A small nucleus of members of Seattle churches started the Christian Science Literature Joint Distribution Committee 80 years ago in the Leary Building.

Our purpose, as stated in the committee Standing Rules is "To provide ways and means for the Christian Science churches and societies in the state of Washington to distribute authorized Christian Science literature in a common effort."

A marine delivery worker delivers packages containing The Christian Science Monitors, Sentinels, and a Journal each week to ships. Deliveries are also made to fire stations, dock gates, union halls, and various transient quarters. Packages of Monitors are also mailed to various penal institutions every week in conjunction with the work of the Joint Institutional Committees. Pamphlets, Heralds, Sentinels, and Sentinel Radio tapes are included in some of these at their direction. We also respond to requests for periodicals and books for the Committee worker's use for their services and counseling of individual inmates.

Christian Science teachers may request their Association to study an article, book or pamphlet; Sunday School teachers ask for materials to be used in their classes; Practitioners assign articles form back periodicals, or old pamphlets for their patients' study. A church member may wish to receive a biography on Mary Baker Eddy to give to a friend; someone completely new to the study of Christian Science, may appeal to us for their first copy of Prose Works or a Christian Science camp may need more textbooks (Science & Health with key to the Scriptures), for their cabins. We mail or provide these items upon request. We also provide Bound Journals and Sentinels to Reading Rooms, Christian Science Organizations on college campuses, and Practitioners. These requests come from all over the United States and Canada.

Periodicals and books are highly prized in many parts of the world, especially the developing nations of the Third World. Beginning Societies have been furnished with items they could not afford to purchase, such as hymnals, Reader's books, markers, etc. With the knowledge of the Mother Church, periodicals have been sent for their distribution efforts. In cooperation with area branch churches, most Middle and High Schools are now receiving bundles of back Monitors for the use of students in research projects. We are also able to answer requests for groups of specific Monitors for classroom use.

We have a weekly delivery man who delivers bundles of Monitors, full-text quarterlies, pamphlets, Heralds, Journals and Sentinels to hotels, apartment houses, nursing homes, Laundromats, etc. where they are made available to anyone wishing to read them.

All our stock is the result of donations from churches or individuals. We are grateful for a great wealth of periodicals that flow in daily. To those delivering, we suggest the use of the drop box located just outside the office door for contributions made outside of our regular business hours. You may enter in the office on the SW corner of the church building. We are located in the basement of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Bothell. We also receive shipments by mail or by UPS.

We keep multiple copies of Sentinels and Journals as far back as two years. Since we adhere to guidelines set up by the Church Activities Department of The Mother Church, we use only the newer periodicals in our general distribution efforts. Therefore, we do not distribute Monitors over 4 weeks old. Our supplies of pamphlets include some very early ones as well as those currently sold in Reading Rooms. We keep a stock of Bibles, Mrs. Eddy's works, biographies, some translations, and other related books. Records, CDs, cassette tapes, videos, children and reference books are also in stock. We maintain a request list that frequently enables us to send out items almost as soon as they come in. If you are in doubt about materials that you wish to send in, please give us a call first. Especially if you are paying postage, it would be a good idea to check first.

As a Joint Committee, we operate under a set of Standing Rules established by the Supporting churches. These provide that churches become sustaining members by paying a monthly pro rata assessment and/or provide the committee with volunteer workers. Currently, we have 27 supporting churches. There are also a number of other churches in the state who are contributing members sending us regular donations. Many of the individuals who receive materials from our stock also send in donations. We do not charge for anything we send out, but we appreciate donations whenever possible. Since our funds do, in some measure, affect how great our activity is, donations do make a difference.

Volunteer help in cleaning, handling, and wrapping packages is a very necessary part of our committee. There is always a need for extra help.

The secretary mails an Annual Progress Report to all supporting and contributing churches and to any others interested in our work. If you wish to know more about the work of this committee you may request a copy of the latest report. These reports also go to the Mother Church.

You may also help us by spreading the word about our activities. Please share this article with others who may not know about us.

back to the main "Spotlight" page

This month's feature:

The Christian Science Literature Joint Distribution Committee of Washington State

For more information:

Phone:
425-806-3718

Address:
18301-102nd Ave. N.E.
Bothell, WA 98011

Administrative Secretary:
Sabra Lowe

Hours:
Tuesday -Friday
(9:00 am - 3:00 pm)