History of Christian Science and Our church

 At a meeting of the Christian Scientist Association, April 12, 1879, on motion of Mrs. Eddy, it was voted,--To organize 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, page 17)
On the twenty-third day of September, 1892, at the request of Rev. Mary Baker Eddy, twelve of her students and Church members met and reorganized, under her jurisdiction, the Christian Science Church and named it, THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST. (Church Manual, page 18)
In May 1894 the cornerstone was laid for The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston. The first service was held on the last Sunday of that year and the church was formally dedicated on January 6, 1895. Christian Science churches are dedicated when all debt has been fully paid.
The original edifice of The Mother Church seated about twelve hundred people. By October 1905 three church services were held each Sunday to accommodate all the people desiring to attend. Even with new congregations forming in the Boston suburbs, the space problem was acute. Thousand of members came from outside of Boston to attend the annual meetings of The Mother Church.
Construction of the Extension to the original Mother Church was started in 1904 with the cornerstone laid in July 1904. The Extension was dedicated on June 10, 1906. More than $2 million dollars had been raised to construct the Extension, which seats five thousand people.

The history of Third Church, Sarasota, begins with the vision and enterprise of those who first saw the need of a Christian Science church in this neighborhood. Two Christian Scientists sponsored the initial meeting on January 25, 1970, and after several enthusiastic gatherings, and much prayer for guidance, a committee was appointed to seek a suitable location for services. The sanctuary of St. Andrews United Church of Christ, at 6908 Beneva Road, was graciously offered, and the first service was held there on Communion Sunday, July 12, 1970, at five o’clock in the afternoon. This was the beginning of five years of a harmonious relationship with the host church and rapid progress in the growth of what began as “Informal Group of Christian Scientists, Gulf Gate, Sarasota, Florida,” and was recognized in November 1971 as a Christian Science Society.
In May 1972, a church building site was purchased, and by August 1973, it was fully paid. On July 10, 1974 ground was broken. The first service in the new edifice was held on Sunday morning, August 3, 1975. Only five and a half years had passed since the first informal meeting in a neighborhood home.
The Church was built to include space for the Sunday School and Christian Science Reading Room, with two interior walls, which could be removed for future growth. Establishment of a Reading Room completed eligibility for recognition as a church, and in September 1975 the Society became Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Sarasota, Florida.
The expected growth in attendance came rapidly, so the Reading Room was moved out of the building to 6579 Gateway Avenue, and ground was broken in May 1977 for the adjoining building for the Sunday School and Children’s Room. This made it possible to remove the temporary walls and enlarge the auditorium to its present size. Through the generosity of one of the members, we were able to erect a separate Sunday School building with a Children’s Room, while we were still paying for the church.
Our hearts are filled with gratitude for all the financial help we have received, as well as gifts of books and furnishings of many kinds, and tireless, loving service. This made it possible for two overflowing dedication services on Sunday, January 21, 1979.
In March of 2004 the Reading Room was moved into the Sunday School building. All have been impressed by the harmonious joining of these two church activities.
 
October 2007