Testimonies
Gratitude for Bible Study Seminars’ 2011 Summer Conferences
This was such a wonderful and inspiring experience. This seminar has motivated me to study the Bible, something I wasn’t interested in before. There’s a sense of peace and love that permeates the experience. I can’t wait to come back next year.
The conference made me take stock of my life and where I focus my time and attention. It made me aware of how much I judge others. It made me reconsider my approach to church participation – leave it up to God and stop trying to control, persuade, push, manipulate, and influence my own vision of church and human opinion.
This conference created for 5 days a sense of church (community) and modeled what church could or should be
I have never felt more profound love.
What a lovely setting in which to learn more about the Bible! I appreciate the efforts of everyone and enjoyed watching the cooperation and teamwork displayed by the planners. Presentations were relevant and informative. Presenters were very well versed, their enthusiasm and joy was delightful. Attendees were warm. No one seemed a stranger. I felt welcome and embraced.
The conference opens thought to new ideas on familiar messages. Find out what churches across the U.S. are doing that is reaching out to strangers, enjoy fellowship and inspiring conversations at dining tables, feel the love of church by all who attend.
It was an eye opener in many respects – I gained a greater understanding of the Bible and I really appreciated so much what learned from my fellow attendees.
As a Bible neophyte I felt included in all the presentations, it has inspired me to
1. Dive deeper not down into scholasticism but enjoy looking deeper into the Bible
2. Follow my passions in church, figure that one out
3. The amazing stories shared in and out of sessions make me want to expand and refocus on sharing and living more my Christian Science…
It is an honor to be a part of this great community of listeners, doers, and seekers.
This is a safe forum to delve deeper into the Bible’s message, for our reaching and being reached by the “inspired” Word. Within this week, I have gained a love for the universal faith community. I love this sharing week!
Every conference works on my consciousness all year long. Spiritual progress seems to be a by-product of the conference. I am so grateful for all that I have learned and how far I’ve come. This is a priceless experience.
Refreshing, inspiring, never want to miss it—this is my annual spiritual retreat, where I am filled up with a deep sense of community-church-love, where it is safe to be vulnerable…to bless and be blessed, to be renewed.
Presentations are fun, useful, hopeful, provocative…gave me hope for churches, and myself. Very grateful.
This is a life changing, inspiring, exciting adventure.
The theme and presenters helped to achieve a close feeling of community, actually more like a big family where you could say anything!
The conference has been a life-altering event to me, inspiring me to better study and live Christian Science, ant not to fear presenting C.S. to anyone who might be receptive.
New inspiration, new friends, fantastic food, and all at the beach! At affordable rates. This setting is wonderful! I was at the beach three times each day.
From a current First Reader and Journal-listed Christian Science Practitioner:
I want to thank-you once again for an outstanding Conference! The most wonderful thing is that I felt/feel a truer sense of church while at Asilomar than I ever have anywhere else — so I know its real and it can be done. There was something very special about this year for me. Maybe I have matured spiritually enough to be more ready for the ideas shared — I don’t know but I don’t remember the presentations speaking to me as they did this time. I don’t remember ever wanting to refer back to my notes as I have been doing this time. Everything had such meaning from the short video clips that you shared to the presentations to the fire-side chats. I relate so much to the idea of vulnerability and removing the mask and honesty — and “finding our voice” — that’s a BIG one for me!
It was pretty special to have three more people from my church there to share this with. I’m not going to take full credit for some of the changes in our church regarding outreach and fellowship but I know that my attending Asilomar has a lot to do with it! Every meeting we have outside of a business meeting we first have food and fellowship and people love it! When I was in church in _________ I had such a longing for this type of thing even though I had never experienced it in all of my church experience — it just seemed like a natural desire. We (our church) still have a little ways to go — beyond words! — to enlarging the borders of our tent but I definitely see it as a work in progress and not a stagnant thing. I find myself getting so excited when I share these ideas with friends now that I am back home. Thank-you.
Being in a community of Christian Scientists and feeling the love that surrounds this activity is beyond explaining. So many new ways to think about old ideas being shared, new insights into “old” Bible stories, new songs, new friends, all in the wonderful atmosphere of Cedars Camps.
