“I reversed the lies animal magnetism was trying to make us believe were true about our church”

Thank you for an inspiring address. And thanks for the part about animal magnetism.  It really stayed with me. What you said caused me to think differently about church issues. We had a church meeting on Monday with a very difficult discussion we have been having for years. Before the meeting I specifically reversed the claims of animal magnetism that there could be a lack of love between members, or lack of receptive hearts to fill our church, or that there are factions.

An article in the Sentinel, "Behold I make all things new" by Keith S. Collins, was so helpful. (CSS, 3/27/17)  Like the author, I prayed this way.  The past was not more joyful or loving than now.  The past did not have more people open to spirituality than now.  The past did not have more healing than now. God was not more present than He is now.  God is constant forever and always giving us what we need: love between and among members, love sufficient to reach out to the public. God's love is always unfolding fresh ways to reach out to people and sufficient ways to meet our needs. I reversed the lies animal magnetism was trying to make us believe were true about our church.

In my prayer, I recalled a demonstration of increased attendance in our Sunday school. When my son first started, he was the only one in his class. I was tempted to compare it with when I was his age, when it seemed we had many large classes. I reversed this with knowing that his experience of church was complete, that nothing could hinder him from learning about God. Regardless of class size. And did the class ever grow! A boy a year older joined, then a family with two kids, then a boy and his mother new to Science started coming, then another Mom who had come to Sunday School when she was a child came back and brought her son, and then another boy began to attend. So within a year, his class was full! And there are three other full classes.

Well, back to the meeting which happened the Monday after Association.  I was able to share my treatment of AM, and others shared some beautiful prayers along similar lines. The meeting was quite harmonious and it seems membership views are coalescing.