I was born to a non practicing Methodist Father and a practicing Catholic Mother and raised around my mothers Catholic Latin family. When I became a teen my mother told me that if I went to church from now on it would be my choice. That was the day I stopped going to church with my mother. I didn't divorce my belief in God but rather I divorced my faith in Religion. I still prayed I still talked to God in my own little way but I just never went to church again for sixteen years. Well let me take that back that's not entirely true. I did go once in a blue moon to visit different churches Mormon, Christian Evangelical, Lutheran, Baptist and even gave Catholicism another taste at some point. I don't know how to explain it other than to say they all felt like they were too muddled with mans non spiritual intents rather than spiritual truth for me. I was searching, searching for that one voice that one message that would convince me to come again. You see I didn't have anything against Church. I loved that sense of spiritual community but it had to be one that spoke to my spirit, so as I was saying sixteen years later my life was changed. In April 1998 my then partner and now close friend invited me to church. I'll never forget my first impression. What I found pleasantly peculiar was the representation of multiple faiths those from various Christian denominations, Jews, Buddhists, Muslim and Hindu. I remember letting out a breath and the words that fell form my lips were "I'm home".

Since I'm a member of (Religions-Of-The-Woorrld!) now I thought I would take the opportunity to bring up a religion that despite it's growing followers I never hear people talk about in main stream out side of my church affiliations and select media which I'll mention later because there is an event coming up. When people ask me what church I go to and I say the Church of Religious Science they more often than not hear Christian Science and ask me why I don't believe in Dr.'s, lol, or simply scoff at the word science being included with the name of a church and they don't understand the relationship.

The Church of Religious Science was founded and evolved from the new thought ancient wisdom teachings of The Science of Mind by Ernest Holmes.

What is Science of Mind? Well I'll give you the basic explanation. It's the belief that there is one infinite mind which of necessity includes all that is, whether it be the intelligence in humans, the life in the animal, or the invisible presence which is God. In it we learn to have a spiritual sense of things. This spiritual sense of things is what is meant by the consciousness of Christ. To be able to discern the spiritual idea back of its physical symbol is to use the science of mind that Jesus used.

Some information below is directly from my church: Agape International Spiritual Center

Agape’s teachings embrace a Reality the world’s scriptures and sacred texts endeavor to describe, even as they acknowledge the impossibility of such a task. Some call it God, Great Spirit, Hashem, or Allah, while others simply prefer to leave it nameless. Agape teaches that this Spirit is the Source of our life, that we are made in its image and likeness, which makes us co-creative participants in the three-dimensional world in which we live.

Through Agape’s teaching of the New Thought-Ancient Wisdom tradition of spirituality, individuals are taught the universal principles, cosmic laws, meditation, prayer and visioning techniques that have been practiced by spiritual seekers for thousands of years, teachings which to this very day are practical in meeting humanity’s challenges of 21st century living. Agape’s universal truth teachings point the way to how an individual may cultivate their own unique relationship with the Ineffable, live their life from a place of conscious connection with the already enlightened essential Self, and be of authentic service to the planet.

In Agape’s services and classes we refer to the world’s scriptures and sacred texts, as well as the writings of ancient and contemporary mystics, teachers, sages, philosophers, pundits, scientists, and even the enlightened person next door!

In everyday parlance, “church” is associated with Christian denominations and their houses of worship. Agape’s founder has designated Agape as a trans-denominational spiritual “center” and community because this terminology best describes the inclusiveness for which Agape is known

Is the CRS Christian? Our church does have Christian members and their personal encounter with the spirit of Jesus as an embodiment of the Christ Consciousness richly informs their spiritual lives. However our belief is not that Jesus is the only savior and Christianity the only path to God and eternal salvation. CRS teaches that Jesus was not the great exception, but rather the great example. The New Thought Ancient Wisdom tradition of spirituality regards Jesus an enlightened being, one who attained cosmic consciousness, or liberation from a sense of separation from the source of all that is. Jesus is revered as a wayshower, as an exemplar of unconditional love, selfless service, and self-mastery.

Our church is also very popular with multi faith marriages for example Jewish/Christian couples find common ground in our church. I see the Science of Mind as one of those expansion packs you buy for your video game. It teaches us how to live through our spirit, our true selves.

Dr. Michael Beckwith who is the founder and head minister of my church has grown in recognition from it's humble beginnings in Los Angeles in 1988. In the last couple of years you may have seen him in featured segments on Oprah, on Larry King and a few others. This November 27 Dr. Beckwith will be ministering "The Answer Is You" on PBS (http://www.the-answer-is-you.com).

Well that's about all I have to say about it. My experience with this church has been an amazing journey and I am so happy that I found home. As for the future of faith being transdenominational IMO I believe that God would want that. For all of humanity to one day sit at the same table as the brothers and sisters we are.