HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
What is a Church of Christ, Scientist, or Christian Science Church?
When the Discoverer of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, founded The Mother Church in Boston, Massachusetts in 1879, she stipulated that it should be “a church designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing” (Church Manual, p. 17). Each local Christian Science Church is an autonomous branch of The Mother Church, and has this same mission and purpose.
First Church of Christ, Scientist, Mercer Island, Washington, embraces the local community as well as the world itself in seeking to fulfill this mission. With unconditional love for everyone we wish to share the blessings of Christian Science, which Mrs. Eddy identified as the Comforter promised by Christ Jesus. We welcome everyone to our doors, to our Church services and our Reading Room, and children to our Sunday School.
History of the Mercer Island Church:
First Church of Christ, Scientist, Mercer Island is one of the oldest churches on the island. It began in the 1920’s when 12 Christian Scientists began meeting in each other’s homes for informal church services. In the spring of 1929 the first formal Sunday service was held in a local meeting hall. A few months later a permanent Christian Science Society was formed with 31 charter members. In December 1929 this Society was incorporated under the laws of the State of Washington, and was officially recognized by The Mother Church.
In 1933 the church moved to a newly built and handsome Colonial structure on SE 24th St, which is now occupied by the United Methodist Church of Mercer Island. This edifice was dedicated (freed of mortgage indebtedness) in 1938. In 1954 the Society was designated First Church of Christ, Scientist, Mercer Island by The Mother Church.
The 1950’s were a time of steady growth of both the Church and Sunday School. In 1956 the members voted unanimously to build a new edifice, and the next year the site at SE 47th Street and Island Crest Way was acquired. On Thanksgiving Day 1960 the membership held its first service in the Sunday School wing. In 1963 the completed church auditorium was ready for services. The Church was dedicated on June 10, 1973.
In 2013 the membership felt it was time to sell their large beautiful property but wanted it to remain in the faith community. Thus in November 2014, 54 years to the month from the date of the first service in the new edifice, the property was sold to another Mercer Island congregation, and the Christian Science Church once again began holding services in their original church location on SE 24th Street.
Then in 2016 we purchased property in the Mercer Island Town Center. Design and renovation took place over 18 months and we held our first service in our new place in July of 2018. Both our Church and Reading Room are now located together in the same place, and we are grateful to be open to the community to share our message of love, hope, and healing.