First Church of Christ, Scientist,
Kitchener, Ontario
Welcome!

Welcome to First Church of Christ, Scientist, Kitchener.
Our church is a branch church of The Mother Church, a worldwide organization based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Christian Science Church was established by Mary Baker Eddy in the mid-nineteenth century as a church "designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing," as stated in the Manual of The Mother Church. The Mother Church exists to protect and promote the Christian system of prayer-based healing discovered by Mrs. Eddy, and the members of our Kitchener branch church are active in using Christian healing in their day-to-day lives. Our branch church in Kitchener is democratically governed by an Executive Board elected from the membership

Our Sunday and Wednesday church services are designed to bring spiritual growth and healing to members and visitors. Join us on Sundays at 11am for a service based on readings from the Bible and our Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. The weekly Bible lesson is the basis for daily study and prayer by our branch church members.

If you are curious about Christian Science and want to hear more about how we use prayer to find healing and peace, then please join us on Wednesdays at 8:00pm. Our mid-week meetings include testimonies about how members of this church successfully use the resources of prayer to find freedom from disease, make good decisions at home and at work, and make a contribution to our world. Our Wednesday meetings also include readings from our pastor-The Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy-that address issues relevant to our community.

Our church has found that children can experience active, productive and joyful lives when their decision-making and attitudes are shaped by the truths found in the stories of Bible characters and the life of Christ Jesus. These truths, along with the teachings of Christian Science, are presented in one-hour Sunday School classes each week at 11am. Infants and toddlers are cared for in the peaceful and loving atmosphere of our Children's Room, where child care is available at the same hour as Sunday School.

When you need a quiet oasis for deep thinking, look no further than our Reading Room, located next door to our church at 58 Water Street. You'll find spiritual solutions to personal problems or global challenges in our monthly and weekly magazines, the Christian Science Journal and Christian Science Sentinel. At the Reading Room you can also read our weekly Bible Lesson and become acquainted with the award-winning international paper, the Christian Science Monitor. The Reading Room is open Mondays and Fridays 11 am to 4 pm, and Wednesdays 4pm to 7:45pm, and Reading Room staff are always on hand to answer questions and to help guide your study of spirituality and Christian Science. We also invite you to use the Christian Science web site at spirituality.com as a source of fresh thinking.

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64 Water Street North, Kitchener Ontario, N2H 5A8
(519) 745-7814


Driving directions from Highway 401: Exit at Kitchener (Highway 8 west). Continue on Highway 8 past the Grand River. Then follow signs for King Street North in Kitchener. Drive through "downtown" Kitchener to Water Street and turn right. The church is two blocks along on the left hand side, at the corner of Water and Francis Streets. Parking is available on Francis Street.

First Church of Christ, Scientist, Kitchener is one of the oldest Christian Science churches in Ontario. Students of Christian Science began meeting in our community in 1893; by 1896, the congregation had grown quickly and met in several different locations, including the Judge's Chambers in the County Court House.

The cornerstone of our beautiful church, cut from granite quarried near Concord, New Hampshire, was laid at Francis and Water streets in 1899. By 1900 the church was dedicated as the first church built as a Christian Science church outside of the United States. Joseph Taft of New York was the architect, and his design is an eclectic reflection of the local German and British populations and the American culture of the architect.

The church foundation is 10-feet-high and formed of uncoarsed granite held together without mortar. The second story of the church is large pink stucco panels framed with wood timbers. The church has a large round turret close to the Water and Francis street intersection. The roof is ridged gable and is shingled in cedar.

The church interior has many interesting features, among them beautiful black ash wainscoting that reflects the quality woodworking for which our region is renowned. The sanctuary is lit by large leaded turquoise windows and a large semi-circular sunburst window is located in the balcony. The beautiful Casavant organ was installed in 1911.