Historic Hollywood

FIFTH CHURCH
OF CHRIST
SCIENTIST
❖
Fifth Church of Christ Science is
located at 7107 Hollywood Boulevard
in Los Angeles, California.
The Fifth Church of Christ Scientist, Los
Angeles, California, has long been a friend to
Hollywood and a vital part of its growth.
In the early days of 1909, it was an hour’s
trolley ride for residents to go to the nearest
Christian Science Church in Los Angeles. So a
group of sixteen organized a society in
Hollywood and received recognition from The
Mother Church in Boston. The same year they
held their first meeting at the Masonic Temple
on Highland Avenue.
It continued to grow and expand, so
members had to find larger and larger places for
their location. They decided the time was ready
for a church building. On December 17, 1917,
it was official. The Fifth Church was built and
furnished for the sum of $65,000.
At that time, the membership included such
professional people as lawyers, schoolteachers,
business owners, office workers, studio
employees, and film stars. Conrad Nagel was a
noted actor who attended and Mary Pickford
often came to Sunday services and lectures.
The original church continued to grow but
its size and earthquake damages made the
congregation decide to build again. While under
construction, they held church services at the
Paramount Theater (now Disney’s El Capitan).
In 1960, Fifth Church of Christ Science was
completed at the corner of Hollywood and La
Brea. Fifth Church remains today the same, as it
was when it was completed in 1960. Fifth
Church Reading Room is located at 6628
Hollywood Boulevard.
Many have walked through the doors of this
church. The Wednesday Testimonial meetings
find people giving expressions of gratitude for
healings and other evidences how Christian
Science, through their textbook, Science and
Health with Key To The Scriptures by Mary
Baker Eddy has changed their life.
In the ’50s, Ginger Rogers told how she
overcame skin problems by proving the Bible’s
words to have “dominion over every creeping
thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Joel McCrea
was so grateful that his children attended the
Sunday school that he remembered Fifth
Church in his will. Manning Sherwin, a faithful
usher, left the residuals from his song, A
Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square to the
Church. Jean Stapleton, Alan Young, John
Phillip Law, and Val Kilmer are just a few who
have attended church and been influenced and
sustained by its teachings.
Through the years, Hollywood has
found Fifth Church is always ready and
willing to spread its love and joy to its
citizens everywhere.
The Christian Science Church mission is
“...designed to commemorate the word and
works of our Master [Christ Jesus], which
should reinstate primitive Christianity and its
lost element of healing.” (Manual of the Mother
Church, Mary Baker Eddy, p.17).
Fifth Church of Christ Science invites you to
visit us at 7107 Hollywood Boulevard, Los
Angeles, California or please visit our Website at
www.christianscienceinfo.com/fifth.
68 ✦ HISTORIC HOLLYWOOD