First Presidency (Community of Christ)
The First Presidency of Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the church's highest-ranking priesthood quorum. It is composed of the Prophet-President and two counselors, and they preside over the whole church under the principles of "theocratic democracy" observed in the governance of the church. This includes responsibility for the World Conference, field ministries, priesthood quorums and orders, and headquarters functions. The president of the Church holds the priesthood office of Prophet and is also a High Priest.
In 1860 with the reorganization of the First Presidency, Joseph Smith III became the second prophet-president of this church and also president of a new First Presidency. William Marks became Smith's First Counselor.
In Community of Christ, each new church president has generally been "designated" as the successor by the preceding church president. The counselors in the First Presidency are then chosen by the church president and are often, but not required, to be former or current members of the Council of Twelve Apostles. In addition, the death or resignation of the Prophet-President does not dissolve the First Presidency, which continues on as the church's executive council in the persons of the remaining two presidents until a Prophet-President is called. The two members who were counselors to the prophet-president cease to be counselors during this time. Upon ordination of the Prophet-President, the former First Presidency is dissolved, and upon ordination of the two counselors, it is reorganized. Members of the First Presidency are not members of the Quorum of Twelve nor do they hold the priesthood office of apostle, regardless of previous calling.
Prior to 1996, all prophet-presidents were descendants of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith Jr. This pattern was broken by Wallace B. Smith, who designated W. Grant McMurray church president. McMurray, in turn, resigned the church presidency in 2004 without designating a successor. A joint council of church leaders led by the Council of Twelve Apostles announced in March 2005 that Stephen M. Veazey was selected as Prophet-President designate. Veazey had been serving as president of the Council of Twelve. Delegates elected to a special World Conference of the church approved Veazey and he was ordained as the 8th president of the High Priesthood, Prophet, and President of the Church on June 3, 2005.
At the 2007 World Conference, Becky L. Savage was ordained as the first woman to serve in the First Presidency.[1]
Current members of the First Presidency are:[2]
- President Stephen M. Veazey, President of the Church
- President Stassi D. Cramm (Counselor to the president)
- President K. Scott Murphy (Counselor to the president)
Chronology
[edit]During the lifetime of Joseph Smith Jr.
[edit]Both the Community of Christ and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consider themselves the continuation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints established by Joseph Smith Jr. in 1832.
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Reorganization
[edit]Following the murder of Joseph Smith Jr. in 1844, several church leaders claimed to be his successor. Emma Hale Smith initially supported William Marks, who ultimately declined to pursue his claim. When the majority of the church followed Brigham Young west, she remained in Nauvoo with her children. In 1860, her eldest son, Joseph Smith III, reestablished the First Presidency as leadership of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
| Dates | Prophet-President of the Church | Counselors | Change | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 April 1860 – 6 April 1863 | Joseph Smith III | Reorganization of church with Joseph Smith III as prophet–president | |||
| 6 April 1863 – May 22, 1872 | Joseph Smith III | William Marks | William Marks called as Counselor | ||
| May 22, 1872 – April 10, 1873 | Joseph Smith III | Death of William Marks | |||
| April 10, 1873 – 1885 | Joseph Smith III | William W. Blair David Hyrum Smith |
William W. Blair and David Hyrum Smith called as Counselors | ||
