CHURCH WILL HOLD OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY.

Byline: Holly Andres Staff Writer

STUDIO CITY - The 36th Church of Christ, Scientist, will hold an open house Sunday, the second in the Tours in Sacred Places series organized by the Interfaith Relations Committee of the San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council.

Gail Christiansen, the librarian for the church's reading room, said many people have misconceptions about Christian Science.

``What we often hear is, Are you the church that doesn't believe in going to doctors?'' Christiansen said. ``Our church was established by Mary Baker Eddy after experiencing a healing. She wanted to know why. After deep study and prayer, she established the church.''

During the open house, the public will get a tour of the sanctuary, then will hear church members discuss their faith, including their beliefs about healing and why reading rooms are established.

``This Valley Interfaith Council series is trying to bring people together to understand each other. It's nice to go and see what other places of worship look like,'' Christiansen said. ``It's a chance to listen to one another and greet one another.''

Tour participants will see a sanctuary with no altar. Instead, all sanctuaries have a platform where two elected members of the congregation read from the Bible and Eddy's ``Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures'' at Sunday services.

There is no clergy, and no sermons are delivered on Sundays.

``That took some understanding and thinking when I first came to the church,'' said Scott Fitz-Randolph, a member of the 36th Church of Christ, Scientist. ``We're probably the only church that doesn't have a kitchen, too. The social aspect is not part of what we do.''

Fitz-Randolph had no church or Sunday school experience growing up. He was introduced to Christian Science after a relative experienced a healing by a Christian Science practitioner. He experienced his own healing as a college-age YMCA camp counselor when he injured his foot.

``I was in a lot of pain. Someone called home for me and requested a call be made to a Christian Science practitioner. Another fellow sat by my side and read from ``Science and Health'' for about an hour and a half. It didn't seem to make a lot of sense. It was such a foreign idea to read a book when you didn't feel well. But what else could I do up in the mountains?''

The pain went away after the reading, said Fitz-Randolph, and by the next morning it was ``as if it had never happened.''

``There was an immediate and tangible difference. I needed to know more. There was no other explanation to what happened that day.''

Fitz-Randolph's healing experience is typical of those shared by Scientists during testimony meetings held from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

The testimony meetings consist of readings from the Bible and ``Science and Health,'' and then attendees share their healing experiences or insights on the readings.

``After reading the New Testament, as a newcomer to Christian Science, I was drawn to the works of Jesus. Every place he went, he did something that defied explanation. These weren't miracles,'' said Fitz-Randolph. ``Jesus was doing them as a teacher and, by example, telling us what we all should be doing.''

The open house will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the 36th Church of Christ, Scientist, 4032 Whitsett Ave., Studio City. The Reading Room is at 12360 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. Call [phone].

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``There was an immediate and tangible difference. I needed to know more. There was no other explanation to what happened that day.''

- Scott Fitz-Randolph, reflecting on a healing by a Christian Science practitioner, with Amanda Thompson, left, and Gail Christiansen.