One reason I came was to be able to “use” the Bible better in Sunday School teaching. Now I have many tools to better facilitate discussions — and this was modeled so well by the speakers in their small groups settings, and how to make the Scriptures come alive.
There was so much information generously presented in such a loving manner that its truly impossible to even think of not coming back. The presenters are not expert in their fields, but so very generous with their time.
It gave me hope.
Presentations include joyous inspiration and thoughts and insights that bring me to tears — because of compassion for my trials and the trials of others.
We came away with renewed energy to inclusive in our church, lots of specific details on how to do this, and excellent role models in the speakers and many of the attendees. It left me with hope for a turnaround in the way our church is seen in the community and in our contributions to the world
I realize there is more to discover…about our relationship with the Bible. God, our neighbor and those who are not yet our neighbors.
FROM THE 2010 ASILOMAR BIBLE CONFERENCE
This Asilomar experience is unmatched as it provides an atmosphere of loving community while at the same time stretching our thought to boldly go where it has not yet been. The sessions were purposeful, timely, and meaty. They were interactive and fun!
We have been on fire since the 2009 conference, which was our first one. We started a Bible study right away and each session we share more inspiration from our experience. We will continue to share what we are learning with all who are interested, because this 2010 conference is filling us with even more enthusiasm and inspiration.
I cannot begin to express my thanks adequately for yet another memorable conference. I’ll go home with renewed conviction, energy, boldness, and determination to make a difference in my community.
This is my fifth year and by far the best. Absolutely every speaker touched me and inspired me to want to go home and put it all into practice, to move my church forward and to take it into the Christian Church community. I have big expectations. I am so grateful to each one of your staff for giving us such a rich experience.
My experience [at the conference] these last two years is life changing and deeply educational. There is something for each and every one of us to take away.
It is such a treat to have theme explored by these wonderful scholars who present their material in such engaging ways. This group of attendees is terrific to talk with – what an inspiring group of thinkers.
For some time I have wondered how others can always seem so joyous. I did not have that deep well of joy – or so I thought. Oh, I was happy and satisfied enough but not deeply joyous. After realizing that what I had to share was my own story of how God has been at work in my life all along [the conference theme] it suddenly dawned on me that I had found my joy! What a glorious feeling! I am so grateful to have been led here and to be able to be taking home with all this new-old revelation.
I first attended because I love the Bible and want to learn more about it and discover why and how Mary Baker Eddy was able to glean Christian Science from it. This conference began to scratch the surface of that purpose for me. But more than that, through the various presentations the Bible has been opened up as a relevant influence in my life and my work. The repercussions are that I am increasing in boldness of action and depth of though and prayer. I do believe it is a positive influence in my church work, interpersonal relationships, and in my practice.
I love learning new things about the Bible – new insights as well as facts – but even more is the sense of community and the encouragement for us to grow in our progressive practice of church.
I can’t tell you how amazing it is to hear and feel we are a part of the “larger conversation” within Christian Science as well as the larger Christian world. That we aren’t just individuals with a common interest (Bible study) but members of a larger body making an impact in the world.
[The conference] stretches thought and releases some old thinking and encourages forward movement in our practice…it stretches you, introducing new ideas and possibilities. I am more on fire with Christ than before and can’t wait to go home and share. (a first time attendee)
The location, people and message were such a haven to me this year and every year. This year I have appreciated the sense of solid ground I found, which has been very illusive in my life this year.
The week was inspiring, but it also showed how much we are loved. I felt loved this week more than I have felt in a long time. Inspiration tends to fade, but the feeling of being loved stays.
With good humor, respect, and scholarship the conference addressed some difficult subjects using the Bible as a main resource. It encouraged me to consider these issues more spiritually creatively myself, and gave me some tools to do so.
This conference is doing what others talk about: establishing true community where individuals can openly share their successes and failures, their hopes and dreams and fears and they are loved and respected despite differences of opinion.
FROM THE 2009 ASILOMAR BIBLE CONFERENCE
Just a note to thank everyone for all the work, organizational efforts, and most importantly prayerful support that went into the week at Asilomar…There is clearly a need for a warm human touch in our Movement and you are certainly reaching out to help fill it in a unique and beautiful way. My friend and I experience this same unity, support, and openness of thought in our individual branch churches (different ones) daily. We have a renewed appreciation for that now and are actively cherishing it, knowing this natural “oneness” can (and must) continue to glow and grow in our dear churches, melting the ice of human opinion, resistance and fear of anything different or fresh. I wish all involved with BSS continued success and look forward to hearing more about the new ministries of biblical and Christian based outreach and celebration which are such a joyful, needed idea for our youth and young at heart as well.
