Historic church is one of few area structures of 1930s-era Art Deco style

A message reminding members of the congregation that "God Is Love" greets them from the front of the sanctuary inside the Christian Science Society building at Main at Arch in Nevada.

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

It sits on the corner of Main and Arch, back to back with another church but the two edifices have little in common other than the purpose for which they are used. Constructed in Art Deco style, the Christian Science Society building has a unique architecture that sets it apart from other congregations' buildings.

"It's one of the only true Art Deco buildings in Nevada," Joe Kraft, local businessman, said. "It really is unique in this area."

Christian Science was founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1879 as the Church of Christ (Scientist) four years after she published "Science and Health with Key to Scriptures". She also founded and published the Christian Science Monitor, a newspaper still in circulation today.

The interior of the building is as unique as the outside. It features a floor that slopes toward the pulpit with three sections of pews to hold the congregation. The building has a pipe organ with the pipes out of view behind the pulpit. Planters adorn the walls and unique Art Deco light fixtures hang from the ceiling.

The building hosts two congregations. One, the original congregation with fewer than 10 members meets in a room to one side of the entrance hall. That congregation was formed in 1911 six years after five Nevada adherents of Christian Science first gathered together.

"They had a pretty big congregation at one time," historian Pat Brophy said. "Still it's amazing they were able to find the money for the project like that in the depression."

The other congregation, the Lighthouse Mission meets in the main auditorium.

"The Lighthouse Mission was founded by Tom Hackett in 1950 and I've been preaching there for many years off and on since 1972," John Pruitt said. "We used to meet in a building on North Prewitt street that used to be the Church of God, Holiness.

The Christian Science building was built in 1931 with a mortgage from Farm and Home Savings & Loan arranged by the president of the firm, Judge O.H. Hoss.

"Judge Hoss and his niece, Albina, were both members," Brophy said.