Council of Twelve Apostles (Community of Christ)

The Council of Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) now called the Community of Christ. They are disciples who hold the priesthood office of apostle. It is responsible for the evangelistic witness of the church. Apostles are also high priests in the Melchizedek priesthood of the church.

Current members

The current members of the Council, their specific assignments, and year they joined the Council are as follows:[1]

FIELD 1

Apostle Art Smith (2013) and Apostle Adam Wade (2025)

President of Seventy Leslie Pascua and Mission Support President of Seventy Larry McGuire

Mission Centers in Field 1

  • Andhra Pradesh India Mission Centre
  • Buripadar India Mission Centre
  • Chandragiri India Mission Centre
  • Ganjam India Mission Centre
  • Kenduguda India Mission Centre
  • Mohana India Mission Centre
  • South India Green Valley Mission Centre
  • Nepal Mission Centre
  • East Asia Mission Area
  • Philippines Mission Center
  • Centre de mission de la Polynésie Française
  • Centre de mission d'Haiti Grand Nord
  • Centre de mission d'Haiti Grand Sud


FIELD 2

Apostle Carlos Enrique Mejia (2007) and Apostle Angela Ramirez (2023)

President of Seventy Humberto Rosario and Hispanic Leadership Support President of Seventy John Glaser

Mission Centers in Field 2

  • Centro de Misión de Brasil
  • Centro de Misión del Caribe
  • Centro de Misión de Centroamérica
  • Centro de Misión de República Dominicana
  • Centro de Misión México-Texas
  • Centro de Misión del Noroeste de Suramérica
  • Centro de Misión del Cono Sur de Suramérica


Field 3

Apostle Catherine Mambwe (2019) and Apostle Matt Frizzell (2025)

President of Seventy Sylvester Ocheing and Mission Support President of Seventy Larry McGuire

Mission Centers in Field 3

  • Centre de mission de Congo Ouest Kinshasa en République Démocratique du Congo
  • Centre de mission de Côte D’Ivoire & Togo
  • Centre de mission de Kashobwe, Kilwa, & Pweto en République Démocratique du Congo
  • Centre de mission de Kipushi, Lubumbashi, & Kasenga en République Démocratique du Congo
  • Centre de mission de Lualaba en République Démocratique du Congo
  • Centre de mission de Tanganyika & Haut Lomami en République Démocratique du Congo
  • Centre de mission du Grand Kasaï en République Démocratique du Congo
  • Kenya Mission Centre
  • Liberia & Sierra Leone Mission Center
  • Malawi Mission Centre
  • Nigeria Mission Centre
  • Zambia, Zimbabwe & South Africa Mission Centre


Field 4

Apostle Lachlan Mackay (2016) and Apostle Shannon McAdam (2025)

Presidents of Seventy Karin Peter and Joelle Wight and Hispanic Leadership Support President of Seventy John Glaser

Mission Centers in Field 4

  • All Nations Congregation
  • Australia Mission Centre
  • British Isles Mission Centre
  • Canada East Mission Centre
  • Canada West Mission Centre
  • Eurasia Mission Centre
  • First People Congregation
  • Pacific Island Mission Centre
  • Western Europe Mission Centre


Field 5

Apostles Kat Hnatyshyn (2025), Richard James (2013), Carrie Welch (2025), Joey Williams (2025) with support from Lachlan Mackay and Shannon McAdam

Presidents of Seventy Karin Peter and Joelle Wight and Hispanic Leadership Support President of Seventy John Glaser

