Christian Science Church

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The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Huntington, was dedicated Jan. 1939

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HUNTINGTON-- Christian Science is said to have found its way to Huntington in the mid-1890s,
roughly 30 years after Mary Baker Eddy founded the religion in Boston with her
1865 publication of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."

As the story goes, a Huntington woman received the book as a gift from a relative.
Having no interest in it, she gave it to a next-door neighbor, who, after reading
 it several times, was healed of a serious illness. She praised the teachings
 of Christian Science to her friends and neighbors. Soon, a small
 group of people were meeting weekly in their homes to
 study Christian Science lesson plans.

In 1903, the little group rented a room in the Thompson-Pierce building at 417 9th Street
where they held Sunday services and Wednesday evening meetings. That same year
 saw the Mother Church recognize the group as the First Church of Christ,
 Scientist, in Huntington. Attendance grew, and so the group rented a
 small building at 6th Avenue and 6th Street that had been
 vacated by St. Paul Lutheran Church after it built a
new building at 721 12th Ave.

Determined to build a new building of their own, the Christian Scientists bought a choice
corner lot at 11th Avenue and 12th Street in 1921 and retained Huntington architect
Sidney L. Day to design a new church building. The first service at the new
 church was held on Dec. 4, 1927. In the Christian Science faith, the
dedication of a church takes place only when it is free of debt.
Thanks to the generous contributions of its members, the
 Huntington church was dedicated Jan. 15, 1939.

After an early meteoric rise, nationwide Christian Science membership has steadily
 declined in recent decades. Membership in Huntington reflected that trend.
Eventually, the Huntington church decided it no longer could afford
 the upkeep on its historic structure and reluctantly put it up
 for sale. In 1999, Christ Community Church, a
 nondenominational evangelical
congregation, purchased
the former Christian
 Science Church.

Note:  This Article and picture appeared in the Herald-Dispatch Newspaper on Jan. 22, 2018.

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