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 A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature) necessary to conduct the business of that group. According to ''Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised'', the ...

. It is composed of the

Prophet-President In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. It was the office held by Joseph Smith, founder of the movement, and the office assumed by many of Smith's claimed succe ...

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 Joseph Smith III (November 6, 1832 – December 10, 1914) was the eldest surviving son of Joseph Smith (founder of the Latter Day Saint movement) and Emma Hale Smith. Joseph Smith III was the Prophet-President of what became the Reorganized Chu ...

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 the Latter Day Saint movement, the Quorum of the Twelve (also known as the Council of the Twelve, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Council of the Twelve Apostles, or the Twelve) is one of the governing bodies or ( quorums) of the church hie ...

. 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

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 Becky Lee Savage is an American leader in Community of Christ. She was a counselor to Stephen M. Veazey in the First Presidency of the church from 2007 to 2016. Savage was the first female member of the First Presidency in the history of Communi ...

was ordained as the first woman to serve in the First Presidency. Current members of the First Presidency are:"First Presidency"
cofchrist.org, accessed 16 June 2016. *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

During the lifetime of Joseph Smith Jr.

Both the Community of Christ and the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The c ...

consider themselves the continuation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints established by Joseph Smith Jr. in 1832.

Reorganization

Following the murder of Joseph Smith Jr. in 1844, several church leaders claimed to be his successor.

Emma Hale Smith Emma Hale Smith Bidamon (July 10, 1804 – April 30, 1879) was an American homesteader, the official wife of Joseph Smith, and a prominent leader in the early days of the Latter Day Saint movement, both during Smith's lifetime and afterward as ...

initially supported William Marks, who ultimately declined to pursue his claim. When the majority of the church followed

Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his ...

west, she remained in Nauvoo with her children. In 1860, her eldest son,

, reestablished the First Presidency as leadership of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Notes

External links

* {{CofCpresidents Latter Day Saint hierarchy Religious organizations established in 1832 Community of Christ