The First Church of Christ, Scientist Austin, Texas, a branch of The Mother Church, in Boston, MA. was founded in 1889 by a group of residents who had been studying Christian Science and meeting in various homes. A woman in the group was healed by a student of Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, and received Christian Science class instruction in the science of spiritual healing.

Services were held in the Driskill Hotel and other public halls in downtown Austin until they purchased the property at 14th and Colorado Streets in 1909 where they built a new church building in 1923. In 1939, they purchased the lots at 14th and Guadalupe for the current building, completed in 1952. We have helped other Christian Science groups get started in the surrounding area over the years. The members of this church have been practicing spiritual healing for over 130 years.

Our church has supported a Reading Room in Austin since its founding. It leased space on 10th & Congress until 1970 and at 14th & Lavaca until 1993 when they purchased and renovated the property at 102 Trinity. In 2017, it was moved temporarily into our church building so the Trinity property could be leased long-term with the other owners of the half block for the building of a hotel.

In 2021 a space was leased at 7739 Northcross Drive #T, on the corner of the west parking lot entrance of Northcross Center. Many members and non-members put their time, prayers and elbow grease into planning, contributing construction skills and labor getting the new space ready, and moved everything to the Reading Room’s new location. It was open for business on October 18, 2021. What a joy to have our own location to better reach out to our community!