| 1885 – April 18, 1896 | Joseph Smith III | William W. Blair | Release of David Hyrum Smith due to ill health and incapacitation | ||
| April 18, 1896 – April 18, 1902 | Joseph Smith III | Death of William W. Blair | |||
| April 18, 1902 – April 19, 1909 | Joseph Smith III | R. C. Evans Frederick M. Smith |
R. C. Evans and Frederick M. Smith called as Counselors | ||
| April 19, 1909 – December 10, 1914 | Joseph Smith III | Frederick M. Smith Elbert A. Smith |
R. C. Evans released and Elbert A. Smith called as replacement | ||
| May 5, 1915 – October 2, 1922 | Frederick M. Smith | Elbert A. Smith | Frederick M. Smith ordained prophet–president after death of Joseph Smith III; Elbert A. Smith retained as Counselor | ||
| October 2, 1922 – April 7, 1938 | Frederick M. Smith | Elbert A. Smith Floyd M. McDowell |
Floyd M. McDowell called as Counselor | ||
| April 7, 1938 – October 1938 | Frederick M. Smith | Floyd M. McDowell | Elbert A. Smith released as Counselor | ||
| October 1938 – March 20, 1946 | Frederick M. Smith | Israel A. Smith Lemuel F.P. Curry |
Floyd M. McDowell resigns as Counselor; Israel A. Smith and Lemuel F.P. Curry added as Counselors | ||
| April 9, 1946 – March 1949 | Israel A. Smith | John F. Garver F. Henry Edwards |
Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Frederick M. Smith | ||
| March 1949 – April 2, 1950 | Israel A. Smith | F. Henry Edwards | Death of John F. Garver | ||
| April 2, 1950 – June 14, 1958 | Israel A. Smith | F. Henry Edwards W. Wallace Smith |
W. Wallace Smith called as Counselor | ||
| October 8, 1958 – April 18, 1966 | W. Wallace Smith | F. Henry Edwards Maurice L. Draper |
Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Israel A. Smith | ||
| April 18, 1966 – March 29, 1976 | W. Wallace Smith | Maurice L. Draper Duane E. Couey |
F. Henry Edwards released and replaced with Duane E. Couey | ||
| March 29, 1976 – April 3, 1978 | W. Wallace Smith Wallace B. Smith (Assistant and prophet–president designate) |
Maurice L. Draper Duane E. Couey |
Wallace B. Smith added as an assistant to W. Wallace Smith and given title prophet–president designate | ||
| April 3, 1978 – March 29, 1982 | Wallace B. Smith | Duane E. Couey Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. |
Reorganization of First Presidency upon retirement of W. Wallace Smith | ||
| March 29, 1982 – April 5, 1992 | Wallace B. Smith | Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. Alan D. Tyree |
Duane E. Couey released and replaced with Alan D. Tyree | ||
| April 5, 1992 – April 15, 1996 | Wallace B. Smith | Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. W. Grant McMurray |
Alan D. Tyree released and replaced with W. Grant McMurray | ||
| April 15, 1996 – April 2000 | W. Grant McMurray | Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. Kenneth N. Robinson |
Reorganization of First Presidency upon retirement of Wallace B. Smith | ||
| April 2000 – June 3, 2005 | W. Grant McMurray | Kenneth N. Robinson Peter A. Judd |
Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. released and replaced with Peter A. Judd | ||
| June 3, 2005 – March 1, 2007 | Stephen M. Veazey | Kenneth N. Robinson David D. Schaal |
Reorganization of First Presidency upon resignation of W. Grant McMurray | ||
| March 1, 2007 – May 7, 2012 | Stephen M. Veazey | David D. Schaal Becky L. Savage |
Kenneth N. Robinson released and replaced with Becky L. Savage | ||
| March 7, 2012 – April 16, 2013 | Stephen M. Veazey | Becky L. Savage | David D. Schaal released, seat vacant for a year | ||
| April 16, 2013 – March 31, 2016 | Stephen M. Veazey | Becky L. Savage K. Scott Murphy |
K. Scott Murphy called as counselor | ||
| March 31, 2016 – | Stephen M. Veazey | Stassi D. Cramm K. Scott Murphy |
Becky L. Savage released and replaced with Stassi D. Cramm | ||
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Notes
[edit]- ^ "Letter of Counsel". Archived from the original on 2012-08-19. Retrieved 2013-10-30.
- ^ "First Presidency" Archived 2019-12-11 at the Wayback Machine, cofchrist.org, accessed 16 June 2016.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Members of the First Presidency (Community of Christ) at Wikimedia Commons
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