Among Westport’s many religious institutions, the First Church of Christ, Scientist keeps a low profile.
They don’t run a nursery school, sponsor a youth group or host outside meetings. In fact, the only time their handsome South Compo Road building a few yards from the Post Road is used is on Sundays (services and Sunday school) and Wednesdays (testimony meeting).
First Church of Christ, Scientist on Compo Road South.
That may change soon.
The congregation — known as Christian Scientists — has nearly completed construction of a meeting room.
Like others run by the denomination, it’s a space where anyone can find books and publications, speak with staff members, and bring questions about their spiritual journeys.
This is not the first Christian Science reading room in Westport. For many years there was one on Post Road East, opposite what was then the post office (now Design Within Reach). A later location was further east, opposite Stop & Shop.
More recently, the Westport church operated a reading room in Stratford.
But now they’re building one as an addition to their own building.
The reading room will be on the left, next to the tower.
Project leaders — headed by Albert Jensen-Moulton, a church member whose profession is building sustainable, efficient homes — sought input from architect and developer Bill Shaffer. Early in his career he worked with Kris Barthelmess, a former Sunday School student who designed the Compo Road church in 1980, as part of his architectural thesis.
The glass-fronted reading room will face the parking lot. Flled with light, it will be “a very comfortable place to sit,” Jensen-Moulton says. It will be open 4 to 6 hours a day, 3 to 4 days a week.
Artist’s rendering of the reading room.
Also ahead: new landscaping, a permeable patio, and a garden and sitting area.
“We want to be inviting to walkers and bikers” on Compo Road, Jensen-Moulton says.
The church plans a soft launch next month, with an “official” opening in September.
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