Community of Christ membership and field organization explained

Community of Christ membership and field organization is administered by the First Presidency, Council of Twelve and others. To be considered a member of Community of Christ, individuals participate in two sacraments of the church: Baptism and Confirmation. Baptism in 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. Community of Christ reported 2015 enrollment within Mission Centers a total of 199,485 members, up from 199,268 in 2014. Membership totals for the year 2006 and 2013 - 2018 in each mission center are shown in the table below.[1]

As of the 2019 World Conference, global membership had just slightly increased to 251,934, but within the United States membership is declining. The number of Priesthood members as of 2018 stands at 20,579 with 10,052 holding the Aaronic Priesthood and 10,527 holding the Melchizedek Priesthood.[2]

Membership by Mission Center

Mission Center Name 2006 Enrollment 2013 Enrollment[3] 2014 Enrollment2015 Enrollment2016 Enrollment2017 Enrollment2018 EnrollmentMission Field[4]
Alabama-Northwest Florida USA 2479 243724342422235123532333Southern USA
Arizona USA 2187 210221032095208720902083West Central USA
Ark-La-Tex USA 917 878880880878878876Southern USA
Australia 2017 192925982672300929882382Pacific
Bountiful USA 2232 216521522140215021542166East Central USA
Brazil357358359375375376
British Isles 1373128112731276127312731255North Atlantic (Europe/USA)
Brush Creek USA 2506 229222302253224022352225East Central USA
Buripadar India673
Canada East 5679550654695598555455685521Canada/North Central (USA)
Canada West 2610242124162395237623772225Canada/North Central (USA)
Caribbean 545633656671687626653Caribbean, Mexico and Texas USA
Cedar Valley - Nauvoo 2591255325432528252125052498East Central USA
Central Africa 9583Africa and Haiti
Central America 2022276427622759277927762837Central and South America
Central Missouri USA 3259305030443007299429862968Southern USA
Central USA 15481148081470414622145471455414456Central and Michigan USA
Chandragiri India1362
Chesapeake Bay USA 1615164716431640163516311624North Atlantic (Europe/USA)
Chicago USA 1591152615211519150915101497East Central USA
Coastal Bend USA 1959196019621960195519471942Caribbean, Mexico and Texas USA
Dominican Republic 1108142514711508158116021624Caribbean, Mexico and Texas USA
East Asia 526555555560561561558Asia
Eastern Great Lakes USA 2879275027012614259425882532East Central USA
Eurasia412412417419419419
Europe 1151North Atlantic (Europe/USA)
Far West USA 2630251624802470251425202523West Central USA
Florida USA 2760285428612893290829072944Southern USA
French Polynesia 6882752877727990904791359256Pacific
Gateway USA 2755273227182709269527082717East Central USA
Greater Pacific Northwest USA 6218601459815985599359985980Pacific
Gulf USA 2044205720742080216121622154Southern USA
Haiti 10970110561108111082112521134411335Africa and Haiti
Haut Katanga D. R. Congo11,7381177611792117931179311786
Headwaters USA 2659260826172612259525722547Canada/North Central (USA)
Heart of Michigan 2602Central and Michigan USA
Heart of Texas USA 1416137613791364137013661370Caribbean, Mexico and Texas USA
Inland West USA 3075301030152898289828922882West Central USA
Ivory Coast & Togo589609630630630631
Kaliburi India308
Kenduguda India6132223
Kentucky - Indiana USA 1563156715531548153515301520East Central USA
Kenya340135253654367436743673
Kothaghar India1518
Lamoni Heartland USA 3823368036563624359135813548Canada/North Central (USA)
Liberia & Sierra Leone260926082620262026202696
Lualaba D. R. Congo
Malawi242324592460246025172520
Mexico - Texas Mexico/USA 778813814815824826820Caribbean, Mexico and Texas USA
Michigan USA147281471114534145031447214406
Michigan Blue Water 3259Central and Michigan USA
Mid-Atlantic USA 1984188818701873185518511839North Atlantic (Europe/USA)
Midlands 5260513451245128510050965075West Central USA
Mid-South USA 2179257226072650274727972885Southern USA
Mohana India1136631
Nepal323327401
New England USA 2069197819561946192019201901North Atlantic (Europe/USA)
Nigeria608661266172618662646287
Northern Great Lakes 2615Central and Michigan USA
Northwest South America414415416416415414
Oklahoma USA 3605357135603559352435213517West Central USA
Pacific Island 1506152615541574162116421668Pacific
Pacific Southwest International 1685162416351625298829983017Pacific
Philippines160516121642
Prairie Bluffs USA 4596452445094502447644654448Canada/North Central (USA)
Rio Grande USA 862844838841832831825West Central USA
Rocky Mountain USA 3873380437963784378137773754West Central USA
Sierra Pacific USA 3378326132453231323932373236Pacific
South America 785Central and South America
South Central Africa245425292642
South Central Asia 6284693669857004673265843517Asia
Southern Great Lakes International 6489Central and Michigan USA
South Central States USA 4805472647194671462746454638Southern USA
South India Green Valley1050
South East Africa 7017Africa and Haiti
Southeast Asia 1457150015941606Asia
Southeast USA 1753176117191722171817231729Southern USA
Southern California USA 2347192218821865Pacific
Southern Cone of South America111111111111111111
West Africa 8749Africa and Haiti
West Congo Kinshasa5544414
Western Europe828820817810811808
Western Ohio USA 2151208720932087211021092105East Central USA
Zambia, Zimbabwe & Central Africa264327032725
Mission Center Enrollment Total195,605198,306199,268199,485200,518200,963201,324
World Church General50,82450,86450,81650,76750,73750,610
Grand Total249,130250,132250,301251,285251,700251,934

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:

Notes and References

  1. 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.
  2. Book: Saturday/Sunday Bulletin World Conference 2019. Community of Christ. 2019. 11.
  3. Book: Saturday/Sunday Bulletin World Conference 2019. Community of Christ. 2019. 15–16.
  4. 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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