Mission Centers in Field 5

  • Alabama - Northwest Florida USA Mission Center
  • Arizona USA Mission Center
  • Ark-La-Tex USA Mission Center
  • Bountiful USA Mission Center
  • Brush Creek USA Mission Center
  • Cedar Valley-Nauvoo USA Mission Center
  • Central Missouri USA Mission Center
  • Central USA Mission Center
  • Chesapeake Bay USA Mission Center
  • Chicago USA Mission Center
  • Coastal Bend USA Mission Center
  • Eastern Great Lakes USA Mission Center
  • Far West USA Mission Center
  • Florida USA Mission Center
  • Gateway USA Mission Center
  • Greater Pacific Northwest USA Mission Center
  • Gulf USA Mission Center
  • Headwaters USA Mission Center
  • Heart of Texas USA Mission Center
  • Inland West USA Mission Center
  • Kentucky-Indiana USA Mission Center
  • Lamoni Heartland USA Mission Center
  • Michigan USA Mission Center
  • Mid-Atlantic USA Mission Center
  • Midlands USA Mission Center
  • Mid-South USA Mission Center
  • New England USA Mission Center
  • Oklahoma USA Mission Center
  • Pacific Southwest International Mission Center
  • Prairie Bluffs USA Mission Center
  • Rio Grande USA Mission Center
  • Rocky Mountain USA Mission Center
  • Sierra Pacific USA Mission Center
  • South Central States USA Mission Center
  • Southeast USA Mission Center
  • Western Ohio USA Mission Center

1844 to present

This is a list of the members of the Council in the Community of Christ, (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) ordained after 1844. The dates are the years they served as a member of the Council of Twelve.

Name Began Service Ended Service Cause of Departure Other Positions Nationality & Notes
Jason W. Briggs 18531885Not sustained as Apostle at the 1885 conference. President of the Council of Twelve Apostles American. Withdrew from the church sometime after 1885 conference
Zenas H. Gurley, Sr. 18531871 Ordained Joseph Smith III as president in 1860.
Henry Harrison Deam 18531854
Reuben Newkirk 18531873
John Cunningham 18531855
George White 18531859
Daniel B. Rasey 18531873
Samuel Powers 18551873
David Newkirk 18551865
William W. Blair 185810 April 1873Called to First Presidency First counselor in the First Presidency American. Served as first counselor until his death on 18 April 1896
John Shippy 18601868
James Blakeslee 18601866
Edmund C. Briggs October 186018 April 1902Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch. President of the Seventy American
Josiah Ells 18651885
Charles Derry 18651870
William H. Kelley 18731913 President of the Council of Twelve Apostles (1897– )
Thomas Wood Smith 18731894
James Caffall 18731902
John H. Lake 18731902
Alexander Hale Smith 10 April 187312 April 1897Ordained a Presiding Patriarchs/Evangelist. Counselor to Joseph Smith III
President of the Council of Twelve Apostles (1890–97)		 American. Third surviving son of Joseph and Emma Smith.
Zenas H. Gurley, Jr. 18741885
Joseph R. Lambert 18731902
James W. Gillen 11 April 1887[2]1899
Heman C. Smith 11 April 1887[2]1909 Church Historian
Joseph Luff 11 April 1887[2]1909 Canadian
Gomer T. Griffiths 11 April 1887[2]1922
Isaac N. White 12 April 1897[3]1913
John W. Wight 12 April 1897[3]1913
R. C. Evans 12 April 1897[3]1902Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency Counselor in the First Presidency

Bishop (With specific jurisdiction over the church in Canada)

