How a Local Committee Works

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How a Local Committee Works

A Local Committee is a small team of Christian Scientists who work with The Principle Foundation (TPF) to make grants to individuals requesting financial assistance for basic needs. They assist requestors in a specific location — a city, a state, or a region of the US. Committee activities include handling 5-7 requests a year, attending two brief business meetings annually, and spreading the word about The Principle Foundation in their Christian Science community.

An LC must have at least three members: a chair, a grant administrator, and a secretary. All are expected to be members of the Mother Church and an active member in a branch church or society — and to be relying on Christian Science for healing.

How the Granting Works:

The Local Committee approaches a grant request from a spiritual sense of abundance and an expectation of healing. Though it never takes on the role of a Christian Science practitioner with a requester, the committee will pray about the request and may offer inspired metaphysical ideas to the requester.

After a request is received at the national office, a TPF staff member sends it to the Local Committee’s Grant Administrator (GA).

The GA interviews the requestor by phone. Next, the GA shares the basics of the request (anonymously) with the LC members, and then brings together the members to discern if a grant is warranted.

When a grant is made, the GA informs the recipient and works with TPF to make payment arrangements. When a grant is not made, the GA contacts the requester to let them know.

Spreading the Word

Local Committees also reach out to churches and individual Christian Scientists in their area to remind them how the Foundation can support sincere students of Christian Science. This may happen through one-to-one conversations, or a Local Committee can work with the national office to sponsor a workshop for their Christian Science community.

Would you like to join or form a Local Committee?
If this sounds like something you’re being called to do, please reach out to us. We’d be happy to talk with you. A few existing committees currently need additional members and there are several states/regions where our Foundation would love to help support the formation of a new local committee. Please contact us at (816) 759-5457 or at volunteer@principlefoundation.org.

Where Local Committees are Located

Look at the map to see where committees are currently operating (dark blue states) and where there is a need (light blue states). For more information, please contact us at (816) 759-5457 or at volunteer@principlefoundation.org.

GRATITUDE POSTS

Why I love being on a Local Committee

This is the highest paying job I’ve ever had, even though I don’t make any money! Whenever we get a case I think, “Good, I get to see where this applies to my own experience right now.”

I come away from each committee meeting bursting with a renewed desire to pray for my fellow man, and to be more aware of the needs in my church and community.

What I love about being on a local committee is being able to provide fellow Christian Scientists with practical assistance.

I'm learning what benevolence means by applying this Manual By-Law to the work: "God requires wisdom, economy, and brotherly love to characterize all the proceedings of the members of [our local committee's grant team]!

We see each requester as desiring to work out their need from a spiritual perspective, always acknowledging the ever-present goodness and provision of divine Love. Committee members listen to discern the real need and prayerfully address the claim in their own thought.

My experience on a LC has led to my spiritual growth by affording me opportunities to apply the healing truth to impositions that have come to my thought. All are reciprocally blessed by engaging in this work.

Benevolence is always present, and wise, and good, but many times it turns out to be expressed quite differently from what one may originally expected it to be.

Serving on a local committee puts one onto the fast lane of spiritual growth filled with gratitude. It is patterned as that of the "pattern of the mount" — principled, inspiring, healing, and blessed!

LC work has taught me that benevolence must involve growing spiritually, and with Christly love that uplifts and inspires both the giver and receiver.

What I most love about volunteering for TPF is the opportunity to help fellow Christian Scientists on their path to understanding the true source of supply.

Being a local committee member has taught me that the need is never money, although money may help get a person through a rough spot while they figure out that the need isn’t money.

The force of our metaphysical work is felt by more than just the requestor. We've seen neighborhoods stepping in to help the requestor where the needs were many and overwhelming, with every need met; where committee members were hours away by car, but the benevolence was there where needed.

What I love about the work is that it's the “practice” even though we might not officially be listed in the Journal; we are “in the practice” and we experience the results.

What I love about working with a Local Committee is sharing powerful statements of Truth and Love as we prayerfully work through each case.

Being on a Local Committee supports the requester to find their already available abundance. In fact, the requester is validating their worth by asking for help.

This work has taught me how to look at our requestors more spiritually — not with pity, but with expectancy of lifting up our fellow man. In the story of Noah and the Ark, the ark was kept up, up, up, as the waters were flooding more. When we seem to be flooded with troubles, we’re actually being lifted above life's challenges.