship, I’ve spoken at probation facilities, universities, public schools, churches, and for public service groups — like those serving homeless and at risk youth — as well as in other general public venues. I give lectures in both English and French.
Tom is a Christian Science practitioner and teacher, and a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship.
Discover more about Christian Science
ATTEND
Find a church near you: there are many Christian Science churches ready to welcome you!
The Christian Science branch churches in Washington all provide regular Sunday Services, Sunday School and Wednesday Testimony Meetings, as well as Christian Science Lectures that are free to the public.
PODCAST
Sentinel Watch: Tackling topics relevant to you and inspire prayer for communities and the world.
Recent episodes include:
“To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings.”
Mary Baker Eddy
This site and lectures are co-sponsored by First, Third, and Twelfth Churches of Christ, Scientist, Seattle.
Seattle Spirituality Series 