Church name reflects new century, clears confusion

Amber Willard

MEDIA DISTRICT WEST -- After years of outside confusion with other

religions, the Burbank Church of Religious Science has changed its name

to SpiritWorks Center for Spiritual Living.

“We spent so much time saying what we’re not, people were not sure

what we are,” said the Rev. Marlene Morris, the church’s senior minister.

Morris said the church was often confused with Church of Christ,

Scientist or Church of Scientology sects due to the similarity of their

names. She said religious science churches are less traditional than

Christian Science and have little in common with Scientology.

The decision to change the church’s name was a two-year process

involving much prayer and congregation input, culminating in last month’s

decision.

The SpiritWorks name first arose two years ago at a meeting. “We

bounced it around at the leadership retreat,” Morris said. “SpiritWorks

was the one that kept coming back up as the one for us.”

The new name reflects a more 21st Century view and is an affirmation

for the congregation of about 350, Morris said.

“It says what we believe as well as our name,” Morris said. “The

Spirit works through each one of us. God is all there is and all that you

are.”

There was some congregational resistance to changing the church’s

name, said Morris, who admitted she was hesitant to the change at first.

“But we teach change,” Morris said. “It was time to look at something

that spoke more clearly to other people.”

A church committee narrowed 200 possible names down to five, including

the former name, all of which were submitted by members. Then the

congregation voted on the name.

In April, the church, located at 260 N. Pass Ave., will officially

celebrate its name change as well as Morris’ reception of a doctorate at

a recent convention.

During its transition period, the congregation will be identified as

SpiritWorks Center for Spiritual Living at the Burbank Church of

Religious Science.