History
In 1897, Catherine F. Rea, the wife of a Congregational minister, and her family moved to Mill Valley. In gratitude for her healing by Christian Science treatment of severe burns due to an incinerator explosion, Mrs. Rea and a friend began reading the Lesson-Sermon from the Christian Science Quarterly each Sunday morning in the Rea home, named "Daybreak", above Miller Avenue. By 1902, Mrs. Rea's new home, "Crown Point" (still on Ethel Avenue today), was used for informal services each Sunday. In 1904, a Sunday School was established with an active class of 8 pupils.
In 1907, eight Christian Scientists formed the Christian Science Society of Mill Valley. Public services were held in the Keystone Building at Lytton Square beginning in January 1907. They opened a Reading Room in February 1907 and very quickly needed to enlarge the meeting hall. Mrs. Rea was the Society's first president and would serve in many capacities for another fifteen or so years, until she moved away. Mr. Bicknell Young, a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship, came to Mill Valley in January 1908 and talked about the science of Christian healing in the largest hall in town -- the Outdoor Art Club -- to a crowd of 250, despite inclement weather.
In March 1909, fifteen members of the Mill Valley Christian Science Society decided to build. In 20 minutes they had raised enough money through secret pledges to buy the lot at Lovell Avenue and Olive Street. They immediately obtained a loan to build a picturesque structure entirely of redwood that was to be their church home for nearly 55 years. The building was completed very quickly and on July 7, 1909, the community was welcomed to the first services in the new building. Because Mill Valley was still also a hiking destination, many summer Sunday mornings found the church building at Lovell and Olive with 70 or more attendants, many of whom came in their hiking clothes, leaving their packs lined up along the outside wall.
The end of 1912 saw the church entirely paid for and the Society incorporating itself as First Church of Christ, Scientist, Mill Valley, with 35 charter members. First Church of Christ, Scientist, San Francisco gave some historic chairs -- those they had used for their services held in a large tent after the 1906 earthquake.
The original Mill Valley edifice had included only a single meeting room or auditorium; a foyer which also housed the Reading Room at various times from 1910 on; and Readers' rooms. To get more room, the members on January 2, 1914, voted to buy the lot at the rear of the church for $450. A little later, they moved the Reading Room back downtown to the Keystone building (for a monthly rental of $16) so they could enlarge the auditorium for the congregation.
World War I affected all citizens of the United States, and the Christian Science church in Mill Valley and its members provided substantial relief work in both cash and homemade or purchased goods. In 1918, the country was struck with an influenza epidemic that took many lives. In Mill Valley, the Health Department closed all public buildings, and while most churches closed down for the several weeks involved, the Catholic church and the Christian Science church continued their services outdoors.
By the 1940's, the church had expanded to include a large Sunday School and committee rooms, and a new space for the Reading Room. Youngsters could now attend Sunday School at the same time that their parents were upstairs in the church. World War II saw again the generous kinds of welfare activity take place by the church and its members. In 1951 the members set up a nursery for children too small to attend Sunday School at 73 Lovell Avenue, just a few doors from the church building. In 1958, the members voted to rent a new downtown location at 15 Throckmorton Avenue for the Reading Room -- a location with high daily foot traffic to bring the message of Christian Science closer to the community.
In 1959, the members voted to spend $13,500 to purchase the 5.2 acres at 279 Camino Alto. Negotiations were completed to sell the Lovell and Olive building to the Community Church for $39,000 effective August 1, 1964. Services were again held in rented quarters each Sunday and Wednesday at the Outdoor Art Club, until the new building could be completed.
Work parties were formed during 1965 to plant over 100 trees on the new site, many of them redwoods. The first Sunday services and Sunday School were held in the attractive, soaring, spire-topped edifice on November 7, 1965. The crowd was overflowing onto the deck. The City of Mill Valley and the church co-operated to rezone church land as open space, to be preserved for the enjoyment of all residents. In 1975, the City celebrated its 75th anniversary, and the church provided a free concert to the community -- an event which later evolved into an annual concert around Thanksgiving.
During the '80's and '90's other activities were begun such as Spanish-language services, computerized research, audio testimonies available 24/7 via a toll-free number, and workshops on employment and Sunday School teaching. The Reading Room has moved over the years from downtown Mill Valley to a location on Camino Alto to the church building.
Today, in addition to our regular services and annual lectures, our Reading Room is open to the community six days each week. In it, we provide a quiet place for study and prayer, and many tools for researching one's individual spiritual growth. We also hold weekly Bible study sessions and occasional workshops. Along with other area Christian Science churches, our church participates in a local prison ministry and in providing a Reading Room at the San Francisco International Airport, open 14 hours each day.