Having been a life-long Christian Scientist, my exposure to other faiths has been limited. I’ve recently been working a great deal to understand the presence of the Christ in ALL religions and to be more inclusive in my CS practice. I had been working and praying with so many of the ideas shared during this week. It felt like I had all the pieces, but they were fuzzy. They have come into focus in a way that I can now share coherently with others. Thank you!
Dick, I would especially like to thank you for your gentle, inclusive approach. I’ve spent much of my life as “odd man out” in church, as the rigid, critical human-perfection based thinking never made sense to me, especially when justified by the loving message of our pastor, The Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. It was the fiery furnace that made me let go of a desire to fit in with dogma and cling to the “spirit” of CS. Now, I am blessed to be experiencing church in a way that is much closer to the way it should be. I pray this idea spreads to all our branches.
It was startling to be with so many other Christian Scientists that were like-minded. What a joy to know they are there! But, having been on the “outside” for so long, I’m exceedingly grateful for your sensitivity to those who are afraid to let go of the “traditions” of our culture – not of Mrs. Eddy or the Church Manual. I appreciate your willingness to bring them along with love and patience. (Of course, whether or not they choose to come is ultimately up to them, but I have to trust that Mind is speaking to them and they are listening.) The conference has given me much to think about and pray about. Thank you for being willing to stand at the forefront of change.
Diana Butler, C.S.
Coarsegold, California
Just a great big thank you for all you do for this Bible Seminar… I could go on and on but I just want to tell you of a life changing feeling. I was there at the optional “feet washing” experience [one activity among five that people could choose to attend in different buildings around the campus]. I did not expect to come away with what happened to me. I just thought I would get a little better feeling for biblical times. I enjoyed my feet being “washed” but it wasn’t until I washed someone else’s that I cried.
After I sat down and listened to others comments, my own feelings were of humility and complete surrender AND there was something else I just couldn’t put a word to so I just left it at that. The feeling didn’t leave me all the next day. I just wanted to keep smelling my hands for the scent of the sandalwood oil. Anyway, I was canning apricots from our garden when I was home. I thought of that day and it “washed” over me. I again began to cry uncontrollably. For the first time I FELT LOVED.
I know my mom, dad, husband, and my children love me. But this was a love I have never felt before. I know now why people followed Jesus. The healings were just a side shoot of what they were really seeking. They felt loved. That is why the woman in Luke 7 was able to wash his feet with her tears. I GET IT! We won’t draw people into our churches for healings alone. If they walk through those church doors and feel the love of Christ they will return. We just have to love everyone we come in contact with. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. Words just can’t explain.
Janet Berry
Marysville, California
It was like coming home, but to a place I’d never been before (wasn’t that phrase in John Denver’s ballad “Rocky Mountain High”?). It was a warm, growing hug, where I found fellowship, community – so real. Hearts speak to hearts… I am ready and charged to dig deeper in the Bible, to live what I find, to let the Spirit lead me, use me, own me.
In one of the breakout sessions we had 7 people with the faculty member and we shared our own experiences. We comforted and encouraged each other. We were drawn into the Bible to see its relevance in our lives. I felt as though we had a “footwashing” experience….In learning to value myself more and to care for myself, this retreat has become of precious value for me. The cost is small in comparison to the ongoing gain. It has a transforming effect on the hearts and minds that are open to change.
I liked best the incredible speakers and presentations, and the progressive direction this organization is giving to devout Christian Scientists who will go back to their churches and help them grow…This Bible study conference is the leading edge of helping C.S. grow into the vibrant Christian movement it was meant to be. This is the first place I have ever felt a loving connection of belonging within a roomful of Christian Scientists. Christ’s love is evident here through all the people attending. This was a surprise to me and exactly what I needed.
We tend not to focus enough on Bible study in branch churches, yet this is the basis of Christian Science. If the “inspired Word of the Bible” is really our “sufficient guide to eternal life”, we need to know it well – not just the words, but the background – so that we can perceive the message on a deep-level.
