Jack Train

Jack Train was first introduced to Christian Science in eighth grade. "I began to worry about my best friend, a Christian Scientist, and his reliance on prayer for healing rather than doctors. Since I planned to become a doctor, his approach both concerned and intrigued me."

Later, when they were both in college, Jack learned that his friend had been injured yet recovered within a week and went on to become a small-college All-American football player. Based on this healing, Jack decided to read Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy while on his way to Beirut, Lebanon, where he was to spend his junior year abroad.

However, after reading Science and Health, he couldn't shake the feeling that the book contained profound truths. He was particularly drawn to the chapter on prayer and the concept of God as Father-Mother, which resonated with his longing for a caring and ever-present divine presence.

While in Beirut, he discovered an informal Christian Science group that held Sunday services and biweekly Wednesday testimony meetings. This group fulfilled his desire for Christian fellowship and provided answers to his questions about Christian Science. He became a regular attendee and was especially drawn to the testimony meetings.

His time in Beirut proved to be a turning point. During his second semester, Jack was diagnosed with a hereditary condition. Doctors recommended corrective surgery similar to what both his father and grandfather had undergone. However, undergoing surgery in Beirut seemed risky, and returning to the United States would mean forfeiting his second semester. With this dilemma weighing on him, he asked at a Christian Science testimony meeting whether healing through prayer was possible for him, a non-Scientist. Encouraged by the affirmative response he received, he began praying for healing. "I made little progress until I attended a Christian Science lecture in Beirut a few weeks later. At the conclusion of the lecture, I realized I had been healed." After experiencing another remarkable healing, he dedicated himself to Christian Science and changed his professional aspirations from medicine to architecture.

Even as his career took a different direction, Jack’s passion for serving others remained unchanged. Instead of healing through medicine, he sought to uplift communities through thoughtful design and community planning. His work included restoring historic structures, improving neighborhoods, and preserving existing materials rather than demolishing and rebuilding. Among his most recognizable projects were the renovation of Union Station in Washington, D.C., the construction of the Four Seasons Hotel in New York City, the restoration of Grand Central Terminal in NYC, and the revitalization of the Christian Science Center in Boston.

Throughout his life, Jack has continued to experience healings. Like many others, he continues to work through challenges, but his life has been rich, joyful, and fulfilling. One of his greatest joys has been his involvement in church activities. For example, he has taught Sunday School for over 50 years and remains in touch with many of his former students.

Jack has given back to the Christian Science movement in numerous ways. After returning from Beirut, he was hired by current Willows resident John Boyman to work at Adventure Unlimited, where he later served on the board. He has also been a First Reader in his church and mentored high school students through the National Leadership Council. One of his proudest contributions came when, as he approached retirement, The Mother Church invited him to Boston for a special project. He helped shape the Church’s real estate assets for the future, including selling property, establishing long-term ground leases, and restoring both the original and extension of The Mother Church and its plaza.

Jack and his first wife, Betsy, had dreamed of moving west of the Mississippi to a warmer climate with a home large enough for family gatherings. However, those plans changed when Betsy passed away. Last summer, Jack decided to revisit The Willows, ultimately making it his home. "I have a place I can truly call home now. There’s little upkeep, and I can travel for a month at a time if needed. I’m close to my son and grandchildren in Burbank, and my daughter visits from Colorado.”

Remarkably, Jack is still friends with his eighth-grade best friend, the one who first introduced him to Christian Science. In fact, they picked up discussions about Science and Health upon Jack’s return from Beirut, and those exchanges continue to this day. Their lifelong friendship remains a source of joy and inspiration.

Jack hopes that more people like him—active outdoorsmen, bikers, and tennis enthusiasts—will move to The Willows to help in fulfilling its mission to support spiritual growth, continued independence, joyful activity, and care for each other and the wider world.