TheFirst Presidency ofCommunity of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the church's highest-rankingpriesthoodquorum. It is composed of theProphet-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 theWorld 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 theCouncil 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 aProphet-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, allprophet-presidents were descendants of the movement's founder,Joseph Smith Jr. This pattern was broken byWallace B. Smith, who designatedW. 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 theCouncil of Twelve Apostles announced in March 2005 thatStephen M. Veazey was selected as Prophet-President designate. Veazey had been serving as president of the Council of Twelve. Delegates elected to a specialWorld 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] Bunda C. Chibwe became the first African man to serve in the First Presidency at the 2025 World Conference.[2]
Current members of the First Presidency are:[3]
Both the Community of Christ and theChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consider themselves the continuation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints established byJoseph Smith Jr. in 1832.
Following the murder of Joseph Smith Jr. in 1844, several church leaders claimed to be his successor.Emma Hale Smith initially supportedWilliam Marks, who ultimately declined to pursue his claim. When the majority of the church followedBrigham Young west, she remained inNauvoo 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 withJoseph Smith III asprophet–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 ofWilliam Marks | |||
| April 10, 1873 – 1885 | Joseph Smith III | William W. Blair David Hyrum Smith | William W. Blair andDavid Hyrum Smith called as Counselors | ||
| 1885 – April 18, 1896 | Joseph Smith III | William W. Blair | Release ofDavid Hyrum Smith due to ill health and incapacitation | ||
| April 18, 1896 – April 18, 1902 | Joseph Smith III | Death ofWilliam W. Blair | |||
| April 18, 1902 – April 19, 1909 | Joseph Smith III | R. C. Evans Frederick M. Smith | R. C. Evans andFrederick M. Smith called as Counselors | ||
| April 19, 1909 – December 10, 1914 | Joseph Smith III | Frederick M. Smith Elbert A. Smith | R. C. Evans released andElbert A. Smith called as replacement | ||
| May 5, 1915 – October 2, 1922 | Frederick M. Smith | Elbert A. Smith | Frederick M. Smith ordainedprophet–president after death ofJoseph 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 andLemuel 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 ofFrederick M. Smith | ||
| March 1949 – April 2, 1950 | Israel A. Smith | F. Henry Edwards | Death ofJohn 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 ofIsrael A. Smith | ||
| April 18, 1966 – March 29, 1976 | W. Wallace Smith | Maurice L. Draper Duane E. Couey | F. Henry Edwards released and replaced withDuane 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 toW. 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 ofW. Wallace Smith | ||
| March 29, 1982 – April 5, 1992 | Wallace B. Smith | Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. Alan D. Tyree | Duane E. Couey released and replaced withAlan D. Tyree | ||
| April 5, 1992 – April 15, 1996 | Wallace B. Smith | Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. W. Grant McMurray | Alan D. Tyree released and replaced withW. Grant McMurray | ||
| April 15, 1996 – April 2000 | W. Grant McMurray | Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. Kenneth N. Robinson | Reorganization of First Presidency upon retirement ofWallace B. Smith | ||
| April 2000 – June 3, 2005 | W. Grant McMurray | Kenneth N. Robinson Peter A. Judd | Howard S. Sheehy, Jr. released and replaced withPeter A. Judd | ||
| June 3, 2005 – March 1, 2007 | Stephen M. Veazey | Kenneth N. Robinson David D. Schaal | Reorganization of First Presidency upon resignation ofW. Grant McMurray | ||
| March 1, 2007 – May 7, 2012 | Stephen M. Veazey | David D. Schaal Becky L. Savage | Kenneth N. Robinson released and replaced withBecky 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 – May 31, 2025 | Stephen M. Veazey | Stassi D. Cramm K. Scott Murphy | Becky L. Savage released and replaced with Stassi D. Cramm | ||
| June 6, 2025 – | Stassi D. Cramm | Bunda C. Chibwe Janné C. Grover | Reorganization of First Presidency upon retirement ofStephen M. Veazey | ||
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