Community of Christ membership and field organization
Community of Christ membership and field organization is governed by the scriptures, resolutions and Bylaws of the Community of Christ and administered by the First Presidency, Council of Twelve and others. To be considered a member of the Community of Christ, individuals participate in two sacraments of the church: Baptism and Confirmation. Baptism in the Community of Christ is by full immersion and Confirmation is conferred by the "laying on of hands."
Membership statistics are maintained by local recorders in each congregation and reported electronically. The Community of Christ reported 2006 enrollment within Mission Centers a total of 195,605 members, up from 195,432 in 2005. Ordained priesthood members in 2006 stood at 20,794, up from 20,700 in 2005. Membership totals for the year 2006 in each mission center are shown in the table below.[1]
Membership by jurisdicition
| Mission Center Name | 2006 Enrollment | Mission Field[2] |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama-Northwest Florida | 2479 | Southern USA |
| Arizona | 2187 | West Central USA |
| Ark-La-Tex | 917 | Southern USA |
| Australia | 2017 | Pacific |
| Bountiful | 2232 | East Central USA |
| British Isles | 1373 | North Atlantic (Europe/USA) |
| Brush Creek | 2506 | East Central USA |
| Canada East | 5679 | Canada/North Central (USA) |
| Canada West | 2610 | Canada/North Central (USA) |
| Caribbean | 545 | Caribbean, Mexico and Texas USA |
| Cedar Valley - Nauvoo | 2591 | East Central USA |
| Central Africa | 9583 | Africa and Haiti |
| Central America | 2022 | Central and South America |
| Central Missouri | 3259 | Southern USA |
| Central | 15481 | Central and Michigan USA |
| Chesapeake Bay | 1615 | North Atlantic (Europe/USA) |
| Chicago | 1591 | East Central USA |
| Coastal Bend | 1959 | Caribbean, Mexico and Texas USA |
| Dominican Republic | 1108 | Caribbean, Mexico and Texas USA |
| East Asia | 526 | Asia |
| Eastern Great Lakes | 2879 | East Central USA |
| Europe | 1151 | North Atlantic (Europe/USA) |
| Far West | 2630 | West Central USA |
| Florida | 2760 | Southern USA |
| French Polynesia | 6882 | Pacific |
| Gateway | 2755 | East Central USA |
| Greater Pacific Northwest | 6218 | Pacific |
| Gulf | 2044 | Southern USA |
| Haiti | 10970 | Africa and Haiti |
| Headwaters | 2659 | Canada/North Central (USA) |
| Heart of Michigan | 2602 | Central and Michigan USA |
| Heart of Texas | 1416 | Caribbean, Mexico and Texas USA |
| Inland West | 3075 | West Central USA |
| Kentucky - Indiana | 1563 | East Central USA |
| Lamoni Heartland | 3823 | Canada/North Central (USA) |
| Mexico - Texas | 778 | Caribbean, Mexico and Texas USA |
| Michigan Blue Water | 3259 | Central and Michigan USA |
| Mid-Atlantic | 1984 | North Atlantic (Europe/USA) |
| Midlands | 5260 | West Central USA |
| Mid-South | 2179 | Southern USA |
| New England | 2069 | North Atlantic (Europe/USA) |
| Northern Great Lakes | 2615 | Central and Michigan USA |
| Oklahoma | 3605 | West Central USA |
| Pacific Island | 1506 | Pacific |
| Prairie Bluffs | 4596 | Canada/North Central (USA) |
| Rio Grande | 862 | West Central USA |
| Rocky Mountain | 3873 | West Central USA |
| Sierra Pacific | 3378 | Pacific |
| South America | 785 | Central and South America |
| South Central Asia | 6284 | Asia |
| South Central States | 4805 | Southern USA |
| South East Africa | 7017 | Africa and Haiti |
| Southeast Asia | 1457 | Asia |
| Southeast USA | 1753 | Southern USA |
| Southern California | 2347 | Pacific |
| Southern Great Lakes International | 6489 | Central and Michigan USA |
| Southwest International | 1685 | Pacific |
| West Africa | 8749 | Africa and Haiti |
| Western Ohio | 2151 | East Central USA |
Field organization
The basic unit of organization in the Community of Christ is the congregation. The congregation is the Community of Christ in its local area and attempts to bring the ministry of Jesus Christ into the surrounding community. Each congregation has a Pastor, Financial Officer and usually several additional, mostly volunteer priesthood members. Congregations belong to mid-level organizational units called a Mission Center. Mission Center Presidents report to a field Apostle who supervises several mission centers in one of eleven mission fields.
At the 2007 World Conference, a member holding the priesthood office of Seventy was teamed with each of the Apostles, as follows:
- Apostle Linda L. Booth and Seventy Karin Peter in the Southern USA Mission Field
- Apostle Andrew Bolton and Seventy Sam Kumar in the Asia Mission Field
- Apostle Bunda C. Chibwe and Tanoh Assoi in the Africa and Haiti Mission Field
- Apostle Stassi D. Cramm and Seventy John Wight in the Central and Michigan USA Mission Field
- Apostle Mary Jacks Dynes and Seventy Kris Judd in the Canada/North Central (USA) Mission Field
- Apostle Ronald D. Harmon Jr. and Seventy Larry McGuire in the East Central USA Mission Field
- Apostle Dale E. Luffman and Robin Linkhart in the West Central USA Mission Field
- Apostle Rick W. Maupin and Seventy Ruben Landeros in the Caribbean, Mexico and Texas USA Mission Field
- Apostle Carlos Enrique Mejia and Seventy Bob Kyser in the Central and South America Mission Field
- Apostle Susan D. Skoor and Seventy Gina Norton in the Pacific Mission Field
- Apostle Leonard M. Young and Seventy Richard James in the North Atlantic (Europe/USA) Mission Field
Notes
- ↑ Carina Lord Wilson and Andrew M. Shields, "Church Membership Report," in 2007 World Conference Monday Bulletin, March 26, 2007, p.269-276. Community of Christ, 2007.
- ↑ Andrew M. Shields, "Official Minutes of Business Session, Wednesday March 28, 2007," in 2007 World Conference Thursday Bulletin, March 29, 2007, p.329-330. Community of Christ, 2007.
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