History

In April 1916 a group of seventeen students of Christian Science met at a home in Bothell to read together the Christian Science Lesson-Sermons. Five of the group were members of The Mother Church. In June these members drew up bylaws in preparation for becoming a society. In December of the same year the group was recognized by The Mother Church as a Christian Science Society. Wednesday evening meetings and Christian Science lectures were added to the services the following year.

In 1919 a residence across the street from our present church was purchased and remodeled to make it suitable for church services. In 1924 the members voted to build a new edifice. The existing residence/structure was given to a member who had the building moved to another location. The property was bulldozed down to street level in preparation for building. The first unit of the building was finished in 1926. The entire building was completed in May of 1941 and was dedicated free from debt by the Society in the same year.

In May of 1944 the Society became First Church of Christ, Scientist, Bothell. The Sunday School addition was started in April of 1963 and completed in September of that year. In 1955, property on the corner of 102nd Avenue NE and NE 183rd was acquired, and in 1975 the adjacent lot was acquired. In 1976 arrangements were made with the City of Bothell for development of these properties for off street parking.

The property directly across the street from the (old) church was purchased from Leif Eie in January 1990. In the spring of 1990 the membership voted unanimously to build a new church. Jim Braman was appointed Project Manager, and in August Gene Gudger of ARC Architects was selected to be the architect.

The old church was purchased in January 1991 from the owner of Worthington Insurance Company. Our last church service in the old building was on January 30, 1991. The next week we made a temporary move to the IOOF building on 185th Street, just over a block away.

During the year and a half that the church was being built, services were held in the IOOF Hall. Much of the work on the new building was done by members. Financing was handled by loans from members and friends, and by several large donations from other churches.

Our first service in the new church was held on Sunday July 26, 1992. An open house for the community was held September 13, 1992.

In August 1993, a new Rogers digital organ was purchased.

At the November 1996 election meeting an announcement was made that the church (and organ) had been fully paid for at the end of October. A dedication service was held on January 5, 1997 at 5:00 p.m.