Sunday School saves lives

11/19/2014 16 Comments

Sunday School saves lives

During two years as a sexually abused teen, I went to a Christian Science Sunday School every week. Never missed. That Sunday School saved my life from abuse. I learned I had a divine right and inherent ability to think for myself and break free from evil influences and that such spiritual understanding could guide my feet to liberty.

No one in my Sunday School nor my parents knew about the abuse. I guarded closely the secret. Groomed by the abuser into a resistless, willing victim, I was seduced to hide the relationship. I accepted that it was normal and liked the attention that came along with it, not perceiving it as wrong.

All evidence of the problem hid amongst typical adolescent angst. For example, any teenager might have exhibited a resistance to going to Sunday School. I sure did. But my parents left me no wiggle room. They insisted on my regular attendance.

I have no doubt that teaching me was a trial that stretched my teachers' patience. I remember alternating from a vague interest in the subjects to wanting to sleep through the classes. The teachers, however, would have none of it, lovingly, firmly, persistently insisting that I read scriptural texts out loud, if that would help keep me alert and engaged. I gained a familiarity with the vocabulary and flow of scripture that has had enormous value ever since.

Sunday School also engaged me to consider the Science of Christianity that led me out of the abuse. Christian Science, its explanation and practice, teaches that God as divine Mind has endowed everyone with inalienable rights. Under the marginal heading of "Proper self-government" Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures states, "Like our nation, Christian Science has its Declaration of Independence. God has endowed man with inalienable rights, among which are self-government, reason, and conscience. Man is properly self-governed only when he is guided rightly and governed by his Maker, divine Truth and Love." (Mary Baker Eddy, p. 106)

Sunday School only occupied one hour a week, yet my teachers taught me to think for myself; to be alert to negative thought influences and to defend myself from them; to think differently; and to be open to God's guidance and protection. My spirituality began to have more weight in my day to day life and I became less naive, less susceptible to go along with wrong.

A moment arrived when I couldn't abide any influence less than good. Spirituality and goodness lifted me up and out of the mess. I was fifteen years old when I suddenly awakened from the mental fog that surrounded the abuse, and stopped it cold. I no longer remember the specifics of that awakening, but I can say that one day I felt empowered to end it.

Parents, please note: While we can't always know, at every moment, what our children and teens are going through, we can provide the tools for proper-self government that will guide them to safety. Your local Christian Science Sunday School is equipped and ready to help you help your children know God and hence to know themselves spiritually as strong, alert, safe and pure.

Sunday School teachers: You have a sacred role in protecting the children in your care. It isn't only by personal knowledge of what they are going through, but as Paul explains in a letter to the Corinthians, "by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left," that your pupils discover their true spirituality, strength and goodness. (See 2 Corinthians, Chapter 6)

Sunday School saves lives. It is a community resource to be cherished and supported. Sunday School ensures the safety and progress of children.

Information and help finding a Christian Science Sunday School near you.

16 Comments

Kim

11/19/2014 06:24:09 am

Now THAT is powerful! Thank you for sharing your experience, Michelle.

Michelle

11/19/2014 06:47:21 am

Yes, Sunday School is THAT important. :) Thanks, Kim

Consuela

11/19/2014 07:46:57 am

What a wonderful example of the power of our Sunday Schools! I had many issues growing up and the Sunday School was the most stable, valuable thing in my life. I can also confirm that it saved my life too. Thank you for sharing this beautiful example.

Michelle

11/19/2014 08:01:44 am

You are welcome. Thanks for sharing with us, too, Consuela.

Anonymous

11/19/2014 08:27:01 am

Thank you for this blog.
The importance of being in tune with SS students and how it will affect the rest of their lives whether they stay with CS or not can save lives. My son went to SS only to have one of his SS teacher's try to molest him. He never allowed it to happen which I'm grateful for. He stopped going to SS once he went to college.

I have had a hard time with this but I can honestly say I hold no grudges and continue to pray about that person who did this.

My son was not interested in SS and gave the teachers a hard time because he didn’t want to be there. Maybe he had reason at that time. However, other teachers of his were not as prepared to handle the questions he asked and told me they were almost afraid when he was in their class. I see it is a real need to be spiritually prepared and not fearful of any question asked by any student. He really was a ‘difficult’ student but he was there. He is still having to work out of anger and many other things. I continue to pray to see there is only one God, good, for all of God’s ideas and to really see that I have no human children but was only blessed with beautiful and perfect reflections of God in my experience. God is the only Father/Mother of creation.
It has been many years now but I still pray for our SS teachers and students. I love teaching in the SS as a sub.

Michelle

11/19/2014 08:43:53 am

I am so sorry that your son had that experience. I can say that this is probably not the norm in a Christian Science Sunday School. Although special care and alertness are definitely needed when selecting Sunday School teachers for every Sunday School of any denomination. In some countries, Sunday School teaches must be vetted by the authorities to be sure that there is no history of sexually predatory behavior in their past.

Churches need to take very seriously their responsibilities to care for and to protect children. If teachers understand the importance of Sunday School for all children, even the difficult ones, they will take each class very seriously and do the necessary work to purify, purify, purify, their own thoughts and lives to be a better transparency for Truth.