 Canadian. Broke with the church in 1918 and formed the Church of the Christian Brotherhood
Peter Andersen 19011920
Frederick A. Smith 19021913
Francis M. Sheehy 19021920
Ulysses W. Greene 19021922
Cornelius A. Butterworth 19011922
John W. Rushton 19021947
James F. Curtis 19097 April 1938Honorably released
Robert C. Russell 19091922
James E. Kelley 19131917
William Murray Aylor 19131922
Paul M. Hanson 19138 October 1958[4]
James A. Gillen 19131934 President of the Council of Twelve Apostles (1922– )
Thomas W. Williams 19201925
Myron A. McConley 19201948
Clyde F. Ellis 19231945
John F. Garver 13 October 19229 April 1946Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency Counselor in the First Presidency American. Was president of the Board of Trustees for Graceland College
Daniel T. Williams 19228 October 1958[4]Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist
F. Henry Edwards 13 October 19229 April 1946Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency Secretary of the Council of Twelve Apostles English. Honorably released from First Presidency on 18 April 1966,
Edmund J. Gleazer 19228 October 1958[4]Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist
Roy S. Budd 19221936
George G. Lewis 19321948
George C. Mesley 7 April 19381954
Arthur Alma Oakman 7 April 19381964Ordained an Evangelist Evangelist English
Charles R. Hield 7 April 19386 April 1964[5]Honorably released
D. Blair Jensen 194618 April 1966[6]Honorably released
Roscoe E. Davey 19476 April 1964[5]Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist
Maurice L. Draper 19478 October 1958[4]Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency
W. Wallace Smith 19471950Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency Prophet-President
Percy E. Farrow 194818 April 1966[6]Honorably released
Reed M. Holmes 19481 April 1974.[7]Ordained as Presiding Patriarch/Evangelist
Donald O. Chesworth 195014 April 1972.[8]Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist
Donald Victor Lents 19548 April 1980 [9]Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch
Charles D. Neff 8 October 1958[4]5 April 1984[10]Honorably released American
Clifford A. Cole 8 October 1958[4]8 April 1980 [9]Called to ministries of teaching and writing
Cecil R. Ettinger 2 April 1960[11]1 April 1974[7]Honorably released
Duane E. Couey 2 April 1960[11]18 April 1966[6]Ordained counselor in the First Presidency Presiding Patriarch/Evangelist American
Russell F. Ralston 6 April 1964[5]29 March 1976[12]
William E. Timms 6 April 1964[5]3 April 1978[13]Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch
Earl T. Higdon 18 April 1966[6]1 April 1974[7]Honorably released President of Graceland College
Alan D. Tyree 18 April 1966[6]29 March 1982[14]Ordained counselor in the First Presidency
Aleah G. Koury 18 April 1966[6]8 April 1980 [9]Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch Canadian
Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. 1 April 1968[15]1980Ordained counselor in the First Presidency Counselor in the First Presidency American. Ordained counselor on 3 April 1978, but remained as a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles until 1980.
John C. Stuart 14 April 1972 [8]29 March 1982[14]Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch
William T. Higdon 1 April 1974[7]5 April 1992[16] President of Graceland College
Lloyd B. Hurshman 1 April 1974[7]14 April 1988[17]Honorably released
Paul W. Booth 1 April 1974[7]5 April 1992[16]Ordained as the Presiding Evangelist
Eugene C. Austin, Sr. 29 March 1976[12]10 April 1994[18]Honorably released
Roy H. Schaefer 3 April 1978[13]14 April 1988[17]Honorably released
Phillip M. Caswell 3 April 1978[13]1998
Kisuke Sekine 8 April 1980 [9]5 April 1992[16]Honorably released Japanese
Everett S. Graffeo 8 April 1980 [9]1994[18]Ordained as the Presiding Evangelist
Kenneth N. Robinson 8 April 1980 [9]1996Ordained counselor in the First Presidency Counselor in the First Presidency Australian
Joe A. Serig 29 March 1982[14]1998
James C. Cable 29 March 1982[14]1996
Geoffrey F. Spencer 5 April 1984[10]10 April 1994[18]Honorably released Australian
A. Alex Kahtava 14 April 1988[17]2002 Canadian
John P. Kirkpatrick 14 April 1988[17]2007
David R. Brock 5 April 1992[16]27 March 2007Ordained as the Presiding Evangelist President of Seventy
Presiding Evangelist		 American
Lawrence W. Tyree 5 April 1992[16]2002
Stephen M. Veazey 5 April 1992[16]2005Ordained as the Prophet-President President of the Council of Twelve

Prophet-President

 American
Danny A. Belrose 10 April 1994[18]2000Ordained as Presiding Evangelist Canadian
Dale E. Luffman 10 April 1994[18]January 3, 2013[19] American
Kenneth L. McLaughlin 10 April 1994[18]2005
Peter A. Judd 19962000Ordained counselor in the First Presidency Counselor in the First Presidency English
James E. Slauter 1996May 3, 2011[20] Early retirement, family health[20] President of the Council of Twelve Apostles
Secretary of the Council of Twelve Apostles		 American
Gail E. Mengel 31 March 19982005Called as Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer President of Church Women United

Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer

 American, along with Linda L. Booth, the first women to be ordained apostles.
Linda L. Booth 19982019 President of the Council of Twelve Apostles, Director of Communications American, along with Gail E. Mengel, the first woman to be ordained apostles. Also first female president of the Council of Twelve.
Leonard M. Young April 20002010Ordained an Evangelist in 2010President of the Quorum of High Priests, President of Michigan Region, Director of Field ResourcesAmerican - Served as World Church Parliamentarian from 1988 to 2020
Bunda C. Chibwe April 2000present President of the Sixth Quorum of Seventy Zambian
Mary Jacks Dynes 20022010Retired President of the Fifth Quorum of Seventy. American
David D. Schaal 20022005Ordained counselor in the First Presidency President of the Tri Stake Mission Center

Counselor in the First Presidency

 American
Stassi D. Cramm 2005[21]2016[22]Ordained counselor in the First Presidency[22] and Presiding Bishop[22] Counselor to the Presiding Bishop
Presiding Bishop
Counselor in the First Presidency		 American
Ronald D. Harmon Jr. 2005[21]2023Ordained to Office of Presiding Bishop President of the Council of Twelve Apostles American
Rick W. Maupin 2005[21]2019 American
Susan D. Oxley 2005[21]2015 American
Andrew Bolton 20072016[22] English
Carlos Enrique Mejia 2007present Honduran
Richard C.N. James 2010present Secretary of the Council of Twelve Apostles (incumbent) Welsh
K. Scott Murphy 20102013[19]Ordained counselor in the First PresidencyDirector of Field Ministries (incumbent)
President of the Council of Twelve		American
Barbara L. Carter 2013[19]2023 American
Mareva Arnaud Tchong 2013[19]2025 President of the Council of Twelve Apostles French Polynesian (Tahitian)
Arthur E. Smith 2013[19]present Canadian
Janné C. Grover 2016[22]2025 American
Robin K. Linkhart 2016[22]2025 American
Lachlan E. Mackay 2016[22]present American
Catherine Mambwe 2019 present Zambian
David Nii 2019 2025 American
Shandra Karine Newcom 2023 2025 American
Angela Alt. Ramirez de Hernandez 2023 present Dominican
Carrie Welch 2025 present American
Joey Williams 2025 present American
Adam Wade 2025 present Australian
Matt Frizzell 2025 present American
Kat Hnatyshyn 2025 present American
Shannon McAdam 2025 present Canadian

Notes

  1. ↑ "Church Leadership", cofchrist.org, accessed 3 May 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 119". Archived from the original on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  3. 1 2 3 "Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 124:4A". Archived from the original on 2007-06-07. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 145:3, 5b, 6b, 6c, & 7
  5. 1 2 3 4 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 147:1, 2 & 4
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 148:1 - 4
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 151:2 - 7
  8. 1 2 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 150:1A & 2A
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 154:1 - 3
  10. 1 2 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 156:1 & 2
  11. 1 2 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 146:1
  12. 1 2 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 152:2a & 3
  13. 1 2 3 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 153:5 - 6
  14. 1 2 3 4 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 155:3 - 5
  15. ↑ Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 149:1
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 158:3-6
  17. 1 2 3 4 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 157:1-3
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Community of Christ (RLDS): Doctrine and Covenants: Section 159:2 - 5
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 Stephen M. Veazey (3 January 2013). "Letter of Counsel Regarding the Presiding Quorums". Coastal Bend Mission Center. Archived from the original on 28 August 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  20. 1 2 Veazey, Stephen M. (May 3, 2011). "Letter of Counsel Regarding the Presiding Quorums". Cumminty of Christ. Retrieved 17 July 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  21. 1 2 3 4 "Official Minutes of Business Session" Deprecated link archived 2005-06-22 at archive.today, Community of Christ World Conference 2005, 4 June 2005.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Stephen M. Veazey, "Letter of Counsel about World Church Leadership" Archived 2016-09-18 at the Wayback Machine, cofchrist.org, March 31, 2016.

References

  • The Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Containing Revelations Given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet, with Some Additions by his Successors in the Presidency of the Church, Intellectual Reserve: Salt Lake City, UT, 1981.
  • Book of Doctrine and Covenants: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God and Given in the Order of their Dates, Herald Publishing House: Independence, MO, 2000.
  • Scherer, Mark A. (2016). The Journey of a People: The Era of Worldwide Community, 1945 to 2015. Independence, Missouri: Community of Christ Seminary Press. ISBN 978-0-830-91656-6.


This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.