It is with a great deal of gratitude that we celebrate over 100 years of service to our community and the support of our Mill Valley neighbors. These words from an address by Mary Baker Eddy found in her Miscellaneous Writings put a fitting emphasis on our thinking about histories: "As in the history of a seed, so may our earthly sewing bear fruit that exudes the inspiration of the wine poured into the cup of Christ."
In 1907, eight Christian Scientists formed the Christian Science Society of Mill Valley. Public services were held in the Keystone Building at Lytton Square beginning in January 1907. They opened a Reading Room in February 1907 and very quickly needed to enlarge the meeting hall. Mrs. Rea was the Society's first president and would serve in many capacities for another fifteen or so years, until she moved away. Mr. Bicknell Young, a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship, came to Mill Valley in January 1908 and talked about the science of Christian healing in the largest hall in town -- the Outdoor Art Club -- to a crowd of 250, despite inclement weather.
In March 1909, fifteen members of the Mill Valley Christian Science Society decided to build. In 20 minutes they had raised enough money through secret pledges to buy the lot at Lovell Avenue and Olive Street. They immediately obtained a loan to build a picturesque structure entirely of redwood that was to be their church home for nearly 55 years. The building was completed very quickly and on July 7, 1909, the community was welcomed to the first services in the new building. Because Mill Valley was still also a hiking destination, many summer Sunday mornings found the church building at Lovell and Olive with 70 or more attendants, many of whom came in their hiking clothes, leaving their packs lined up along the outside wall.
The end of 1912 saw the church entirely paid for and the Society incorporating itself as First Church of Christ, Scientist, Mill Valley, with 35 charter members. First Church of Christ, Scientist, San Francisco gave some historic chairs -- those they had used for their services held in a large tent after the 1906 earthquake.
The original Mill Valley edifice had included only a single meeting room or auditorium; a foyer which also housed the Reading Room at various times from 1910 on; and Readers' rooms. To get more room, the members on January 2, 1914, voted to buy the lot at the rear of the church for $450. A little later, they moved the Reading Room back downtown to the Keystone building (for a monthly rental of $16) so they could enlarge the auditorium for the congregation.
World War I affected all citizens of the United States, and the Christian Science church in Mill Valley and its members provided substantial relief work in both cash and homemade or purchased goods. In 1918, the country was struck with an influenza epidemic that took many lives. In Mill Valley, the Health Department closed all public buildings, and while most churches closed down for the several weeks involved, the Catholic church and the Christian Science church continued their services outdoors.
By the 1940's, the church had expanded to include a large Sunday School and committee rooms, and a new space for the Reading Room. Youngsters could now attend Sunday School at the same time that their parents were upstairs in the church. World War II saw again the generous kinds of welfare activity take place by the church and its members. In 1951 the members set up a nursery for children too small to attend Sunday School at 73 Lovell Avenue, just a few doors from the church building. In 1958, the members voted to rent a new downtown location at 15 Throckmorton Avenue for the Reading Room -- a location with high daily foot traffic to bring the message of Christian Science closer to the community.
In 1959, the members voted to spend $13,500 to purchase the 5.2 acres at 279 Camino Alto. Negotiations were completed to sell the Lovell and Olive building to the Community Church for $39,000 effective August 1, 1964. Services were again held in rented quarters each Sunday and Wednesday at the Outdoor Art Club, until the new building could be completed.
Work parties were formed during 1965 to plant over 100 trees on the new site, many of them redwoods. The first Sunday services and Sunday School were held in the attractive, soaring, spire-topped edifice on November 7, 1965. The crowd was overflowing onto the deck. The City of Mill Valley and the church co-operated to rezone church land as open space, to be preserved for the enjoyment of all residents. In 1975, the City celebrated its 75th anniversary, and the church provided a free concert to the community -- an event which later evolved into an annual concert around Thanksgiving.
During the '80's and '90's other activities were begun such as Spanish-language services, computerized research, audio testimonies available 24/7 via a toll-free number, and workshops on employment and Sunday School teaching. The Reading Room has moved over the years from downtown Mill Valley to a location on Camino Alto to the church building.
Today, in addition to our regular services and annual lectures, our Reading Room is open to the community six days each week. In it, we provide a quiet place for study and prayer, and many tools for researching one's individual spiritual growth. We also hold weekly Bible study sessions and occasional workshops. Along with other area Christian Science churches, our church participates in a local prison ministry and in providing a Reading Room at the San Francisco International Airport, open 14 hours each day.
It is with a great deal of gratitude that we celebrate over 100 years of service to our community and the support of our Mill Valley neighbors. These words from an address by Mary Baker Eddy found in her Miscellaneous Writings put a fitting emphasis on our thinking about histories: "As in the history of a seed, so may our earthly sewing bear fruit that exudes the inspiration of the wine poured into the cup of Christ."