As for your son, don't accept for a minute that he can be turned off from God. The man on a throne that allows bad things to happen to children is the "god" he is angry with. And that god doesn't exist. But divine Good? I have a feeling that he craves good like the rest of us. His pure heart will see what God, Good really is. No one is ever lost or left behind. Keep up those prayers for him. Prayers mobilized by pure mother-love are powerful and healing.

Be sure to click on some of the links in the post, Anonymous. They take you to other posts that shed light on important subjects related to this post.

With love, M

Brenda

11/19/2014 08:27:14 am

Your courage in sharing this story is greatly appreciated. So many in similar situations feel helpless and alone, but there is a way out. Thank you so much!

Michelle

11/19/2014 08:35:18 am

This passage is so meaningful to me. It tells me that no one is left out or left behind. That all will be redeemed from whatever sin or pain they are experiencing. But today, I am thinking about it in relation to Sunday School and how, as teachers we need to embrace every case/student as fully redeemable. SH 64:30-64:32 Spirit will ultimately claim its own, — all that really is, — and the voices of physical sense will be forever hushed.

Thank you, too, Brenda.

grace

11/19/2014 08:43:08 am

I love your comment that the moment arrived that you could no longer abide any influence less than good. That was the turning point. This is a must read for Sunday School teachers,parents, and for everyone who prays for the children of the world. Thanks, Michelle, for your candor. Your life is a testimony to the freedom you gained at age 15 by discovering your Christly nature with the help of your Sunday school teachers and your parents.

Michelle

11/19/2014 08:56:50 am

Lovely, thank you, Grace. It certainly is starting to be shared on Facebook and Twitter! Within the first hour it had been read 200 times. I hope those that need it most will find their way to it.

I wrote this today in response to a series of reports today on Sky news (UK). A reporter is following members of a task force in pursuit of child abusers by following their often uncooperative victims. I listened to some young girls describe their situation and saw many elements common to my experiences - particularly their unawakened belief that this was something they wanted in their life.

The reporter and commentators were rather hopeless about the future prospects of the victims. I zeroed in immediately on the liberation that comes from being taught, allowed, awakened to thinking pure thought, unadulterated by negative influences. That speaks to the real potential of Sunday School. My experience shows it is attainable, even if from no other motive than a pure love for church, Christian Science and children.

Nothing in my experience, background, family life, community, would indicate that I was at high risk for abuse. No one was watching for it. But pure love, prayer and sincere teaching hit the mark perfectly and equipped me to overcome it. If it can do it once, who's to say it shouldn't hit it perfectly every time? That is the divine standard.

Thank you, again, Grace.

Sue

11/19/2014 08:51:19 am

To me, Christian Science Sunday Schools are the most important part of church! They provide, what should be considered, the spiritual foundation and strengthening footsteps for life. I'm so grateful to have been raised in a CS Sunday School and to have the privilege of teaching SS at all levels. Our love for CS, and these precious children of God, is foremost in my view of good SS teaching. Thank you, Michelle, for sharing this most valuable topic and Mary Baker Eddy's thought that "Spirit will ultimately claim its own." We can rejoice in that reassurance.

Michelle

11/19/2014 09:03:41 am

Grateful that your students have you, full of sincerity and pure love. There are two prayers by Mrs. Eddy, for Little Children and Big Children that can equally be a prayer for Sunday School teachers:

A Verse
Mother’s New Year Gift to the Little Children

Father-Mother God,
Loving me, —
Guard me when I sleep;
Guide my little feet
Up to Thee.

To the Big Children

Father-Mother good, lovingly
Thee I seek, —
Patient, meek,
In the way Thou hast, —
Be it slow or fast,
Up to Thee.
Miscellaneous Writings, p 400

PilgrimOnEarth

11/19/2014 12:04:51 pm

Thank you, Michelle, for this testimonial of good triumphing over evil. When I was in Sunday School, there were many things considered "OK" that would never be allowed today. Family nudity was "in" (though not in our home!), and the constant campaign for "peace, love, freedom" was often a segue to sensuality let loose. If you opposed sexual urges or advances, it was sometimes considered that you were wrong to not let "natural inclinations" govern. As a Sunday School student, I asked many questions. And to this day I think back on the opportunity I had to talk openly on many of the "free love" issues facing society. Consequently, I am grateful for years of protection as a young women. I learned about the "still, small voice" of Truth, and learned to follow it. For the times when I made wrong choices, I realize I allowed my intellect to overrule the intuition which I should have followed. But I'm grateful that our God is a forgiving, loving, force for good alone. He will never let go of your hand, and "His kindness is great towards us." As the hymn says - "We thank thee, Father-Mother, that good alone is here." Thanks again!

Michelle

11/19/2014 12:15:47 pm

Very helpful, Pilgrim. Thank you for sharing with us.

Betty T

11/23/2014 10:04:21 pm

Your article and the heartfelt, intelligent responses are very helpful to me in thinking about how to continue prayerfully helping our branch church Sunday school.
A dedicated Sunday School teacher, who, like myself was a public school teacher told me long ago that the most important teaching she did was in that Sunday School. It made a strong impression on me.

Michelle

11/24/2014 02:10:09 am

Now that is something to think about. Thanks, Betty

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